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“Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is not just a checkmark for good business, it’s a way to transform the world.”
DEI Expert and Business Consultant Dr. Nika White’s words serve as a reminder that during National Disability Employment Awareness Month in October, while acknowledging efforts to highlight the observance are important, so is fruitful work that goes beyond tokenism.
This month marks the 77th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month which was developed with a purpose to educate about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities, according to a proclamation from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
The history of National Disability Employment Awareness Month traces back to 1945, and since the original declaration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month by the United States Congress in 1988, Congress has continued to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities.
Whitmer said in the proclamation the month is “in recognition of the important role people with disabilities play in a diverse and inclusive American workforce.”
The theme for the 77th Anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month is “Disability: Part of the Equity Equation.”
“Activities during this month will reinforce the value and talent people with disabilities add to our workplaces and communities and affirm Michigan’s commitment to an inclusive community that increases access and opportunities to all, including individuals with disabilities,” Whitmer said. “The State of Michigan will continue to take steps throughout the year to recruit, hire, retain and advance individuals with disabilities and work to pursue the goals of opportunity, full participation, economic self-sufficiency and independent living for people with disabilities.”
The Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council (MiDDC) also acknowledges the month with an annual awareness campaign that takes place each October.
Reflecting this year’s theme, MiDDC will be engaging in a variety of activities throughout the month to educate the public on disability employment issues and its commitment to promote an inclusive work culture. These efforts include:
- Interviews with employers and employees on how people with disabilities contribute to Michigan’s workforce;
- A proclamation from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to recognize the 77th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month; and,
- A disability employment web page with tools and resources for both employers and employees to help foster a disability-inclusive workplace.
“MiDDC is proud to be a part of this year’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month,” said Vendella Collins, executive director of the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council. “October is a celebration of the vital contributions made by people with disabilities to the workforce, and it is also an opportunity to advance workforce equity by building better work environments that are fully inclusive of the talents and skill sets of all people.”
October is also Global Diversity Awareness Month, which calls for observers to expand their horizons and become more globally aware.
Photo courtesy of Nika White Consulting
White told the Michigan Chronicle recently that despite all the pomp and circumstance, there is a downside of DEI awareness observances.
White, a Forbes book author, consults on creating professional spaces where people can collaborate through a lens of compassion, empathy and understanding.
She said that DEI is more than a hashtag and a monthly or weekly observance, and people must be careful about making such an important issue a trendy marketing gimmick.
“I believe that in and of itself there is nothing wrong with individuals and organizations doing cultural types of events or observances because it does have the ability to help people build up their cultural intelligence and their cultural humility,” White said, adding that a problem can be created if an organization is not well-versed on how to do it respectfully to where it is honoring a group that is part of that community. “We need to be well knowledgeable to what is going to be meaningful to that population. That requires being collaborative, asking questions — being curious [is important]. If the organization is only engaging in cultural activities … it can feel very performative to employees and to others particularly part of that population… if the organization is not trying to align those observances with other systemic types of practices.”
White echoes the sentiments of IDA and said that this conversation around observances go beyond race and gender and extends to another area of DEI — people with disabilities and “not only the disabilities we can see.
“Equally important are the invisible disabilities,” White said. “A lot of the invisible disabilities you will find and was referred to as neurodiverse. Neurodiversity qualifies within the Health Care and the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), which is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities.”
Most recently, it was also 2022 Invisible Disabilities Week, observed October 16-22. The week brings awareness, education and support to the week founded in 2014 and organized by non-profit The Invisible Disabilities® Association (IDA).
“We are passionate about providing awareness that invisible illness, pain and disabilities are very real! Our mission is to encourage, educate and connect people and organizations touched by illness, pain and disability around the globe,” IDA posted on its website.
“What a neurodivergent person may need in order to feel welcome, productive and safe at work may differ from what’s available at that work place. It’s really important for organizations to be knowledgeable on what are the types of neurodiversity.”
According to daivergent.com, neurodiversity is typically often known for its tie to the autism spectrum disorder (ASD), however there are more neurological differences than simply ASD.
Some include:
- Dyslexia
- Dyscalculia
- Hyperlexia
- ADHD
- Tourette’s Syndrome
“The list goes on and on,” White said, adding that it’s critically important for employers to be aware of how neurodiversity “shows up” in the workplace.
White added that compassion for neurodivergent colleagues is key to developing solutions of helping these employees feel safe and productive in and out of the DEI structure.
“One [example] would be the physical space that can accommodate various employee preferences. Maybe they work best in a quiet space and not in an open cubicle where there is a lot of noise going on. Oftentimes the mistake we make is categorizing the individual and put them in boxes and … it’s important to make sure those colleagues do not feel ‘othered’ and that is a fine line. It’s important to ask. ‘What does support look like for you?’” White said.
She added that it’s not only up to DEI organizations to actualize these things – employees have to be a part of the conversation and value the different needs of others.
“Those support needs could change from moment to moment,” White said, adding that as DEI organizations review their plans and strategies, they need to ensure everyone is accounted for at the table. “They definitely want to make sure they are considering people with disabilities [both visible and invisible] and that they are not forgetting about those with mental or cognitive disabilities that may not be that apparent.”
For more information on White, visit nikawhite.com.
Employers and employees in all industries can learn more about how to participate in National Disability Employment Awareness Month and ways they can promote its messages — during October and throughout the year — by visiting Michigan.gov/ndeam/.
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