I've wanted to write something like this for a little while now, and since I'm speaking on LiveWorkPlay's virtual panel at a disability and employment conference next week (headshot pictured above!), the timing seems right.
Initiatives related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are a bit of a controversial topic lately, though I personally don't know why?
Programs that fall under the DEI umbrella have helped me for most of my life.
When I was younger, Easter Seals gave me many opportunities. Their summer camp program allowed me to go to Camp Merrywood, where I was able to spend a couple weeks away from my family, participating in activities like archery, sailing, and whitewater rafting, which I may not have been able to do under other circumstances. Camp also enabled me to meet other disabled youth like myself, some of whom became friends.
When I got accepted to Algonquin College, I linked in with their Centre for Students with Disabilities, setting up accommodations that made post-secondary education easier. I also received help from an attendant services program while in residence, making it possible to live independently.
More recently, I've relied on employment providers like LiveWorkPlay and others that have made it easier to get work, and thus more freedom and financial independence.
I'm not trying to be political or anything, it's just that many people have been inspired by all the things I've described in this post. These accomplishments have given them hope for what their children, or they themselves, could do some day, and it would be an awful shame if that wasn't able to happen.
Cheers.
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