Crystal Nott, MBA, SPHR, SHRM-CP’s Post

To continue honoring Disability Pride Month (July), I've listed shows that feature disabled characters portrayed by actors who have disabilities themselves. Over 90% of disabled characters are played by individuals who do not have a disability and while renowned actors may attract attention, authenticity is crucial. Casting actors with disabilities brings genuine life experiences and enriches the narrative with valuable insights, ensuring a more believable and impactful story. It is also important for individuals with disabilities to see accurate representations on TV, fostering validation and understanding. Consider adding one of these shows or movies to your watchlist not only to show support but also to gain insight into the diverse experiences of people with disabilities. Movies & TV shows: • CODA (Apple TV) • The Peanut Butter Falcon (Amazon Prime) • A Quiet Place (Amazon Prime) • Run (Netflix) • A Space in Time (Amazon Prime) • Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix) • Jeremy the Dud (YouTube) • Breaking Bad (Netflix) • MasterChef Season 3 (Tubi) • Glee (Netflix) Learn more about Disability Pride Month and additional resources for people who are blind or low vision and their families at https://lnkd.in/eBsyCgmm Image displays the Disability Pride Flag, featuring a charcoal grey background adorned with a diagonal band of muted colors, including red, gold, white, blue, and green. #MBRBBlog #DisabilityPride #DisabilityPrideMonth #DisabilityRepresentation

PLEASE SHARE 🙂 I am the Director of Events for Amazons affinity group, People with Disabilities for North America Central - and I am currently seeking a speaker for our September event (date pending based on speaker availability)! I am asking someone EXTERNAL to Amazon to spend approximately 30 minutes with us to discuss your disability/differing ability/impact/impairment (if you are internal we have room for you, too! Reach out to me here or at juwadswo@ - let’s connect!) - and as a person who meets the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements who has an ADA accommodation at work - I understand the level of courage, bravery, I understand the fear and concern of retaliation or different, lesser treatment that we have to potentially wade through to be a “speaker” at an event as such. I acknowledge you, fully. If you are someone who is speaking impacted or impaired, we will navigate this to ensure your story is shared as well - the goal here is to educate. Educate us about your hardships, successes, family impacts. Educate us about your experience with medical care and treatment - or socially, psychologically, physically, mentally, emotionally - educate us as much as you are willing to share - you will find a deeply empathetic audience waiting for you. Then - tell us what we can do to be better advocates for you, and people experiencing similar circumstances. I will personally prep you for the event, with practice sessions, guidance from a professional facilitator (me), and 1:1 support outside of the session. In exchange, I offer you the edited video clip of your portion of the event, in the recording, your content on Amazon (AWS) non-proprietary slides. Add it to your portfolio, share it here - know that you did something incredibly impactful. Please reach out here or via inbox on LinkedIn if you are a person external to Amazon who is interested in bringing education to the Amazon space! Thank you! Be well. ❤️⭕️

So, I'm celebrating the representation in marketing alongside the rest of the disability inclusion advocates out on the web, and kudos to those who are calling this out and sharing the good news (Mindy Henderson and Jean Cozad Poteet). I'd like to open this conversation up a bit more in regards to the shoe industry in specific. As a disabled man nearing his 50th birthday and having an onset of my disability at 22 months, I have purchased many shoes in my life. Amazon and Zappos Family of Companies and all the rest of the shoe retailers out in the world, do you have a disability sales policy in place? Does the gentleman in this add pay full price for two shoes or can he go on and order a single shoe at half the price? In 2024, I am going to be more bold in the digital needs of our disabled society and push the conversation past just alt text and screen reader tech, which is definitely necessary and should be addressed by every major brand with the funds to handle the load out in the worldwide web, and it should be a major priority to the open source projects that support the sites of small businesses to be able to provide a truly inclusive web experience. So that said, true disability inclusion requires your attention in all facets of your business operations: extra development time to refine your ecommerce shopping carts, your shipping facilities and product offering variations just to name a few, so stop crying about the easy stuff and start focusing on what it is really going to take. In my case I have a left foot that is a size 11 and a right foot that is much smaller than that, so I have had to buy two pairs of shoes just to have one pair that fits me correctly my whole life... :( If we are going to talk the talk, let's walk the walk. My own internal ableism, is screaming at me to say, "You are just another one of those angry disabled people that sounds like a cry baby." However my heart is telling me, "If you don't bring up this conversation, who will, how long would it wait to be brought up, and is what I am saying all that bad anyway?" Just saying. #DisabilityTax #WeCanDoBetter #DisabilityInclusion #CallingAllAllies #DisablingAbleism

Was it a coincidence? 🤔 Maybe. But when I launched the Disability and Accessibility Employee Resource Group (ERG) last June, it later sparked a significant increase in clients reaching out to me, sharing their stories about the challenges of having a disability and navigating the complexities of pursuing their next career opportunity. Interestingly, none of them were aware of my instrumental role in developing the first disability inclusion ERG at Hire Heroes USA or my personal story behind it.   The ERG primarily caters to our employees with disabilities, yet it also serves as a vital support system for our clients. We continually assess our program and service delivery to ensure they effectively meet the diverse needs of everyone involved. ⚡ For those who have been following my journey, you know I'm resourceful, but tackling the intricacies of a disability while embarking on a new career journey requires more than just resources.   Here's some encouragement – watch the full video by clicking here. ➡ PS. And a reminder: not all disabilities are service-connected, and not all disabilities are visible.

Why do only 23% of Americans with disabilities have jobs? Our mission is to change that, one job at a time. [ ID: The first image has the words "It's Disability Pride Month... Meet America's most underutilized workforce: People with Disabilities" placed over the image of a smiling woman. The second image has white text on a teal background with a human figure graphic. The words read "A majority of Americans can't identify one of America's largest minorities. There are over 33 million adults with disabilities. Only 23% of them have jobs." On both of the graphics, there are logos for Relay Resources, Source America, the Ability One Program and True Inclusion Equals All. ] #DisabilityEmployment #DisabilityPride #DisabilityPrideMonth #PDX #Portland #DisabledPeopleBelongEverywhere #RelayResources Graphics provided by SourceAmerica

Apparently, I am not Disabled enough! To be allowed to have a Blue Badge. And park in Disabled parking bays! I was shouted at yesterday in Tesco’s car park. By a woman who clearly thought that my crutch, Was not evidence enough of my Disability. In that moment I felt: ❌ Totally worthless. ❌ Completely invalidated. ❌ Angry and scared at the same time. What should you do if you see someone park in a Disabled space who: ▶ Looks too young to have a Blue Badge? ▶ Who doesn’t conform to the Disability Image you have in your head? ▶ Who may or may not have a visible mobility aid? The Answer is: ✅ Absolutely nothing! ✅ 80% of Disabilities are invisible. ✅ You will never know the physical pain that someone might be experiencing. ✅ Or the sensory challenges they might be going through. ✅ I have learned to mask very well! Getting a Blue Badge is not easy! ▶ You have to present copies of letters from Specialists/Hospitals etc ▶ Providing evidence of your need. ▶ This is in itself is very confronting and emotionally challenging. And when you have jumped through all the hoops & finally get a Blue Badge, And some random screams at you. And accuses you of not being Disabled enough! It is devastating and deeply painful. The sad thing is I know this won’t be the last time this happens. But next time, I will have a few choice words of my own to say in response! #Disability #Inclusion

🌟 Disability Pride Month: A Call for Empathy and Inclusion 🌟 As we celebrate Disability Pride Month, it’s important to recognize the ongoing challenges that individuals with disabilities face. While this month is about celebrating our strengths and achievements, it also highlights the need for greater empathy, understanding, and accommodations in our society. Recently, I encountered a significant challenge while working with the Amazon Vine program. Due to a medical setback directly related to my disability, I faced delays in fulfilling my contractual obligations to provide reviews. Despite reaching out for minimal accommodations, I was met with a lack of empathy and understanding. This experience serves as a stark reminder that there is still much work to be done in fostering an inclusive and compassionate environment for all. Disability should never be met with indifference or discrimination. Instead, we should strive to create spaces where everyone feels valued and supported. To my fellow advocates and allies, let’s use this month to amplify our voices and share our stories. Together, we can drive change and foster a culture of genuine empathy and inclusion. #DisabilityPrideMonth #Inclusion #Empathy #Advocacy #Accessibility #Vicktorious #DisabilityRights #AmazonVine #Inclusivity

Happy Disability Pride Month! ❤️💛🤍💙💚🖤 This month, we celebrate the contributions, achievements, and resilience of the disability community. The Disability Pride Flag is a powerful symbol of this pride, each color representing a different aspect of disability: 🔴 Red: Physical disabilities 🟡 Gold: Neurodiversity ⚪ White: Invisible and undiagnosed disabilities 🔵 Blue: Emotional and psychiatric disabilities, including mental illness, anxiety, and depression 🟢 Green: Sensory disabilities, including deafness, blindness, lack of smell, lack of taste, and audio processing disorder ⚫ Black: Honoring those who have lost their lives due to their disability, both from negligence and violence. Here's what you can do this Disability Pride Month: ✨ 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: Amplify the voices of people with disabilities and educate ourselves about their experiences. ✨ 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Support initiatives and policies that promote inclusivity and accessibility in all areas of life. ✨ 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗶𝘀𝗺: Stand against discrimination and harmful stereotypes, and promote a culture of acceptance and respect. Call it out! Together, we can build a world where everyone is valued and empowered. #DisabilityPrideMonth #Inclusivity #Accessibility #Allyship #NeighborhoodHouse

Happy Valentine's Day! Today is a time to celebrate love in all its forms. Read our story highlighting the significance of educating individuals with disabilities on sustaining meaningful relationships and navigating dating apps. In the article, our Business Development Consultant, Vanessa Riggs, shares her insights on empowering individuals with disabilities in their relationships. Read the full story below. 👇. 💗🌟 #ValentinesDay #InclusiveLove #Empowerment #MomentumCollective/

"Centers for Independent Living are so important to people with disabilities to reach their goals. They can even help the larger community as a whole. If you have a disability or know somebody who has a disability and think that they can benefit from their local independent living center, give them a call or reach out to them." The above quote comes as part of a unique testimonial video-- about a consumer’s personal story and recent experiences with our Voices for Independence office in Washington, PA. What makes this video unique, you ask? This testimonial video, including interviews conducted with staff, was independently produced & directed by that very consumer-- Kyle Glozier. Just as he noted above, we at Voices for Independence have worked hard over the past 30 years to ensure that we create an atmosphere of growth-- where we offer services and support that allow individuals with disabilities to reach their goals. Whether it be a matter of learning a new skill to become more independent, beginning a fitness/wellness journey through adaptive exercise, or even just learning to advocate for one’s self, Voices for Independence is proud to be a vital support for those in our community. We will be sharing many more testimonials like this throughout our 30 Year anniversary celebration this year. To learn more about our proud history of being YOUR VOICE, YOUR CHOICE for the past 30 years and how you can help us in serving the community, please visit us at https://lnkd.in/eSzinVTg We would like to thank Kyle, who took the time to record and share his story, along with his sentiments regarding CILs, and what Voices for Independence has been able to provide for him in Washington. To watch Kyle’s entire video, simply visit the following link: https://lnkd.in/eVJUmh-T To learn more about the services/programs mentioned above, or to see what we can do for YOU, please call or visit us Mon-Fri from 8:30am-4:30pm at: • VFI Erie Office: (814) 874-0064 | 1432 Wilkins Rd, Erie, PA 16505 • VFI Washington Office: (724) 223-5115 | 42 W Maiden St, Washington, PA 15301 #VoicesForIndependence #VFICIL #YourVoiceYourChoice #Testimonial #DisabilityRights #DisabilityAwareness #DisabilityCommunity #Disability #CenterForIndependentLiving #CIL #IndependentLiving #EriePA #Erie #WashingtonPA