Navigating the world with a disability

Since the 1970s, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) has taken place every October. NDEAM reinforces the message across the U.S. that people with disabilities provide invaluable roles and perspectives to our diverse American workforce. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that one in four adults (at least 60 million) in the U.S. live with a disability. This statistic is based on what is reported, however. So, it’s possible that the number is higher than what is stated.

Accessibility benefits everyone

Whether or not you have a disability, accessibility benefits everyone. For instance, do you use a keyboard or talk-to-text? Well, both were originally designed for individuals with disabilities. These are just a few of many everyday items that were originally designed for people with disabilities – but they’re often used by both people with and without disabilities.

So, next time you use an automated door, a curb cut, or an electric toothbrush – remember that you’re benefiting from accessibility, and that’s a good thing! It’s a “nice to have” for some, but a necessity for people with disabilities.

Everyone will experience a short term or long-term disability at some point in their life. Therefore, let’s make a genuine effort to make accessibility a common practice – not an afterthought.

Not sure how to do that? UC Davis Health community members are welcome to join our ERG and learn more about how to be a better ally. Our next ERG meeting will take place at noon on Nov. 19 via Zoom. To access the Zoom meeting link, please email us at HS-DiversABILITY@ucdavis.edu.

A word about post-work social activities

As we get closer to the holiday season, social work activities will increase. It’s possible that some people with disabilities (or caretakers for people with disabilities) will politely decline attending after work events. It’s not a reflection of the occasion, but we may have personal reasons why we can’t join.

Even individuals without a disability may prefer to lay low after the workday (or on weekends) to recharge and relax. None of us – faculty, students, residents and staff – should have to state “why” we don’t want to/can’t participate in pre- or post-work social events. So, if someone declines participating in an event, don’t push them on the topic – it feels invasive, not inclusive. If there is a desire to have more folks join an activity, consider hosting it during work hours – and preferably less than two hours.

Our DiversABILITY ERG will discuss this topic more in-length at the next bi-monthly meeting (Nov. 19). Until then…

Yours in health,

Carolyn Ramirez Co-chair, DiversABILITY Employee Resource Group

Sarah Janus Co-chair, DiversABILITY Employee Resource Group