In our last newsletter, I mentioned how I only recently became aware of Caribbean American Heritage month (June), despite my own Caribbean lineage. The month of July honors another people group with an observance of which many may not be aware, but one that is equally important.

Disability Pride Month was established with the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. The observance strives to give a voice to those in the disabled community who are often ignored, underestimated, and undervalued. It also provides an opportunity for each of us to evaluate how those with disabilities may be overlooked in our own circles and workplaces.

If you’re in leadership, do you know how many disabled employees you have? I challenge you to consider ways your current job openings could be made more accessible to those who are mentally or physically disabled. Do you post openings using channels that reach this diverse and vibrant part of our community? These questions aren’t meant to shame you if they aren’t areas you’ve previously explored but to encourage you to move in a different direction.

In addition to explaining the message behind Disability Pride Month, our Simply Good article reiterates that our goal should be to do better (which we always can), and that the time to do better is now.

On the heels of America’s Independence Day, my most recent Simply Diversity article suggests the need to revolutionize our thinking (again). It’s vital that we collectively turn from an individualistic culture to one of a community united in challenging our leaders and the status quo.

In What’s Happening, I join the hosts of the Data Fundamentals Unpacked podcast. Tune in at the link below to learn how bias can affect data analytics and other data projects.

With appreciation,

Stacey Gordon, MBA
Rework Work CEO