Beyond Buzzwords: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion  DEI. D&I. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. We see and hear these words and acronyms enough that they can easily lose meaning. And quite honestly in some spaces, they don’t hold much weight, perhaps relegated to annual required workplace seminars. But there is a lot of potential and value in those words. Diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, has power far beyond buzzwords and corporate workshops. Rather, genuine investment in DEI has the capacity to shape the trajectory of the world. When we empower and include the diverse talent ..read more

Impact of COVID19 on Disability Employment COVID19 has affected everyone. The impact varies by person and place, but it’s reach is undeniable. Some people have managed not only to survive, but to thrive, while others are suffering. The reality is that COVID has exacerbated many of the inequities already present within our society; in the context of how it specifically impacts labor, covid has disproportionately affected those who have historically contended with significant barriers to employment, including people with disabilities.  The pandemic has made it more difficult for PWDs to ret ..read more

Are PWDs More Likely to Experience Mental Illness? People notice that I am blind when they first meet me. And just as we all tend to make assumptions when we meet new people, when someone first meets me, assumptions tend to follow. But those assumptions are often related to my disability. It must be so hard to go through life missing out on all these experiences, they imply, or sometimes even say explicitly. Good intentions do not soften the blow of ignorance; people without disabilities rarely consider the value, much less the beauty, of experiencing the world from my perspective. Why are dif ..read more

Beauty Beyond the Eye of the Beholder  Many times we go through life being molded by how society perceives us and beauty standards tend to be one of those appearance based perceptions. Unfortunately we sometimes get caught in the trap of putting society’s expectations before our own happiness. But what if we do what makes us happy, brings out our authenticity, and showcases who we are? If we start leading life on who WE want to be versus the box society wants to put us in, our true beauty will prevail. This change will shift the way we approach beauty and allow us to know one another on a ..read more

How Family Influences Our Narratives  One of the most significant lessons I’ve learned through my work as a social entrepreneur is that effective social change is best achieved when focusing on society at its most granular level: the individual and family. This tends to encourage some introspection, at least for me. I wonder where I would be today if my family situation was different. My parents and relatives were loving and supportive. But I know this is not a universal experience, and I know, too, that the environment children experience from a young age impacts outcomes in their later ..read more

Tips from A Fellow Female Entrepreneur Yesterday, September 22nd, was American Business Women’s Day. As women, we have made amazing strides! One third of the entrepreneurs in the world are women. But these numbers only tell part of the story. Gender norms continue to greatly affect the entrepreneurial landscape. Whether social expectations, lack of support, or difficulty achieving work-life balance, women continue to face major challenges when starting a business. But I remain optimistic! In celebration and solidarity, I would like to share some lessons learned during my own entrepreneurial jo ..read more

My Faith Gave Me Vision Everyone faces challenges at some point in their life. Difficult circumstances can invite negative inner chatter, risking a downward spiral into “why me?” territory. Whatever our struggles, whether related to illness, disability, relationships or other life circumstances, it is typical to evaluate ourselves harshly. We examine our performance and magnify our imperfections compared to the superficial veneer of others’ strength and competence. In reality we are all flawed, and all deserving of love and grace.  In my own experience, my disability has encouraged me to ..read more

The Refugee Crisis: Are Women and PWDs an Afterthought?  There are approximately 82.4 million forcibly displaced people in the world today. About half of them are women and the statistics on displaced persons with disabilities are often not even considered.  We have been confronted by images and videos of palpable desperation: families begging to flee the country, mothers throwing their babies into the arms of strangers, people clinging to the sides of airplanes – and some falling to their deaths in the process. The situation is ripe for exploitation, tragedy and horror breeding new ..read more

Women’s Equality Day: Celebrating ALL Women Today is Women’s Equality Day. On this day, we celebrate the 19th Amendment, passed in 1920 and prohibiting state and federal governments from denying (white) citizens the right to vote based on sex. It was another 50 years before black women had the same benefit. Commemorating a date where women were treated in an inherently unequal manner while naming it Equality Day is of course ironic. But it also raises the truism that we aren’t homogenous to begin with, and accentuates that equity rather than equality is key. And so, Women’s Equality Day is at ..read more

The Reality -and the Value- of Building a NonProfit August 17th marked National Nonprofit Day. As we celebrate the incredible achievements, breadth and promise of nonprofits, I want to also acknowledge the challenging reality of nonprofit culture. Although I am currently running a private company, my roots and my heart are in the nonprofit sector. When we recognize the impactful work nonprofits do internationally, it is also critical to recognize what it takes for them to accomplish that work. I have lived so many of those struggles firsthand, and in my years running a nonprofit heard those sa ..read more