North Jersey Friendship House, Inc.’s Post

To continue to highlight Disability Pride Month (July), I identified organizations owned by individuals with disabilities or those focused on the employing people with disabilities. In the U.S., approximately 1.8 million disabled entrepreneurs rely on their own businesses as a vital, if not, their only source of employment opportunity. This necessity is due to limited job options and additional barriers such as securing start-up capital, or accessing services, transportation, or support tailored to their specific needs. Please consider supporting these businesses or share this information within your network to help promote their success. Your support not only contributes to their growth but also aids in expanding employment and ownership opportunities for individuals with disabilities. • Billy (Amazon) • Bitty & Beau's Coffee Shops (19 locations in U.S.) • BrailleBuds (Etsy) • Calm Strips (Amazon) • MightyWell (Amazon) • Pale Horse Coffee • Poppin Joe's Gourmet Kettle Korn (Etsy) • PennyForward • Two Blind Brothers • Crippling Hot Sauce • Vehicles for Veterans The image features a close-up of a glass store door with a "Yes, We're Open" sign hanging from it You can now subscribe to https://lnkd.in/eBsyCgmm to follow our journey. #MBRBBLog #AllyForTheBlind #SmallBusiness #Disability #DisabilityPride #DisabilityPrideMonth #DisabilityRepresentation

Calling all Amazonians! The Amazon Affinity Group, People with Disabilities (PwD, DFW & NAC) has an event on 13 March - everyone is welcome! The event can be found in our Gather site here (link is Amazon internal only): https://lnkd.in/ehirbw3C Did you know Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a protected Americans with Disability condition? Our session stands to create a wide-spread impact by way of how we view Substance Use Disorder - for the States, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism indicates the following, for example: For (this refers to biological representation) men, consuming five or more drinks on any day or 15 or more per week For women, consuming four or more on any day or 8 or more drinks per week SAMHSA (https://www.samhsa.gov/) defines heavy alcohol use as binge drinking on 5 or more days in the past month Many of us may know someone who meet these guidelines for SUD, by way of alcoholism. Many of us may also know someone struggling with use of another substance - but, the substance use is only a leaf on the tree, not the root cause or issue. Have you ever caught yourself thinking or saying: "the streets aren't safe at night/early morning"? (I have) - there's a lot to unpack here. One - fear/discomfort of human suffering. Two - fear of the unknown. Three - how do I interact with people on substances? Four - am I actually safe? Five - how can I make this better? What I actually observe often, is a feeling of helplessness - "I don't know what to do to make it better". Courtney's session is a chance to help impact for the better. Our agenda looks like: A story from Courtney about her experience with recovery from SUD - from active use to local government, What you can do today to help someone with SUD, Narcan training and education on additional resources. Please join us by RSVPing, and accepting the calendar invite afterward! We look forward to having you in the space with us! https://lnkd.in/ehirbw3C #amazon #aws #amazonwebservices #peoplewithdisabilities #pwd #gatherevents #substanceusedisorder #samhsa #nih

It is possible to make change to create a safe place for people to request accessibility. Yes, even in an established company like Amazon as Elaine KA shares here. The gem is in her reply to my question about what they did to make change. Here's what Elaine shared in the comments. - tapping into an existing team-wide mechanism where people are expected to be in attendance. Centering the discussion on accessibility and disability inclusion sends the message that it’s a team-wide priority. - opening up with human stories. This is powerful and not explored enough IMO (in my opinion). - moderators and other speakers admitting it’s a journey for everyone including themselves. It leaves space for exploration and growth. People are less afraid of “saying the wrong thing” and frozen in action. - details on how the applicable team has or will take action for the community. Shows commitment and trajectory. Thank you, Elaine. I hope y'all give it a try. You don't have to be a top executive to effect change like this. #Accessibility #Inclusion #MerylMots

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. ❤️⭕️

I strongly believe that embracing disability inclusion should be central to innovation at Amazon to make our products, services, and experiences accessible and valuable to our customers. Today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), a United Nations supported event observed globally to raise awareness on this important topic. Disability inclusion is about ensuring that people with disabilities are included in all aspects of society, and accessibility is about removing barriers that prevent people with disabilities from participating. Both are inextricably linked. You cannot have one without the other. This week I will stand together with thousands of Amazonians proudly wearing some fashionable purple to show we’re (In) this together in our efforts to not only acknowledge and celebrate individuals with apparent and non-apparent disabilities, but also enhance people’s understanding of the benefits that come from the inclusion of persons with disabilities among our customers, employees, and communities. Let's jointly advance accessibility for all. Purple up. #diversity #inclusion #amazon #PurpleLightUp #idpd #inthistogether

International Day of Persons with #Disabilities At Amazon and Amazon Web Services (AWS), we celebrate #inclusivity and the contributions of persons with apparent and non-apparent disabilities, it’s not just about bringing people through the door but is actually making sure they stay, thrive, and have a career path! All employees have the right information they need, the education they need, and feel supported. #PurpleLightUp #Amazon #AWS

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

I agree working in DEI and acsessibility is isolating. Also, working as a disabled person can feel isolated because you feel like you're held back or get certain accommodations that set you apart from the workplace. Jobs and managers and any opportunity for that matter, shouldn't make you feel isolated. I agree that working in DEI and accessibility can be isolating. Additionally, being a disabled person in the workplace often feels isolating due to accommodations that can set you apart or make you feel held back. Jobs, managers, and opportunities shouldn't make anyone feel isolated. I've often felt isolated as a person with two invisible chronic illnesses, but I firmly believe I can work a paid job and feel strong and visible. The people you work with make a significant difference. Their efforts to include you, the support they provide, and the time they invest in you, even when you feel behind, are crucial. DEIA isn't just about education and accommodations, whether online or in-person. It's also about respect and acknowledgment for those in minority groups. Disability pride doesn't end in July! #DEIA #acsessibility #DEI #disabilitypride #inclusion #respect #workplaces #Jobtreatment #Diversity

As Disability Pride Month ends, Alexa Orban, Director of Marketing, reflects on the year-round commitment to accessibility and inclusion. 🖥 Read the full blog here: https://lnkd.in/ghsA-KJh Let’s advocate for and keep the momentum and action of Disability Pride alive throughout the year. #DisabilityPrideMonth #Accessibility #Inclusion #AssistiveTech #CommunitySupport Image Description: A graphic that overlays an image. The text reads: Wrapping Up Disability Pride Month: A Year-Round Commitment. The photo shows Alexa's desk. On the left, a bouquet of blue hydrangeas sits next to a cup of iced coffee, a mouse, and a Cephable journal. Alexa's laptop is on the right, with a screen that shows 'Keeping it Real: Alexa's Story' from the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation. Demystifying Disability sits on the keyboard

Check out episode to learn more about an invaluable WI resource for families of children with disabilities.