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Young Leaders with Disabilities

October 18th, 2007 Posted by Amelia

During National Disability Employment Awareness Month in October, many employers are wondering how they can develop strategies to attract more workers with disabilities, and how to develop leadership capabilities in young people with disabilities. Dani A. is an expert on that very topic, although she is still a student herself.

Dani is an attractive blonde college student who just happens to have muscular dystrophy. She also serves as a project assistant for the California Health Incentives Improvement Project, and is an alumna of the Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities. Dani’s wide experience gives her expertise in developing leadership capabilities, while her disability status helps her to understand the challenges that young people face.

In the summer of 2007, Dani participated in a National Youth Development and Leadership Summit sponsored by ODEP, the federal Office of Disability Employment Programs. The summit, entitled “Blazing the Trail,” focused on strategies that will increase the quality and availability of youth leadership programs, as well as participation in such programs.
Dani is currently a student at Sacramento City College, planning to finish a bachelor’s degree in political science.

Programs like “Blazing the Trail” benefit students such as Antonio F of Littleton Colorado, a recent high school graduate who has a learning disability. Last summer, Antonio participated in job training at the Hudson Gardens and Events Center in Littleton, under a program of the Colorado Youth Transition Grant.

While working in Littleton through the Englewood/Sheridan School to Work Alliance Program, Antonio gained hands-on experience and jobs skills that will transfer to future employment.

Helping students like Antonio F. is the purpose of National Disability Awareness month. Proclaimed by President George W. Bush, National Disability Awareness Month is meant to acknowledge the many accomplishments of people with disabilities, and to stress the need to open the workplace to the many talents of disabled workers. It’s also designed to ensure workplace diversity.

It was not until 1990 that disabled workers achieved significant rights. In that year the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, was passed, making it against the law to discriminate against the disabled worker, whether in hiring, promotions, or training. The ADA also guarantees that employers must make reasonable accommodations for workers with disabilities. Before ADA, many workplaces and public buildings were not accessible by disabled people, especially those in wheelchairs.

Despite legislation and some inspiring examples of achievement against all odds, the Office for Disability Employment Programs (ODEP) notes that this country still has a long way to go to assure that it is tapping into the talents of its disabled workers.

ODEP itself was headed up, until recently, by Dr. Roy Grizzard, a model for disabled workers. Dr. Grizzard was struck with a degenerative disease of the retina called retinitis pigmentosa when he was in his 20’s and by 40 he was legally blind. Nevertheless he got a PhD and pursued a career as a teacher and school administrator until taking a position with a state agency for the disabled. From there he went on to lead ODEP.

As head of ODEP, Dr. Grizzard created an alliance with the Society of Human Resource Managers (SHRM), the largest such society, with 500 chapters worldwide.

Former Giants pitcher Dave Dravecky received the first SPIRIT Award of ODEP. The award acknowledges leadership, strength, perseverance, integrity, independence, and being a role model. Dravecky suffered bone cancer in his pitching arm, but made a dramatic return to the sport after treatment. Eventually the disease led to the amputation of his left arm and shoulder. But he went on to become a motivational speaker and a best-selling author.