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Dear Friends,
We hope you and your loved ones are safe and well in this unseasonably warm Minnesota… winter?
It’s been a busy and fulfilling start to the year for Disability:IN Minnesota. Last month, we kicked-off our 2024 Career Connections Mentoring Program with a cohort of 28! This month, we are gearing up for our first Member Meeting of the year: “Getting Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable” with MaxAbility Taskforce on Wednesday, February 21. We hope you and your colleagues can join us!
February is Black History Month, a time to honor and celebrate the critical contributions, cultural heritage, and histories of Black Americans. As disabled Black leaders such as Fannie Lou Hammer, Johnnie Lacy, and Brad Lomax taught us, movements for civil rights and disability rights are deeply intertwined.
"Disability has often been erased from the stories of many Black historical figures," writes Dikko Yusuf. “Disabled activists Vilissa Thompson, Heather Watkins, and Ola Ojewumi all highlight how their exposure to Black history in school failed to account for the disabilities of Black civil rights leaders.” Black activists with disabilities including Audre Lorde, Harriet Tubman, Joyce Jackson, Lois Curtis, and many more, all worked to uproot ableism and racism by advocating for systemic social change. As Black disabled history is often erased or under-told, it is important to center and celebrate these stories beyond Black History Month. This February and year-round, we reflect on the intersections of race and disability in the struggle for a just, inclusive, and equitable world.
This month we also observe International Childhood Cancer Day on February 15, World Day of Social Justice on February 20, and Eating Disorder Awareness Week beginning on February 27. To view all disability awareness dates and observances, check out Disability:IN’s 2024 Calendar.
Looking ahead, we are excited for our March Member Meeting, “Access for All: Empowering Inclusive Workplaces through Accommodations” on Wednesday, March 13. We hope to see you there! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay up-to-date with learning resources, upcoming events, and ways to build awareness of disability inclusion.
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ID: Celebrating Black Disabled History today and everyday in black text against a cream background featuring red, yellow, and green stripes and a decorative border | |
Career Connections Mentoring Program | |
The Career Connections Mentoring Program kicked off on January 12, 2024. We have 14 mentoring pairs, with mentees and mentors represented from various schools and businesses/organizations (see slides below or click on the link following for more details). A big thank you to everyone who is involved! 2024 Career Connections Mentoring Program Mentor and Mentees | |
ID: 2024 Career Connections Mentoring Program: Mentees This year we have 14 mentees who represent a mix of college students and graduates (with logos of each of these schools represented on the slide): Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Augsburg University, The College of St. Scholastica, Dakota County Technical College, Macalester, Minneapolis Community & Technical College, Minnesota State University Mankato, North Hennepin Community College, Normandale Community College, Purdue University, St. Cloud State University, St Mary's University of Minnesota, and University of Minnesota Duluth. | |
ID: 2024 Career Connections Mentoring Program: Mentors We also have 14 mentors working for the following employers (with logos of each of these businesses/organizations represented on the slide): Accra, Cargill, Huntington, Kraus-Anderson, Land O'Lakes, Mayo Clinic, State of Minnesota, Recast Software, Room & Board, 3M, and Touchstone Mental Health | |
Register Now: February Member Meeting | |
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Join us virtually on February 21, 2024 at 12:00 PM CT for an engaging virtual conversation on identity, oppression, and disability employment. For more information, visit our website and register today!
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Please contact Kyle Mullen at KMullen@wdimn.org to request any accommodations for this event.
ID: Flier for MaxAbility Lunch and Learn: Getting Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable, Talking about issues of identity oppression with clarity and respect. Wednesday, February 21, 2024, from 12:00 to 1:00 PM CST to be held virtually. Identities are part of who we are. Short or tall, red or blonde hair, and body size are all descriptors that make us unique. Ableism, racism, homophobia, and ageism are all ways identities can be oppressed." Headshots of the presenters appear on the right, Charlotte Hayes, My Disability is My Magic and Shelly Rohe, Social Justice Coordinator First UU Church. Thank you to event partners, Workforce Development, Inc.; Disability:IN Minnesota; United Way of Olmsted County.
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Save the Date! March Member Meet | |
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Join us virtually for our March Member Meeting: "Access for All: Empowering Inclusive Workplaces through Accommodations."
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
12:00 – 1:00 PM (CST)
Did you know small and mid-sized Minnesota employers can request reimbursement for expenses related to providing workplace accommodations?
This session will explore the State of Minnesota's Employer Reasonable Accommodation Fund (ERAF) with Ray McCoy of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Learn more and register today!
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Small and medium-sized businesses and other organizations who are interested in becoming a member of Disability:IN Minnesota are welcome to attend this meeting for free using promo code "ACCOMMODATIONS2024" with a Non-Member ticket.
ID: Disability:IN Minnesota March Member Meeting, Access for All, Empowering Inclusive Workplaces through Accommodations. March 13, 12:00 - 1:00 PM CT in white text in front of a dark blue background with green decorative borders. Above the text is a photo of a disabled professional with light skin in a wheelchair completing paperwork at a desk. They are wearing a white button down blouse and dark blue slacks.
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Featuring....
Dawn Swiers, Disability:IN Minnesota Board Secretary and Diversity Recruitment Specialist at Disability:IN MN member company Mayo Clinic
Why is it important to consider disability and center accessibility in hiring and employment?
As labor market challenges continue to increase, employers like Mayo Clinic are investing and recruiting in ALL types of talented individuals to ensure our future workforce is reflective of the patients we serve. Intentional efforts focused on accessibility opens doors for a wide variety of backgrounds and lived experiences to join our healthcare teams. Perspectives from people with disabilities in our workforce provides a lens that is needed to ensure our physical and digital spaces are welcoming to employees and patients.
How has Disability:IN Minnesota’s work and offerings impacted you and/or your member company?
Disability:IN Minnesota offers programming and education sessions to expand your knowledge. The disabled community is one of the most diverse communities and people within the community have a variety of talents and needs. The network of employers along with providers in the Disability:IN MN membership allows for quick access to subject matter experts that can support individuals wherever they are in their disability discovery journey.
What has been your favorite event, offering, or benefit from Disability:IN Minnesota? Why?
My favorite offering is the Career Connections Mentoring Program. This program helps college students and employers find joy in their work by matching students with professionals to help them transition from school to work with ease. I am a firm believer that mentorship is one way an employer can give back and engage with early talent to propel their career.
ID: Headshot of Dawn Swiers, a white woman with long brunette hair and black glasses. Dawn is smiling and is wearing a white and navy striped blazer and a blue necklace
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Do you work for a Disability:IN Minnesota member company and are you interested in being featured in our monthly member column? Contact us today!
Are you interested in becoming a member of Disability:IN Minnesota? We would love to connect with you! Please contact us at info@di-mn.org to learn more.
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Thank you to our Renewing Members! | |
ID: Business logos for Disability:IN Minnesota renewing members Element Fleet Management, North Hennepin Community College, and UnitedHealth Group | |
2024 DEIA Outlook: A Federal Perspective | |
ID: Federal Update in white text against a blue background with a circular design, featuring an illustration of the U.S. capitol building and stars to the right. | |
Webinar: "Nuts & Bolts of Inclusive Data Collection" | |
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Join the Center for Disability Inclusion (CDI) for their upcoming webinar: "Nuts & Bolts of Inclusive Data Collection" on Wednesday, February 28 at 11:00 AM CT. This Session will Focus on:
- How to strengthen your data collection campaigns by intentionally communicating at all phases of process
- Psychological constructs that influence employees’ willingness to provide personal information to employers and consequences of such influences.
- Walking through a case study using examples that center around people with disabilities.
As a CDI Partner, Disability:IN Minnesota members receive discounted tickets ($35). Please register by February 27.
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ID: Center for Disability Inclusion's green and light blue logo | |
Updates from Disability:IN National | |
Shop Disability Owned this Valentines Day! | |
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Disability:IN's DOBE Gift Guide features hand-selected offerings from certified Disability Owned Business Enterprises (DOBEs) to help you find the perfect Valentine's Day gift!
ID: A navy blue heart icon with a green bow around it.
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"Disability:IN’s research and policy team recently launched two exciting new initiatives, a newsletter titled Inclusive Governance & Investing Quarterly and a Research & Policy landing page on our website.
Inclusive Governance & Investing Quarterly is a digital periodical that curates information for stewardship professionals, institutional investors, corporate executives, financial policymakers, and sustainability researchers on the topic of disability inclusion by circulating research, headlines, policies, and initiatives that affect the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workforce."
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ID: Disability:IN Inclusive Governance & Investing Quarterly, Inaugural Issue, Volume 1, 2024, Quarter 1 in white text in front of a dark blue background featuring green and blue decorative rectangular shapes. To the right is a photo of a disabled professional in a wheel chair giving a presentation during a businesses meeting | |
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February
March
April
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April 26, 1:00 – 4:00 PM, INclusive Career Fair
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Partner calendar events can be accessed using the links below:
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Planning a disability inclusion event? | |
Expanding your event to include Disability:IN Minnesota members can increase visibility of your company's disability inclusion efforts and offer learning opportunities to members at varying points in their journey. Contact us today to add your disability inclusion event to our calendar! |
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Disability:IN Minnesota is an employer-led endeavor that promotes best practices that enhance employment and career opportunities for skilled individuals who have a disability.
Our members are committed to disability-inclusive hiring practices and love to share best practices and ideas for recruiting, hiring, on-boarding and supporting candidates and employees with disabilities.
Learn more about our organization and benefits or contact us today.
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