Next week, on Wednesday August 28th, those of us in the U.S. will mark an important and historic milestone. That day, America will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the largest public demonstration in American history, initially known as the “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom”. That day, August 28, 1963, 500,000 people gathered on
I first met Tony Coelho at a Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation meeting, in Washington, DC, where he was the keynote speaker. The topic was “his story” and the national plight of the tragic level of unemployment of people with disabilities. That speech was in 1998. Since then, two things have not changed – people with
I have worked in the executive search/employment industry for a very, very long, time. I started my career during the time when there was this thing known as the pink message slip. I can still remember coming back hurriedly to the office, from lunch or a meeting, to see which clients had called. I always
Courage is defined as “the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulties or danger without fear.” This is a necessary part of the inner being for all of us living with disabilities. I know that courage is a trait everyone aspires to reach, but for us, it is the only
The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is an international commitment of the United Nations to protect the rights of persons with disabilities. Countries signed on will work to protect and provide equality, inclusion and dignity for people with disabilities on a global basis. It was an honor for me to be
People often make requests to our team at Bender Consulting Services to refer veterans with disabilities, who have injuries from the recent wars, for career opportunities. I hear so many employers say, “I would love to hire a veteran with a disability; they will get top priority when I hire new associates.” Often what they
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month! As we continue our celebration, I ask you to remember, Justin Dart, Jr., one of the great civil rights leaders of the disability community. Through words and actions, Justin and his wife Yoshiko promoted the vision of the Americans with Disabilities Act: equality of opportunity, full participation, independent
When I founded Bender Consulting Services in 1995, I really did not realize the degree to which many people with disabilities lived dependently. I was surprised to find out how few young people with disabilities ever stayed overnight anywhere besides their homes. When I first became involved in a not-for-profit organization in Pittsburgh that teaches
There was only one thing wrong with my relationship with Justin Dart; it was too short. Justin and his wife Yoshiko were at the White House in 1999 when I received the President’s Award from President Clinton. This award was presented to me for my work in the area of furthering employment for Americans with disabilities. I
“We believe the greatest way to build character is by helping others; this is not preferred but expected.” Volunteerism is one of the Values the Bender leadership team decided on in 1996. I founded the company in 1995 and assembled a leadership team of eight to create the mission, vision, and values statements. I am