Judy Quigley
Executive Director
Disability:IN Wisconsin
From our Executive Director
The start of 2023 provides me with an opportunity to reflect on what we learned this past year and how to continue the momentum of sustainable change.  There are several articles that I want to drive your attention to.
 
Inclusion is powerful and universal. For companies to unlock the power of diverse teams, every individual must feel a strong sense of inclusion. What does “inclusion” mean?  According to research from the Bain & Company, people of all backgrounds describe inclusion quite similarly: the feeling of belonging in their organization, feeling treated with dignity as an individual, and feeling encouraged to fully participate and bring their uniqueness to work every day. Making Progress on DEI: Why Inclusion and Metrics Matter Most | Bain & Company

2023 is a year of transformational growth for organizations, leaders, teams and individuals. The emphasis on culture will only increase as research confirms the bottom-line value of hiring individuals with disabilities. It’s encouraging to see Inclusive Organizations as a major topic to kick off 2023 in Forbes.
Diversity of all kinds is improving performance and expanding potential talent pools. Although the work isn’t done, one point from the shared article that I want to drive particular attention to is “listen to all of your stakeholders, focusing on amplifying marginalized voices”. Listen with purpose and intent. Passive listening can be harmful.
This practice needs to be complemented with doing our own research to educate ourselves in order to have a meaningful conversation to drive real impact, and more importantly results that feel like a co-creation between underrepresented groups and ally folks, rather than underrepresented groups feeling burdened to educate allies. Full Article
Good Friend, Inc. and Disability:IN Wisconsin Proudly Announce New Collaboration Aimed at Increasing Understanding of Neurodiversity in the Workplace
January 23, 2023: Joined together in the mission to raise awareness of neurodivergence and autism in the workplace, Good Friend, Inc. and Disability:IN Wisconsin have announced plans to collaborate on a large-scale employer training initiative. This training will be anchored by the real experiences of autistic and neurodivergent people in the workforce, told in their voices in documentary format. Striving to improve employment outcomes for neurodivergent workers, the organizations want to ensure that this initiative focuses on attracting, retaining, and supporting neurodivergent talent.

“25% of the general population is neurodivergent yet, despite these figures, neurodivergent workers are far less likely to disclose their disability when compared to those with a physical disability,” said a rep from Good Friend, Inc. “People with invisible disabilities are part of the diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging equation. Through this collaboration, we plan to educate employers how to best attract, retain and support neurodivergent talent.”

Disability:IN Wisconsin serves as the state's only B2B association that promotes disability inclusion in the workplace. They accomplish this by providing support through educational programs, resources that provide the tools to engage and improve performance, and networking that enables businesses to share best practices for disability inclusion, get updates on recent developments and work collaboratively on common issues. Similarly, Good Friend, Inc. is known for amplifying the voices and stories of autistic people through short-documentary films and specially designed curricula intended to grow autism awareness, acceptance, and empathy among neuromajority peers. Through their combined connections, resources, and unique skills, the organizations will work together to develop innovative educational tools to create real change in businesses of all sizes throughout Wisconsin.

This collaborative initiative will feature the stories of neurodivergent people navigating employment. Topics will be enhanced with the knowledge and experiences of employers, content experts, caregivers, and other supporters. Additionally, educational topics will be expanded upon in an e-learning format. Initial topics may include understanding autism/neurodivergence, building the case for hiring neurodivergent talent, social workplace dimensions, universal design concepts, and human resource’s philosophy and best practices.
Filming is set to take place this spring, with plans to premiere the documentary in the fall of 2023.
Welcome to our Newest Members
"UW Credit Union is creating an inclusive culture where employees and members of all abilities are valued and respected. Through joining Disability:IN Wisconsin, we are expressing our commitment to disability inclusion and to learning effective strategies to meet our organization’s DEIA goals. 
 
Sheila Milton
UW Credit Union
Vice President DEI and Community Engagement
Pronouns: [She/Her]
Sustaining Member
February Spotlight
Disability:IN Wisconsin and Member Organizations
Professional Dimensions Milwaukee - February 8
Disability:IN Wisconsin has been asked to present at the February 8th Professional Dimensions lunch meeting. Pulling together members organizations of both Disability:IN Wisconsin and Professional Dimensions, a panel will discuss their organizations strategies and practices for creating a culture of inclusion and belonging.  Panel members include:
 
Judy Quigley - Disability:IN Wisconsin
Andrew Dresang - Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin
Tracie Sparks - ManpowerGroup
Rebecca Cook - ManpowerGroup
Chris Schwartz - Northwestern Mutual
Vernetter Montgomery - Goodwill Southeast Wisconsin