Because people with disabilities face enough challenges navigating a difficult world, today’s businesses should do all they can to make their workplace a more welcoming environment.
That was just one of the messages attendees heard at the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce’s highly personal discussion, “Breaking Barriers: Empowering Disability Advocacy and Celebrating Disability Pride Month.”
The TedX-like conversation, which was held on July 10 at Cooley LLP, brought together business leaders, disability advocates, and experts to explore workplace accommodations, combat assumptions, and raise awareness about neurodiversity.
Chamber President and CEO Jack Lavin opened the discussion by emphasizing its significance for his family, sharing that his 28-year-old daughter Emily was born with Down Syndrome. “Emily is why disability issues are very close to our hearts, and why we are very familiar with the challenges of accessibility and inclusion,” Lavin said.
He noted his wife Kathy, the CEO of the disability support organization Gateway to Learning, was also speaking at the event, joking that attendees got “two Lavins for the price of one.” Kathy then spoke about realizing that their daughter had Down Syndrome moments after she was born, which began the family on a learning journey that it is still traveling.
After detailing the lessons she’s learned over Emily’s life, Kathy concluded, “That is why we’re here today: to keep learning, to keep discussing and telling stories, to understand what it means to be a champion. We will continue to learn, to fight, to change perceptions, and to break barriers.”
Kathy then handed off the mic to Ana Monga, policy and programs lead at Google, who shared her personal experience with hearing impairment. Monga told a moving story about moving to the United States from India and realizing she would have to be open about her “invisible disability.” When she finally accepted this, she realized the magnitude of the issue within the workplace.
“Globally, there are over one billion adults with a disability,” Monga said. “Look among your peers, your colleagues, your friends, your family members. There are people that you know personally who have some kind of disability, visible or invisible. There are many examples of disabilities that are not apparent, but can be life altering.”
Laura Isaacs, a senior executive assistant at JP Morgan Chase, then discussed the history of accessibility and her experiences living with multiple disabilities. Isaacs stressed the need for Universal Design and daily considerations for accessibility.
“Basically, what Universal Design says is that you’ve created an environment that is accessible to everyone regardless of their age, ability, disability, or size,” Isaacs said. “In other words, they can easily access your space. And that’s very important.”
The final speaker, disability labor advocate Ben Schatzel, presented a case study showcasing the benefits of hiring neurodivergent workers, including increased productivity and reduced waste. Noting neurodivergent workers face 80% unemployment and underemployment, Schatzel said the manifestations of conditions like autism differ greatly between people.
“If you’ve met one autistic person, you’ve met one autistic person,” Schatzel said. “Autistic people span a breadth of human experience exactly the same as neurotypicals.”
The event concluded with a call to action for attendees to implement small, tangible changes in their workplaces to foster greater inclusion. Speakers encouraged ongoing education, open dialogue, and a commitment to Universal Design principles to create more accessible and inclusive environments for all.
