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Dear Friend,
Welcome to the July edition of the Disability:IN Minnesota newsletter! This month, we are excited to celebrate Disability Pride Month and the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Disability Pride Month is a time to honor and celebrate the diversity, history, and contributions of the disability community. It's an opportunity to challenge societal stigmas, promote acceptance, and take pride in the unique identities and experiences of disabled people. Throughout July, we encourage you to participate in events, share your stories, and amplify the voices of those with disabilities.
July 26 marks the 34th anniversary of the ADA. This landmark civil rights law prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life. The ADA has been instrumental in promoting accessibility and equality, but our work is far from over. This anniversary reminds us of the importance of advocating for and implementing policies that ensure equitable and accessible opportunities for all. We are excited to collaborate with partners to celebrate the ADA’s anniversary during our July Member Meeting on July 24 at 11:00 AM. We hope you will join us for this insightful and inspiring event. Register now!
In July, we also observe National Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness & Prevention Month, Fragile X (FXS) Awareness Month, World Hepatitis Day on July 28, among many others. To view all disability awareness dates and observances, check out Disability:IN’s 2024 Calendar.
Thank you for your ongoing support and dedication. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay up-to-date with learning resources, upcoming events, and opportunities to support disability inclusion. Together, we can continue to make meaningful progress towards a more inclusive society.
Warm regards,
Jamie Rudolph
Disability:IN Minnesota Board Chair
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ID: Headshot of Jamie Rudolph, a white woman with long brunette hair. Jamie is wearing a maroon blazer and smiling at the camera. | |
ID: Graphic reads Demystifying Disability Inclusion: Celebrating the 34th Anniversary of the ADA. Wednesday, July 24, 2024 11:00-12:30 Central / 12:00-1:30 Eastern in green text against a white background. To the right is a photo of a diverse group of disabled professionals sitting around a desk, having a business meeting. | |
ID: Graphic reads Disability:IN Minnesota Inclusion Networking, The Role of an ERG/BRG:Advocating, Supporting, and Providing Access. August 8, 2024, 12:00 - 1:00 PM in blue and white text against a light blue background with a white banner above featuring Disability:IN Minnesota's logo. To the left of the text is a photo of a group of employees wearing bright colors. They are leaning against a desk and laughing. | |
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Join us for "The Role of an ERG/BRG: Advocating, Supporting, and Providing Access," an Inclusion Networking Session to explore the role and inclusive impact of Employee Resource Groups (ERG) and Business Resource Groups (BRG) in the workplace.
Thursday, August 8, 2024
12:00 – 1:00 PM (CDT)
What is an ERG/BRG?
Employee Resource Group or Business Resource Groups are voluntary, employee-led groups that serve as a resource for members and organizations by fostering a diverse, inclusive workplace aligned with organizational mission, values, goals, practices, and objectives.
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Featuring....
Tom Lynch, Disability:IN Minnesota Board Member, Post-Secondary Liaison including relationship with Minnesota Ahead
Why is it important to consider disability and center accessibility in hiring and employment?
According to the Cornell Disability Statistics Calculator, the rate of full time, year-round employment for individuals with disabilities in 2022 was only 30.1% nationally and 31.3% in Minnesota. I have been following Cornell’s studies for a number of years now and the rates have not changed significantly in that time. This indicates to me that there is a vast untapped resource of talented individuals with disabilities who want to contribute. As a college disability coordinator at North Hennepin Community College, I have had the privilege to work with so many bright and talented students with disabilities and know what they are capable of. Thankfully for my students and for college students with disabilities across the state of Minnesota, our Disability:IN MN members have realized what a tremendous resource they have available to them and have set up efforts to actively seek out this untapped resource in their HR practices. In addition, I have seen, first-hand, how the members provide ongoing support to their employees with disabilities. I have been able to share these insights with my fellow college disability coordinators. We college disability coordinators, in turn, are able to share this information with our students with disabilities and this has provided such encouragement to them to consider what is possible. I am eternally grateful to members of Disability:IN Minnesota for their wisdom and insight in recognizing what a resource they have available to them.
How has Disability:IN Minnesota’s work and offerings impacted you and/or your member company?
As a college disability coordinator at North Hennepin Community College and a member of the Minnesota Association of Higher Education and Disability (MNAHEAD), the college disability coordinators in Minnesota have been able to introduce some wonderful programs to our college students with disabilities. Thanks to Disability:IN MN and its members, many college students with disabilities have been able to meet with member HR staff in the safe space of the annual Inclusive Career Fair. Many of my students have expressed to me how grateful they were to be able to attend such a supportive and positive event. Additionally, many individuals with disabilities (including many college students) have benefitted greatly from participating in the Career Connections Mentoring Program. In this program, volunteer mentors from our member companies were paired with a mentee with a disability for a three (3) month mentoring experience. Again, our college students with disabilities who participated in the mentoring program have shared with me how rewarding they found the experience. In some cases, the mentors and mentees have chosen to stay in touch long after the formal mentoring program ended. As a college disability coordinator, I was so grateful to be able to offer this wonderful opportunity to my students.
ID: Headshot of Tom Lynch, a white man with dark grey hair wearing a collared shirt
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Do you work for a Disability:IN Minnesota member company and want to be featured in our monthly member column? Are you interested in becoming a member of Disability:IN Minnesota? Contact us today! | |
Thank you for renewing your membership! | |
ID: Logos for Disability:IN Minnesota Members: Kraus-Anderson and Thomson Reuters | |
Updates from Disability:IN National | |
2024 Global Conference & Expo | |
ID: Graphic reads Are You IN? 2024 Disability:IN Conference. July 15-18, Las Vegas in bold white text against a bright blue and green gradient background. | |
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The countdown to the 2024 Disability:IN Global Conference & Expo has begun! This year's Conference will be held July 15-18, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. View the 2024 Conference Agenda. To join the waitlist, please visit the Conference registration page, select 'General Attendee,' and follow the prompted instructions. Joining our waitlist will allow the organizers to notify you when spaces become available.
If you are a Disability:IN Affiliate, please reach out to at Conference@DisabilityIN.org. A member of the team will provide you with the necessary registration code.
Virtual Conference Information
Unable to attend in person but still want to Join IN?: register to attend as a virtual attendee! While not all conference content is included for virtual attendees, the virtual conference agenda includes all Plenary sessions, select breakout sessions, and access to conference app.
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Impact Report from the June Intersectionality in the APAC Workplace Webinar | |
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The Intersectionality in the APAC Workplace Webinar, the second in a 3-part series planned by the Disability:IN APAC Council for 2024, brought together experienced company representatives to discuss elevating intersectional inclusion in the APAC workplace.
Over 320 Disability:IN corporate members from 141 companies across 30 countries registered for this event, eager to learn from both corporate and personal journeys in building psychologically safe environments where everyone can show up authentically.
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July
August
September
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September 19, 12:00 - 1:00 PM: Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE) event
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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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