Fashion Week Starts to Break Barriers

New York Fashion Week wrapped up and actress Jamie Brewer took the spotlight by making history and headlines by being the first model with Down syndrome at the event.

I believe many headlines used the term Down syndrome to label Brewer, but she should not be classified by her disability.

Neurodiversity Is Next on the Civil Rights Agenda for Workplace

A burgeoning civil rights movement is poised to change the workplace, and it revolves around differences in brain function. Advocates for neurodiversity say that it’s just as critical to business success as gender or racial diversity in the labor force. 

A growing number of companies actively recruit candidates on the autism spectrum for tasks that are suited to their strengths, such as those involving large amounts of data or rigorous attention to detail. They include SAP, Freddie Mac, ULTRA Testing, as well as specialized recruiting and placement firms for people with neurological differences.

Up Close and Personal with the Spectrum

Great post by Hannah Cushing on Autism Support Network.

Three years ago, I was teaching in a charter school for students in recovery from drug and alcohol addictions. My campus was closing and I needed a new job. The first four years of my teaching career were spent working with addicts, gangsters, and wanna-be gangsters. This was exactly the population I had pictured myself working with, and I loved it. I had always been most drawn to the students that our society relegates to the fringes, the kids who fall through the cracks, unwanted, unnoticed or blamed for their inability to fit our expectations.
At the time, I had a connection within a new charter school for students on the Autism Spectrum going into its third year and was encouraged to apply. So I did. I applied, interviewed, and was eventually hired. Although there was a part of me that thought, “Hmmmm, this is not what I imagined for myself.” There was another part of me that said, “Doesn’t matter. This is where you are supposed to be.”

Disability Should Not Be a Deterrent to Job Market

Recently, entertainment personality Jack Osbourne said he lost a job on a reality show because he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS).

As a professional who knows the value that people with disabilities in the workplace can bring, the news was stunning, sad and alarming. It also was proof that too many employers today underestimate the potential effectiveness of an employee with a disability.

The Search for Employment with Autism

Davin Stevenson

SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. -- Devin Stevenson says he knows autism often holds him back.

He sometimes has trouble focusing. He has a tendency to get overly engrossed in one aspect of a task. And, if you were to explain something to Devin, he might need you to repeat it a second time, though he is quick to point out he’s not being purposefully inattentive.
“It‘s not because I‘m ignoring people,” said Stevenson.
“It’s almost like there’s a filter in my mind and only certain things get through."

Inclusion Films Opens Doors in Hollywood

Greg Donoghue grew up around film sets. His father worked as a film publicist in Europe and his uncle is Pierre Spengler, a producer of the "Superman" movies.
But the 30-year-old had never seriously considered a career in the movie industry until he got a chance to direct his own short-film called "Sunshine Manor," a love story about relationship between a nursing home patient and her doctor.
"It takes a lot of patience, and time is your worst enemy," Donoghue said of his directorial debut. "I'd rather build sets than be a director, but the experience is going to benefit me when I try to get an interview." Donoghue, who was diagnosed a few years ago with a form of high-functioning autism, was among nearly two dozen special-needs crew members who worked on "Sunshine Manor."

Commentary: Hiring People with Disabilities

In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, thought this item from the Federal Times might be of interest.

There is a clear business case for the federal workforce, charged with the responsibility of public service, to reflect the diverse tapestry of America. People with disabilities are part of that tapestry and arguably constitute one of the most diverse groups in our society.
While society has made significant progress in bringing attention to the value of diversity in the workplace, regrettably, people with disabilities have high rates of unemployment. They often are forced to remain dependent on government disability benefits even though they may be willing and able to work.