everyone please close your eyes for just a minute now with your eyes closed
a minute now with your eyes closed
a minute now with your eyes closed imagine you have a disability now with
imagine you have a disability now with
imagine you have a disability now with that disability imagine getting ready
that disability imagine getting ready
that disability imagine getting ready for work in the morning you have to do
for work in the morning you have to do
for work in the morning you have to do your personal grooming like shaving or
your personal grooming like shaving or
your personal grooming like shaving or putting on your makeup you have to pick
putting on your makeup you have to pick
putting on your makeup you have to pick out your clothes and make sure they
out your clothes and make sure they
out your clothes and make sure they match you have to prepare your breakfast
match you have to prepare your breakfast
match you have to prepare your breakfast and get your lunch packed and get ready
and get your lunch packed and get ready
and get your lunch packed and get ready for your day now go ahead and open your
for your day now go ahead and open your
for your day now go ahead and open your eyes thanks for playing along now when
eyes thanks for playing along now when
eyes thanks for playing along now when you were imagining yourself with this
you were imagining yourself with this
you were imagining yourself with this disability did you think in terms of a
disability did you think in terms of a
disability did you think in terms of a visual impairment were you blind did you
visual impairment were you blind did you
visual impairment were you blind did you have a hearing impairment where you deaf
have a hearing impairment where you deaf
have a hearing impairment where you deaf did you have a mobility impairment were
did you have a mobility impairment were
did you have a mobility impairment were you in a wheelchair or had difficulty
you in a wheelchair or had difficulty
you in a wheelchair or had difficulty moving maybe you went in a different
moving maybe you went in a different
moving maybe you went in a different direction and you had a speech
direction and you had a speech
direction and you had a speech impairment or trouble breathing trouble
impairment or trouble breathing trouble
impairment or trouble breathing trouble focusing
focusing
focusing you probably had difficulty with those
you probably had difficulty with those
you probably had difficulty with those daily activities when you envisioned
daily activities when you envisioned
daily activities when you envisioned yourself with a disability it’s okay to
yourself with a disability it’s okay to
yourself with a disability it’s okay to admit it your daily life would be
admit it your daily life would be
admit it your daily life would be impacted if you had a disability now
impacted if you had a disability now
impacted if you had a disability now there are as many definitions of the
there are as many definitions of the
there are as many definitions of the word disability as there are impairments
word disability as there are impairments
word disability as there are impairments that cause it but what all of the
that cause it but what all of the
that cause it but what all of the definitions have in common is the word
definitions have in common is the word
definitions have in common is the word inability you probably had a difficult
inability you probably had a difficult
inability you probably had a difficult time in your imagination getting ready
time in your imagination getting ready
time in your imagination getting ready for work with a disability because we
for work with a disability because we
for work with a disability because we think in terms of disability by what
think in terms of disability by what
think in terms of disability by what someone can or can’t do a blind person
someone can or can’t do a blind person
someone can or can’t do a blind person can’t see a deaf person can’t hear
can’t see a deaf person can’t hear
can’t see a deaf person can’t hear someone in a wheelchair can’t walk we
someone in a wheelchair can’t walk we
someone in a wheelchair can’t walk we are programmed to think about all of the
are programmed to think about all of the
are programmed to think about all of the things someone with a disability can’t
things someone with a disability can’t
things someone with a disability can’t do that’s a really dangerous train of
do that’s a really dangerous train of
do that’s a really dangerous train of thought you and I wouldn’t want someone
thought you and I wouldn’t want someone
thought you and I wouldn’t want someone making all of these misconceptions about
making all of these misconceptions about
making all of these misconceptions about us judging us based solely on what’s
us judging us based solely on what’s
us judging us based solely on what’s happened to us we wouldn’t want a
happened to us we wouldn’t want a
happened to us we wouldn’t want a conversation to start from a place of
conversation to start from a place of
conversation to start from a place of pity that’s not fun that’s not fun for
pity that’s not fun that’s not fun for
pity that’s not fun that’s not fun for you that’s not fun for me and what’s
you that’s not fun for me and what’s
you that’s not fun for me and what’s really dangerous about it is when we get
really dangerous about it is when we get
really dangerous about it is when we get to the workplace you’re misconceptions
to the workplace you’re misconceptions
to the workplace you’re misconceptions shouldn’t affect my ability to get a job
shouldn’t affect my ability to get a job
shouldn’t affect my ability to get a job be successful in that job and well be
be successful in that job and well be
be successful in that job and well be treated like a human but unfortunately
treated like a human but unfortunately
treated like a human but unfortunately it happens people with disabilities face
it happens people with disabilities face
it happens people with disabilities face an unemployment rate that is
an unemployment rate that is
an unemployment rate that is historically double double that of
historically double double that of
historically double double that of people without a disability
people without a disability
people without a disability now I’m sure we’ve all been in a
now I’m sure we’ve all been in a
now I’m sure we’ve all been in a situation where we’ve been out looking
situation where we’ve been out looking
situation where we’ve been out looking for work filling out applications doing
for work filling out applications doing
for work filling out applications doing our cold calls going on those awkward
our cold calls going on those awkward
our cold calls going on those awkward interviews we’ve all had that experience
interviews we’ve all had that experience
interviews we’ve all had that experience and it can be discouraging imagine
and it can be discouraging imagine
and it can be discouraging imagine facing the statistic that it’s likely
facing the statistic that it’s likely
facing the statistic that it’s likely not gonna work out well for you how long
not gonna work out well for you how long
not gonna work out well for you how long before you just give up unfortunately
before you just give up unfortunately
before you just give up unfortunately that’s what happens people with
that’s what happens people with
that’s what happens people with disabilities are far more likely to opt
disabilities are far more likely to opt
disabilities are far more likely to opt out of the workforce altogether that’s
out of the workforce altogether that’s
out of the workforce altogether that’s so sad because people with disabilities
so sad because people with disabilities
so sad because people with disabilities have so much to offer but we can change
have so much to offer but we can change
have so much to offer but we can change that right here right now all of us we
that right here right now all of us we
that right here right now all of us we can change that we can rethink
can change that we can rethink
can change that we can rethink disabilities in the workplace and it’s
disabilities in the workplace and it’s
disabilities in the workplace and it’s three simple steps I promise they’re
three simple steps I promise they’re
three simple steps I promise they’re really simple how we start is we seek to
really simple how we start is we seek to
really simple how we start is we seek to understand that’s step number one let’s
understand that’s step number one let’s
understand that’s step number one let’s understand what it means to have a
understand what it means to have a
understand what it means to have a disability not all disabilities are
disability not all disabilities are
disability not all disabilities are visible and you can’t just focus on what
visible and you can’t just focus on what
visible and you can’t just focus on what someone can or can’t do you may not
someone can or can’t do you may not
someone can or can’t do you may not realize it but I have a disability
observing me it may not be visible but I
observing me it may not be visible but I have an executive processing disorder
have an executive processing disorder
have an executive processing disorder commonly known as attention deficit
commonly known as attention deficit
commonly known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder okay I can
hyperactivity disorder okay I can
hyperactivity disorder okay I can already feel the judgment happening
already feel the judgment happening
already feel the judgment happening knock it off stop come back to me let’s
knock it off stop come back to me let’s
knock it off stop come back to me let’s seek first to understand okay I have
seek first to understand okay I have
seek first to understand okay I have challenges with this diagnosis when I
challenges with this diagnosis when I
challenges with this diagnosis when I was younger my mother used to say that I
was younger my mother used to say that I
was younger my mother used to say that I didn’t have enough sense to get out of
didn’t have enough sense to get out of
didn’t have enough sense to get out of the rain you know how you talk to a
the rain you know how you talk to a
the rain you know how you talk to a child and I think she meant that I was
child and I think she meant that I was
child and I think she meant that I was smart but I didn’t have common sense
smart but I didn’t have common sense
smart but I didn’t have common sense once we discovered that there was a
once we discovered that there was a
once we discovered that there was a diagnosis for it I felt a little bit
diagnosis for it I felt a little bit
diagnosis for it I felt a little bit better but I am time blind we all have
better but I am time blind we all have
better but I am time blind we all have that friend who is late for everything
that friend who is late for everything
that friend who is late for everything always late I am that friend in my
always late I am that friend in my
always late I am that friend in my social circle you can always count on me
social circle you can always count on me
social circle you can always count on me to not be there when you want me to be
to not be there when you want me to be
to not be there when you want me to be and I promise you on behalf of all of
and I promise you on behalf of all of
and I promise you on behalf of all of the pathologically late people here with
the pathologically late people here with
the pathologically late people here with us now it’s not that we don’t respect
us now it’s not that we don’t respect
us now it’s not that we don’t respect your time I promise you that it’s not
your time I promise you that it’s not
your time I promise you that it’s not out of disrespect it’s that I really
out of disrespect it’s that I really
out of disrespect it’s that I really think that I can fit that 10 minute task
think that I can fit that 10 minute task
think that I can fit that 10 minute task into the three minutes I have left I
into the three minutes I have left I
into the three minutes I have left I really think I can I think it’s possible
really think I can I think it’s possible
really think I can I think it’s possible and then I get excited about it and then
and then I get excited about it and then
and then I get excited about it and then there’s something shiny and then I
there’s something shiny and then I
there’s something shiny and then I didn’t account for traffic and then now
didn’t account for traffic and then now
didn’t account for traffic and then now I’m in the car and I’m banging on the
I’m in the car and I’m banging on the
I’m in the car and I’m banging on the steering wheel because now I’m thirty
steering wheel because now I’m thirty
steering wheel because now I’m thirty minutes late and I know you’re gonna be
minutes late and I know you’re gonna be
minutes late and I know you’re gonna be mad at me and I’m just a mess and
mad at me and I’m just a mess and
mad at me and I’m just a mess and feeling like I suck at life so here we
feeling like I suck at life so here we
feeling like I suck at life so here we are I’m horribly forgetful what was I
are I’m horribly forgetful what was I
are I’m horribly forgetful what was I gonna say
gonna say
gonna say okay now I remember okay so there was
okay now I remember okay so there was
okay now I remember okay so there was this one time this one week was a really
this one time this one week was a really
this one time this one week was a really bad week I once locked my keys in my car
bad week I once locked my keys in my car
bad week I once locked my keys in my car three times in one week one of those
three times in one week one of those
three times in one week one of those times while the car was still running
times while the car was still running
times while the car was still running how do you even do that and while I’m
how do you even do that and while I’m
how do you even do that and while I’m sitting on the little parking curb next
sitting on the little parking curb next
sitting on the little parking curb next to my car waiting for triple-a to come
to my car waiting for triple-a to come
to my car waiting for triple-a to come bail me out by the way public service
bail me out by the way public service
bail me out by the way public service announcement you only get four bailouts
announcement you only get four bailouts
announcement you only get four bailouts before triple-a doesn’t want you anymore
before triple-a doesn’t want you anymore
before triple-a doesn’t want you anymore as I’m sitting there waiting for
as I’m sitting there waiting for
as I’m sitting there waiting for triple-a to come unlock me again that
triple-a to come unlock me again that
triple-a to come unlock me again that week I’m thinking how is it possible for
week I’m thinking how is it possible for
week I’m thinking how is it possible for me to ever be successful I have
me to ever be successful I have
me to ever be successful I have absolutely no self esteem and I have
absolutely no self esteem and I have
absolutely no self esteem and I have nothing to offer that’s that’s not a fun
nothing to offer that’s that’s not a fun
nothing to offer that’s that’s not a fun feeling to have I have no filter I know
feeling to have I have no filter I know
feeling to have I have no filter I know I’m not alone in that one I have no
I’m not alone in that one I have no
I’m not alone in that one I have no filter and that’s that’s really bad in
filter and that’s that’s really bad in
filter and that’s that’s really bad in the workplace I have seen the inside of
the workplace I have seen the inside of
the workplace I have seen the inside of many an HR office just so you know it is
many an HR office just so you know it is
many an HR office just so you know it is not acceptable to call a co-worker a
not acceptable to call a co-worker a
not acceptable to call a co-worker a murderer for eating meat I didn’t mean
murderer for eating meat I didn’t mean
murderer for eating meat I didn’t mean it
it
it I really didn’t mean it and as soon as
I really didn’t mean it and as soon as
I really didn’t mean it and as soon as it came out I wanted to pull it back
it came out I wanted to pull it back
it came out I wanted to pull it back because I knew it was inappropriate and
because I knew it was inappropriate and
because I knew it was inappropriate and he was a really nice guy
he was a really nice guy
he was a really nice guy but I got in trouble for that one and
but I got in trouble for that one and
but I got in trouble for that one and that wasn’t the only time but you get in
that wasn’t the only time but you get in
that wasn’t the only time but you get in trouble for things like that and if you
trouble for things like that and if you
trouble for things like that and if you just think about those deficits or those
just think about those deficits or those
just think about those deficits or those challenges you might miss out on other
challenges you might miss out on other
challenges you might miss out on other things I do have to offer in an
things I do have to offer in an
things I do have to offer in an employment setting in the workplace
employment setting in the workplace
employment setting in the workplace which brings us to step number two of
which brings us to step number two of
which brings us to step number two of how we can rethink disabilities in the
how we can rethink disabilities in the
how we can rethink disabilities in the workplace instead of just stopping at
workplace instead of just stopping at
workplace instead of just stopping at thinking about what people can’t do
thinking about what people can’t do
thinking about what people can’t do because they have a disability let’s
because they have a disability let’s
because they have a disability let’s think about what someone has to offer
think about what someone has to offer
think about what someone has to offer let’s think about what people what
let’s think about what people what
let’s think about what people what things people can do
things people can do
things people can do despite their disability or because of
despite their disability or because of
despite their disability or because of their disability sure I may have
their disability sure I may have
their disability sure I may have absolutely no memory I’m like that fish
absolutely no memory I’m like that fish
absolutely no memory I’m like that fish in that movie who forgets everything but
in that movie who forgets everything but
in that movie who forgets everything but I’m also a member of Mensa
I’m also a member of Mensa
I’m also a member of Mensa I process information quickly I come up
I process information quickly I come up
I process information quickly I come up with new ideas I think that makes me an
with new ideas I think that makes me an
with new ideas I think that makes me an asset I may have no filter but I think
asset I may have no filter but I think
asset I may have no filter but I think that’s where I can laugh off all of the
that’s where I can laugh off all of the
that’s where I can laugh off all of the annoying things that happen as a result
annoying things that happen as a result
annoying things that happen as a result of my ADHD and I’m told I’m told by my
of my ADHD and I’m told I’m told by my
of my ADHD and I’m told I’m told by my best friend did that’s what makes me
best friend did that’s what makes me
best friend did that’s what makes me funny my best friend of course is my
funny my best friend of course is my
funny my best friend of course is my hero she also has a disability her
hero she also has a disability her
hero she also has a disability her disability is known as cystic fibrosis
disability is known as cystic fibrosis
disability is known as cystic fibrosis it’s a lung condition that affects your
it’s a lung condition that affects your
it’s a lung condition that affects your ability to breathe causes diabetes
ability to breathe causes diabetes
ability to breathe causes diabetes arthritis a bunch of other stuff it’s
arthritis a bunch of other stuff it’s
arthritis a bunch of other stuff it’s not fun she’s 30-something years old and
not fun she’s 30-something years old and
not fun she’s 30-something years old and on her bad days she sounds like a chain
on her bad days she sounds like a chain
on her bad days she sounds like a chain smoker who has been smoking 10 packs a
smoker who has been smoking 10 packs a
smoker who has been smoking 10 packs a day the way she coughs it sounds and
day the way she coughs it sounds and
day the way she coughs it sounds and sometimes she gets winded walking from
sometimes she gets winded walking from
sometimes she gets winded walking from her office to the bathroom and it’s not
her office to the bathroom and it’s not
her office to the bathroom and it’s not that long of a hike but because of her
that long of a hike but because of her
that long of a hike but because of her disability she has seen hardship she has
disability she has seen hardship she has
disability she has seen hardship she has overcome adversity to make sure she gets
overcome adversity to make sure she gets
overcome adversity to make sure she gets proper medical care she has fought with
proper medical care she has fought with
proper medical care she has fought with insurance companies she makes sure she
insurance companies she makes sure she
insurance companies she makes sure she gets her medicine she won’t take you
gets her medicine she won’t take you
gets her medicine she won’t take you know what from anybody and that’s the
know what from anybody and that’s the
know what from anybody and that’s the tenacity that you want in a friend in a
tenacity that you want in a friend in a
tenacity that you want in a friend in a co-worker in an employee you want that
co-worker in an employee you want that
co-worker in an employee you want that in the workplace she and I work with a
in the workplace she and I work with a
in the workplace she and I work with a man who has been totally blind nearly
man who has been totally blind nearly
man who has been totally blind nearly his entire adult life and his first job
his entire adult life and his first job
his entire adult life and his first job as the totally blind person was as a
as the totally blind person was as a
as the totally blind person was as a stay-at-home dad
stay-at-home dad
stay-at-home dad to three young boys now if you’ve ever
to three young boys now if you’ve ever
to three young boys now if you’ve ever had small children that you’ve had to
had small children that you’ve had to
had small children that you’ve had to take care of well that’s a difficult
take care of well that’s a difficult
take care of well that’s a difficult task with full eyesight imagine changing
task with full eyesight imagine changing
task with full eyesight imagine changing the worst
the worst
the worst blow out diaper of a squirmy toddler
blow out diaper of a squirmy toddler
blow out diaper of a squirmy toddler without the benefit of your eyes let
without the benefit of your eyes let
without the benefit of your eyes let that sink in for just a second okay this
that sink in for just a second okay this
that sink in for just a second okay this man probably changed a few hundred of
man probably changed a few hundred of
man probably changed a few hundred of those as a stay-at-home dad this is a
those as a stay-at-home dad this is a
those as a stay-at-home dad this is a man who wanted to make sure his kids had
man who wanted to make sure his kids had
man who wanted to make sure his kids had a normal childhood despite not having
a normal childhood despite not having
a normal childhood despite not having quote-unquote normal parents and so he
quote-unquote normal parents and so he
quote-unquote normal parents and so he would pack up the diaper bag and he
would pack up the diaper bag and he
would pack up the diaper bag and he would pack up the pack and play and take
would pack up the pack and play and take
would pack up the pack and play and take his three small children on the bus to
his three small children on the bus to
his three small children on the bus to the park to make sure that they still
the park to make sure that they still
the park to make sure that they still got the same experience as other kids
got the same experience as other kids
got the same experience as other kids think of the time management and the
think of the time management and the
think of the time management and the planning and the organization skills
planning and the organization skills
planning and the organization skills that go into something like that those
that go into something like that those
that go into something like that those sound like skills you want in a person
sound like skills you want in a person
sound like skills you want in a person you work with right in addition he has
you work with right in addition he has
you work with right in addition he has fantastic people skills he runs circles
fantastic people skills he runs circles
fantastic people skills he runs circles around all of us on the computer but
around all of us on the computer but
around all of us on the computer but imagine if no one would give him a
imagine if no one would give him a
imagine if no one would give him a chance
chance
chance just because he’s blind which brings us
just because he’s blind which brings us
just because he’s blind which brings us to step number three we know that there
to step number three we know that there
to step number three we know that there are challenges associated with
are challenges associated with
are challenges associated with disabilities and we know that there are
disabilities and we know that there are
disabilities and we know that there are benefits to having a disability because
benefits to having a disability because
benefits to having a disability because you learn to overcome now individuals
you learn to overcome now individuals
you learn to overcome now individuals with disabilities just need a chance so
with disabilities just need a chance so
with disabilities just need a chance so in your workplace in your employment
in your workplace in your employment
in your workplace in your employment setting whatever that looks like how can
setting whatever that looks like how can
setting whatever that looks like how can you be more inclusive for people with
you be more inclusive for people with
you be more inclusive for people with disabilities does that mean you’re more
disabilities does that mean you’re more
disabilities does that mean you’re more friendly to customers who have a
friendly to customers who have a
friendly to customers who have a disability does that mean you make sure
disability does that mean you make sure
disability does that mean you make sure that the website of your company is more
that the website of your company is more
that the website of your company is more blind friendly do you have training for
blind friendly do you have training for
blind friendly do you have training for your employees to make sure that they
your employees to make sure that they
your employees to make sure that they can interact with people with
can interact with people with
can interact with people with disabilities a little bit more
disabilities a little bit more
disabilities a little bit more sensitively there are so many things
sensitively there are so many things
sensitively there are so many things that we can do to make sure that our
that we can do to make sure that our
that we can do to make sure that our workplaces are more inclusive
workplaces are more inclusive
workplaces are more inclusive you know disabilities advocates like
you know disabilities advocates like
you know disabilities advocates like myself we like to say that the disabled
myself we like to say that the disabled
myself we like to say that the disabled population is the one minority group
population is the one minority group
population is the one minority group that any one of us any one of us could
that any one of us any one of us could
that any one of us any one of us could join at any time if there were ever a
join at any time if there were ever a
join at any time if there were ever a time to start treating people the way
time to start treating people the way
time to start treating people the way you want to be treated this is it let’s
you want to be treated this is it let’s
you want to be treated this is it let’s rethink disabilities in the workplace
rethink disabilities in the workplace
rethink disabilities in the workplace thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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