Tuesday was a great day, because I was with my people – people with disabilities from the Center for Independent Living (CIL). Although they have additional progress to make, they are modeling their activities on the United States disability community and our Centers for Independent Living. It is thrilling to see the birth of this
What a great day! Early in the morning, our wonderful contacts from the embassy met us to take us to a meeting with the President of Korea Nazarene University. We were also joined by a translator and an intern from the embassy. At Korea Nazarene University, we met with the President and his staff for
Saturday morning, Mary Brougher, Chief Operating Officer, of Bender Consulting Services, Inc., and I left Pittsburgh for a State Department trip to Seoul, South Korea. Even as I am blogging this, I cannot believe what an honor and wonderful opportunity this is for me; a chance to make a difference in the world for the
Over 15 years ago, I coined the phrase, “Paychecks not Pity.” I did not realize at the time how widely this would become known and how often it would be repeated in the coming years. This phrase has become a mantra of the disability community and for a good reason—it is true. Since the Final Rule
Secretary Clinton Puts the Spotlight on Subminimum Pay for Employees with Disabilities When I read the recent statement from Secretary Clinton on her desire to demand equal pay for all people, including people with disabilities, I was energized. For years the disability community has tried to end the exploitation of subminimum pay and sheltered workshops.
On Wednesday, March 23, 2016, the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) held its annual Leadership Awards Gala in Washington, DC. The gala is widely considered to be a premier event for the national disability community. AAPD is the largest cross-disability membership organization in the United States. AAPD promotes equal opportunity, economic power, independent
Bender Consulting will host its bi-annual Virtual Career Fair on March 15, 2016 in partnership with CareerEco. Virtual career fairs connect job seekers with disabilities simultaneously with multiple employers, all from the convenience of their dorm room, mobile office, or favorite coffee shop. Among the approximately 50 employers from the public and private sector who
Whether beginning your first job search or re-entering the work force with new skills and direction, you are navigating the exciting, and often challenging, employment marketplace. Finding a career that matches your skills and interests can be an intimidating task. Pursuing this goal can become more complex when disability is added to the equation. This
Can you remember a time when you saw somebody who was missing a limb? Think back to that moment for me. Did you feel sorry for them? Or did you feel like, ¨Look at that person; They are missing a leg.” Did you point and stare? Or were you one of the people who thought
Section 503 of The Rehabilitation Act, affirmative action for people with disabilities is here and will be implemented in March of 2014. These new regulations include a 7% hiring goal in all job groups, new processes for self-identification and recordkeeping, but most importantly represent a great opportunity for Americans with disabilities, and for federal contractors