DISABILITY NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW
NOVEMBER 2022
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Veterans Day 2022 Parades, Events and More
Arlington, Virginia: National Veterans Day Observance at Arlington National Cemetery
The 69th annual National Veterans Day Observance at at Arlington National Cemetery begins at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 11, 2022, and will be live-streamed at this link. A prelude by The United States Navy Band and Sea Chanters will begin in the cemetery’s Memorial Amphitheater at 10:30 a.m. Attendance at the wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns will be limited to official participants only. The wreath-laying will be followed by an observance program in the Memorial Amphitheater. Seating for this portion of the observance program will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here for details.
Korean War Veterans Memorial
The Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., hosts a Veterans Day Ceremony & Wreath Presentation from 10-11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022, to honor all veterans who served in the Korean War. For details, click here.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial: 40th Anniversary Celebration
Fort Belvoir, Virginia: National Museum of the United States Army
The National Museum of the United States Army is hosting a three-day weekend of Veterans Day events from Friday, Nov. 11, through Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022, including a Hands-on History program, Reconnaissance Mission, family crafts, a Path of Remembrance Flag Display, Volunteer Showcase, and Veterans’ Hall Mess Hall. Click here for details and a schedule.
One day earlier, on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the National Museum of the United States Army is also hosting Call to Connect: Mobile Vets Center, along with the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide information and assistance to veterans and family members who may be eligible for VA benefits including service-connected disability compensation, improved pensions, death pensions, VA health care benefits, burial benefits, education benefits, vocational rehabilitation and more. The event is free and takes place outdoors. See details here.
World War II Memorial
A free Veterans Day observance at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., is scheduled for 9 to 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. The Friends of the National World War II Memorial and the National Park Service will co-host the ceremony to pay tribute and lay wreaths in honor of the more than 16 million men and women who served with the U.S. armed forces during World War II. For details, click here.
Washington, D.C., VA Medical Center
VA Secretary Denis McDonough will address the top requested concerns from veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors at a Veteran Town Hall from 2-3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022, at Washington, DC VA Medical Center. The event will be livestreamed on YouTube.
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Winning design selected in the
2022 Veterans Day poster contest
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Each year, the Veterans Day National Committee (VDNC) selects a commemorative Veterans Day poster from designs submitted by artists nationwide for the annual Veterans Day Poster Contest. In addition to donning the walls of VA facilities, military installations, and municipal buildings in cities and towns across America, the poster will also serve as the cover of the official program for the Veterans Day commemoration at Arlington National Cemetery on November 11.
Briana Cummings, a visual information specialist who has worked at the Erie VA Medical Center (VAMC) in Erie, Pennsylvania, since January 2020, submitted the winning design for this year’s Veterans Day Poster Contest. She was inspired to create her submission after learning that this year’s theme was honor.
The 2022 Veterans Day Poster Contest winner.
“I immediately thought of the benches at the memorial. The poster is a compilation of three different photographs of the Erie Veterans Memorial Park,” she said. “The one on the bottom comes from the Vietnam memorial wall. The middle, the duty… honor…country, is engraved on the granite benches [near the wall]. I feel the hierarchy of the images symbolically flow well, the flag in the sun on the top, the bench in the middle, and the silhouettes of the service members supporting them from below.”
From a young age, Cummings knew she wanted to create art for a living. While not a Veteran herself, she has strong connections to the Veteran community.
“My father is a Veteran who served in peacetime and receives medical care here at Erie VA. My mother’s father, my grandfather, served in World War II; I have a cousin who is a Marine and an uncle who served in Vietnam, and then once I became an employee [of VA Erie VAMC], I’ve met so many more Veterans who I’ve grown very close to.”
Cummings said she entered the contest because “It is bone chilling that there are people willing to put their lives on the line for myself and everyone else who lives in this county. It’s amazing. Grateful does not begin to cover it. Some don’t realize how fortunate we are to have our freedoms. We have citizens who are willing to die for them. To me, there isn’t anything more worthy of my efforts than to give back and support those willing to make that sacrifice.”
To honor and thank Veterans for giving so much in service to America and protecting the freedoms of others around the world, the Veterans Day National Committee hosts a Veterans Day observance each year on November 11 at Arlington National Cemetery. The ceremony commences precisely at 11:00 a.m. with a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and continues inside the Memorial Amphitheater with a parade of colors by Veterans’ organizations and remarks from dignitaries.
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The Origins of Veterans Day
In 1921, an unknown World War I American soldier was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. This site, on a hillside overlooking the Potomac River and the city of Washington, D.C., became the focal point of reverence for America’s veterans.
Similar ceremonies occurred earlier in England and France, where an unknown soldier was buried in each nation’s highest place of honor (in England, Westminster Abbey; in France, the Arc de Triomphe). These memorial gestures all took place on November 11, giving universal recognition to the celebrated ending of World War I fighting at 11 a.m., November 11, 1918 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month). The day became known as “Armistice Day.”
Armistice Day officially received its name in America in 1926 through a Congressional resolution. It became a national holiday 12 years later by similar Congressional action. If the idealistic hope had been realized that World War I was “the War to end all wars,” November 11 might still be called Armistice Day. But only a few years after the holiday was proclaimed, war broke out in Europe. Sixteen and one-half million Americans took part. Four hundred seven thousand of them died in service, more than 292,000 in battle.
Armistice Day Changed To Honor All Veterans
The first celebration using the term Veterans Day occurred in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1947. Raymond Weeks, a World War II veteran, organized "National Veterans Day," which included a parade and other festivities, to honor all veterans. The event was held on November 11, then designated Armistice Day. Later, U.S. Representative Edward Rees of Kansas proposed a bill that would change Armistice Day to Veterans Day. In 1954, Congress passed the bill that President Eisenhower signed proclaiming November 11 as Veterans Day. Raymond Weeks received the Presidential Citizens Medal from President Reagan in November 1982. Weeks' local parade and ceremonies are now an annual event celebrated nationwide.
On Memorial Day 1958, two more unidentified American war dead were brought from overseas and interred in the plaza beside the unknown soldier of World War I. One was killed in World War II, the other in the Korean War. In 1984, an unknown serviceman from the Vietnam War was placed alongside the others. The remains from Vietnam were exhumed May 14, 1998, identified as Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, and removed for burial. To honor these men, symbolic of all Americans who gave their lives in all wars, an Army honor guard, the 3rd U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard), keeps day and night vigil.
A law passed in 1968 changed the national commemoration of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. It soon became apparent, however, that November 11 was a date of historic significance to many Americans. Therefore, in 1978 Congress returned the observance to its traditional date.
National Ceremonies Held at Arlington National Cemetery
The focal point for official, national ceremonies for Veterans Day continues to be the memorial amphitheater built around the Tomb of the Unknowns. At 11 a.m. on November 11, a combined color guard representing all military services executes “Present Arms” at the tomb. The nation’s tribute to its war dead is symbolized by the laying of a presidential wreath. The bugler plays “taps.” The rest of the ceremony takes place in the amphitheater.
Veterans Day ceremonies at Arlington and elsewhere are coordinated by the President’s Veterans Day National Committee. Chaired by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the committee represents national veterans organizations.
Governors of many states and U.S. territories appoint Veterans Day chairpersons who, in cooperation with the National Committee and the Department of Defense, arrange and promote local ceremonies.
Additional Information
Additional information on the history of Veterans Day, the Veterans Day National Committee, the national ceremony, a gallery of Veterans Day posters from 1978 to the present and a colorful and informative Veterans Day Teacher’s Resource Guide can be found at http://www.va.gov/vetsday/
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Disability 101 E-Learning Now Available!
Free to Paid DC Metro Members
Purchase Options Available
C5’s Disability Inclusion IQ "Disability 101" module includes:
- Appropriate language: Terminology, Person-First, Identity-First, Neurodivergent
- Disability etiquette: Appropriate Interactions
- Accessible, short, self-paced, and cloud-based.
- Annual license
- Unlimited virtual seats per organization each year.
- Tracking and reporting capabilities for the organization.
- Designed for the entire workforce.
- May be taken in any order at any time and repeated as often as desired.
Within the Module:
- Transcript and Voice Over
- Short Quiz
- Resources
- Glossary of Terms
Additional Modules will be available in 2023!
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Understanding Non-Apparent Disabilities
December 15, 2022
Noon - 1:15pm
Registration opening soon.
People with disabilities are the largest minority and fastest-growing subgroup of our population. Over 70% of disabilities are non-apparent, so we are not necessarily aware that our friends, colleagues, clients, or neighbors have them. It is important to recognize that just because we can’t see a disability that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. This session will encourage an open dialog that will help attendees to “always ask, never assume” if a person needs assistance or has a disability.
Presenters:
- The Hon. Katherine McCary, DI-DC Metro
- Lori Daly, Diversifi Consulting Group
Learning Objectives:
- Learn about the disability community diversity
- Quick look: ADA and the ADAAA
- Learn about non-apparent disabilities, including Long Covid, mental health conditions and chronic health conditions
- Learn how language has evolved and how to change your perspectives
- Learn about self-disclosure -the why and why not
- How to leverage your new knowledge
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Thank you to all our WOW HOST MEMBERS! |
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IN THE NEWS - ARTICLES OF INTEREST |
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Our disability community is mourning for Lois Curtis. Lois Curtis was one of two people who sued for their rights in an important disability rights case called Olmstead v. L.C. She died this past Thursday at age 55.
As a child, Lois Curtis was put in an institution. Later in her life, she remembered that she used to pray at night to get out of the institution. As a young adult, Lois started calling an organization called Atlanta Legal Aid. She asked Atlanta Legal Aid to help her get out of the institution and move into the community. Atlanta Legal Aid decided to work with Lois. They helped her and another woman, Elaine Wilson, sue for their rights. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court. In 1999, the Supreme Court decided that the Americans with Disabilities Act gave disabled people the right to receive services in the community, not just in an institution.
After getting out of the institution, Lois eventually moved to her own home in Atlanta. Her community loved her, and she made beautiful art. Lois used a kind of supported decision-making called a “microboard.” This was a small group of people who had regular meetings to talk about Lois’ life. They helped make sure she had what she needed and achieved her goals. Lois’ microboard helped her get a self-directed services waiver from Medicaid. They also helped her show her artwork in galleries. In 2011, Lois visited the White House for a celebration of the anniversary of Olmstead. At the White House, she gave President Obama a painting called “Girl in Orange Dress.”
In 2015, a friend asked Lois, “What do you wish for all the people you’ve helped move out of the institution to live in their communities?” Lois answered: “I hope they live long lives and have their own place. I hope they make money. I hope they learn every day. I hope they meet new people, celebrate their birthdays, write letters, clean up, go to friends’ houses and drink coffee. I hope they have a good breakfast every day, call people on the phone, feel safe.”
Because of Lois, people with disabilities have the right to receive services in the community. The Olmstead decision has led the government to make more opportunities for people with disabilities to get services outside of institutions. Advocates and the government use the Olmstead decision to fight for disabled students’ rights to learn in the same classroom as non-disabled students. Advocates and the government use Olmstead to fight for disabled workers’ rights to work in the same workplace as non-disabled workers, and earn a competitive wage.
Lois Curtis was given no option but to live in an institution, but she refused to accept that and created a different path to follow — for herself and for many other people with disabilities. Rest in Power, Lois Curtis.
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The President of the Board of Directors of The Arc of Northern Virginia, Mark Albert recently announced the selection of Melissa Heifetz as our next Executive Director. Ms. Heifetz is an experienced leader of non-profit organizations, and a passionate and dedicated advocate for the rights of people with disabilities. She will assume her new duties on January 1, 2023, upon the retirement of The Arc of Northern Virginia’s current leader, Rikki Epstein.
Melissa’s proven executive leadership, her exemplary success generating support and affinity for causes, demonstrated skill in building strong relationships and collaborations, and enthusiastic passion for our mission make her the ideal leader for The Arc of Northern Virginia at this exciting and important moment. I want to thank the Search Committee and our Board members for their dedicated participation in this successful search for our next leader. We are looking forward with optimism to Melissa’s leadership of our organization.
Melissa previously served as the Executive Director of The Arc of Loudoun and at Congregation Beth Emeth in Herndon. In 2018, the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce awarded her their Non-Profit Leadership Award.
She founded Advocacy Partners, LLC in 2020 to provide advocacy services to individuals with disabilities and their families. In her role at Advocacy Partners, she contracted with The Arc of Virginia to represent our state chapter on General Assembly-created state policy workgroups, conducted numerous training programs, and has been an invited guest speaker at disability conferences throughout the Northern Virginia community, and at state and national conventions.
Melissa received a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, and her Juris Doctor from the University of Baltimore School of Law.
About taking on the Executive Director role, Melissa says, “I have very big shoes to fill, but I am thrilled to be joining the talented and dedicated team at The Arc of Northern Virginia. I am looking forward to leading this organization that shares my same values of advocacy for human rights, full inclusion, equal participation in the community, fairness, and justice for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”
Melissa Heifetz takes the reins of the organization from Rikki Epstein, who was named Executive Director in October of 2011. All of us at The Arc of Northern Virginia, and so many in the community, thank Rikki for her 11 years of service.On behalf of the board, the staff, and as a parent and family served by The Arc of Northern Virginia, I hope you will all join me in welcoming Melissa as she leads our organization forward toward the goal of full equity and inclusion for people with IDD.
Mark Albert, President-Board of Directors
The Arc of Northern Virginia
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Self-ID Remains a Key Metric in NOD Disability Employment Tracker Findings
The National Organization on Disability released its 2021 Employment Tracker findings in a white paper that was created in conjunction with DiversityInc. The results show that more companies need to track self-ID rates among employees.
The National Organization on Disability released its 2021 Employment Tracker findings in a white paper that was created in conjunction with DiversityInc. The results show that more companies need to track self-ID rates among employees.
The NOD Employment Tracker is an annual survey that helps employers understand and assess where they are when it comes to the inclusion of employees and veterans with disabilities in their workforce. The tracker was created nine years ago and is a free, confidential benchmarking assessment.
Companies are given a scorecard upon completion of the survey that compares them with the other 200+ companies that take it and also provides year-over-year progress. In 2021, 228 companies across every industry sector completed the survey.
Self-ID Rates
Self-ID rates are an important metric for companies to track because they determine how inclusive a company’s culture is and whether employees possess the necessary psychological safety to “come out” as having a disability. NOD defines psychological safety as “the belief that your environment is safe for interpersonal risk-taking. It consists of beliefs concerning group norms – what it means to be a member of that group.”
To be truly inclusive, companies must track self-ID rates to understand how many employees identify as having a disability. While that might seem obvious, the 2021 Employment Tracker results revealed that only 76% of the companies that participated in the survey track self-ID rates, meaning that 24% don’t know where they stand in terms of employees who have disclosed their disability.
Self-ID rates dropped 11% in 2021 compared to companies that participated in the survey in 2020. NOD reports that this decrease could have been driven by outside factors that led employees to reconsider self-identifying.
“The pandemic, for example, hit people with disabilities harder in the early months of the crisis, where 1 million people with disabilities lost their jobs,” the report states. “This fact, combined with an unpredictable workplace, the great resignation and the stigma associated with disability, certainly have had an impact.”
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Recently Passed Legislation
Empowering Workers with Disabilities
Washington, DC, November 2 – National Disability Employment Awareness Month just wrapped up, but the work to get more people with disabilities into the workforce continues. Below, we are spotlighting recently passed legislation empowering workers with disabilities across the United States.
Gov. Newsom of California signed SB-951, AB-1041, AB-152, which have a combination of priorities that overlap to create room for Californians with disabilities. The new laws boost benefits for lower and middle-income Californians. They extend wage rates for family and disability leave for workers earning less than average wages, allowing them to make up to 90 percent of their salary. The laws also allow employees to pay sick or family leave to care for a designated family member, and extend COVID-19 supplemental sick leave through the end of 2022. [continue reading…]
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TEN Days Left to Submit 2023 Inclusion Award Nominations
Disability:IN is seeking nominations for visionary brands and individuals that are advancing disability inclusion in the following categories:
- Accessible Product of the Year
- Affiliate of the Year
- Employer of the Year
- ERG/BRG of the Year
- ERG/BRG Executive Sponsor of the Year
- Inclusive Marketing Campaign of the Year
- John D. Kemp Leadership Award
- Mary Brougher Supplier Diversity Advocate of the Year Award
- NextGen Alum of the Year
- Supplier of the Year
- Top Corporation for Disability-Owned Businesses
Inclusion Award Winners will be recognized during the 2023 Global Disability:IN Conference & Expo, taking place July 10-13 in Orlando.
Don't miss your chance–submit your nominations by
November 18, 2022.
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2023 NextGen Leader Application |
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Application Deadline: January 6, 2023
Disability:IN NextGen Leaders are college students and recent graduates (no earlier than 2021) with disabilities, including veterans, who are top talent for corporate America. NextGen Leaders have the opportunity to connect with leading brands across all industries.
NextGen Leaders are matched one-on-one with mentors from Disability:IN Corporate Partners and have opportunity to experience an all-expense paid trip to the Disability:IN Annual Conference where they network and interview with companies like Boeing, Facebook, JPMorgan Chase, and Microsoft. LGBTQ, people of color, and veteran individuals are especially encouraged to apply for the 2023 class.
Opportunities for NextGen Leaders
- Meet virtually twice a month for six months with a corporate mentor.
- Participate in monthly professional development webinars.
- Apply to attend the Disability:IN 2023 Conference on July 8–13 in Orlando, FL. If accepted to attend conference, all travel costs will be covered.
- Receive notifications of various job opportunities with corporate partners throughout the year via a Job Opportunity Digest.
For other questions or to learn more, contact the
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Esau L., 2022 NextGen Leader
"I can’t say thank you enough to Disability:IN for creating an invaluable experience for people who are often overlooked by providing mentorship,
employment training, and employment opportunities. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."
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Nominate a mentor for the
Susan M. Daniels
Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame
Class of 2022 Inductees
The Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame was established in 2015 to carry on the legacy of disability champion and lifelong mentor, Susan M. Daniels, and to spotlight individuals and groups around the country who are making a significant difference in the lives of youth and adults with disabilities through mentoring.
This year, the celebration of mentoring will recognize the Class of 2022 as mentors and organizations whose mentoring has positively impacted the mental health and wellness of the community.
The National Disability Mentoring Coalition seeks nominations for the Class of 2022 of the Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame to recognize mentors, organizations and schools (including K-12 and secondary education) that support mentees' mental health and wellness through the development of coping skills, reducing stigma and isolation, providing mental health education, and brokering connections to community resources.
Please complete and submit the below form by 8PM EST on January 7, 2023. A national review committee will select the class of 2022 Hall of Fame inductees. The Class of 2022 will be inducted on March 28, 2023 during a national event and celebration of inclusive mentoring.
If you have any questions or require an alternate format to submit a nomination, please email ndmc@pyd.org.
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Events In The DC Metro Area and Beyond |
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Providing Reasonable Accommodations to Veterans with Disabilities
Thursday, November 10, 2022
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET
Join JAN for a timely and informative training about veterans with cognitive and mental health impairments and common accommodations that may be needed for success at work. Consultants James Potts and Melanie Whetzel will talk through real-life accommodation situations and solutions. As always, there will be plenty of time for questions.
Presenters:
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U.S Department of Labor Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)
Veterans Roundtable Discussion Invitation
Tuesday, November 15, 2022
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. (EST)
Attendance is free, but registration is required.
Video/Dial-in information will be sent separately upon registration.
On November 15, 2022 in honor of Veterans Day, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) will host a Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) virtual roundtable discussion. The session called, Veterans in the Workplace: Strategies to Increase Recruitment and Self-Identification, will discuss veterans’ recruitment and share promising practices and ideas on improving recruitment and self-identification for veterans in the federal contractor community.
The diverse panel includes speakers from the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), Hiring Our Heroes and the Transition Assistance Program. During the discussion, OFCCP will provide an overview of federal contractor responsibilities under VEVRAA, and our panelists will discuss topics around promising practices for recruiting veterans, encouraging self-identification, and services offered to veterans and the community.
Panelists:
- Eric K. Asmussen, National Veterans Employment Manager, Veterans’ Employment and Training Administration (VETS)
- Adam Rocke, Senior Director Outreach and Development, Hiring our Heroes (HOH)
- Juan Carlos Rodriguez, Manager, Transition Assistance Program (TAP)
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Webinar: Title III of the ADA: Common Myths and Mix-Ups
November 16, 2022
2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Join us for a discussion of common myths and mix-ups that create or contribute to confusion and consternation for business operators! We’ll address what Title III covers, what it requires in terms of facility access, operational policies and practices, and communicating with customers with disabilities, as well as how it interplays with other federal, state, and local laws.
Note this session will take the place of "Managing Risk and Other Legal Requirements for Businesses Under ADA Title III," which has been postponed.
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U.S. Access Board Webinar: Automatic and Power-Assisted Doors
December 1 from 2:30 – 4:00 (ET)
REGISTER
Entrances and doors are key components of access along routes and to buildings, rooms, and spaces. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) Standards require automatic and power-assisted doors to comply with the standards when provided on accessible routes. The ADA and ABA Standards reference industry standards developed under protocols of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and published by the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA). The session will cover the scoping and technical requirements in the ADA and ABA Standards for entrances and doors when they are automatic or power-assisted. Presenters will review in detail the specifications in the ANSI/BHMA referenced standards that address operating characteristics, including opening speed, safety features, sensors and activation devices, labeling, among others.
Visit Great Lakes ADA Center’s Automatic and Power-Assisted Doors webinar webpage for more information or to register. All webinars include video remote interpreting (VRI) and real-time captioning. Questions can be submitted in advance of the session or can be posed during the live webinar. Webinar attendees can earn continuing education credits. The webinar series is hosted by the ADA National Network in cooperation with the Board. Archived copies of previous Board webinars are available on the site.
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December 7-8, 2022
11:00 am - 3:30 pm ET
Sight Tech Global is a world-wide, virtual conference dedicated to bringing together the technology pioneers who are applying the latest technology advances to barrier-free navigation, human interaction, and low-friction access to information for people who are blind or visually impaired. Sight Tech Global is committed to the proposition, “Nothing about us without us,” and accordingly people with sight loss and blindness will be engaged in all phases of the event. Sight Tech Global is a production of the Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
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Disability:IN DC Metro Welcomes Back
Kia Silver-Hodge to Our Advisory Board
We are pleased to announce that Kia Silver Hodge, Senior Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Enterprise Community Partners has re-joined our Advisory Board.
Kia is a Diversity, Equity and inclusion expert and Executive Coach with 15 years of experience building, growing, and leading programs primarily within Fortune 500 companies.
She is a strategist with a track record of creating and delivering highly effective solutions aligned with the business, driven by data, focused on people, and infused with accountability and a skilled facilitator committed to creating safe spaces, building bridges, honoring differences, and finding common ground.
She is an intentional and compelling communicator who understands that what you say and how you say it are equally important. A lifelong learner, Kia is dedicated to personal growth, perpetual introspection, and approaching life and people with curiosity and optimism.
Welcome Back Kia!
Check out the Recent Recording Hosted by Enterprise featuring Kia, Lori Golden, EY and The Hon. Katherine McCary
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Our focus is on Culture Change!
Our organization, formerly the DC Metro Business Leadership Network, is the largest regional member network of a variety of industry employers advocating for inclusion of individuals with disabilities in today's workforce, marketplace and supply chain. A non-profit business-led network established in 2006, our purpose is to bring the business community together in a dialog through education, training and resources with a focus on removing attitudinal and organizational barriers by exchanging best practices to ensure that the inclusion of individuals with disabilities as smart business.
Our Members and Guests have access to resources, programs and partners to strengthen the disability inclusion efforts and outcomes.
- Thought leadership
- Professional Development courses
- Business to business networking
- Introductions to community partners
- Access to talent
- Hot topic programming led by Subject Matter Experts
- Webinars
Join our
Follow us on
Our Board
Board Members:
- John Annand, Marriott International
- Jennifer Bassett, Chair, JBG SMITH Companies
- Tashi Carper, Leidos
- Michelle Crabtree, Town of Vienna
- Ellen de Bremond, Treasurer
- Anjali Desai-Margolin, Gallaudet University
- Tom Downs, Booz Allen Hamilton
- Andrea Hall, Past Chair, General Dynamics Mission Systems
- Sophie Howard, Immediate Past Chair, General Dynamics IT
- Eduardo Meza-Etienne, eSSENTIAL Accessibility
- Mary Sauder, Northrop Grumman
- Ryan Walters, Vice-Chair, Deloitte
- Myra Wilder, BAE Systems
Advisory Board Members:
- Jessica Lee Aiello, iYellow Group
- Meghan Cadigan, KPMG
- Crosby Cromwell, The Valuable 500
- Lori Daly, Diversifi Consulting Group and Chair, Community Outreach
- Ron Drach, Drach Consulting, LLC
- Rikki Epstein, The Arc of Northern VA
- Melody Goodspeed, The American Foundation for the Blind
- Karen Herson, Concepts, Inc.
- Carolyn Jeppsen, BroadFutures
- Craig Leen, K&L Gates, Former OFCCP Director
- Carrie Martin, MAXAR Technologies
- Rick Rodgers,The Resource Network and Chair, Disability Supplier Diversity
- Kia SIlver-Hodge, Enterprise Community Partners
Our Staff
The Hon. Katherine McCary, President, C5 Consulting, LLC serves as CEO and Executive Director. Katherine served as founding chair of the USBLN (now Disability:IN) for nine years, the founding chair of the VA BLN (Now Virginia Ability) for 13 years and has launched more than 11 chapters. She received the USBLN Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009.
C5 is a global disability inclusion strategy consultancy comprised exclusively of private sector disability leaders, experienced disability from a variety of areas; as individuals, as caregivers, and as parents of individuals with disabilities. With more than 50 years combined expertise and a deep knowledge of culture change developed through customized business strategies. C5 is the pioneer of disability inclusion "for business by business" with just in time training Disability Inclusion IQ designed for enterprise wide learning, now a DC Metro chapter member benefit!
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Our Mission
“Building the Business Network for Disability Inclusion.”
Our Vision
“Cultivate workforces and workplaces where talent with disabilities are recruited, included, promoted, retained and valued as both internal talent and innovative vendors.”
"In This Together" Campaign Continues
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In these ongoing unprecedented times, non-profits face the situation of limited funding. The DC Metro Chapter is no different. As we continue to provide education and resources with the newsletters and free virtual programming, your support is needed now more than ever. Please consider a donation to support our mission in support of our monthly efforts! As most of us are shopping virtually these, days, please shop on Amazon Smile!
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