Striving to remove barriers that prevent us from building Vibrant, Diverse, Inclusive, Accessible Communities!
October spotlights the contributions of People with Disabilities in workplaces across the country and calls employers to sustain inclusion beyond a single month. The piece connects today’s observance to its World War II–era roots and frames it as a moment to recommit to accessibility, equity, and culture change that lasts.
The author explains how employment gaps persist because of ableism and structural barriers, not lack of talent. Employers are urged to align hiring, onboarding, and advancement with accessibility from the start, since organizations benefit when roles, tools, and policies support participation; a guide like practical steps to advance disability inclusion shows what action can look like day to day.
Real problems surface in inaccessible application portals, rigid interview formats, and workplaces that fail to remove access barriers in tools, schedules, and spaces. These barriers limit Blind/Low Vision people, wheelchair users, d/Deaf and hard of hearing people, neurodivergent colleagues, and others. Centering the social model of disability clarifies that design—not the person—is what often blocks participation.
The piece closes by encouraging leaders, HR teams, and managers to convert awareness into sustained practice: host Disability Etiquette Training, recognize employees with disabilities, and audit physical and digital spaces for accessibility. Taking accessible content steps with resources such as starting to make accessible content helps remove barriers and keep momentum throughout the year.
Read the Full Article: Building Inclusive Futures: National Disability Employment Awareness Month
by: Kyra Coates
