TRANSCRIPT
2021 DISABILITY MATTERS NORTH AMERICA
DAY-2 / RECORDING-1

WEBVTT

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>> Ivette: Good morning everyone and thank you for coming back to continue celebrating our 15th Disability Matters

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anniversary!  So let's welcome back to the stage, CEO Springboard Global Enterprises, Nadine Vogel!  Thank you, Nadine!

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>> Nadine: Hi, everybody!  Welcome back to Day 2 of Disability Matters North America.  I'm so excited to have you all back!  I

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received many e-mails last night from folks telling me how wonderful the day was, how rich the content was and they were all

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just plain exhausted!  So hopefully you're awake and ready to go to Day 2.  We have many, many more speakers, topics.  I think

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I shared some of them with you yesterday.  Hang on to your hats and let's get started!  So before we go into the content, as

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yesterday, I want to first thank our Sponsors.  Our Host anniversary presenting sponsor, Intuit.  Thank you again so much for

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all you have done this entire year to help make this event a success.  Then we have our Ruby Sponsor, Colgate, Danone,

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Froedtert Medical College of Wisconsin and VF.  Thank you for everything you have done!  As well as our Silver Sponsors, Bank

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of America and travelers.  And our Bronze Sponsors, electronic arts, HSBC, Intel, Sephora, Toyota, Unum and Zappos.  And

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certainly last but not least, Diversity MBA Media, our Media Sponsor.  What is so special about all of you as Sponsors is you

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have worked with us for many, many years and we appreciate your ongoing commitment to this really important event.  And,

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remember, social media.  I did not see enough of you posting yesterday.  So the #DMNA2021.  We want you to take those photos

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and snap them to Instagram, tap to Facebook and tweet to Twitter and post to LinkedIn.  The team was doing it all day and

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we'll continue today, but we'd love to see your screen shots and your comments from the program as you have participated.  So

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last year, for those who were with us, you may remember me talking about Inclusion at Work, which is a T.V. program on

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Bloomberg T.V. that I Host.  Now everyone behind-the-scenes of this program is someone with a disability.  We have been

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filming remotely.  If you have an interest in this program, want your company interviewed, you'd like to sponsor a program,

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have a commercial, just let me know.  The e-mail is there, our social media handles are there.  Let me know.  We'd love to

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have you.  Now we have been very busy during COVID, which I know all of you have been.  What we did is took some time to say

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what else can we and should we be doing to better support our clients throughout every aspect of Disability Inclusion?  So

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what did we do?  We formed another company.  Springboard productions.  So at spring boors productions, we have T.V. programs

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as well as podcasts.  So the first T.V. program is called the Nosh.  The Nosh streams on RVN T.V.  The first two episodes we

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have already had 17 episodes go live.  Just the first few we already had over 10,000 viewers per month.  Some of the folks we

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interviewed, Froedtert Medical College of Wisconsin, Ron from Royal Caribbean and Simon from Cisco.  And there were many more.

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Again, see the e-mail, the Nosh show @gmail.com.

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This is a business show.  It's about what you are doing in business to support all aspects of Disability Inclusion.  So if you

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would like to be interviewed, you're interested in sponsoring, put some commercials on, please just let someone know at the

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Springboard team or just e-mail us directly at the show.  We also want to hear your topic ideas or if you think of folks we

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should be interviewing.  Just let us know and we will absolutely move on that.  So, our next show is called Talk and Tea with

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G and Me.  And the G happens to be my daughter, Gretchen.  She is my co-host on this show.  So for this portion of the

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presentation, I'm going to turn it over to you, Gretchen.

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>> Gretchen: Hi, everyone.  Talk and Tea with G and Me is a show I co-host with my mom.  We talk about everything from dating

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to receiving the right medical care.  There has been 13 episodes that have aired so far.  As you see on the slide, we have

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interviewed the ones on the screen as well as many others.  You can find us on all social media, Facebook, LinkedIn and

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Twitter.  If you have a disability or know someone who has a disability or if you are a professional that works in a

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disability community, we would love to interview you.  You can reach us at the e-mail on the side or send us a message via

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social media and we'd love to have you.  Thank you very much.

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>> Nadine: Thank you, Gretchen!  So there is more.  In addition to the T.V. shows, we have podcasts.  Now for those of you who

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are of a certain age, you might recognize the costume that I'm in on screen.  Yes, it is from I dream of Genie and the podcast

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is called, The Reboot Genie.  This is available on Google podcast and iheart radio.  We'll be starting it in the next few

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weeks and it's really about motivational and inspirational messages to help you all get going.  Folks have told me for years

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that a lot of the things I'll say or the guidance that I give is so inspirational or motivational, even on a personal level.

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And so we decided to take all of those comments and all of the messages I shared that has impacted folks and turn it into a

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podcast.  You'll hear more about that.  Now our next podcast is called Disabled Lives Matter.  And for that podcast, I'm going

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to ask Norma Stanley who is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of EEE Marketing Group, to join me on our virtual stage to

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talk about this because Norma is my co-host.  This is available on Google podcast and iheart radio and we went live a few

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months ago and so with that, Norma, I'm going to turn it over to you.

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>> Norma: Awesome!  Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this amazing program.  I just want to share a little bit about

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Disabled Lives Matter podcast that I'm so excited to be co-hosting with Nadine.  Disabled Lives Matter is what we do is

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explore the intersectionality of the diversity community and other communities and make sure that people understand the

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importance of inclusion and as you can see, Nadine and I are cohosts.  We both are mothers of children with disabilities.  We

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both have daughters with disabilities and that's how we connected, in addition to our mission through what we are trying to

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accomplish as two mothers from different cultural backgrounds with a similar vision, similar purpose and lived experience.

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Disabled Lives Matter is more than a podcast.  It's positioned to become a global movement.  Each week we interview people

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with disabilities who are contributing to society and we explore the good, the bad and the ugly surrounding issues of bias,

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discrimination and equality in society, business, government, health care, entertainment, sports and more.  We have been

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blessed to have interviewed quite a few interesting and informative guests since we launched in March and these include people

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David Renaud, our Director and writer for the good doctor and L.A. Williams who is a highly-known record producer out of L.A.

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who worked with people like Dr. Drake.  We also interviewed Ms. Bonnie St. John, a Paralympic Athlete, author and speaker

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and Mr. Terry Moorer, the publicist for top hip-hop R&B artists like Queen Latifa and LL cool Jay and many more.  So please,

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we welcome you to join the disabled lives matters movement because we think this is something that you can definitely benefit

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from just by becoming a sponsor.  Share your story on our podcast.  Become a guest on our podcast.  Advertise and be a part of

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this movement because we know this is something that you will be able to benefit from, from a business perspective as well as

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sharing amazing information.  So tell your story by e-mailing Nadine or myself and you can be a part of this growing

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movement.

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>> Nadine: And that's the DLM podcast at Gmail.com.

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Norma, thank you.  I have to tell you, we have had so much fun.  Truly just so much fun producing this podcast.  Like she

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said, we have spoken to so many amazing individuals and again, our focus is this issue of intersectionality.  So whether

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LGBTQ, race, veteran status, whatever it is, we want to bring this together and have you share your stories.  So Norma, thank

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you very much!  Our podcast airos Thursday evening so you can check tonight at eight p.m. eastern.  It's helpful if I know

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these things.

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[ Laughs ]

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We'll see you there.  Thank you, Norma.

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>> Norma: Thank you!

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>> Nadine: So, yes, we have been really busy.  So what is next?  SCLI, so this is Springboard Consulting Learning Institute.

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It is a virtual platform.  We had this before COVID but as a result of COVID, we have expanded this greatly.  So we now offer

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full day and multi-day courses that are specifically for professional development in very specific industries.  So for

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instance, in insurance and Financial Services, we have a two-day course on special needs estate planning.  In the automotive

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industry we have a full-day course in selling to and severancing people with disability.  Real estate, serving clients with

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children with special needs.  In the entertainment industry, production and production-related practices and then we also have

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a full-day course on accessibility and Universal Design which goes across all industries.  So if you would like to know more

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about that, please just reach out to anyone on the Springboard team and we will provide you with additional information.  Now

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to register for the event, you all went to our website.  I'm hoping that you did not just go to the Registration section of

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our site because for the last many months, we have had a team working on redevelopment and design of the Springboard website.

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Lots of new navigation, new accessibility.  So if you haven't had a chance to explore that, we really hope you will.  Come to

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our website and just know that we are in the finishing stages.  We still probably have another month or two to complete but if

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you haven't had a chance, please go ahead and check it out.  Now this is really cool.  Last but not least, real leaders.  I

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don't know how many are familiar with real leaders magazine.  But they produce -- they produce an Awards program called the

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real leaders impact Awards.  And in doing this, they honor the top impact companies that apply capitalism not only for greater

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profit but for greater good.  It's an annual global ranking of positive impact companies that are driving societal impact in

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all major sectors of the economy.  Springboard was honored, we were humbled to be selected this year as a real Leader company.

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And what made it just so incredibly special is that we were joining the ranks of Tesla,etsy, Ben & Jerry's, pad begonia and

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our own sponsor, Danone.  So this was an amazing accomplishment but I have to say thank you to each and every one of you

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because the companies we serve, you, that's what it's about.  And you help us ensure that we have a societal impact.  So I

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want to thank you for allowing us to be part of that.  So I know that was a lot of announcements, a lot of information, but

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like I said, we have been really busy and as you probably heard yesterday, Pam McElvane and I are getting together and we'll

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be announcing something very shortly that has to do with ranking and benchmarking and providing you all with even more data

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and guidance in this work.  So, on to the content, our amazing speakers.  Ivette?

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>> Ivette: Thank you for sharing all those wonderful things that are happening at Springboard!  And now we're moving into the

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workforce session.  To the stabling our Moderator, Director Diversity and Inclusion at Erie Insurance, Tesha Nesbit.  And

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joining her are our Panelists, Staff Software Engineer, Intuit, Laura Barbaro, President and Chief Executive Officer, the

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Viscardi Center, John Kemp, training Disability Inclusion Director, GlaxoSmithKline, Mitch Morgan and Manager, Inclusion and

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Diversity at GSK, Samantha Warren.  Welcome everyone to the stage!  Do I have my Panelists?  They should be all coming over

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now.  Give us just a moment.

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[ Sound checks ]

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[ Sound checks ]

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>> Nadine: While you're doing that, I did get a question about if our slides will be available or if we can put information in

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the chat with --

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>> Ivette: I'm going to post them at lunch.  I responded to that.

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>> Nadine: Because people got really excited about all of our exciting announcements.  And I wanted to follow-up.

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>> Ivette: Absolutely.  I saw that and I was very excited for them and yes, we will post at lunch.

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[ Sound checks ]

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[ Sound checks ]

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[ Sound checks ]

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>> Ivette: Why don't you kick it off Tesha and we'll continue working to find Sam.

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>>  Tesha: Perfect.  Thank you very much for the opportunity for me to moderate this Workforce Panel.  I'm really excited to

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be here today and I'm broadcasting live from my vehicle.  So apologies for not being in a more professional setting, but

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recognizing we all have been in this amazing pivot in the past year.  I think you're probably all giving me grace for that.

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So I'm looking forward to hearing from all of our Panelists today about their workforce practices in their organizations and

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again, I'm the Director of Diversity and Inclusion for Erie Insurance Group, a Fortune 500 property casualty carrier

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headquartered in eerie Pennsylvania, of course.  And I've been with the company coming up on 20 years and doing this DEI work

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for probably about the last 11 or 12 of those 20.  So it's been very rewarding and certainly very challenging and the space we

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have been in more recently has really, I think, invigorated the work in a lot of ways.  I think that is encouraging for the

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future.  So for our discussion with the Panelists today, I'm going to invite invite Mitch Morgan from

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GlaxoSmithKline.  She's the training and Diversity and Inclusion director for GSK.  And as she is going to be sharing with us

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an overview about the organization.  So Tracy, I'll kick it over to you to get us started.

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>> Tracy: Thank you.  I really appreciate it.  And GSK is honored to be recognized by Disability Matters as a 2021 North

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America Honorees in the disability workforce category for the work we are doing with our disability confidence network

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Employee Resource Group.  Hopefully -- can you see my slides?  Fantastic.  Sam is also representing GlaxoSmithKline but I

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think you're still trying to track her down.  But I'm going to be doing the presentation so we should be fine.  So just to

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share with everyone who GSK is.  We are a signs-led Global Health care company, pharmaceutical company with a special purpose

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to help people do more, feel better and live longer.  So I wanted to orient people if you're not sure who GSK is.

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>> Ivette: Tracy, if you could put them in presentation mode, this way it will be clearer for the audience.  It's a little --

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next to volume.

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>> Tracy: Thank you.  So just wanted to share what the landscape looks like around Inclusion and Diversity at GSK.  We have

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global Diversity Councils which are led by our Senior Leaders across the businesses and as those leading our ERGs sit on

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those councils representing the voice of the customer, I also have a full-time role in Disability Inclusion as well.  So I sit

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on it for that.  So we have a global Disability Council which ties into our global disability confidence network Employee

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Resource Group.  But we have other councils representing other dimensions of diversity.  So I wanted to showcase that here.

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So we're doing a lot in the Inclusion and Diversity space.  We also have a lot of external commitments that we're working

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towards that kind of underpin all the work we're doing in the Disability Inclusion space.  So we have signed a pledge to be

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disability competent employer.  We did that back in December of 2015 and been carrying that through and you can see the name

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of our ERG.  I chose disability confidence network based on the work we were doing there.  And then more recently we signed on

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to the valuable 500 pledge, which is a global movement of companies and leaders who committed to put Disability Inclusion on

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the business Leadership agenda.  And then we also participate in national indices to gauge how our inclusion practices are

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doing as it relates to disabilities relative to our peers.  And a lot of times people will ask me, what does disability

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confidence mean and what does a confident employer do?  I wanted to orient everyone to that.  This is what underpins the

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things we are doing that we challenge attitudes towards disability and increasing understanding, help remove barriers and

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ensure that people with disabilities have the opportunity to fulfill their potential and realize aspirations.  We have also

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had a pledge through the valuable 500 around continuing to invest in workplace accessibility and building skills and

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knowledge.  So I do a disability etiquette and awareness session.  We have e-Learning modules that we input in through the ERG

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that we have available for people to take.  Also mental health for managers training that we input into.  And then also

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improving our accessibility with our products and packaging for our patients and consumers.  We help with that as well and we

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give input.  And we have been working on creating a 3-year plan based on that valuable 500 pledge.  So we are putting that

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into place now and that's across all the work we are doing in the company.  So it's really exciting some of the things we are

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doing.  I wanted to share what our disability confidence network ERG strategy is, just our vision, mission and objectives.

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But just to highlight the vision that we really are there to help contribute to our employer culture and help us focus on the

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ability and disability where everyone can reach their true potential and bring their authentic self to work.  And having that

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truly diverse GSK working towards our business goals.  So we support employees, but also support the work we are doing with

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the business across the business.  We are a dynamic and trusted business resource helping shape our Disability Inclusion and

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helping to drive business and performance.  So this helps the bottom line of the company and so that's something that we help

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do as well.  Just to give highlights.  So I started the disability confidence network ERG six years ago.  I have a disability

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that is not always evident and I wanted to have a place where people could go and a support for others and make sure that

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everybody feels confident to be able to speak up and raise concerns or issues.  And so we started -- I start today in 2015 and

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I still am a co-lead with that with my colleague, Andy Garret who is in the U.K.

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We are a global ERG.  We have about 24 countries.  We have members in about 24 countries and we now have four countries or

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business space chapters, depending on what the chapter or how the chapter started.  And we include both visible and invisible

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disabilities, including mental health and then we partner with our global Disability Council.  We do a lot across the

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business.  We were instrumental in inputting into some of the code response documents around accessibility, Disability

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Inclusion, work from home.  We had a lot of FAQs, return to work will be inputting into that.  We do a lot of advocacy for

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change through our global Disability Council and the leaders that sit on that.  And then we provide voice of the customer

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opportunities for our members.  So when we were looking at creating that 3-year plan, I did a voice of the customer activity

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to get members to input what they want to see GSK doing on our 3-year plan and be able to share their voice into that.  And we

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do a lot around education, webinars, trainings and campaigns.  We'll do Panel Discussions whether it's around disability or

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mental health.  We partner with our other business groups like employee health and well-being.  On those panels and also other

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ERGs.  So we do intersectional across ERG events which we think are really important because a lot of these things we are

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facing around stigma and bias or access to care and things like that cross the ERGs and I think our voices together are

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stronger together.  We started last year with COVID.

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Some member check-in calls, and invited the leaders from the global disability councils to interact directly with members.  It

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was really great.  We did some education but we also -- of course we know that with all that is going on that the phone will

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ring right when somebody is presenting.

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[ Laughs ]

00:38:57.000 --> 00:39:04.000
But we make sure that we had a space where the leaders could hear from members and it was really good.  And also we had

00:39:04.000 --> 00:39:12.000
resilience topics and people could share how they were doing with all that was going on with COVID.  Of course we talk about

00:39:12.000 --> 00:39:21.000
awareness days and months, International day of persons with disabilities.  We did a digital campaign last year.  We support

00:39:21.000 --> 00:39:28.000
recruitment events and then we get involved in things like our tech, supporting technology.  We do piloting for like the

00:39:28.000 --> 00:39:37.000
Microsoft tools.  We rolled out Microsoft teams during all of this and we were piloting that before we rolled it out to make

00:39:37.000 --> 00:39:45.000
sure that captioning and some of the other accessible tools.  We got to input and make changes too and we're advocates for

00:39:45.000 --> 00:39:55.000
Disability Inclusion and accessibility.  I get involved in policy and process trainings and we also mentor students externally

00:39:55.000 --> 00:39:57.000
as well as supporting some of our non-profits.  So just sharing some of the highlights with you.  Hopefully it wasn't too fast

00:39:57.000 --> 00:40:02.000
and I got through it in the time I was supposed to.

00:40:02.000 --> 00:40:04.000
>> Ivette: Tracy, we have Sam on also.

00:40:04.000 --> 00:40:12.000
>> Tracy: Thank you.  Great.

00:40:12.000 --> 00:40:21.000
.

00:40:21.000 --> 00:40:29.000
>>  Tesha: The confidence network for the work you're doing in disability, I think that is really an amazing way to categorize

00:40:29.000 --> 00:40:37.000
and characterize the work.  So thank you for bringing that forward.  We are going to be giving each organization a chance to

00:40:37.000 --> 00:40:45.000
share an overview of their companies work in this space and then we'll circling back and I'll be asking some questions of our

00:40:45.000 --> 00:40:52.000
Panelists.  So for those of you that are listening, please remember we'll be able to take some questions once we complete

00:40:52.000 --> 00:41:00.000
these overviews.  So please feel free to consider what those questions might be and I certainly have some of my own to offer

00:41:00.000 --> 00:41:20.000
as well.  So thank you, Tracy and welcome Samantha.  So we are going to move on to our next organization, which is Intuit.

00:41:20.000 --> 00:41:39.000
And we have a a bar saying ar who is a software engineer at Intuit.  Would you like to give us your overview?

00:41:39.000 --> 00:41:50.000
>> Sagar: Can you see my screen?  Thank you very much.  Hello, everyone.  My name is sa gar and thank you for

00:41:50.000 --> 00:42:02.000
taking the time to look at what Intuit is doing for people with disabilities.  Let me start with my introduction first.  I

00:42:02.000 --> 00:42:15.000
graduated with a Master's Degree in Computer Science from RIT.  Upstate New York and I did my undergrad in India so like it

00:42:15.000 --> 00:42:23.000
was a huge cultural shift for me when I moved from India to U.S. in many aspects.  I started my career as an intern and there

00:42:23.000 --> 00:42:35.000
was one of the problems solving for customer who was blind and that's how I started to interact with accessibility and people

00:42:35.000 --> 00:42:44.000
with disabilities in terms of that.  Currently I'm leading -- my main goal is to make sure everything is accessible for people

00:42:44.000 --> 00:43:00.000
with any kinds of disabilities.  I'm also the global co-lead for our disability focused employer Resource Group, Intuit

00:43:00.000 --> 00:43:17.000
Abilities Network.  And I'm very active on Twitter so my handle is sag ar Barbhaya.  So for anyone who is interested -- my

00:43:17.000 --> 00:43:19.000
Instagram handle let us take a look at what Intuit's overall strategy for Disability Inclusion.  And this is our mission

00:43:19.000 --> 00:43:21.000
that says:

00:43:21.000 --> 00:43:46.000
[ Reading ]

00:43:46.000 --> 00:44:16.000
This was a huge mission and it is a huge encouragement when we say like -- we did not think of like we need to do within one

00:44:23.000 --> 00:44:31.000
year.  This is going to be like a five-year build experience.  It's impossible to establish a connection

00:44:31.000 --> 00:44:40.000
between our employees and customers unless they get into either of the person's shoes.  Only then we can build solutions.

00:44:40.000 --> 00:44:49.000
It's extremely important for employees to gain that empathy and compassion to build a mindset.  And third was employment

00:44:49.000 --> 00:45:00.000
opportunities by creating brand of inclusivity.  So a lot of our initiatives are based on the underlying principle of our

00:45:00.000 --> 00:45:10.000
company which is forwarding prosperity -- and that's the mission.  But we also want to say prosperity around the world for

00:45:10.000 --> 00:45:20.000
everyone.  We as a BRG, we try to give opportunities, especially for business owners by connecting them with our large

00:45:20.000 --> 00:45:29.000
community of employees and encouraging their business.  I know this is a modeling time for a lot of folks and for others they

00:45:29.000 --> 00:45:39.000
must be tired with like long day ahead, so but I'm positive that you all are still with me and to make sure I don't lose you,

00:45:39.000 --> 00:45:53.000
I'm going to take you all on a interesting flight around the world and we will e-visit our sites across the globe and see some

00:45:53.000 --> 00:46:04.000
of what they have been doing.  So there is a map of the world and the flight is currently landing in North America.  Starting

00:46:04.000 --> 00:46:18.000
with the North America continent, we have a lot of sites within United States.  For example, San Diego, Tucson, et cetera.

00:46:18.000 --> 00:46:29.000
Here are some of the highlights we work on.  So first one is partnered with integrate, a third-party company which is one of

00:46:29.000 --> 00:46:42.000
its kind initiative where we spread awareness around this Leadership level and got response.  We feel better as a company to

00:46:42.000 --> 00:46:54.000
welcome candidates on the Spectrums.  Second is take care of Thursday series based in Reno.  This was again so much going on

00:46:54.000 --> 00:47:04.000
for folks all over the country and world.  As well as very well received.  I still remember initially how hard it was for me

00:47:04.000 --> 00:47:13.000
to keep my laptop aside and meditate for an hour and keep my mind calm but eventually we all got there.  The owners were

00:47:13.000 --> 00:47:24.000
really proud to have partnered with Intuit at a time that things were getting hard for them and the community as well.

00:47:24.000 --> 00:47:34.000
Multiple we care give back.  So it's a really powerful principle and I think that is one of the principles, one of my

00:47:34.000 --> 00:47:44.000
favorites.  So even during COVID, we all came together virtual tow partner with non-profit organizations creating lots of

00:47:44.000 --> 00:47:55.000
virtual opportunities for an organization, which is disability focused.  And the prosperity pop ups.  The platform for small

00:47:55.000 --> 00:48:08.000
accidents owned to come and showcase the products they are selling.  And this happens once a month.  So we will be able to

00:48:08.000 --> 00:48:18.000
partner some with the customer with disabilities and it was a great turnout.  Now our flight is landing on the Asia continent.

00:48:18.000 --> 00:48:27.000
Currently local network located as part of the Asia content is in India.  And with the current situation in India, we are

00:48:27.000 --> 00:48:35.000
working closely with the local network to come up with something.  So what they did was celebrated world Autism awareness day

00:48:35.000 --> 00:48:46.000
and also promoted awareness about creating employment opportunities for Indians with neurodevelopment and intellectual

00:48:46.000 --> 00:49:00.000
disabilities.  Last but not least, now we are landing in Europe continent.  Europe.  So there were like 60 wellness events.

00:49:00.000 --> 00:49:10.000
This is one of the sites which is mainly focused on mental health and to start with we had the winners of the workforce

00:49:10.000 --> 00:49:21.000
category around the work, the same we are doing for mental health, and some interesting ones, interesting activities like the

00:49:21.000 --> 00:49:31.000
goat yoga, beat blue Monday, puppy day.  People are doing yoga on Zoom calls.  There are goats coming in actually.  This was

00:49:31.000 --> 00:49:40.000
one of the activities.  And mental health first is the slogan and they are definitely leading up to it.  Last but not the

00:49:40.000 --> 00:49:47.000
least, one most important thing I have learned being a part of the ERG is it's very important to stay connected to your

00:49:47.000 --> 00:49:57.000
stakeholders, which are customers, employees and the community in general.  And as we can see from the previous slides, there

00:49:57.000 --> 00:50:06.000
were some activities focused on customers.  Lots of activities that were focused on employees and community.  As I said we

00:50:06.000 --> 00:50:16.000
give back, one of the principles of Intuit.  I would like to conclude this presentation by introducing you all to the

00:50:16.000 --> 00:50:28.000
Accessibility Champions at Intuit.  Apart from leading the Intuit network globally, had.  R is leading accessibility.  We have

00:50:28.000 --> 00:50:38.000
over the years built a community of Accessibility Champions who are making sure products are made for all, from developers to

00:50:38.000 --> 00:50:47.000
designers to customer support.  They all contribute to strengthening our mission, building inclusive environment.  We started

00:50:47.000 --> 00:50:59.000
with thinking we would get like 50 or 60 champions throughout the year but currently we have more than 900 accessibility-level

00:50:59.000 --> 00:51:03.000
champions and that is a great win for us as a company thinking about customers out there.  With that, I conclude my

00:51:03.000 --> 00:51:10.000
presentation.  Thank you very much.

00:51:10.000 --> 00:51:19.000
>>  Tesha: Thank you.  Wonderful to take us on a trip because we have all been just fantasizing about that in this past year.

00:51:19.000 --> 00:51:28.000
How we can travel.  So thank you for giving us the opportunity to do that.  You talked about the component around supporting

00:51:28.000 --> 00:51:39.000
small businesses working with small-business owners and that has become certainly relevant in this pandemic.  So certainly

00:51:39.000 --> 00:51:49.000
want to appreciate the work that Intuit has done in that space.  I certainly would be remiss also if I did not acknowledge for

00:51:49.000 --> 00:52:04.000
our friends and colleagues in India who have family members in India right now during this significant surge in COVID cases

00:52:04.000 --> 00:52:14.000
there.  I just want to extend our thoughts expression of support to everyone we will move to our third organization.  We have

00:52:14.000 --> 00:52:24.000
John Kemp, President and CEO of Viscardi Center.  And so I want to pivot over to John and give John a chance to tell us about

00:52:24.000 --> 00:52:26.000
his organization and the work that he and his team have been doing and certainly want to shift to our questions for the panel

00:52:26.000 --> 00:52:37.000
once John concludes.  So John, over to you.

00:52:37.000 --> 00:52:46.000
>> John: Thank you, Tesha and thank you to Nadine and Disability Matters for the opportunity to present this morning to you.

00:52:46.000 --> 00:52:55.000
It's very interesting to hear these past two presentations because so much of what is being talked about really is a blending

00:52:55.000 --> 00:53:06.000
of the for-profit and non-for-profit into a much broader view of what is right and just and fair and equitable for all people.

00:53:06.000 --> 00:53:15.000
And I think the start of all of this has been coming for years but it essentially reached its point of tipping pointed a few

00:53:15.000 --> 00:53:23.000
years ago when the business roundtable acknowledged that they were going to shift from shareholder to stakeholder interests.

00:53:23.000 --> 00:53:32.000
And that a company, for-profit company, really has a much broader role to assert and play such a significant role in the lives

00:53:32.000 --> 00:53:39.000
of their employees, Board Members, suppliers, their communities and their environments.  And that they have social

00:53:39.000 --> 00:53:47.000
responsibilities to be fair and equitable as much as they possibly can in their hiring and promotion decisions.  But how they

00:53:47.000 --> 00:53:58.000
do business, this is something that we take from the non-profit side and we accept all of that and think that we have a lot to

00:53:58.000 --> 00:54:05.000
learn from the for-profit side but we are acting very much in harmony with them.  So, the ESG movement, which leads us into

00:54:05.000 --> 00:54:13.000
the Diversity Equity and Inclusion movement is very much a part of what the Viscardi Center on Long Island is doing.  We are a

00:54:13.000 --> 00:54:22.000
global organization serving 2000 children and adults with disabilities.  We have a school for medically-fragile children here

00:54:22.000 --> 00:54:33.000
as well as to a National Center on disability entrepreneurship and oral health and Disability Program, besides a lot of

00:54:33.000 --> 00:54:40.000
direct-service programs it's a happening place and we are thrilled to be a part of it and Nadine have been friends for years

00:54:40.000 --> 00:54:51.000
and years.  I want to talk about how the world is changing and you're hearing it go on just by the virtue of what the pandemic

00:54:51.000 --> 00:55:01.000
has brought about and where we are going.  Colin Maher in his book, prosperity, wrote 40 years ago, not long ago, 40 years,

00:55:01.000 --> 00:55:12.000
80% of the market value of U.S. corporations was attributable to tangible assets, plan, machinery and buildings as against

00:55:12.000 --> 00:55:21.000
intangibles, licenses, patents and Research and Development.  Today, intangible account for 85% of the market value of U.S.

00:55:21.000 --> 00:55:29.000
corporations.  In a world where Intellectual Property rules, it's human capital, not necessarily financial and physical

00:55:29.000 --> 00:55:36.000
capital that drives value.  And the best companies that ignore the social aspirations of their employees do so only at their

00:55:36.000 --> 00:55:47.000
own peril.  You have to pay attention to your employees.  Climate change, relatively open labor markets racial and social

00:55:47.000 --> 00:55:56.000
justice will remain high on the agenda of companies that want to attract the very best workers.  Julie sweet mentioned three

00:55:56.000 --> 00:56:03.000
big changes going on in the pandemic and post-pandemic world.  The first is a shift around the value of tech.  You heard from

00:56:03.000 --> 00:56:12.000
our previous speakers just how incredibly valuable technology has become in the way we go about our business.  We too rolled

00:56:12.000 --> 00:56:19.000
out teams.  We test today and we're very sure that teams has all the accessibility features that allows every employee of all

00:56:19.000 --> 00:56:29.000
of our 400 employees, our 2000 meal ticket services, are able to connect through teams.  So accessibility of the technology

00:56:29.000 --> 00:56:38.000
was very critical.  The tech is an important point.  The second one, Julie mentioned, has been the shift around speed.  The

00:56:38.000 --> 00:56:46.000
most successful economies, countries and companies is those whose speed is as fast as possible.  Don't you feel like you're

00:56:46.000 --> 00:56:55.000
almost breathless by the end of the day?  Like I can do this, I can do that, I can multitask.  And Tesha, I got to say you

00:56:55.000 --> 00:57:02.000
give new meaning to the word mobile and Mobile App seeing where you are.  I think that's great.  The third shift that Julie

00:57:02.000 --> 00:57:13.000
mentioned is the acceleration to achieve the U.N. sustainability development goals.  Those are very critical to International

00:57:13.000 --> 00:57:24.000
companies.  But I'm going to focus just for a minute on artificial intelligence and HR recruitment.  Disability recruitment

00:57:24.000 --> 00:57:36.000
specifically.  I read recently the Institute for Ethical AI2020 disability and AI's white paper, which is called, get this, AI

00:57:36.000 --> 00:57:45.000
has an HR recruitment problem.  That was the name of the white paper.  AI has an HR recruitment problem.  Assessment of AI's

00:57:45.000 --> 00:57:53.000
fairness received little to no attention.  While marketed as highly capable and objective tool, a growing body of research

00:57:53.000 --> 00:58:02.000
demonstrates a record of inaccurate results as well as inherent disadvantages for women, people of color and people with

00:58:02.000 --> 00:58:11.000
disabilities.  While not intended, AI can be yet another barrier to securing employment for those of us with disabilities.  AI

00:58:11.000 --> 00:58:19.000
can be biased and discriminatory.  Decision-centric data are based on profiles of current employees, a pool already sorely

00:58:19.000 --> 00:58:28.000
lacking of people with disabilities.  Let me just explain.  If the pool you're getting matched against is your current

00:58:28.000 --> 00:58:37.000
workforce and your workforce doesn't have adequate representation of various types of people with disabilities, AI will screen

00:58:37.000 --> 00:58:48.000
out a person with a disability who doesn't come close to matching someone already in your workplace.  People with disabilities

00:58:48.000 --> 00:58:57.000
can experience several points of potential failure along the way.  Applicant Tracking Systems, the use of catchia, the boxes

00:58:57.000 --> 00:59:08.000
you have to check to say I'm not a machine, require responses by people with difficulties relating to dexterity or visual

00:59:08.000 --> 00:59:18.000
impairments.  How do I check that box?  How do I find that box?  A second one is resume screeners.  These artificial

00:59:18.000 --> 00:59:27.000
intelligence systems may not have been trained on data on writing styles of users with diverse cognitive and intellectual

00:59:27.000 --> 00:59:39.000
abilities or unexplained gaps in work history which are not automatically disability discriminatory but could be.  Where were

00:59:39.000 --> 00:59:48.000
you for six months in 2015?  Maybe you were hospitalized.  You don't have to disclose that.  But it's not trained as to

00:59:48.000 --> 00:59:56.000
understanding and it will just bump it out.  Conversation agents.  Those chat bots, had a few chats with chat bots?  I have

00:59:56.000 --> 01:00:05.000
lately.  Tried to buy something for Mother's Day for my wife, oh, my gosh.  I finally said, put somebody on that I can talk

01:00:05.000 --> 01:00:15.000
to, please.  May not be able to correctly interpret language.  They previously have not encountered or supported non-writing

01:00:15.000 --> 01:00:23.000
communications methods such as text to speech.  These are machine-learning devices.  These are chat bots.  They are not

01:00:23.000 --> 01:00:34.000
trained necessarily yet in understanding these various ways we communicate.  So it's something to be very cognizant of and it

01:00:34.000 --> 01:00:44.000
has a direct negative impact on people with disabilities.  An artificial intelligence interviewing.  Facial analysis software

01:00:44.000 --> 01:00:52.000
assessment.  These are in my opinion, highly risky because you're interviewing to a camera, sending in that tape, that tape,

01:00:52.000 --> 01:00:58.000
that digital recording.  They are going to have it run through artificial intelligence.  Do you take too long say certain

01:00:58.000 --> 01:01:10.000
words?  Do you pause?  Are you unable to look the camera in the eye because your culture never taught you to look anybody in

01:01:10.000 --> 01:01:19.000
the eye as you address them.  And if you have any kind of a speech impediment or seiz recall palsy with difficulty in

01:01:19.000 --> 01:01:27.000
articulating words -- cerebral palsy -- they will get kicked out based on an artificial intelligence application or screening.

01:01:27.000 --> 01:01:34.000
Facial disfigure minutes, paralysis, people with blindness who may not be facing a camera and may not be able to make eye

01:01:34.000 --> 01:01:46.000
contact.  People with hearing loss who need captions to interpret the questions.  Long pauses before they understand what the

01:01:46.000 --> 01:01:54.000
question is.  Let's not forget that IBM through its new CEO is ceasing facial recognition technology development for these

01:01:54.000 --> 01:02:04.000
discriminatory and other value spaced reasons.  Before it's purchased, recruitment, artificial intelligence systems must be

01:02:04.000 --> 01:02:14.000
fair to all.  So I ask you to be thinking about that as you go back to your businesses, look at your procurement requirements

01:02:14.000 --> 01:02:24.000
for purchasing any technologies and included office furniture and the like.  But including something like IBM's corporate

01:02:24.000 --> 01:02:33.000
instruction 162.  If you want to see the model that was started years ago, Google corporate instruction 162.  Many years ago

01:02:33.000 --> 01:02:41.000
IBM said we are not going to buy software from a subcontractor that does not reach a level of accessibility that is available

01:02:41.000 --> 01:02:49.000
at that point in time.  This is what we all should be doing now and we should not be buying inaccessible technologies we have

01:02:49.000 --> 01:02:57.000
to live with and could cause discrimination to occur.  All right, Tesha back to you and thank you.

01:02:57.000 --> 01:03:05.000
>>  Tesha: Thank you, John.  Wow!  So much information there.  And this AI piece, for all of the progress and the opportunity

01:03:05.000 --> 01:03:13.000
we have with technology, we certainly recognize with what you just told us about them, we have a lot of considerations that

01:03:13.000 --> 01:03:23.000
are important as we move forward.  And I really appreciate the piece there about procurement because for those who are joining

01:03:23.000 --> 01:03:30.000
us today who have active Supplier Diversity programs, this is certainly a consideration that should be included in strategies

01:03:30.000 --> 01:03:37.000
that you're employee and if you're just maybe getting one started, it's a great time to bring that into the fold in terms of

01:03:37.000 --> 01:03:47.000
what that selection process looks like for vendors that you're working with.  I know I have made a mental note to bring that

01:03:47.000 --> 01:03:55.000
back to our team.  It's standing up our Supplier Diversity program at Erie Insurance.  I want to call out what you mentioned,

01:03:55.000 --> 01:04:05.000
John, just around the social issues that are certainly plaguing us in addition to the Global Health crisis.  I often say that

01:04:05.000 --> 01:04:15.000
we are in a twin demic.  There is the Public Health crisis and then there is this racial reckoning that we have been in.  We

01:04:15.000 --> 01:04:23.000
have to be mindful of both of these significant pieces.  So any organizations that are not willing to acknowledge and address

01:04:23.000 --> 01:04:32.000
those issues, I challenge them because as long as you are employing people, they are at the heart of your organization.

01:04:32.000 --> 01:04:39.000
People are the ones that are helping to drive your services and your programs.  And we can expect for people to come to work

01:04:39.000 --> 01:04:45.000
and not feel whole, recognizing they are certainly facing a lot of these issues that are happening outside of work.  We are

01:04:45.000 --> 01:04:56.000
bringing these things in because it's becoming much more integral to business.  It's affecting what we are doing.  So really

01:04:56.000 --> 01:05:03.000
important to think about what those messages can be.  So thank you Panelists for sharing all of the information about your

01:05:03.000 --> 01:05:10.000
organizations and about the progressive work that you all are doing.  And the Disability Inclusion arena.  I know that we had

01:05:10.000 --> 01:05:17.000
a number of questions coming into the chat and I want to be able to jump back-and-forth just a little bit between the

01:05:17.000 --> 01:05:25.000
questions we are getting in the chat as well as some of the additional ones that I have for you.  So let me take a pause here

01:05:25.000 --> 01:05:36.000
and I'll invite Ivette or Nadine, if he could take a question or two that has come in from the chat for our Panelists.

01:05:36.000 --> 01:05:44.000
>> Ivette: Sure.  I'm going to do them in order.  Q&A first questions and then the chat box.  The first ones I think are

01:05:44.000 --> 01:05:56.000
probably from the same person in the audience.  So for the Panelists, for all of you, when starting your ERG, what was the

01:05:56.000 --> 01:05:59.000
biggest hurdle you had to overcome and how did you manage to overcome it?

01:05:59.000 --> 01:06:09.000
>>  Tesha: Tracy do you want to start?

01:06:09.000 --> 01:06:16.000
>> Tracy: I think the biggest thing is really getting that momentum and getting a steering team together and Executive Sponsor

01:06:16.000 --> 01:06:25.000
and kind of getting that knowledge and awareness behind that.  Like why it's important for us to do it and pulling people

01:06:25.000 --> 01:06:33.000
together and especially in the large company, getting the word out and getting people mobilized behind it.  I used a couple of

01:06:33.000 --> 01:06:41.000
different methods of doing that, sharing information through leaders and Leadership groups as well as we have social media

01:06:41.000 --> 01:06:49.000
platforms and just doing that through education and awareness and conversation.  So I think that's how you overcome it is just

01:06:49.000 --> 01:06:53.000
getting people and pulling them along the journey and getting them to understand what is in it for them to join and be a part

01:06:53.000 --> 01:07:00.000
of this network.

01:07:00.000 --> 01:07:02.000
>> Ivette: So we have a second question and this is specifically for sa gar.  On the accessibility Champion's badges you

01:07:02.000 --> 01:07:06.000
shared, can you talk about the stars?

01:07:06.000 --> 01:07:19.000
How do the champions earn the stars?

01:07:19.000 --> 01:07:29.000
>> Saying saying great question.  So the alternate text -- Sagar:: There was a Champion in the stars.  There were one with one

01:07:29.000 --> 01:07:39.000
star and the other with two stars and the other with 3 stars.  So each star represents a level.  So we have 3 levels,

01:07:39.000 --> 01:07:50.000
level level 1 is a basic knowledge about accessibility and awareness.  Level 2 is more about like you would be working hard to

01:07:50.000 --> 01:08:03.000
get that Level 2 Champion and the Level 3 is like you are like a pro, you have empathy for customers and such.  So these are

01:08:03.000 --> 01:08:03.000
the three levels.  There are like 25 level-22 champions.  There are four or five Level 3 champions.  So each star represents a

01:08:03.000 --> 01:08:14.000
level.

01:08:14.000 --> 01:08:18.000
>> Ivette: Thank you for that answer.  And now this one specifically for GSK.  Confidence depends on competence.  How does GSK

01:08:18.000 --> 01:08:25.000
ensure it provides the competence needed in all aspects of this work?

01:08:25.000 --> 01:08:33.000
>> Tracy: That's a great question.  I agree we need to bring people along that journey.  We do that in a couple of different

01:08:33.000 --> 01:08:40.000
ways.  We have e-Learning modules so diversity competence for employees and then for managers and then we have a mental health

01:08:40.000 --> 01:08:48.000
for managers, e-Learning courses that the ERG helped to input into and create.  I also do a Disability Etiquette and awareness

01:08:48.000 --> 01:08:56.000
session that I run with different Leadership groups and recruitment and HR and legal and tech, a lot of these different groups

01:08:56.000 --> 01:09:03.000
and as well as we are about to rollout an advocate and ally presentation to our global Disability Council.  So just trying to

01:09:03.000 --> 01:09:11.000
make sure that we pull people along.  This is not a one and done.  We need to make sure we continue to do that.  I also work

01:09:11.000 --> 01:09:18.000
closely with the different working groups that are attached to the global Disability Council like as in tech or diversity

01:09:18.000 --> 01:09:23.000
recruitment, or Supplier Diversity groups, products and services.  So help educate those groups along the way so that they

01:09:23.000 --> 01:09:31.000
become advocates and help us with that so we multiply that as well.

01:09:31.000 --> 01:09:43.000
>> Ivette: Thank you, Tracy.  And there is more.  For the global aspect, how does the ERG differ from country to country?

01:09:43.000 --> 01:09:52.000
>> Tracy: So I started this as a global ERG so not a country-specific ERG.  So the events we do, we offer globally.  But we do

01:09:52.000 --> 01:09:57.000
have some country-specific chapter that do some local events and then pick up on things that they feel like they need locally

01:09:57.000 --> 01:10:05.000
but we try to make sure the global ERG events are available to all.

01:10:05.000 --> 01:10:05.000
>> Ivette: And to finish this question off, and this is also for Tracy.  What is the role of the Disability Council versus the

01:10:05.000 --> 01:10:14.000
ERG?

01:10:14.000 --> 01:10:22.000
>> Tracy: Great question as well.  So the Disability Council is made up of Senior Leaders across the business units and we

01:10:22.000 --> 01:10:32.000
actually -- and I sit on that for my -- I have a daytime role or full-time role with Disability Inclusion but I also represent

01:10:32.000 --> 01:10:40.000
the ERG or the voice of the ERG on that as well.  But we actually are making changes through the global Disability Council.

01:10:40.000 --> 01:10:49.000
The ERG we do events and education, awareness and provide the voice of the customer.  But some of the things in the global

01:10:49.000 --> 01:10:50.000
Disability Council making decisions that the company will utilize, captioning in all our meetings and events and training.  So

01:10:50.000 --> 01:10:59.000
use of person-first language.

01:10:59.000 --> 01:11:05.000
That is something we are going to advocate for.  Also doing some of the tech changes we had through Microsoft teams and the

01:11:05.000 --> 01:11:08.000
accessibility tools and making our tech accessible.  So a lot of that work happens through the global Disability Council.  But

01:11:08.000 --> 01:11:14.000
supported greatly by the ERG.

01:11:14.000 --> 01:11:22.000
>> Ivette: Thank you very much.  Tesha, a quick question.  Please stop me if you want to weave in your questions.

01:11:22.000 --> 01:11:31.000
>>  Tesha: I was going to say I did have a question or two I wanted to bring back in.  So thank you for getting us started on

01:11:31.000 --> 01:11:41.000
those.  I'm going come back to you.  And I just wanted to ask this question specifically for John from Viscardi Center.  So

01:11:41.000 --> 01:11:48.000
John, you talked about the screening out issues that are pertinent to AI.  I wonder if you can just talk a little bit about if

01:11:48.000 --> 01:12:00.000
we know that these are challenges, why are organization still using AI technology?

01:12:00.000 --> 01:12:10.000
>> John: I think they have been challenged by the cost savings that occur and the speed by which they can process a large

01:12:10.000 --> 01:12:19.000
number of applications and do a lot of interviewing.  So I think we've caved a little bit to the depersonalization of this and

01:12:19.000 --> 01:12:28.000
thus the heightened risk of possibly discriminating.  And that's a tough call for a company.  There is such a pressure on

01:12:28.000 --> 01:12:37.000
companies to reduce costs and to be more efficient and yet this time it really can have a negative effect.  So I would say

01:12:37.000 --> 01:12:46.000
there has to be an alternative and it has to be parallel.  And it has to be another way of applying that avoids that path

01:12:46.000 --> 01:12:55.000
through the AI area but it has to be perceived as an equal opportunity by an applicant as well as the company.  And here is my

01:12:55.000 --> 01:13:03.000
analogy as a scooter wheelchair user, and I am that person.  I have artificial legs, artificial arms and I use a power scooter

01:13:03.000 --> 01:13:10.000
to get around for long distances.  We would go years ago into a building to meet.  There would be a flight of stairs, Noelle

01:13:10.000 --> 01:13:17.000
variate, and I'd say, how am I going to get up to the third floor?  They say you have to go around the back into the alley,

01:13:17.000 --> 01:13:25.000
get in the freight elevator, go up to the third floor and go to your meeting.  And I'd say, really?  That sets me up pretty

01:13:25.000 --> 01:13:34.000
well.  I feel so good when I get there.  I feel so accepted and so equal but if that's the way I have to do it, I do it.  So

01:13:34.000 --> 01:13:43.000
we go around to get in the rats and Katz entrance, go in the elevator up and come out and try to act like we are confident and

01:13:43.000 --> 01:13:56.000
capable people that can do just about anything and it's really a challenge.  So if going back to the AI issue, if the other

01:13:56.000 --> 01:14:03.000
way of allowing people to choose to come in to be interviewed and to have their applications accepted appears to be equal and

01:14:03.000 --> 01:14:10.000
equitable, then I think it's okay.  But if you're the go around the back of the building, you're going to come in a special

01:14:10.000 --> 01:14:18.000
entrance, we know right away that the supervises know you came in the other entrance.  Why didn't you come through the front

01:14:18.000 --> 01:14:22.000
door with everybody else?  There is a problem.  I don't know what it is.  HR won't tell me.  We are already behind and

01:14:22.000 --> 01:14:31.000
oppressed that the point.  So it's something to be very careful about.

01:14:31.000 --> 01:14:41.000
>>  Tesha: And thank you for sharing your own experiences and that transparency because I think it really helps to humanize

01:14:41.000 --> 01:14:52.000
the story but also I think it forces us to recognize just what a critical part equity does play in our hiring decisions if we

01:14:52.000 --> 01:15:03.000
truly are opening up the net, if you will, for everybody.  So I think it's really important for us to reflect on that.  Thank

01:15:03.000 --> 01:15:13.000
you, John.  SAGAR, let me come back to you.  I'm going ask you this question because I think yesterday was like maybe national

01:15:13.000 --> 01:15:15.000
super hero's day?  I think I saw that on the news yesterday.  So thinking about that, if you had one super power as an ERG

01:15:15.000 --> 01:15:27.000
Leader, what would it be?

01:15:27.000 --> 01:15:38.000
>> SAGAR: That's a good question and I did not know yesterday was the National Super hero day.  So thanks.  I would say having

01:15:38.000 --> 01:15:47.000
worked as a global Resource Group Leader and seeing the different strengths and drawbacks of different sites across the world,

01:15:47.000 --> 01:15:58.000
sometimes it's governed by the location.  Like I would love to have a super power for all locations to be equally empowered

01:15:58.000 --> 01:16:10.000
maybe in terms of finance, so we can all win together.  And this is our aim even without a super power being a global lead to

01:16:10.000 --> 01:16:21.000
empower each and every location to be an independent, efficiently functions entity.  So when I say about the geo locations,

01:16:21.000 --> 01:16:31.000
some sites for instance United States the desisty and inclusion.  But there -- Diversity and Inclusion.  There might be some

01:16:31.000 --> 01:16:36.000
sites not aware about some of the disabilities out there.  And that's how I would use my super power to empower all the

01:16:36.000 --> 01:16:45.000
geographical sites to equally strengthen awareness and knowledge.

01:16:45.000 --> 01:16:54.000
>>  Tesha: That is an admirable super power and we're going to stay tuned to see when you have that available to you and we'll

01:16:54.000 --> 01:17:05.000
hope it rubs off on the rest of us.  Thank you.  And Tracy, let me come back to you before we go back to Ivette for more

01:17:05.000 --> 01:17:16.000
questions from the chat.  Can you tell us a little bit about what you feel the impact of the confidence network has really

01:17:16.000 --> 01:17:26.000
been that ERG work.  What has that been on the communities where GSK is doing business?  And what is the impact on employees?

01:17:26.000 --> 01:17:35.000
>> Tracy: Sorry coming off mute.  That's the other universal thing we are dealing with today is are we on mute or not?  So

01:17:35.000 --> 01:17:46.000
great question.  I think the ERG does many things.  We were there as a support for employees as a place to go.  They know they

01:17:46.000 --> 01:17:56.000
can raise issues through the ERG.  They can come for collaborate together, to help the business change.  So we escalate issues

01:17:56.000 --> 01:18:04.000
that employees find and see with the way we are working or in technology and it also helps, we had employees share information

01:18:04.000 --> 01:18:12.000
around our products to say, hey, here is someiods how we can change our products for customers to make them more accessible

01:18:12.000 --> 01:18:18.000
and we have gotten involved in things like making sure our buildings are accessible so when they were building new buildings,

01:18:18.000 --> 01:18:28.000
we were able to provide voice of the customer as the architects were planning those buildings.  So before they even did it

01:18:28.000 --> 01:18:36.000
instead of having to go back and fix it on the back end.  But also to make sure that we partner with some of our non-profits

01:18:36.000 --> 01:18:44.000
externally to the company.  We do events with them and especially when we are face-to-face, we did a lot of great events with

01:18:44.000 --> 01:18:50.000
local non-profits.  And as well as some mentoring for students with disabilities.  So helping them and saying making

01:18:50.000 --> 01:19:02.000
connections for them and helping them navigate the work world because those of us with disabilities that have been in the work

01:19:02.000 --> 01:19:07.000
world, we can share with them like how we navigated and answer their questions and support them.  So I think it's a way to do

01:19:07.000 --> 01:19:15.000
a lot for employees, our communities and the businesses itself.

01:19:15.000 --> 01:19:25.000
>>  Tesha: You know the voice of the customer, I think regardless of whether companies have Employee Resource Groups, Business

01:19:25.000 --> 01:19:33.000
Resource Groups, affinity networks, however you're staging that or defining it, they all are providing that advantage point,

01:19:33.000 --> 01:19:42.000
the voice of the customer.  I think that's such a powerful way for organizations to leverage that internal talent to identify

01:19:42.000 --> 01:19:52.000
where they can make improvements and enhancements and inspire innovation around products and services for the work the

01:19:52.000 --> 01:19:55.000
organization does.  So another great way to think about the power of these ERGs.  So Ivette, I'll come back to you for more

01:19:55.000 --> 01:20:05.000
questions we may have that are coming up in the chat.

01:20:05.000 --> 01:20:13.000
>> Ivette: Absolutely.  So I have a three-part question with commentary in between from someone in the audience.  How would

01:20:13.000 --> 01:20:19.000
you go about reaching the disability community for hiring and interviewing?  There is com en Terry with that.  We open

01:20:19.000 --> 01:20:26.000
prosperity centers in communities that are underserved by industry and bringing employment opportunities to a region but

01:20:26.000 --> 01:20:32.000
disability is so broadly disbursed.  This model doesn't work to fortify recruitment efforts.  Wondering what your

01:20:32.000 --> 01:20:42.000
recommendations are in this realm?  That's the first part.

01:20:42.000 --> 01:20:54.000
>> SAGAR: I can start with this question.  So one of the things that we do is like if we want to hire a student who is just

01:20:54.000 --> 01:21:05.000
graduating, we do contact lots of universities.  There is a huge University, National Technical Institute for The deaf and we

01:21:05.000 --> 01:21:17.000
did hire like two or three students for internship from there.  So first it would be working to make sure you have all the

01:21:17.000 --> 01:21:30.000
universities doing more research on neurodiverse, the deaf and et cetera and also it is good to have connection like if you go

01:21:30.000 --> 01:21:38.000
to any of the places like here, there are lots of conferences like national, Professoral conferences.  It's good to go into

01:21:38.000 --> 01:21:39.000
conferences and network and that way you can reach out to many more if you.

01:21:39.000 --> 01:21:54.000
[ Broken audio ]

01:21:54.000 --> 01:22:05.000
>> John: I would be happy to just weigh in here for a second.  I also agree that the internship idea is really a very powerful

01:22:05.000 --> 01:22:12.000
one and mentorships as well.  And here we talk about these roles of the company and looking for people with disabilities,

01:22:12.000 --> 01:22:21.000
especially young people who are trying to figure out how to -- how am I going to get into a company and what is it like?  What

01:22:21.000 --> 01:22:28.000
is work like?  I don't get it?  You're a sophomore in college and you're thinking, I have no idea what my schedule will be.

01:22:28.000 --> 01:22:36.000
How am I going to do it and get dressed in the morning and catch the transportation and how am I going -- and then I get to

01:22:36.000 --> 01:22:40.000
work after dealing with all my disability white noise and I go okay, now I have to be 100% productive and successful.  You're

01:22:40.000 --> 01:22:49.000
like, wow!  I have already put in a day's work just getting to work and I got to get back.

01:22:49.000 --> 01:22:59.000
That's what is going on in the mind.  So the idea of an internship is really powerful.  We offer internships and we have a

01:22:59.000 --> 01:23:08.000
program of internships for employers.  So if we -- we have a lot of young people with disabilities who are probably college

01:23:08.000 --> 01:23:17.000
age and once an intern gets hired or brought into a company, it's very likely that the company will fall in love with that

01:23:17.000 --> 01:23:26.000
person or at least like -- fall in like with that person.  And that person will gravitate to the part of the company that he

01:23:26.000 --> 01:23:33.000
or she feels they belong.  And almost, I'd say well over half of these interns end up working for the company for which they

01:23:33.000 --> 01:23:42.000
are interning.  So if you're looking for finding people with disabilities and bringing them in through an internship program,

01:23:42.000 --> 01:23:53.000
you are absolutely on the right track.  The other thing I would just suggest is that the complaint oftentimes is, we can't

01:23:53.000 --> 01:23:59.000
find people with disabilities.  And I say you're not looking in the right places.  We are pretty tight group but yet we are

01:23:59.000 --> 01:24:10.000
very disbursed and with age bringing on disability, not everybody is going to be 17 years old and disabled.  They are going to

01:24:10.000 --> 01:24:18.000
be 65 years old and disabled.  So the one thing that I would look for is a Leader with a disability who can help accompany

01:24:18.000 --> 01:24:26.000
identify the pockets and groups and organizations of people with disabilities that they can relate to and work with them.

01:24:26.000 --> 01:24:36.000
Vocational Rehabilitation is a state agency-driven program but I'll tell you in the State of California for example, less than

01:24:36.000 --> 01:24:44.000
half of the eligible people with disabilities in California who could qualify for VR are not using VR to get a job because

01:24:44.000 --> 01:24:52.000
it's burdensome.  It takes too long.  The process is too slow.  So it's going to be human contact it's going to be

01:24:52.000 --> 01:25:02.000
word-of-mouth and so finding or making sure that all of the things that you're talking about here gets disbursed through your

01:25:02.000 --> 01:25:06.000
Employee Resource Groups and BRGs.  These are really important because word-of-mouth will help the most.

01:25:06.000 --> 01:25:17.000
>> Ivette: Thank you for that go ahead.

01:25:17.000 --> 01:25:24.000
>> SAGAR: I was going to say we have a lot of contacts at in dispute if you want to reach out to us, we can help you with some

01:25:24.000 --> 01:25:28.000
of the University contacts that we have and some of the people that we know might be looking for a job.  So if you want to

01:25:28.000 --> 01:25:39.000
reach out, please feel free to reach out.

01:25:39.000 --> 01:25:47.000
>> Ivette: Thank you.  So John, back to the AI topic.  Two-part question.  Is the AI issue really an AI problem?  Or is it

01:25:47.000 --> 01:25:51.000
just poor modeling on the part of the developers and data scientists?  And is there a catalog somewhere of the ways the

01:25:51.000 --> 01:26:07.000
existing AI setup fails for us routinely?

01:26:07.000 --> 01:26:14.000
>> John: Wow.  That's really insightful.  I think the -- it shows to me that we don't have enough people with disabilities in

01:26:14.000 --> 01:26:24.000
key positions in companies that they would dare to buy product that is not accessible.  And that they have done no Vetting of

01:26:24.000 --> 01:26:33.000
the product with a user group that would identify limits that are inherent in the product that they are buying.  And I would

01:26:33.000 --> 01:26:44.000
say that would be one element that I would look at and that is a systemic solution waiting to happen.  That can be overcome

01:26:44.000 --> 01:26:48.000
pretty easily.  The second part of your question, just repeat it one more time.

01:26:48.000 --> 01:26:50.000
>> Ivette: Sorry about that.  Unmuteing.

01:26:50.000 --> 01:26:59.000
>> John: It was me who forgot it.

01:26:59.000 --> 01:27:08.000
>> Ivette: The second part was, and is there a catalog somewhere of the ways the existing AI setup fails us routinely?

01:27:08.000 --> 01:27:18.000
>> John: There is not a catalog.  We have a digital accessibility services organization here within the Viscardi Center.  We

01:27:18.000 --> 01:27:26.000
are monitoring the AI products that are coming out and we can talk to them but we have to be very careful that we don't

01:27:26.000 --> 01:27:35.000
disparage a company that is providing AI as they are probably working and racing to work to solve some of these problems

01:27:35.000 --> 01:27:45.000
through patches and the like.  So I don't know of any Disability Advocacy Group, not ours, that is trying to create a list of

01:27:45.000 --> 01:27:53.000
products that are inherently discriminatory.  Because I think it's a loaded issue.  But I do think that we can talk to

01:27:53.000 --> 01:28:00.000
privately a company and identify some limitations that some AI software have and we would be happy to and I'm sure other

01:28:00.000 --> 01:28:10.000
groups that are really deeply involved in technology and disability know exactly what I'm talking about and can help a company

01:28:10.000 --> 01:28:17.000
as well.  But you get companies like you have on here right now.  I mean, GSS a Leader, Intuit is a Leader.  These are global

01:28:17.000 --> 01:28:26.000
leaders.  They are looking at this issue because they know that they can't buy something that is going to be inaccessible and

01:28:26.000 --> 01:28:36.000
they are really putting up the screens already.  It's for the unenlightenedded that have to stop and say, we better check

01:28:36.000 --> 01:28:44.000
this.  And that's who I'm talking to.  We better build in a checkpoint in our business process that says, is this stuff that

01:28:44.000 --> 01:28:53.000
we're buying accessible to a wide range of people?  If you meet the margins, go to the margins of human function and be able

01:28:53.000 --> 01:28:57.000
to do that, then you're probably going to be just fine.

01:28:57.000 --> 01:29:06.000
>> Ivette: Thank you for that, John.  Appreciate it.  Tesha do you want to weave something in?

01:29:06.000 --> 01:29:17.000
>>  Tesha: Sure.  A couple more questions for each of the Panelists.  I'm going to come back to GSK to Tracy.  So Tracy, I

01:29:17.000 --> 01:29:27.000
think for those of us that are practitioners in this work, we know that -- I'd like to say the journey is long and the climb

01:29:27.000 --> 01:29:33.000
can be steep.  So tell us a little bit about the journey in terms of GSK's work here.  You have made obviously some

01:29:33.000 --> 01:29:36.000
significant progress but there is always more work to do.  Tell us about what you think the more work to do might be on the

01:29:36.000 --> 01:29:42.000
journey that is ahead for GSK.

01:29:42.000 --> 01:29:50.000
>> Tracy: Absolutely.  It is definitely a journey and you look back and you see all the things that you have done but then you

01:29:50.000 --> 01:29:57.000
say okay, what more is there to do?  And some of that was tied to what we were, the pledge we made for the valuable 500 was

01:29:57.000 --> 01:30:05.000
let's do a three-year plan.  Part of that plan was getting the voice of the customer but the other part was getting a good

01:30:05.000 --> 01:30:11.000
baseline of where we are right now and we did that through an external assessment that we were -- it was a pretty robust

01:30:11.000 --> 01:30:22.000
10-point assessment that looked across the business in different areas, communication, tech, recruitment, retention, products

01:30:22.000 --> 01:30:28.000
and services, suppliers and Partners, our internal commitment to know how.  And so we took that assessment.  We had to have

01:30:28.000 --> 01:30:36.000
evidence that we were doing these things and then we got a score.  And we took that score, not to have a score to say this is

01:30:36.000 --> 01:30:43.000
where we are, but to say this is our baseline where we are starting from.  What can we do to improve that?  In the different

01:30:43.000 --> 01:30:52.000
areas?  So then we built that three-year plan and then we'll go back out and assess ourselves again.  And see how we are doing

01:30:52.000 --> 01:30:59.000
on that journey.  It's really important to have those facts and data to be able to assess yourself and be able to communicate

01:30:59.000 --> 01:30:59.000
that to the different businesses and say, okay, where are we going?  What are the measures showing us if we are winning or

01:30:59.000 --> 01:31:09.000
losing?

01:31:09.000 --> 01:31:11.000
>> John: I'm going to crossover the line here and just ask you a question because you raised something that is really

01:31:11.000 --> 01:31:22.000
interesting.  Your scoring is self scoring?

01:31:22.000 --> 01:31:30.000
>> Tracy: Well, the company that we worked with, they actually created the assessment.  They have the evidence and we stent to

01:31:30.000 --> 01:31:40.000
them and they score it and they are scoring other companies.  The score doesn't go outside.  It's for us to use internally but

01:31:40.000 --> 01:31:41.000
it's an external assessment and it comes back to us and then we do with it -- but they are external.  And that's why we

01:31:41.000 --> 01:31:49.000
thought that was important.

01:31:49.000 --> 01:31:59.000
>> John: Very important.  I have got say, if you don't have an external score, you really are just Patting yourself on the

01:31:59.000 --> 01:32:05.000
back and looking to tell your bosses upstairs or down stairs or wherever they might be -- up the elevator -- that they -- that

01:32:05.000 --> 01:32:12.000
we are doing great.  And there isn't much room for improvement because we got 100%.  That's not a good message to give.  This

01:32:12.000 --> 01:32:16.000
is a long journey as you're saying.  And so I really am proud of you for having it externally scored and then taking the

01:32:16.000 --> 01:32:26.000
feedback and improving on it significantly.

01:32:26.000 --> 01:32:35.000
>> Tracy: It's a very 160 questions that we answered in this 10-section survey.  It's very robust compared to some of the

01:32:35.000 --> 01:32:42.000
other ones that may be out there.  We had to have evidence within the last year of what we were -- or we didn't get scored for

01:32:42.000 --> 01:32:48.000
it.  So and then they came back with recommendations based on what they're doing with other companies and what they are doing

01:32:48.000 --> 01:32:57.000
in the space that we could utilize as well which was very helpful.

01:32:57.000 --> 01:33:13.000
>>  Tesha: Thank you for taking that and thank you for posing the quick question, John.  There is absolutely no problem with

01:33:13.000 --> 01:33:21.000
the panel sharing and asking questions of each other.  John, one question I do want to ask before I go over to saying Sagar.

01:33:21.000 --> 01:33:30.000
Viscardi Center and you're here today participating in this forum and using your voice here.  What are other ways you think

01:33:30.000 --> 01:33:33.000
it's critical for Viscardi Center to use as organizational voice as an advocate for the Disability Inclusion community where

01:33:33.000 --> 01:33:41.000
you are?  Whether that's on a local level or broader?

01:33:41.000 --> 01:33:48.000
>> John: Thank you, Tesha.  I think that's a very valid question and before we can go out and tell anybody else what we think

01:33:48.000 --> 01:33:57.000
they ought to be doing, we better be doing it really well ourselves.  And be willing to improve continuously.  So we never

01:33:57.000 --> 01:34:12.000
think we are perfect, that there is always room for improvement and when we assembled our DEI committee about almost a year

01:34:12.000 --> 01:34:19.000
ago now, we said we were going to assume positive intent when people spoke.  And there are systemic messages in the way we

01:34:19.000 --> 01:34:25.000
speak and communicate so we just said, we are just going to say if you think you screwed up and you probably did, we're going

01:34:25.000 --> 01:34:33.000
to assume you didn't mean harm or hurt by doing that and you should be expressing yourself.  So we are trying to get our house

01:34:33.000 --> 01:34:39.000
in order and better in order.  So we can go out and have credibility.  Not only among other non-profits and not just

01:34:39.000 --> 01:34:49.000
disability service providers, but all human service providers and non-profits in general.  We can all do better.  We are a

01:34:49.000 --> 01:34:58.000
part of the community as well.  We represent pretty big part of the economies wherever we exist.  So we get our house in order

01:34:58.000 --> 01:35:07.000
first and it's an inside-out philosophy.  I think the same applies with corporate side.  You get your house in order in your

01:35:07.000 --> 01:35:14.000
own department, in your own entity before you dare to go out and try to tell other outlying parts of the organization and the

01:35:14.000 --> 01:35:21.000
company here is how you do it.  We don't did it that way but here is what you should be doing.  They're like forget it!  It's

01:35:21.000 --> 01:35:29.000
an inside-out theory.  Get your act together and then go out and be the best you can be.

01:35:29.000 --> 01:35:36.000
>>  Tesha: That's so true.  You have got to use that mirror, but that mirror up and really examine yourself as an

01:35:36.000 --> 01:35:49.000
organization, to your pointed, and see if you're doing what you need to be doing before you go out and suggest, advise,

01:35:49.000 --> 01:35:54.000
recommend others to do that.  So thank you for reminding us to hold that mirror up.  Saying ar, what inspired you to join the

01:35:54.000 --> 01:36:07.000
ERG as a Leader -- SAGAR, tell us about your inspiration.

01:36:07.000 --> 01:36:17.000
>> SAGAR: I started working in the field of accessibility as I was working on what was assigned to me while there and that

01:36:17.000 --> 01:36:25.000
gave me a lot of time to interact very closely with people with disabilities.  Like I understood how do they use Assistive

01:36:25.000 --> 01:36:33.000
Technology.  Since like I came from India when I was very young.  I did not know that this kind of Assistive Technology

01:36:33.000 --> 01:36:50.000
existed.  People can be independent and that's what I was talking about, the cultural shift.  And I had various opportunities

01:36:50.000 --> 01:37:00.000
of interacting with our customers with disabilities.  And I always thought of ideas and hopped off of -- these groups in the

01:37:00.000 --> 01:37:12.000
organization, cust merc -- this is where I found out about the employer group and soon after becoming a part of the network, I

01:37:12.000 --> 01:37:22.000
was a member, I had a great organization, then global leaders and they encouraged me to apply to be a local lead.  So I led

01:37:22.000 --> 01:37:34.000
for one year and after that I took on more expanded role as I was mentioning about super power that I need to have and no

01:37:34.000 --> 01:37:38.000
matter that super power exists or not, I felt that it really helped me to raise my voice across the sites and this is what

01:37:38.000 --> 01:37:47.000
inspired me to join this BRG as a Leader.

01:37:47.000 --> 01:37:56.000
>>  Tesha: Thank you.  And I'm sure they are very fortunate to have you in that capacity.  So thank you.  So Ivette, I'll come

01:37:56.000 --> 01:37:57.000
back over to you for more questions.  I'm going have one question for everybody on the panel as part of the wrap up.  So I'll

01:37:57.000 --> 01:38:05.000
come back to you.

01:38:05.000 --> 01:38:14.000
>> Ivette: Thank you.  I'm just going to bounce back two seconds to make a comment from someone in the audience.  It was in

01:38:14.000 --> 01:38:21.000
regards to those assessment scores.  So the problem with a lot of these assessment scores is that they are based on a company

01:38:21.000 --> 01:38:29.000
answering a series of questions, often based on hoping they really know the right answers.  Also it is often very

01:38:29.000 --> 01:38:42.000
compliant-focused.  For this reason, our company Leadership has been hesitant to move forward.  And with that, I will continue

01:38:42.000 --> 01:38:46.000
with the questions.  So the next set of questions came in for Intuit.  First part is, Intuit seems to have a lot of focus on

01:38:46.000 --> 01:38:57.000
Autism and neurodiversity.  What is behind that focus?

01:38:57.000 --> 01:39:06.000
>> SAGAR: That's a good question.  As like one of the things that I was going to mention is that when you start Employee

01:39:06.000 --> 01:39:17.000
Resource Group, what we usually recommend you is reach out to the members who have joined the network for a reason.  And you

01:39:17.000 --> 01:39:28.000
reach out to them asking an anonymous survey saying that what do you want to see our network take on as a main -- it could be

01:39:28.000 --> 01:39:37.000
mental health, physical disability, it can be Autism.  And we understood from many sites that there are many parents, many

01:39:37.000 --> 01:39:48.000
employees who have kids on the Spectrum and they don't know where to start from.  I remember one of the colleagues reach out

01:39:48.000 --> 01:39:54.000
to me from India as well but he was here working on work Visa and when his kid was diagnosed with Autism they were completely

01:39:54.000 --> 01:40:07.000
panicking.  This is one of the things we think is important for the of all Autism awareness and especially in the countries

01:40:07.000 --> 01:40:18.000
like India and here as I was mentioning n U.S. people are aware of the Autism Spectrum and such.  And also if you see the

01:40:18.000 --> 01:40:28.000
numbers like one-54 kids in U.S. are like diagnosed with Autism and most of the time like people who are on the Spectrum are

01:40:28.000 --> 01:40:43.000
non verbal and we want to make sure that there are a lot of tasks that you can still do unique you're on the Spectrum, doesn't

01:40:43.000 --> 01:40:53.000
require to be speaking.  That's the reason why we have Autism awareness especially in India.  It's a main tract and and they

01:40:53.000 --> 01:41:02.000
are doing an amazing job in teaching our employees like how to interact with the kids on the Spectrum.

01:41:02.000 --> 01:41:11.000
>> Ivette: Insightful.  Thank you.  And the second question which is also for you, Intuit has amazing work focused on mental

01:41:11.000 --> 01:41:11.000
health.  Did this exist before COVID?  And if so, how has it changed?  And how will it change once people go back to the

01:41:11.000 --> 01:41:25.000
office?

01:41:25.000 --> 01:41:35.000
>> SAGAR: So before COVID, there was a mental health, always one of the main focus areas of the network.  And I remember we

01:41:35.000 --> 01:41:45.000
had called a meeting to our office and sessions were mental health 101 and 201, more advanced and that's a wonderful training

01:41:45.000 --> 01:41:57.000
we have and we still use that even though it's like two years or 3 years old.  Because Nadine did a wonderful job explaining

01:41:57.000 --> 01:42:08.000
all the cases of mental health and how do you interact.  What are the implications.  So we do have that as well and when the

01:42:08.000 --> 01:42:17.000
COVID came in it was a sudden shock for most of the people and mental health was taking toll because of the work they were

01:42:17.000 --> 01:42:30.000
doing like, it's not normal because you have kids at home.  You need to take care of their school studies, like food and everything

01:42:30.000 --> 01:42:38.000
it's difficult.  And that's why as a part of this mental health, we have eight sessions with pay.  Activities like meditation

01:42:38.000 --> 01:42:50.000
sessions and as I said it's difficult to take some time out and again it's at the end of the day, the meditation session on

01:42:50.000 --> 01:42:58.000
Zoom but that had a really positive effect on a lot of people.  And I think once we go back to the office, we will have -- I

01:42:58.000 --> 01:43:06.000
feel our mental health will be improved because we will be going and talking to people, going back to normal.  So but still

01:43:06.000 --> 01:43:09.000
mental health would still be one of our focus areas for the Abilities Network.

01:43:09.000 --> 01:43:16.000
>> Ivette: Thank you very much.  Tesha do you want to weave anything in?

01:43:16.000 --> 01:43:25.000
>>  Tesha: Yes, I know we are going to be coming into the homestretch of this segment and I wanted to make sure to get one

01:43:25.000 --> 01:43:34.000
more question in for all the Panelists.  And I just also want to say thank you to Tracy and sag ar and John for joining us.

01:43:34.000 --> 01:43:43.000
Thank you for your Leadership and capabilities and certainly your time in this work.  It's fascinating to listen to all of the

01:43:43.000 --> 01:43:49.000
programs and services and the insights that you have been sharing with us today and I certainly count you all as part of my

01:43:49.000 --> 01:43:57.000
network and certainly have been appreciative of getting to know you.  I'm going to pose this question for each of you scall

01:43:57.000 --> 01:44:05.000
then I will certainly invite Ivette to come back after you have finished answering this in case there are any final questions

01:44:05.000 --> 01:44:13.000
from the chat.  At that point we'll conclude but so you know, when I pose this question, I'll be continuing to listen but I'm

01:44:13.000 --> 01:44:23.000
going to be heading to my second vaccine appointment so I'm going not going to be able to talk but I'm going to be listening

01:44:23.000 --> 01:44:30.000
certainly.  But this question is for everybody.  Share with us what you feel is the proudest achievement that you have been

01:44:30.000 --> 01:44:38.000
able to experience in the work that you have been doing and Disability Inclusion for your organization.  If you could think of

01:44:38.000 --> 01:44:42.000
one achievement that you're most proudest of, please tell us what that is.  And so John, we'll start with you and then sag ar

01:44:42.000 --> 01:44:54.000
and Tracy.

01:44:54.000 --> 01:45:01.000
>> John: I think I'm proudest of establishing a Diversity Equity and Inclusion committee, broader than a D&I or ERG committee,

01:45:01.000 --> 01:45:10.000
but really getting across the organization.  We have three corporations and three sets of boards of directors and there is a

01:45:10.000 --> 01:45:16.000
hierarchy in every one of them and we brought 18 people together from three corporations that make up the vis cardy network

01:45:16.000 --> 01:45:26.000
and -- vis cardy network.  And everyone is on the same level playing field and every voice counts the same.  And we are

01:45:26.000 --> 01:45:35.000
learning.  We started with 1619 projected and as a white male having a disability, I was shocked and embarrassed about how

01:45:35.000 --> 01:45:47.000
horribly we have treated blacks in this country before we became a nation, just awful.  But what I'm learning is great because

01:45:47.000 --> 01:45:55.000
it will adjust the way I am as a person and the way I lead this organization.  So establishing a DEI committee that is willing

01:45:55.000 --> 01:46:04.000
to pull the scabs off and take a deep look at some of the more painful things that have gone on and then trying to set us on a

01:46:04.000 --> 01:46:12.000
course of really total respect and appreciation for everyone's differences and how they can best contribute to our well-being.

01:46:12.000 --> 01:46:27.000
So that's what I'm proudest of.

01:46:27.000 --> 01:46:36.000
>> Sag ar: Awesome, John.  One of the most at Intuit I find unique and related as I said, we give back.  Pre-COVID one of the

01:46:36.000 --> 01:46:45.000
highlights used to be a week of volunteering service opportunities for employees globally where if the whole week employees

01:46:45.000 --> 01:46:54.000
woulds participate in a week of give back activities.  We get like 32 hours of paid time to work on this activity.  And one of

01:46:54.000 --> 01:47:04.000
the activity was like weaving blankets for cancer patients, beach cleanups, et cetera.  But during COVID when we somehow felt

01:47:04.000 --> 01:47:16.000
the need of like giving back the most to say, essential workers or resmall business, social distancing posed a challenge for

01:47:16.000 --> 01:47:25.000
this week of activities.  But I can say that all the ERG leaders, like from India network, all the networks, we all came

01:47:25.000 --> 01:47:38.000
together and brainstormed and had one of the most successful give back weeks last year that was virtual.  This is one of the

01:47:38.000 --> 01:47:48.000
things that I feel that when all of the ERGs come together it will be a very strong coordination of D&I.

01:47:48.000 --> 01:47:55.000
>> Tracy: Awesome to hear from both you and John doing great things.  I think in addition having the network and having

01:47:55.000 --> 01:48:03.000
Disability Inclusion having a seat at the table, I think one of the things, especially with COVID, we had some of the Czech in

01:48:03.000 --> 01:48:10.000
calls where employees could come and share how things were going and escalate issues if they have them and one of the things

01:48:10.000 --> 01:48:17.000
that I think I want to highlight is getting those Senior Leaders to come to those check in calls so that they could interact

01:48:17.000 --> 01:48:23.000
directly with people with disabilities and hear not just from those of us that are the leaders but also directly from people

01:48:23.000 --> 01:48:31.000
and they feel like they are being heard and that we also took the information and voice of the customer they shared and built

01:48:31.000 --> 01:48:38.000
that into our three-year plan.  So it wasn't just the business doing something or making decisions but it was listening to the

01:48:38.000 --> 01:48:42.000
people that actually have disabilities and what they need.  So that would be the thing that I would highlight if I had to pick

01:48:42.000 --> 01:48:51.000
one because I know there is a lot we are all super proud of.

01:48:51.000 --> 01:48:59.000
>> Ivette: Thank you very much for answering Tesha's question.  So we do have about -- we are probably about 5 minutes out.

01:48:59.000 --> 01:49:09.000
And I do have a question for Intuit and John the rest are yours.  Hopefully we can make it to all.  If not, then I'll bring

01:49:09.000 --> 01:49:20.000
you to a soft stop.  Sa gar, so Intuit prosperity pops up for small-business owners with disabilities.  Can you talk more

01:49:20.000 --> 01:49:23.000
about the data of small-business owners with disabilities.  What are their needs different than other work you're doing for

01:49:23.000 --> 01:49:33.000
their non-disabled counterparts?

01:49:33.000 --> 01:49:44.000
>> SAGAR: I would say like for the data, I cannot really speak for like how many small accident owners we have with disability

01:49:44.000 --> 01:49:54.000
but I always like to answer this question in a way that W.H.O. said that 15% of world population live with some kind of

01:49:54.000 --> 01:50:04.000
disability and that certainly can be like tremors in the head, shakey head to blindness to deafness.  So like I would say you

01:50:04.000 --> 01:50:11.000
can count on like our customers base would be having some kind of disability.  And to answer your question about what are the

01:50:11.000 --> 01:50:21.000
needs different than other work, I would say that if they are owning a business, they are independent and that's what I like

01:50:21.000 --> 01:50:28.000
to say.  If you try to Google the definition of accessibility, you will get thousands of definitions but at Intuit we always

01:50:28.000 --> 01:50:39.000
say accessibility means independence.  No matter what your a little or disabilities are, you will still be independent to find

01:50:39.000 --> 01:50:48.000
your access to manage your own invoices and such.  So I don't think we have to do anything other than making sure that our

01:50:48.000 --> 01:50:59.000
design is inclusive and our code is accessible to all Assistive Technology.

01:50:59.000 --> 01:51:09.000
>> Ivette: Thank you very much for that.  And John, you're going to bring it in.  So the first.  How do we convince our HR and

01:51:09.000 --> 01:51:10.000
Talent Acquisition folks to pay attention to this when they are already struggling with issues related to hiring people with

01:51:10.000 --> 01:51:20.000
disabilities?

01:51:20.000 --> 01:51:27.000
>> John: Years ago I came across Dr. Daniel Goldman and emotional intelligence.  When I read his first book and he has written

01:51:27.000 --> 01:51:36.000
quite a few, emotional intelligence in the workplace, when I read the first book on emotional intelligence, I said this is

01:51:36.000 --> 01:51:49.000
exactly my life.  This is what I'm looking for.  I'm looking for an empathetic person who cares about -- who can assume some

01:51:49.000 --> 01:51:57.000
of the challenges that I have and become my ally and help me navigate.  So I think there is a lot to learn from emotional

01:51:57.000 --> 01:52:06.000
intelligence in these offices where the empathy is really one of the most important characteristics that people can have.

01:52:06.000 --> 01:52:15.000
Once the empathy is polished up and people really feel how other people must feel, because words and actions are very

01:52:15.000 --> 01:52:23.000
powerful, I think you are going to have an incredible team of D&I folks that are going to include disability in all aspects of

01:52:23.000 --> 01:52:30.000
it and when you get to the point where you start to see policies that are not inclusive and you can identify the fact that

01:52:30.000 --> 01:52:38.000
disability has not been thought about, you know you are on the side of people with disabilities.  It sticks out like a sore

01:52:38.000 --> 01:52:48.000
thumb.  It's like standing in my scooter on a street in New York City and realizing there is no curb cut.  And that's what I

01:52:48.000 --> 01:52:56.000
see right away.  When non-disabled people see there is no curb cut or there is a gap in a policy or a practice or a software

01:52:56.000 --> 01:53:03.000
that does not include people with disabilities, you know you have done a great job of bringing the awareness up so high that

01:53:03.000 --> 01:53:13.000
they are empathetic and will solve the problem.

01:53:13.000 --> 01:53:16.000
>> Ivette: Excellent.  And second pointed.  Should the Disability BRG Leader that approaches procurement and others?  Maybe

01:53:16.000 --> 01:53:17.000
our Executive Sponsors?

01:53:17.000 --> 01:53:18.000
>> John: To me?

01:53:18.000 --> 01:53:31.000
>> Ivette: Yes.

01:53:31.000 --> 01:53:37.000
>> John: I think procurement is a powerful tool here.  Companies and organizations like ours spend lots of money.  We are a

01:53:37.000 --> 01:53:45.000
decimal dust to these two companies.  30 million dollars.  But we spend on 30 million dollars on Long Island.  That's a lot of

01:53:45.000 --> 01:53:57.000
money in our little area of the world.  Think of the buying power of the goods and services that keep GSK running all around

01:53:57.000 --> 01:54:06.000
the world and Intuit, all around the world.  And if they spend their money wisely in building inclusive contracts and

01:54:06.000 --> 01:54:15.000
relationships, the money will drive the change.  So I think procurement is a very critical component and having an Executive

01:54:15.000 --> 01:54:19.000
Sponsor that is willing to go across to the suppliers and other -- Supplier Diversity group and talk to them about the

01:54:19.000 --> 01:54:26.000
importance, this is power in your hands right there.

01:54:26.000 --> 01:54:36.000
>> Ivette: John if is for you and it goes back to the conversations you were having earlier.  But we're catching up.  So the

01:54:36.000 --> 01:54:42.000
final part of that is, are you aware of companies that are doing this quote/unquote right beside IBM and the final comment

01:54:42.000 --> 01:54:55.000
was, quite frankly this is shocking but thank you for sharing.

01:54:55.000 --> 01:55:04.000
>> John: There are companies that are doing very well.  I thinkent and young is a really well-known company -- Ernst &

01:55:04.000 --> 01:55:14.000
Young -- doing so many good thing right.  I can native off a few more but I think if you look at Nadine's list of Partners,

01:55:14.000 --> 01:55:22.000
you're probably seeing a lot who are very enlightened.  And I would stick with those.  I think Microsoft by the way, is doing

01:55:22.000 --> 01:55:32.000
incredible work.  They came out yesterday with a very powerful statement about employment.  That's what we need T is pathetic

01:55:32.000 --> 01:55:41.000
we are at 30% employment rate after 30 years of the ADAT is intolerable.  No other minority group in this country would accept

01:55:41.000 --> 01:55:50.000
that as acceptable progress.  And I think they finally jumped in with both feet.  I really applaud Microsoft for taking a big

01:55:50.000 --> 01:55:59.000
step forward.  So we have got models out there and I'm looking at my colleagues.  GSK, I have known about for 15 years on all

01:55:59.000 --> 01:56:08.000
the good work that has gone on and with Tracy, what you're doing there, just awesome what I'm hearing and sa gar, obviously we

01:56:08.000 --> 01:56:17.000
know about Intuit in our lives and to hear all of the good things that you're doing, these are companies that you want to

01:56:17.000 --> 01:56:23.000
follow if you're out there as a corporation.  You want to try to keep up with these fast horses here because they are leading

01:56:23.000 --> 01:56:24.000
us all into a better world.

01:56:24.000 --> 01:56:25.000
>> Tracy: Thank you, John.

01:56:25.000 --> 01:56:31.000
>> John: You're welcome.

01:56:31.000 --> 01:56:38.000
>> Ivette: That's great.  So we have run out of time.  I'm going to wrap up this session and I thank you to all of our

01:56:38.000 --> 01:56:46.000
Panelists for all the amazing information and commentary.  That was fantastic.  And a big shout out to Tesha wherever she

01:56:46.000 --> 01:56:56.000
might be in her drive right now to her vaccine.  So again, thank you so much.  Do I have some other questions coming in.  I

01:56:56.000 --> 01:56:59.000
will pop those into the chat F John could take a look in case you want to give answers that would be great.  Thank you for

01:56:59.000 --> 01:57:10.000
your presentation.

01:57:10.000 --> 01:57:10.000
All right.  I'm going to take the group now to a 15-minute break.  We will be back at noon eastern.  Please check your local

01:57:10.000 --> 01:57:10.000
time.

01:57:10.000 --> 01:57:40.000
[ Break ]

01:58:18.000 --> 01:58:29.000
>> Ivette: Okay, everyone.  Welcome back from break.  Now we're going to go into our Keynote Presentation.  But first, to

01:58:29.000 --> 01:58:39.000
introduce our Keynote, we are bringing back to the stage, Staff Software Engineer at Intuit, Sagar Barbhaya.

01:58:39.000 --> 01:58:50.000
>> Sagar: Thank you.  So thank you very much everyone for joining us back after the break and it is our pleasure to introduce

01:58:50.000 --> 01:59:00.000
Chris Downey, Chris Downey AIA has over 32 years of experience in architecture, continuing without sight since 2008.  He now

01:59:00.000 --> 01:59:09.000
specializes in projects focusing on users that are blind and low vision, including eye institutes, the limitation center and

01:59:09.000 --> 01:59:22.000
School for the Blind along with other projects.  His current work includes a new vision and rehabilitation hospital from QPMC

01:59:22.000 --> 01:59:27.000
in Pittsburgh.  New eye institutes for the University in Canada and Wake Forest University in North Carolina.  And Washington

01:59:27.000 --> 01:59:43.000
state School for the Blind in Vancouver.  Other development projects includes the Lighthouse for the Blind and visually

01:59:43.000 --> 01:59:56.000
impaired in San Francisco, and 2020 -- in all cases, Chris cults with project architects, teams, user groups and clients on

01:59:56.000 --> 02:00:11.000
the design of multisensory and user experiences of users that are blind or low vision.  That said, his aapproach and prince

02:00:11.000 --> 02:00:27.000
else of Universal Design and philosophy of user experience design.  Whatever the project whether seen or not.  Chris and his

02:00:27.000 --> 02:00:30.000
wife of 27 years are empty nesters living in California where he sings in his church and cyclest and trainer.  Chris, thank

02:00:30.000 --> 02:00:50.000
you very much, over to you.

02:00:50.000 --> 02:01:20.000
>> Chris: And I need to take over the screen and get situated here.  Let's see if if I can share screen.

02:01:29.000 --> 02:01:32.000
>> Ivette: We still see your Zoom screen.  One pop up window where you select your virtual background, we need to close that

02:01:32.000 --> 02:01:42.000
pop up window.

02:01:42.000 --> 02:01:50.000
>> Chris: Let me see if I can get some assistance.  Rosa, I need you to shut down this window.  I don't have access to it.

02:01:50.000 --> 02:01:59.000
Just a second.  Do you see a window in front for add image?

02:01:59.000 --> 02:02:04.000
>> Ivette: Check the pop up box for start video where we were before for the virtual background.

02:02:04.000 --> 02:02:04.000
>> Chris: I had my ear buds on and she couldn't hear you.

02:02:04.000 --> 02:02:15.000
>> What was that?

02:02:15.000 --> 02:02:19.000
>> Ivette: Check the pop up screen by the start video where we were at for the vertical background and that may bring the pop

02:02:19.000 --> 02:02:28.000
up window to the front.

02:02:28.000 --> 02:02:33.000
>> It says screen sharing hold on.

02:02:33.000 --> 02:02:37.000
>> Chris: Sorry about this, folks.

02:02:37.000 --> 02:03:07.000
>> Ivette: Take your time.  It's okay.

02:03:23.000 --> 02:03:31.000
>> Chris: Okay, so here is hoping we are in smooth sailing now.  I'll turn down my screen reader so others can hear it,

02:03:31.000 --> 02:03:32.000
it will be part of the presentation.  And then one last thing, I want to make sure I'm in slideshow mode.  Does it appear to

02:03:32.000 --> 02:03:34.000
be in slideshow mode?

02:03:34.000 --> 02:03:40.000
>> Ivette: Yes.

02:03:40.000 --> 02:03:49.000
>> Chris: Sorry about the complications to get started but I'll try to speed things up.  We have a lot to cover and it's a

02:03:49.000 --> 02:04:02.000
pleasure to be here with you today.  Sorry I couldn't be there in person but the virtual option is awesome so long as I can

02:04:02.000 --> 02:04:18.000
manage the technologies.  So as sa gar said in the introduction, I'm an architect, practice in the San Francisco Bay Area and

02:04:18.000 --> 02:04:25.000
quickly when I reverse course and it was back in the beginning of 2008.  I had just sold my shares to join a new firm doing

02:04:25.000 --> 02:04:33.000
prefabricated modular home design, a really exciting and fun company start up doing fabulous work.  Really a lot of stuff

02:04:33.000 --> 02:04:43.000
going on.  I was the Managing Director of the architectural office.  And along that time, I also started having some visual

02:04:43.000 --> 02:04:58.000
challenges and had started down a series of visits to various doctors and increasing levels of specialists to then discover

02:04:58.000 --> 02:05:09.000
that I needed to report for surgery to remove a brain tumor that had formed at my optic nerves and it needed to come out.  So

02:05:09.000 --> 02:05:18.000
on St. Patrick's Day 2008, I went to the hospital for surgery and waking up from surgery, the first time everything was good,

02:05:18.000 --> 02:05:26.000
according to plan.  The second time my sight had started to fail.  Third time I woke up it was gone.  And the doctors tried

02:05:26.000 --> 02:05:35.000
feverishly for a week and a half to restore my sight and then came the morning the doctors came in to say there was nothing

02:05:35.000 --> 02:05:44.000
more they could try.  They had exhausted all their options.  Outside of the box even and I was now blind.  That was my new

02:05:44.000 --> 02:05:53.000
normal.  And it wasn't until that moment that I ever thought that I was going to be blind.  I had total confidence in the

02:05:53.000 --> 02:06:05.000
doctors that they would be able to handle it, get it and solve it.  And there I was thinking about it for the first time.

02:06:05.000 --> 02:06:12.000
Later that day, not even six hours later, a social worker came in to share with me all the to do about all the bureaucracy

02:06:12.000 --> 02:06:22.000
with Social Security, getting signed up for Rehabilitation Services, all these various things to do and in her introductory

02:06:22.000 --> 02:06:35.000
conversation she said, I see on your medical chart here that you're an architect so we can talk about career alternatives.  I

02:06:35.000 --> 02:06:42.000
was like wow.  It hasn't been a day.  It's only been 4-6 hours.  And I'm already being presented with career alternatives.

02:06:42.000 --> 02:06:48.000
And I hadn't even started to grapple with the reality of what this new experience was going to be and already it seemed like

02:06:48.000 --> 02:06:57.000
the walls were coming up around me.  Expectations were changing.  Opportunities maybe were starting to slip away.  What was

02:06:57.000 --> 02:07:06.000
this all about?  And it was certainly a night full of questions and things and the whole experience being in the hospital

02:07:06.000 --> 02:07:18.000
recovering from the surgery but also recovering from this new discovery that I was now blind and needing to go on about my

02:07:18.000 --> 02:07:27.000
work, go on about my life and get things going again.  But through some really odd circumstances, I actually sort of left the

02:07:27.000 --> 02:07:37.000
hospital with a resolve to get the training and everything I needed to do to get back to my life, to be a fully-engaged father

02:07:37.000 --> 02:07:47.000
to my son who was 10 at the time, a husband to my wife and back at work as quickly as possible.  And it was really remarkable

02:07:47.000 --> 02:07:54.000
thing.  I was full of all sorts of energy but I had no idea that I was on the cusp of this grand adventure of beginning again,

02:07:54.000 --> 02:08:06.000
being a kid again, re-learning all these new wonderful and different skills, experiences, meeting new people, doing all sorts

02:08:06.000 --> 02:08:13.000
of things that I had never imagined before.  And I was so full of it, I went back to work just a month after the surgery with

02:08:13.000 --> 02:08:22.000
no sight.  Tried to figure it out.  Hadn't had any training yet but I was determined to get out and start working at it to be

02:08:22.000 --> 02:08:32.000
back in that creative space, back at work, working with those people that worked really creative, energetic, optimistic

02:08:32.000 --> 02:08:41.000
people, trying to figure out the new possibilities and to move on from there.  But of course you just can't update to a new

02:08:41.000 --> 02:08:50.000
non-visual operating system.  You really do have to go through a lot of training, everything from safety to reading Braille to

02:08:50.000 --> 02:08:59.000
orientation mobility and how to get around without the use of sight.  Technology, adaptive technology training, all sorts of

02:08:59.000 --> 02:09:09.000
things to re-learn so much of life that I did with sight to then do it without.  So I don't want to go through all these

02:09:09.000 --> 02:09:20.000
things but a couple of these segments of the training that I want to go through.  In particular, the training for orientation

02:09:20.000 --> 02:09:29.000
and mobility.  This to me was really tremendous, not only for the independence that this affords for me as a person who is

02:09:29.000 --> 02:09:39.000
blind now, but as I started to discover it, experience it, it was also a way for me to start reengaging with the environment

02:09:39.000 --> 02:09:48.000
around me.  It was about learning to experience the space, the architecture, the city, with senses other than sight, to

02:09:48.000 --> 02:09:59.000
understand it in a different way.  And it was really fascinating to go through that and the cane does all sorts of things in

02:09:59.000 --> 02:10:06.000
terms of your safety, finding steps, curbs, trees, poles, all sorts of things in front of you but you can also use it to feel

02:10:06.000 --> 02:10:17.000
different things around you, to use it for echo location, to hear the environment around you and all that stuff was stuff that

02:10:17.000 --> 02:10:27.000
was just racing through my mind as I was trying to re-learn the environment around me and how to move through it effectively.

02:10:27.000 --> 02:10:37.000
So I was doing it while I was working and I found myself out back in the city in San Francisco getting around doing my thing

02:10:37.000 --> 02:10:45.000
pretty aggressively.  It does take a lot of time.  And it was funny.  It was clearly over a year and a half later I was

02:10:45.000 --> 02:10:56.000
walking down the street in San Francisco and had been paying attention to all the different experiences, the different sounds,

02:10:56.000 --> 02:11:03.000
judging my movement based on the sound of traffic moving along besides me, hearing when I was passing corners of the building,

02:11:03.000 --> 02:11:13.000
approaching intersections and gauging my movement based on others and all sorts of things and then all of a sudden I was down

02:11:13.000 --> 02:11:21.000
a straight stretch of the road and I was thinking about how much things had changed.  One thing I realized was it had been --

02:11:21.000 --> 02:11:27.000
since I had to get out of anybody's way on the sidewalk.  When I was sighted walking the streets, I was that guy that always

02:11:27.000 --> 02:11:34.000
got out of the way of other people walking my way.  Didn't matter if I was on the right side or whatever, I was the one that

02:11:34.000 --> 02:11:42.000
would move out of the way.  And it used to drive me crazy, come on Downey, you got to man up and hold your ground and sort of

02:11:42.000 --> 02:11:51.000
make them move around you for a change.  But I could never do it.  But now I had no problem.  I never had to get out of the

02:11:51.000 --> 02:12:00.000
way.  I just didn't thought you have to go around me.  I checked in with others and said, you got people darting all over the

02:12:00.000 --> 02:12:07.000
place trying to avoid you as you're coming down the street.  I realized I went from being like just miserable at pedestrian

02:12:07.000 --> 02:12:14.000
chicken out on the streets to being a badass chicken moving down the streets of san Francis woe cohaving my way pushing

02:12:14.000 --> 02:12:26.000
through things.  But it really struck me as being odd because I was the same person.  The only difference was, I had a cane in

02:12:26.000 --> 02:12:35.000
my hand.  And that really sort of transformed that whole experience.  Transformed my persona, my position on the street.  And

02:12:35.000 --> 02:12:45.000
it made me realize it was sort of like taking an avatar going into a virtual space and having this different experience.

02:12:45.000 --> 02:12:54.000
You're the same person but you have got this other persona out there in the world around you doing things differently, people

02:12:54.000 --> 02:13:01.000
engaging you based on that move, new tool, cloak, uniform, whatever you got going on, and it was just amazing how differently

02:13:01.000 --> 02:13:11.000
that changed that social experience for being out of the street.  And as did the whole experience of understanding that space

02:13:11.000 --> 02:13:17.000
around me.  But it was really sort of like that empathetic experience of walking in someone else's shoes only I was walking

02:13:17.000 --> 02:13:27.000
behind everyone else'size eyes and trying to understand that.  It was really interesting because I could still think as a

02:13:27.000 --> 02:13:35.000
visual designer, as an architect but I was doing it through this lense of a person without sight, experiencing it in a totally

02:13:35.000 --> 02:13:47.000
different way.  And could have a dialogue between my trained architectural mind in this new blind persona getting around,

02:13:47.000 --> 02:13:56.000
experiencing architecture, experiencing the city, the street and then trying to engage with it creatively.  So new outsights

02:13:56.000 --> 02:14:07.000
or insights I had gained since losing my sight.  It's really thinking about that transformational thing, not about loss but

02:14:07.000 --> 02:14:20.000
about gaining these new experiences, these new skills, new ways of working.  And so I'd really like to share those outsights

02:14:20.000 --> 02:14:27.000
with you today as it relates to this conference.  For me it was learning to look beyond sight.  There is so much information

02:14:27.000 --> 02:14:37.000
that is visual that is right there immediately available and we just take it for granted.  And within the blind community you

02:14:37.000 --> 02:14:45.000
sort of get used to idea of the idea of visual bias.  It's just assumed.  It's there.  That's not a fair assumption.  As I was

02:14:45.000 --> 02:14:54.000
learning to walk down the street, but it also effects all sorts of things.  It effects technology and I had to learn all sorts

02:14:54.000 --> 02:15:06.000
of new ways of working with technology whether it's the computer, learning to interface with the screen reader, a smartphone,

02:15:06.000 --> 02:15:15.000
working with voice over there, all sorts of different things of learning these new non-visual ways of engaging.  As an

02:15:15.000 --> 02:15:22.000
architect and also created new opportunities to adaptive technology and that was the idea of having em bossing printers where

02:15:22.000 --> 02:15:34.000
I could print the drawings in tactile form.  So the drawings that others would be looking at visually, I could print through

02:15:34.000 --> 02:15:39.000
my em bossing printer and read it through touch.  And then ways to quickly sketch on top of that using wax sticks that are

02:15:39.000 --> 02:15:46.000
sort of the kids craft toy but it works really well.  I could work with it with my hands and doesn't necessarily need any

02:15:46.000 --> 02:15:54.000
other tools and it's wax so it gets tacky and I can stick it on the paper and they are basically just lines that I can then

02:15:54.000 --> 02:16:02.000
lay down on the paper, stick it there and sketch on top of it.  And form a new way to work.  And then using the technology, I

02:16:02.000 --> 02:16:10.000
could then photograph that, share it with teams that I work with around the country or elsewhere, and send the images or have

02:16:10.000 --> 02:16:19.000
a Zoom Call and show them the work that I'm doing, explore the different things to work through things like that.  It was

02:16:19.000 --> 02:16:27.000
forming a new way of working that really wasn't that different than the way I worked before only I was only able to free hand

02:16:27.000 --> 02:16:39.000
sketch, and then others would draw that in a computer.  Without sight there is no interface for me currently to be able to

02:16:39.000 --> 02:16:46.000
draw inside of the computer-aided design environment to do that on my own.  Bah all this leaves me taking architecture beyond

02:16:46.000 --> 02:16:56.000
sight.  Not just taking my life beyond sight or personal experience.  It was about taking architecture beyond sight, the

02:16:56.000 --> 02:17:03.000
mechanics of it, how to do it and how to work with it and how to design for it.  Also sort of taking the profession of

02:17:03.000 --> 02:17:09.000
architecture which is just extraordinarily visual, visual in the way we work but also visual in the way we think about it and

02:17:09.000 --> 02:17:20.000
present it and really think of it more critically as what else is there beyond what we see with our eyes?  And you really

02:17:20.000 --> 02:17:27.000
think about it the sense of sight is the most detached sense of them all.  It has the least amount of real physical impact,

02:17:27.000 --> 02:17:38.000
tremendous neurological impact in the bay of thinking and the amount of information that is available but the experience of

02:17:38.000 --> 02:17:48.000
being in space of feeling the environment of everything around it, being the body in space, not so much.  So everything was

02:17:48.000 --> 02:17:56.000
great so we are going back to 2008.  But as everybody can remember in 2008, there was a recession going on and I managed to

02:17:56.000 --> 02:18:11.000
keep my job throughout the year.  We had layoffs in the company but December of 2008 came around and it was my turn to layoff.

02:18:11.000 --> 02:18:18.000
And there it was.  Happy holidays.  Happy new year.  January 1, 2009 unemployed blind as an architect and blind for nine

02:18:18.000 --> 02:18:25.000
months in the depth of that recession trying to get a new job and had a chance to think through it and did some navigating

02:18:25.000 --> 02:18:33.000
about people who might be able to help out and placed one strategic phone call to a business coach that I worked with for

02:18:33.000 --> 02:18:41.000
years.  Hadn't seen him in a couple of years.  Gave him a call to get him up to speed with what I was doing and what happened

02:18:41.000 --> 02:18:50.000
and I thought he was the right one because to reach out to because as a business coach to architects, ebb engineers and

02:18:50.000 --> 02:18:59.000
builders, he knew virtually every architectural firm in the San Francisco Bay Area.  If they weren't his clients, he knew them

02:18:59.000 --> 02:19:08.000
because they were the competition of his clients.  So he was basically had his finger on the pulse of all the work in the Bay

02:19:08.000 --> 02:19:19.000
Area.  And I reached tout him and he said, it's okay.  Great.  Give me a couple of weeks I'll get back to you.  And he did.

02:19:19.000 --> 02:19:30.000
Within a week he said I've got a couple ideas.  This is the strongest idea.  And the firm will interview you and you take it

02:19:30.000 --> 02:19:40.000
from there.  It turned out they were architects on a polytrauma and mind rehabilitation center for the Department of Veteran's

02:19:40.000 --> 02:19:49.000
Affairs for a new building on the Palo Alto campus.  And the architects thought the idea of an architect who is new to sight

02:19:49.000 --> 02:19:56.000
loss individual a lot to offer that particular team because their client had been kept asking them how do you know what you're

02:19:56.000 --> 02:20:02.000
doing makes any sense for our users, our Veterans that are new to sight loss as they engage with this building?

02:20:02.000 --> 02:20:13.000
How do you know that is going to work?  They knew they could blindfold themselves for a couple of hours and figure it all out

02:20:13.000 --> 02:20:25.000
but when I went, it was like, you bring in that experience R you are nine months in, that's where the Veterans are when they

02:20:25.000 --> 02:20:35.000
are going through this program.  So with that, my whole idea of disability was turned upside down.  All of a sudden it wasn't

02:20:35.000 --> 02:20:45.000
a work around, it was something that gave real value, real strength in that particular client project for that client and for

02:20:45.000 --> 02:20:52.000
this team.  This brand new idea of building a consultancy that was based on sort of specializing in projects for the visually

02:20:52.000 --> 02:20:59.000
impaired where nobody else, no other architect had that experience.  I had done a lot of searching looking for other blind

02:20:59.000 --> 02:21:08.000
architects and I came up with one in Lisbon, Portugal who had no sight.  Some others with low sight, low vision conditions.  I

02:21:08.000 --> 02:21:16.000
was the only one in the U.S. that I could locate that had no sight at all.  And I thought, that's actually my unique value as

02:21:16.000 --> 02:21:29.000
a blind architect working on these projects, bringing that sort of unique insight, bringing those outsights into the work,

02:21:29.000 --> 02:21:40.000
into the creative space to help project teams design creatively opportunistically for those end-users.  A big part of that

02:21:40.000 --> 02:21:48.000
beyond the accessibility theme is really about thinking about architecture and senses, space in a broader sensory experience.

02:21:48.000 --> 02:21:57.000
A big part of that is thinking about the sense of touch.  And with it I'd like to expand what you're thinking about as touch

02:21:57.000 --> 02:22:06.000
and think about how the body experiences touch.  All of the touch throughout your skin, how it engages with the world around

02:22:06.000 --> 02:22:14.000
you whether under your foot as you're walking down the beach in the water coming up under your feet as you walk on the sand.

02:22:14.000 --> 02:22:25.000
All these sensory experiences that sense of touch, that brings the experience to life.  That you can really work with.  You

02:22:25.000 --> 02:22:32.000
can really focus on as part of my experience and adjustment with sight loss.  It's not just that.  If you're blind using a

02:22:32.000 --> 02:22:39.000
cane, you're getting optic feedback through textures and things you feel through the cane to experience it you start then

02:22:39.000 --> 02:22:48.000
feeling it in the palm of your hand and you can recognize different materials and all sorts of information you get from the

02:22:48.000 --> 02:22:58.000
ground and it's transferring that sense of touch from your hand down to the ground to feel what you can't see.  There is also

02:22:58.000 --> 02:23:02.000
a sense of hearing.  I'm going to play the experience of walking down the street into the building.

02:23:02.000 --> 02:23:17.000
You just listen closely to this experience.

02:23:17.000 --> 02:23:28.000
[ Traffic and cane tapping ]

02:23:28.000 --> 02:23:35.000
You can hear the sound of the tapping changed as I entered under a canopy and in towards the entry of the building.  Passing

02:23:35.000 --> 02:23:38.000
through the door.  The sounds of the city and the street start to fade in the background as the door closes and I'm looking

02:23:38.000 --> 02:23:47.000
for the elevator to go up.

02:23:47.000 --> 02:23:57.000
So really sort of thinking about that is a different experience of sound and how much information you can get from sound.  And

02:23:57.000 --> 02:24:06.000
then the sense of sight.  Now obviously I have no sense of sight at all.  No sense of light.  That to me was, I thought that

02:24:06.000 --> 02:24:16.000
was blindness.  I knew nothing about blindness when I lost sight.  I never had any friends that were blind.  Never had any

02:24:16.000 --> 02:24:24.000
close relationships with that.  And it was news to me to realize only 6-8% of the legally blind have no sight at all.  And the

02:24:24.000 --> 02:24:34.000
most have some sight.  Some refer to it as the difference between perfect blindness and imperfect blindness where you have

02:24:34.000 --> 02:24:42.000
imperfect sight.  You can see things but not so well.  And in that, I learned that designing the viral environment if you have

02:24:42.000 --> 02:24:53.000
a low vision experience it's really challenging.  And your visual acuity becomes a function of that environment that you're in

02:24:53.000 --> 02:25:07.000
that we can design well to maximize that visual acuity or we'll look at this time lapse photography and you see the same space

02:25:07.000 --> 02:25:15.000
with a visual impairment.  And how things that were so clear with sight become not so clear with low vision conditions.  And

02:25:15.000 --> 02:25:23.000
that there are things you can do to design more effectively for that, working with lighting levels, effective color contrast,

02:25:23.000 --> 02:25:32.000
working with effective patterns and things.  So there is a lot that can be done to design more effectively for those low

02:25:32.000 --> 02:25:39.000
vision conditions, which are the dominant experience for those that are legally blind.  So with that, I take all that

02:25:39.000 --> 02:25:46.000
information, all that experience and sort of bring that into the work that I do, the work I talked about as being sort of

02:25:46.000 --> 02:25:56.000
projects uniquely for the blind and visually impaired or people with disabilities and sort of bringing that personal

02:25:56.000 --> 02:26:02.000
experience into the projects that I work on.  And just to go through some of it really quickly, this is the first V.A.

02:26:02.000 --> 02:26:11.000
polytrauma blind rehabilitation center in Palo Alto and one of the first times diving into that experience of not just what

02:26:11.000 --> 02:26:19.000
it's like to be blind but to be knew to blindness.  To be exhausted by the experience of getting that training and being in

02:26:19.000 --> 02:26:27.000
the center and how you can move around it, the energy you might have to do things.  But also the different non-visual

02:26:27.000 --> 02:26:39.000
experience and in this case, realizing that the Veterans would need to be able to walk down the center of this lobby to get

02:26:39.000 --> 02:26:45.000
from one side to the other.  And we ended up designing the bridge above so that it would be clear if you're walking underneath

02:26:45.000 --> 02:26:57.000
the bridge as opposed to veering off to the side so you could hear if you were going straight or not.  So it was really

02:26:57.000 --> 02:27:08.000
learning to design with these different tools to really craft the space that would work for those users.  A new medical

02:27:08.000 --> 02:27:17.000
office building for the Duke University eye center.  School for the Blind, this is in South Dakota.  This is current project

02:27:17.000 --> 02:27:27.000
for the Washington state School for the Blind in Vancouver, Washington and the interior space designing the space where the

02:27:27.000 --> 02:27:36.000
students -- it's a residential program for transition-aged youth from ages 18-21 and building that community space that they

02:27:36.000 --> 02:27:44.000
can share experiences, learn to cook together, each have their own sort of apartments around the perimeter of the space and

02:27:44.000 --> 02:27:54.000
then share communal spaces in between and really sort of designing it to be rich and alive in the sensoral experience, the

02:27:54.000 --> 02:28:04.000
outdoor spaces I'm really trying to be part of that.  And was involved with the sales force transit center in San Francisco in

02:28:04.000 --> 02:28:12.000
all aspects moving around the space, a lot of work on the park.  Four-block long linear -- on top of the building but then

02:28:12.000 --> 02:28:22.000
also on the third level, the level below that roof is the bus deck and designing methodologies for the blind and visually

02:28:22.000 --> 02:28:34.000
impaired to efficiently find their bus that they would be taking or coming and going as a commuter bus service.  And it has a

02:28:34.000 --> 02:28:42.000
wonderful opportunity to work with the opportunity doing one of the main pavilions at the due by expo 2020 -- Dubai --

02:28:42.000 --> 02:28:49.000
hopefully opening this fall.  And during the sustainability pavilion and working with the architects, the whole project team

02:28:49.000 --> 02:29:00.000
and exhibit designers on the really Universal Design user experience of how people with different experiences, different

02:29:00.000 --> 02:29:08.000
abilities, different sensory experiences would be able to access and engage in the space and the content.  And then some work

02:29:08.000 --> 02:29:16.000
for the national industries for the blind.  A new building for them in Alexandria Virginia.  Headquarters building for them

02:29:16.000 --> 02:29:25.000
and then working on that workplace environment, designing a space where they employ a number of people that are visually

02:29:25.000 --> 02:29:31.000
impaired, not everyone, but also wanting to be world class demonstration of an accessible, visually accessible work

02:29:31.000 --> 02:29:38.000
environment for employees and working with visual accessibility through effective color contrast, appropriate lighting levels,

02:29:38.000 --> 02:29:48.000
a lot of care within the acoustic experience, wave finding, all sorts of things to make that work with technology and just

02:29:48.000 --> 02:29:55.000
also in the way the space works.  Even spaces like their fitness room for their employees to make that accessible.  So you can

02:29:55.000 --> 02:30:02.000
feel or see that you're in the circulation area versus the workout areas because believe me if you have no sight, if you're

02:30:02.000 --> 02:30:09.000
blind and you're approaching equipment that might have moving pieces and someone is working with it or might have all sorts of

02:30:09.000 --> 02:30:21.000
things projecting off it in different heights and different things, great for banging your head against.  It's nice to know

02:30:21.000 --> 02:30:28.000
when you're moving from that circulation space into that different workout space.  And even in their work cafe for their

02:30:28.000 --> 02:30:40.000
office, being able to have visual and tactile differences in how we move around the space and use the space.  Making sure it's

02:30:40.000 --> 02:30:49.000
inclusive of everyone that is there.  There was a discussion about Microsoft before the break and the work they are doing and

02:30:49.000 --> 02:30:56.000
inclusivity in reaching out to disabilities.  This is sort of work I did with them that is an outgrowth of that where they are

02:30:56.000 --> 02:31:03.000
employing a large number of people with disabilities, all different types of disabilities to, have them on staff as part of

02:31:03.000 --> 02:31:10.000
their workforce designing the products and services and Apps to make sure that they are going to be useable, suitable and

02:31:10.000 --> 02:31:20.000
inclusive of all users.  One thing they discovered was that in bringing all those different people to campus, the campus

02:31:20.000 --> 02:31:27.000
wasn't working so well for everybody and they had done a new way finding system for their campus and unfortunately, it wasn't

02:31:27.000 --> 02:31:34.000
effective for the blind and visually impaired and a number of other users so this is a prototype development project of an

02:31:34.000 --> 02:31:42.000
inclusive way finding system that could be deployed throughout their campus and help users get around effectively, not have to

02:31:42.000 --> 02:31:54.000
be wedded to technology but you could have technology as an overlay but also another system that would be accessible to you

02:31:54.000 --> 02:32:02.000
and move about the campus.  So I we did a lot of user group testing to make sure what was working for one group wasn't

02:32:02.000 --> 02:32:15.000
conflicting or causing problems for others.  And really trying to harmonize the different, sometimes competing different users

02:32:15.000 --> 02:32:22.000
might have when it comes to bear on engaging with these systems.   And then another project for a technology client that is

02:32:22.000 --> 02:32:30.000
confidential but I can show the drawings since it's effectively an invisible drawing.  It's attack tile drawing and I'm

02:32:30.000 --> 02:32:39.000
sketching on top of the plan in the first and second floor plans of this building.  And with it was trying to figure out how

02:32:39.000 --> 02:32:48.000
if you were blind, how would get around through this environment.  And I discovered it to be heroically confusing place, to

02:32:48.000 --> 02:32:57.000
understand when my fingers are on the drawing, reading the plan.  And I'm like if you're blind, you have to hold that model in

02:32:57.000 --> 02:33:06.000
your mind to have a mental model to be able to move around the space.  And I couldn't stay on top of it so I did all sorts of

02:33:06.000 --> 02:33:12.000
things to sort of make it more clear where the hallways were, all the circulation networks, thinking about the employees

02:33:12.000 --> 02:33:23.000
getting around there and how they would know where they are, where to go next, how to navigate this space.  And I finally got

02:33:23.000 --> 02:33:31.000
back to the design team and said, this is just a really heroically challenging environment.  I cannot come up with a physical

02:33:31.000 --> 02:33:42.000
system to make sense of this environment that can lock it in to a memorable experience that will help an employee who is blind

02:33:42.000 --> 02:33:51.000
to navigate this space to get from their desk to the bathrooms to the cafes or whatever.  This is really challenging.  And I

02:33:51.000 --> 02:34:00.000
gave them some suggestions and what was interesting is the next time they met with the client, the client said to them the

02:34:00.000 --> 02:34:10.000
very same thing.  You know, this is a very confusing space.  It is really hard to imagine how you will know where you are and

02:34:10.000 --> 02:34:20.000
navigate through this space and that was the sited client talking about it.  And it points out to me, I often said that to

02:34:20.000 --> 02:34:28.000
design a really effective enjoyable city, designs from the idea of a person with disabilities or design with the idea of a

02:34:28.000 --> 02:34:35.000
blind citizen within the city.  Design from that position as opposed to applying that as a check at the end.  If you design

02:34:35.000 --> 02:34:43.000
from that, you might actually come up with a more accessible universally designed environment for everyone that will make

02:34:43.000 --> 02:34:52.000
sense for everyone.  So they then sort of redesigned this space and came up with a new plan and then I analyzed it and came up

02:34:52.000 --> 02:35:01.000
with a very simple way of getting a hierarchy of orders so you could recognize where you were and know how to move around

02:35:01.000 --> 02:35:09.000
through the space.  I don't want to spend anymore time in there.  And work for a project, the Lighthouse for the Blind and

02:35:09.000 --> 02:35:17.000
visually impaired in San Francisco.  This is their main lobby space as we enter on the tenth floor, they have floors 9, 10 and

02:35:17.000 --> 02:35:25.000
11 of the building in San Francisco on market street.  And this is the point of sort of welcoming people into the space.  It

02:35:25.000 --> 02:35:31.000
was designed to be very multi-sensory space.  For example, you can look back across and see that there is stairs going up and

02:35:31.000 --> 02:35:38.000
a stair going down linking all three floors together.  And the idea was we designed that stair so you could hear it, hear

02:35:38.000 --> 02:35:47.000
people walking up and down the stairs so if you didn't have sight you still would know there is a stair there.  It wasn't

02:35:47.000 --> 02:35:55.000
formed in carpet.  This is new stair we cut in to link it so you didn't have to go through the elevator to build community for

02:35:55.000 --> 02:36:01.000
the organization.  That stair sort of became the core experience of moving around through that space where you would meet

02:36:01.000 --> 02:36:12.000
people, build community, share experiences and whatever else.  So we really wanted to celebrate that.  We wanted to hear it.

02:36:12.000 --> 02:36:23.000
So we designed it with wood so you could hear foot falls, cane taps and all sorts of things.  In looking at the details, it's

02:36:23.000 --> 02:36:29.000
a wood stair and we put in stainless steel strips to make it more visually accessible to people with low vision conditions.

02:36:29.000 --> 02:36:39.000
And then designed a handrail to be a really surprising wonderful grip so that when you put your hand on the handrail it could

02:36:39.000 --> 02:36:46.000
tell you something about the quality of the space, the level of care that came into bear on the design of their headquarters.

02:36:46.000 --> 02:36:53.000
And this is a photo of the board room.  Awful lot goes into the environment at creating a good acoustic environment for people

02:36:53.000 --> 02:37:01.000
that are blind.  If you have no sight, you're really dependent on a quality acoustic environment to hear, to not be distracted

02:37:01.000 --> 02:37:11.000
by loud mechanical noises or the noise from market street outside the window in which case we added additional layers of glass

02:37:11.000 --> 02:37:17.000
for better acoustic separation.  All sorts of really interesting things in the microphone, the sound system in the space.  So

02:37:17.000 --> 02:37:24.000
you could hear where the sound was coming from.  If someone was speaking at one end of the table, it would sound like that

02:37:24.000 --> 02:37:33.000
despite the fact it was coming through allowed speaker and spread throughout the space.  So really designing from that

02:37:33.000 --> 02:37:42.000
experience of sound.  And also looking at signage.  Knowing that we had designed a really good navigational system, way

02:37:42.000 --> 02:37:51.000
finding system besides room numbers.  Wanting the room numbers to be very prominent so we designed it to make things that went

02:37:51.000 --> 02:38:01.000
beyond that low vision users at the lighthouse they found the maximum character size allowed for their identification signs

02:38:01.000 --> 02:38:11.000
was just two inches and it was too small for them to see.  So we provided that in the required signage and larger visible

02:38:11.000 --> 02:38:21.000
numbers above on the wall so they could see that for better access.  But just the idea of room identification signs.  I worked

02:38:21.000 --> 02:38:27.000
with technology clients that say that their blind users, employees have a hard time navigating the space and finding rooms.

02:38:27.000 --> 02:38:38.000
And then find out none of the rooms have accessible signage.  How can you find the conference room when you're supposed to if

02:38:38.000 --> 02:38:46.000
it's not signed in tan accessible format or have an Accessible Technology?  But best to have an accessible sign.  The little

02:38:46.000 --> 02:38:54.000
details are just anticipating at the lighthouse the need to put your cane some place if you're taking care of some paperwork,

02:38:54.000 --> 02:39:03.000
having a conversation with someone, having a cup of coffee or whatever else.  A nice user experience design element for a cane

02:39:03.000 --> 02:39:12.000
notch.  So racing through that brings us to today and at a time I refer to as sort of the time in the last year during COVID

02:39:12.000 --> 02:39:20.000
while we have been on this remote work experience.  And for me, it sort of felt like I have been turning crop circles in my

02:39:20.000 --> 02:39:30.000
house over the last year just having a daily routine moving from one room to the next and sort of wearing down the path within

02:39:30.000 --> 02:39:37.000
the house.  A lot of things to do.  It's like it is fabulous the accessibility that is afforded today through the virtual

02:39:37.000 --> 02:39:46.000
conference environment, all sorts of wonderful technologies that can make work remote and make it accessible.  All sorts of

02:39:46.000 --> 02:39:54.000
things you can do within that.  And also in lifestyle, things that keeping active, keeping fit through these times.  So part

02:39:54.000 --> 02:40:02.000
of my whole experience of sort of staying on top of my game through the COVID experience in working from home and being sort

02:40:02.000 --> 02:40:13.000
of sheltered at home has been staying fit.  And working out in our garage on my rowing machine as a competitive rower on a

02:40:13.000 --> 02:40:23.000
crew team.  I wasn't able to work with during this time but wanted to stay fit, having a really accessible format.  Here you

02:40:23.000 --> 02:40:34.000
can hear me working on the rowing machine.  But I'm actually this time starting to get all sorts of data, all sorts of

02:40:34.000 --> 02:40:39.000
information about my workout that is all remarkable.  So I usually work with these bone induction BlueTooth headsets.  And now

02:40:39.000 --> 02:41:04.000
we'll step inside that so you can hear what I would be hearing while doing this workout.

02:41:04.000 --> 02:41:12.000
I'm using my phone wirelessly connected to monitor and rowing machine.  I have a heart rate monitor on my chest connected

02:41:12.000 --> 02:41:25.000
wirelessly to the monitor on the machine, rowing machine.  All that is connected wirelessly to my phone.  I have set up the

02:41:25.000 --> 02:41:34.000
Earth data App through the company that makes the rowing machine and as you can hear, I can request the different types of

02:41:34.000 --> 02:41:47.000
data that I want to have told to me and how often I hear that.  I'm hearing it every 30 seconds it will screen out that data,

02:41:47.000 --> 02:41:57.000
the distance, time, pace I'm rowing at and my heart rate.  And then I can get all that information afterwards as well.  All

02:41:57.000 --> 02:42:04.000
that is very accessible Apps, I think all of that was free Apps all running wirelessly through my phone through the same

02:42:04.000 --> 02:42:12.000
phone, same iPhone that anybody else would use.  It's incredibly universally designed platform that is bringing all this in

02:42:12.000 --> 02:42:19.000
a very sort of mainstream way but also in a very accessible way that I can work out and be part of the team, because in the

02:42:19.000 --> 02:42:27.000
end, it's about my getting back to my team.  Hopefully in another month or month and a half I'll be back with the team out on

02:42:27.000 --> 02:42:38.000
the water competing and working with them and what's really phenomenal about that experience and it's sort of an analogy to

02:42:38.000 --> 02:42:50.000
take to this setting, is the goal to be a member of the team it's all about team work.  And to have -- I'm just another guy in

02:42:50.000 --> 02:42:56.000
the boat.  I'm just another body contributing doing the best I can to synchronize with the rest of the teammates.  And in a

02:42:56.000 --> 02:43:05.000
sport where everybody thinks it requires sight.  But I have all sorts of information I can hear things.  I can feel movement

02:43:05.000 --> 02:43:14.000
in the boat.  In fact, I can have better track of the ryth am by feeling and hearing it rather than relying on my sight and

02:43:14.000 --> 02:43:31.000
really have a competing and contributing in this team sport as we go out and compete.  So I really like to take that asinaly.

02:43:31.000 --> 02:43:40.000
as analogy, taking different life experiences and finding those ways, environments, systems, technologies, the know

02:43:40.000 --> 02:43:52.000
how, the will, to come together to work together towards a common goal.  That brings us to the challenge that I'd like to

02:43:52.000 --> 02:44:01.000
leave with you.  And that is, it's about a lot of talk about accessibility.  And it's often thought of in my experience,

02:44:01.000 --> 02:44:09.000
before I lost my sight, thinking about mobility impairments.  And the symbol, international symbol of accessibility, symbol

02:44:09.000 --> 02:44:17.000
for ADA is the wheelchair but it's so much broader than that.  And we have got to learn to look beyond that to all the

02:44:17.000 --> 02:44:27.000
different sensory impairments, physical, mow builty, neurodiversity, all sorts of different experiences that people can

02:44:27.000 --> 02:44:35.000
experience and they are not different.  That's not something else it's about all part of the human condition.  That's what

02:44:35.000 --> 02:44:45.000
affirms the human condition, our frailty and also the richness of that experience and all the differences that you can bring

02:44:45.000 --> 02:44:54.000
to it.  So in some ways it's about broadening that awareness but also about letting it fade away.  Bringing in and looking for

02:44:54.000 --> 02:45:03.000
those things that bring the richness of that difference into the workplace.  Not being limited by it and reaching out to

02:45:03.000 --> 02:45:11.000
figure out how to make that environment, that experience accessible.  So there is really no Silver bullet to it.  I think

02:45:11.000 --> 02:45:20.000
there is a number of components.  On the highest level, there is the having a lot of times people think about technology as

02:45:20.000 --> 02:45:30.000
being the Silver bullet.  There is an awful lot of power in technology.  If it's designed right, if it's coated right, if you

02:45:30.000 --> 02:45:41.000
do everything right, it really can be transformative.  The power to make more and more things accessible, more and more

02:45:41.000 --> 02:45:50.000
commerce of social engagement, all sorts of things to be truly accessible.  And inclusive.  So that is key contributor.  The

02:45:50.000 --> 02:45:58.000
physical environment.  As an architect, obviously I think that is key.  Designing it to be inclusive of everyone.  And

02:45:58.000 --> 02:46:06.000
thinking about how that environment sets the stage.  It's the framework of our life it's the framework of our buildings, of

02:46:06.000 --> 02:46:17.000
our businesses.  It's how people move around and engage and it's working together as a team and we need to have an environment

02:46:17.000 --> 02:46:27.000
that is inclusive, that is accessible to all.  And finally, what could be sort of the third bullet or something might capture

02:46:27.000 --> 02:46:39.000
all of it is, your mind.  The people in control, the people making those decisions, the people looking for new employees,

02:46:39.000 --> 02:46:50.000
looking for those applicants.  And opening their minds, opening -- we learned in the prior panel for the AI to be inclusive,

02:46:50.000 --> 02:47:01.000
to be coated in ways that will be open to that difference and not set aside that difference but welcome the difference to

02:47:01.000 --> 02:47:09.000
really create that human composition of our businesses, of our enterprises to really bake in the diversity of our broader

02:47:09.000 --> 02:47:21.000
human experience into the Ethos of our companies and the work we do, the Apps that we build and the technologies and hardware

02:47:21.000 --> 02:47:39.000
everything we build, baking that into an incredibly integrated integral system that is inclusive and welcoming of all.  So

02:47:39.000 --> 02:47:43.000
with that, thank you.  And I'll turn it over to sa gar for any follow-up questions.  I'm sorry I lost track of time, I laund

02:47:43.000 --> 02:47:55.000
late and then forgot to turn on my timer.  I have no idea how you did.

02:47:55.000 --> 02:48:04.000
>> Sagar: You did awesome.  Such insightful presentation and I really like this code that says the only way to -- human

02:48:04.000 --> 02:48:15.000
potential and I think you are leading example of this.  So I have like two comments and two questions so the comment first.

02:48:15.000 --> 02:48:26.000
Someone said, Chris you are awe som.  And one more comment was Chris, I really appreciate how you were able to redesign your

02:48:26.000 --> 02:48:33.000
skills not completely reinventing yourself and unique perspectives as an asset, not a deficit.  And the question is,ime sorry

02:48:33.000 --> 02:48:40.000
I missed the name of the wax sticks.  Can you please tell what brand name is?  I'm an architect and I would like to use this

02:48:40.000 --> 02:48:49.000
in my work but I'm not as able to communicate as well as I used to.

02:48:49.000 --> 02:48:59.000
>> Chris: There is a number of different manufacturers.  There is sort of the kleenex brand is called Wiki sticks.  And you

02:48:59.000 --> 02:49:05.000
could probably do a search for Wiki sticks.  There is craft works, just wax sticks.  And there is plenty of diversity.  We

02:49:05.000 --> 02:49:15.000
recenterly found a series of -- been able to get different color-coded packets of Wiki sticks.  They usually come in crazy

02:49:15.000 --> 02:49:25.000
colors so it's okay for me since I can't see it, but it could be distracting for the architects I share it with that have such

02:49:25.000 --> 02:49:33.000
sensitive visual taste.  But you could do a search for wax sticks or Wiki sticks.

02:49:33.000 --> 02:49:41.000
>> Sagar: Can you please mention the type of printer you use for your drawings?  The same as a printer used for Braille?

02:49:41.000 --> 02:49:56.000
>> Chris: It is similar but different.  I use a large format em bossing printer.  I have one on my right side and one on my

02:49:56.000 --> 02:50:03.000
left.  The right side is Tiger pro by few plus.  And what is wonderful about that is I have large roles of paper so I can

02:50:03.000 --> 02:50:11.000
printed up to 16 inches wide by however long.  If you remember the sales force transit center project I worked on, I had

02:50:11.000 --> 02:50:25.000
printed out drawings for the third level bus deck that I did a lot of work on.  I printed out drawings that were 16 inches

02:50:25.000 --> 02:50:39.000
wide by 220 inches long that had a continuous printout of that bus platform experience.  And then I have another one, another

02:50:39.000 --> 02:50:47.000
view plus, BP max, that is -- it can do sheets up to -- I print sheets that are 13 inches by 19 and that's really sort of my

02:50:47.000 --> 02:50:58.000
workhorse today and I just use the Tiger pro for those special large format drawings that I need.

02:50:58.000 --> 02:51:04.000
>> Sagar: Thank you, Chris.  One more question.  Mr. Doyney, I have a question if it's okay to ask.  Imagine I could be

02:51:04.000 --> 02:51:14.000
wrong but when you initially lost your sight you went through a physical journey.  Perhaps also a mental journey as well.

02:51:14.000 --> 02:51:26.000
Could you touch on your mental state during this journey and what really gave you strong mindset?

02:51:26.000 --> 02:51:40.000
>> Chris: I can talk all day about that one.  I do brush over it really quickly.  So much of it came down to that first night.

02:51:40.000 --> 02:51:50.000
If you go back to that image of the hospital bed surrounded by all the question marks, I sort of liken that to Ebenezer

02:51:50.000 --> 02:52:02.000
Scrooge Christmas Carol story and being visited by the three ghosts, Christmas past, present and future and different family

02:52:02.000 --> 02:52:11.000
experiences.  One I had a grandmother who had only known her suffering tremendous effects of rheumatoid arthritis and she was

02:52:11.000 --> 02:52:21.000
truly brilliant woman but at an early age in mid life and really been struck hard by rheumatoid arthritis.  And I never known

02:52:21.000 --> 02:52:29.000
her to be able to walk out of her second story apartment very much confined to their apartment on that second floor.  And it

02:52:29.000 --> 02:52:38.000
always struck me as sort of a miserable experience as a kid.  I wanted to be outside and doing something and it's like this is

02:52:38.000 --> 02:52:45.000
the antithesis of what life should be like yet she had an incredible, powerful upbeat spirit that sort of transcended all of

02:52:45.000 --> 02:52:56.000
that and then to demonstrate it more, her hands, she could hardly grab a doorknob to turn it or shake your hand or hold a pen,

02:52:56.000 --> 02:53:03.000
yet she had the most graceful cursive writing.  And I hadn't thought about her in quite a while.  Lie in bed that night I

02:53:03.000 --> 02:53:13.000
thought if she could draw or write like that with those hands, truly I can be a blind architect.  There has to be a way to do

02:53:13.000 --> 02:53:25.000
that.  Got have that spirit, that mindset.  And then secondly, my father had passed away from complications from brain surgery

02:53:25.000 --> 02:53:35.000
when he was 37 -- 36 and I was 7 at the time.  So here I was, I was 45.  My son, our son was 10 at the time.  So I was like,

02:53:35.000 --> 02:53:43.000
this is better.  My son still has his dad and I'm still here with my wife.  Compared to the alternative, this is - we're ahead

02:53:43.000 --> 02:53:55.000
of the game.  This is a good place.  And with that then comes the question of the future of what kind of dad do I want to be?

02:53:55.000 --> 02:54:04.000
And that was just a tremendously motivating thought.  I really wanted to be there for him.  I was there.  He still had his

02:54:04.000 --> 02:54:11.000
dad.  So let's get on with being a dad.  So that bond with my son he was learning adaptive technology with me.  He thought it

02:54:11.000 --> 02:54:19.000
was coolest thing ever.  He would grab an extra cane and go with me when I walk around the neighborhood to work my own

02:54:19.000 --> 02:54:23.000
mobility and sort of sharing that with him.  And really wanting to be there and have fun and joke with him and being part of

02:54:23.000 --> 02:54:32.000
that.  So that was a big part of it.

02:54:32.000 --> 02:54:35.000
>> Sagar: Awesome.  Thank you, Chris.  And thank you very much once again everyone for your time.  With that, I'll hand over

02:54:35.000 --> 02:54:46.000
to Ivette.

02:54:46.000 --> 02:54:48.000
>> Nadine: Before I bring Ivette back, I have to say, oh, my gosh, Chris, you're awesome!  You are awesome and I just want to

02:54:48.000 --> 02:54:50.000
thank you so, so much.

02:54:50.000 --> 02:55:00.000
>> Chris: It's a pleasure to be here.

02:55:00.000 --> 02:55:09.000
>> Nadine: I don't know if you know our theme is, yes I can.  And you are the epitome of yes I can.  So thank you so very

02:55:09.000 --> 02:55:11.000
much.  We wish you the best and we definitely needed to stay in touch on universal and accessible design.

02:55:11.000 --> 02:55:14.000
>> Chris: Thank you and enjoy the rest of your conference.

02:55:14.000 --> 02:55:24.000
>> Nadine: Thank you.  Ivette?

02:55:24.000 --> 02:55:33.000
>> Ivette: Thank you, Chris.  Thank you sa gar.  In an effort to catch-up, we are going to shorten lunch by 15 minutes.  So if

02:55:33.000 --> 02:55:33.000
you could be back at 1:45 p.m. eastern, please check your local time.  Thank you very much.

02:55:37.000 --> 02:55:48.000
Communications at Kessler Foundation, Elaine Katz and joining her is Director Employment and Disability Research, Kessler

02:55:48.000 --> 02:55:55.000
Foundation, John O'Neill.  Thank you and welcome.

02:55:55.000 --> 02:56:01.000
>> ELAINE: Thank you very much.  We are pleased to be here.  Welcome, we are going to be talking about our findings from our

02:56:01.000 --> 02:56:08.000
2020 Kessler Foundation national employment disabilities survey, recent college graduates.  And before we start, I want to

02:56:08.000 --> 02:56:16.000
tell you very quickly a little bit about Kessler Foundation.  We change the lives of people with disabilities through

02:56:16.000 --> 02:56:24.000
rehabilitation research and funding employment initiatives.  Our rehabilitation research seeks to improve cognition and

02:56:24.000 --> 02:56:32.000
mobility for individuals with disabilities such as stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and Multiple Sclerosis.

02:56:32.000 --> 02:56:40.000
We look to improve daily functioning by testing new interventions and gathering data that can be used in treatment.  Our

02:56:40.000 --> 02:56:48.000
Center for Grant making has invested close to 49 million dollars over the past 13 years on new business ventures, job

02:56:48.000 --> 02:56:55.000
training, job creation in New Jersey and nationally.  These pilots we hope, will have the potential to change and improve

02:56:55.000 --> 02:57:01.000
employment outcomes for people with disabilities by leveraging these dollars in human capital, we hope to stimulate new

02:57:01.000 --> 02:57:03.000
ideas and eventually make some policy changes.  So I'm going to turn it over to John who is going to walk you through the

02:57:03.000 --> 02:57:13.000
first part of our survey.  John?

02:57:13.000 --> 02:57:31.000
>> John: Thank you, Elaine.  This is a survey we did last year.  It was in celebration of the anniversary of the 30th

02:57:31.000 --> 02:57:39.000
anniversary of the ADA.  And it's a survey of today's recent college graduates who grew up during the ADA there has been, in

02:57:39.000 --> 02:57:58.000
recent years, over a couple of decades, there has been an increase in the number of individuals with disabilities who are

02:57:58.000 --> 02:58:09.000
attending or participating in higher education.  It was only 6% in 19 nix whereas in 2016, it had jumped to over 20%.  In

02:58:09.000 --> 02:58:25.000
spite of that, the labor force participation rate still bagsly hind for people with disabilities, for example those

02:58:25.000 --> 02:58:41.000
individuals age 20-34 only 48% are participating in the labor market in 2020 versus 81% of those without disabilities.  And

02:58:41.000 --> 02:58:52.000
from here on in, when there is a D -- on the graph, it means it indicates people with disabilities and when there is not a D,

02:58:52.000 --> 02:58:59.000
it's folks without disabilities.  And if there is a color differential, pink versus blue, it means it's a significant

02:58:59.000 --> 02:59:10.000
difference.  The research question we wanted to focus on was the 20 to which college was paying off for people with

02:59:10.000 --> 02:59:19.000
disabilities.  And we also wanted to answer whether college students with disabilities are engaging in career preparation

02:59:19.000 --> 02:59:30.000
while in college in ways that are like their peers without disabilities.  We also wanted to know if they are successfully

02:59:30.000 --> 02:59:44.000
transitioning to work after graduation.  And wanted to know do the employment outcomes, recent college graduates with and

02:59:44.000 --> 02:59:56.000
without disabilities, how they compare the employment outcomes.  Our sample, we sampled over 4,700 folks in all 50 states,

02:59:56.000 --> 03:00:11.000
ages 20-35 capturing the ADA generation.  And folks who graduated in the last five years.  The sample was about evenly split

03:00:11.000 --> 03:00:29.000
between men and women and only 2% were non-binary or trans.  61% were white, 11% African-American and black and 17% Hispanic.

03:00:29.000 --> 03:00:39.000
35% of the annual household income was less than $45,000 and we were able to get about a 50/50 percent split in those who self

03:00:39.000 --> 03:00:49.000
reported a disability versus those 2 who didn't.  The types of disability varied.  The most common disability were individuals

03:00:49.000 --> 03:01:01.000
with mental health issues and then the next was those with cognitive disabilities.  The next were those with learning

03:01:01.000 --> 03:01:17.000
disabilities and then we jumped down to those with mobility, vision, hearing and we had a very small proportion of folks with

03:01:17.000 --> 03:01:29.000
intellectual or developmental disabilities.  I'm going to focus a little bit on degree and institution.  We found that

03:01:29.000 --> 03:01:37.000
individuals with disabilities were more likely than those without disabilities to have graduated with an associate's degree.

03:01:37.000 --> 03:01:53.000
And we found that there were equal proportions of those that with and without disabilities who graduated with a bachelor's or

03:01:53.000 --> 03:02:02.000
a more advanced degree.  Reasons degrees were obtained from Community Colleges.  And we asked people with disabilities and

03:02:02.000 --> 03:02:15.000
without disabilities and the only real difference was that folks with disabilities reported that it was easier to get to a

03:02:15.000 --> 03:02:24.000
Community College and that was one of the main reasons they were choosing the Community College.  And also we found that

03:02:24.000 --> 03:02:36.000
recent college graduates with disabilities were more likely to ever take courses at a Community College whether they were in

03:02:36.000 --> 03:02:45.000
the process of getting a Bachelor's Degree or whether they attended Community College while they were in high school.

03:02:45.000 --> 03:02:54.000
>> ELAINE: So I'm going to talk a little bit about some of the points we have so far.  What is really important is to see that

03:02:54.000 --> 03:03:01.000
Community College is really a pathway to employment and we found that recent college graduates really started looking at the

03:03:01.000 --> 03:03:11.000
four-year degree as the Community College as a stepping stone to the four-year die grue.  We saw a lot of different reasons

03:03:11.000 --> 03:03:19.000
for it.  Some of it was access, some lower cost.  Also opportunities for some of the students to participate in work at

03:03:19.000 --> 03:03:29.000
two-year schools while in college.  As we heard through President Biden's address last night, there is a greater emphasis on

03:03:29.000 --> 03:03:41.000
access to Community College for all because it is seen as a way of increasing advancement in your career and education.  We

03:03:41.000 --> 03:03:48.000
all know that earnings are greater at higher level of education for people without disabilities.  And forem people with

03:03:48.000 --> 03:03:54.000
disabilities, when you advance your career, they toned earn more in every single level.  So for example when people with

03:03:54.000 --> 03:04:05.000
disabilities move from high school to an associate's degree, the proportional bump up in earnings for them is much greater and

03:04:05.000 --> 03:04:11.000
more of an improvement than for people without disabilities.  We saw 43% to 36%.  People with disabilities also have an

03:04:11.000 --> 03:04:19.000
improvement of employment itself at each educational level over people without disabilities.  The greatest proportion is a

03:04:19.000 --> 03:04:26.000
bump up again moving from high school to Community College where people with disabilities had a 34% improvement where people

03:04:26.000 --> 03:04:34.000
without disabilities only had a 10% improvement.  So for a person with a disability, continuing their education after high

03:04:34.000 --> 03:04:39.000
school always pays off, especially now when there is so much unemployment due to COVID and most schools are offering things

03:04:39.000 --> 03:04:55.000
almost entirely on line.  Back to you, John.

03:04:55.000 --> 03:05:13.000
>> John: Now I'm going to focus on college major.  People with disabilities were les likely to major in Business Management

03:05:13.000 --> 03:05:23.000
and they were also less likely to major in STEM, that is science, technology, engineering and mathematics majors.  There was

03:05:23.000 --> 03:05:33.000
no difference between the proportion of folks with and without disabilities who were majoring in health and related sciences.

03:05:33.000 --> 03:05:47.000
We're going to touch quickly on the impact of the college major and the impact on employment.  And first we're going to talk

03:05:47.000 --> 03:05:55.000
about college majors among people with disabilities and then we're going to compare generally Computer Science versus other

03:05:55.000 --> 03:06:09.000
majors for all individuals.  So people with disabilities were more likely to be employed post graduation if they majored in

03:06:09.000 --> 03:06:24.000
health sciences versus other majors.  That was also true among people in education versus all other majors.  And among the

03:06:24.000 --> 03:06:45.000
whole population, when you had a disability or not, Computer Science folks were much more likely to be employed versus all

03:06:45.000 --> 03:06:57.000
other majors.  In terms of the jobs that individuals are likely to be in and what they graduated in, in terms of their degree;

03:06:57.000 --> 03:07:07.000
individuals with Bachelor's Degrees who majored in personal-related helping professions, they were more likely to get a job

03:07:07.000 --> 03:07:19.000
than those without disabilities.  So they were more likely to be employed in those kinds of positions.  Whereas for those who

03:07:19.000 --> 03:07:29.000
got STEM majors, people with disabilities were less likely to be employed in STEM fields than individuals without disabilities.

03:07:29.000 --> 03:07:37.000
>> ELAINE: So let's just whap up some of the important points about this.  So we talked about STEM just to make sure that

03:07:37.000 --> 03:07:43.000
everybody understands, we are talking about science, technology, engineering and math.  So we are talking about majoring in

03:07:43.000 --> 03:07:54.000
coursework and those particular fields.  And as John mentioned, we saw recent college graduates with disabilities were less

03:07:54.000 --> 03:08:02.000
likely to major in STEM for whatever reason, but if we saw major in STEM was important when this survey was done in 2020

03:08:02.000 --> 03:08:10.000
before COVID, certainly the pandemic has heightened its importance of being in the STEM fields not only now do we have a

03:08:10.000 --> 03:08:19.000
highbred workplace that is here to stay, but to work remotely, you need to know something about tech in a simple way.  But

03:08:19.000 --> 03:08:28.000
also working that way meant that companies and corporations and businesses have really added back end technical support to

03:08:28.000 --> 03:08:38.000
help their employees who are working in remote locations.  We also see the expansion of companies like Amazon and others with

03:08:38.000 --> 03:08:46.000
increasing their warehouse fulfillment.  And trucking.  Those industries all use some type of technology or artificial

03:08:46.000 --> 03:08:55.000
intelligence to move things along.  So again as I mentioned, artificial intelligence, we see increased use of that in Human

03:08:55.000 --> 03:09:02.000
Resource Management, marketing and other areas.  So the growth in technology has lots and lots of new jobs and more jobs down

03:09:02.000 --> 03:09:11.000
the pike but also requires advanced skills in STEM.  So our advice is if you're looking into working with a young adult who is

03:09:11.000 --> 03:09:23.000
looking into majoring in college, encourage them to go into STEM.  John, back to you.

03:09:23.000 --> 03:09:35.000
>> John: Now we're going to review results related to career preparation.  There is a good news story here.  People with and

03:09:35.000 --> 03:09:44.000
without disabilities are accessing their Career Services while in college to the same degree.  The only exception is that

03:09:44.000 --> 03:09:55.000
people with disabilities seem to be meeting with career councilors more frequently.  So but for the other types of Career

03:09:55.000 --> 03:10:08.000
Services like job fairs, resume or cover letter training, interviewing and career exploration, people with and without

03:10:08.000 --> 03:10:21.000
disabilities are accessing those services to a similar degree.  Advising.  Academic advising.  A very critical part of higher

03:10:21.000 --> 03:10:33.000
education.  And here the story is the same, that individuals with and without disabilities for the most part, are accessing

03:10:33.000 --> 03:10:42.000
academic advising to a similar degree but again, good news is that individuals with disabilities seem to be accessing the

03:10:42.000 --> 03:10:57.000
academic advising center and informal faculty advisors more frequently than those without disabilities.  So kind of a good

03:10:57.000 --> 03:11:11.000
news story all around for people with disabilities accessing academic and advising.  Also, we looked at the services used by

03:11:11.000 --> 03:11:21.000
students with disabilities and the impact on employment.  We found that those students with disabilities who used

03:11:21.000 --> 03:11:39.000
accessibility services or academic advising or Career Services, those individuals versus those who didn't were more likely to

03:11:39.000 --> 03:11:53.000
be employed after graduation.  Internships in terms of development, human capital.  So we found here that for people with

03:11:53.000 --> 03:12:06.000
disabilities and for people without disabilities, if you used internships in college, it doesn't matter if you're a person

03:12:06.000 --> 03:12:17.000
with a disability or a person without a disability, you were more likely to be employed.  It's kind of a leveling kind of

03:12:17.000 --> 03:12:25.000
activity among people with and without disabilities, which is not surprising.  Working while in college and the impact on

03:12:25.000 --> 03:12:34.000
employment.  Once again, those who had work during college, whether they had disabilities or not, they were more likely to be

03:12:34.000 --> 03:12:42.000
employed after college.  So work matters while in college.  Elaine, over to you.

03:12:42.000 --> 03:12:51.000
>> ELAINE: Thank you, John.  Really what is excite being our findings is that it really counters a long-term message about

03:12:51.000 --> 03:13:01.000
whether or not people with disabilities engage in college and have an opportunity whether in higher-ed to fully participate.

03:13:01.000 --> 03:13:12.000
And we did see that when it came to engagement in career participation, we saw a little differences between the engagement and

03:13:12.000 --> 03:13:19.000
career preparation for students without disabilities as their peers.  Non-disabled peers.  So students with disabilities took

03:13:19.000 --> 03:13:29.000
advantage as John mentioned, of everything they could on campus through Career Services whether it was seeking out guidance or

03:13:29.000 --> 03:13:38.000
using career office connections for internships or jobs or part-time volunteer opportunities.  And we know all of those real

03:13:38.000 --> 03:13:47.000
work, whether work or real-life work experiences such as volunteer opportunities, can really make a difference when those

03:13:47.000 --> 03:13:57.000
young adults finish school in their job search for real.  What is even more surprising from this study is that recent college

03:13:57.000 --> 03:14:03.000
graduate with disabilities engaged in these types of activities as much as their peers.  So when we saw -- next slide.  We saw

03:14:03.000 --> 03:14:09.000
individuals with disabilities in school, they are taking advantage of things that are not necessarily sitting by and waiting

03:14:09.000 --> 03:14:18.000
for things to happen, which I think is another myth when you're thinking about college students with disabilities on campus or

03:14:18.000 --> 03:14:26.000
off campus and school and their engagement.  It's really common for colleges and universities if they have an Office of

03:14:26.000 --> 03:14:34.000
Disability Services to have it located in a different place than the Office of Career Services.  And that is really a

03:14:34.000 --> 03:14:44.000
disadvantage for a whole Host of reasons.  For example, Career Services may not know of the accommodations in technology to

03:14:44.000 --> 03:14:49.000
help a student improve their studying, for example, or to seek out what they need in employment -- to have an accommodation in

03:14:49.000 --> 03:14:57.000
an interview for employment.  Or the students may not Evan be able to access the build figure they have a physical disability

03:14:57.000 --> 03:15:06.000
because it may be up a huge flight of stays.  So the growing Best Practice in this area is to co-locate career preparation

03:15:06.000 --> 03:15:17.000
services and the Office of Disability Services because that promotes Universal Design which is really access for everybody to

03:15:17.000 --> 03:15:23.000
all the services.  To give you an example of some of the programs we've had in 2013, we launched a program called bridging the

03:15:23.000 --> 03:15:31.000
gap, college to careers, with San Diego State University, University of California-Berkeley and Cal State Fullerton.  What

03:15:31.000 --> 03:15:41.000
that really was is the first time there was a credited course at the University that a student with or without disability

03:15:41.000 --> 03:15:49.000
could take that focused on peer and business, mentorships, self development, self awareness, job search.  After the pilot, we

03:15:49.000 --> 03:15:57.000
really found that it helped to prepare young adults for the workforce and employment and we saw very much higher engagement

03:15:57.000 --> 03:16:18.000
and higher employment opportunities and placement than other programs.  Back to you, John.

03:16:18.000 --> 03:16:27.000
>> John: Working after college.  This is the high point of this research.  There was essentially an equal proportion of

03:16:27.000 --> 03:16:43.000
individuals with and without disabilities who are employed after -- who were currently working at the time we interviewed them

03:16:43.000 --> 03:16:55.000
after they graduated.  80% for people with disabilities and about 79% for those without disabilities.  The other finding is

03:16:55.000 --> 03:17:12.000
that working in the past since graduation there were equal proportions.  Interesting finding we found was that people with

03:17:12.000 --> 03:17:22.000
disabilities tended to have worked in the past at any time or prior to graduation more so than students without disabilities.

03:17:22.000 --> 03:17:32.000
In terms of a seconder people were working in, private, non-for-profit, government, self-employed or non-for-profit, there was

03:17:32.000 --> 03:17:44.000
interesting differences, significant differences.  People without disabilities were more likely to be in the private

03:17:44.000 --> 03:18:10.000
for-profit sector.  Also people with disabilities are more likely to be in the non-profit sector and there were about equal

03:18:10.000 --> 03:18:18.000
proportions that were either in government or self-employed.  The working arrangements or the quality of the jobs with

03:18:18.000 --> 03:18:30.000
disabilities versus those without.  Those without were in more likely to be in regular permanent positions whereas those with

03:18:30.000 --> 03:18:50.000
disabilities were more likely to be consultants, freelancers, doing intermittent work, on call or through a temporary agency.

03:18:50.000 --> 03:19:05.000
So the stability of the employment of people with disabilities was somewhat less than those without disabilities.  These were

03:19:05.000 --> 03:19:15.000
the top five job categories that students with or without disabilities ended up in.  Some of the categories were the same,

03:19:15.000 --> 03:19:23.000
health, engineering, teaching, Sales and Marketing but we see that among people with disabilities, clerical was on the top 5

03:19:23.000 --> 03:19:40.000
and you don't see that among those without disabilities.  And you see those without disabilities in computer-related fields

03:19:40.000 --> 03:19:58.000
where that isn't one of the top 5 for those with disabilities.  Also earnings are essentially on the whole somewhat better for

03:19:58.000 --> 03:20:13.000
people without disabilities.  Job search barriers for people with and without disabilities.  Those job search barriers that

03:20:13.000 --> 03:20:28.000
are highlighted in yellow -- blue were individuals with disabilities were more likely to -- for their employer to assume they

03:20:28.000 --> 03:20:40.000
couldn't do the job.   They were more likely to get less pan than others and they also felt that there were more negative

03:20:40.000 --> 03:20:41.000
employer attitudes.  So there is still barriers for people with disabilities, even if they are working, these can be

03:20:41.000 --> 03:20:52.000
challenges.  Elaine.

03:20:52.000 --> 03:20:59.000
>> ELAINE: So let's wrap up some of the working after college points to remember.  College pays off for people with

03:20:59.000 --> 03:21:10.000
disabilities, whether a two or 4-year school.  We found 90% of the recent college graduates held jobs.  So it really is

03:21:10.000 --> 03:21:18.000
important to note that yes, advanced education does make a difference when you go for employment and people without

03:21:18.000 --> 03:21:25.000
disabilities have good employment prospects but the most have been people with disabilities do not.  We saw that as not true

03:21:25.000 --> 03:21:34.000
when there is a higher education component from our survey.  We also talked earlier about how the rate of employment increases

03:21:34.000 --> 03:21:43.000
at different higher levels of education with more people employed at each level.  However, people with disabilities also get a

03:21:43.000 --> 03:21:51.000
greater proportion of bump up at each level, for example, as we talked about when you move from an AA to a BA degree, we saw

03:21:51.000 --> 03:22:00.000
20% improvement in people with disabilities versus a 1% improvement for people without disabilities.  Also those employment

03:22:00.000 --> 03:22:10.000
disparities between people with and without disabilitieses decreased as the education level increases.  Oftentimes we do see

03:22:10.000 --> 03:22:18.000
that young adults with disabilities tend to go for a degree after degree after degree, and we're not sure, we didn't look that

03:22:18.000 --> 03:22:25.000
the in our study but some may be the employment supports they need after school, after they finish college, really need to be

03:22:25.000 --> 03:22:40.000
increased to help them find their way to get the job.  And that's where using the career service office in college can really

03:22:40.000 --> 03:22:48.000
help you find that job after school.  We also looked at striving to work.  And there has been a traditional disparity between

03:22:48.000 --> 03:22:56.000
employment with disabilities and the general population but we know people with disabilities want to work.  So the ultimate

03:22:56.000 --> 03:23:06.000
objective is to identify ways that people with disabilities can strive to work and overcome obstacles and we talked about the

03:23:06.000 --> 03:23:18.000
strive to work as people who are currently employed, overcoming search barriers, regarding transportation, negative employment

03:23:18.000 --> 03:23:26.000
attitudes, ableism, employers assuming they can't do the job and we found all of these results through our 2015 employment

03:23:26.000 --> 03:23:34.000
survey and again, we're trying to refocus the National Discourse away from employment disparities to successfully overcoming

03:23:34.000 --> 03:23:43.000
barriers.  But more important, over and over and over again and to the employers out there, families out there with young

03:23:43.000 --> 03:23:52.000
adults, people with disabilities want to work and are looking for work and are qualified for work.  By offering new

03:23:52.000 --> 03:24:00.000
information to the disability field, for legislators, researchers and the public, it really allows for the creation of new

03:24:00.000 --> 03:24:08.000
priorities and new policies and programs to increase the participation rates of people with disabilities and inclusion more

03:24:08.000 --> 03:24:18.000
importantly in the workforce.  So that's really the end of our formal discussion and we hope that the information we presented

03:24:18.000 --> 03:24:26.000
today will be helpful to individuals, to families, to you who are hiring and in charge of hiring and more importantly, to

03:24:26.000 --> 03:24:37.000
transition councilors and those assisting people with disabilities and career planning because to really recognize the higher

03:24:37.000 --> 03:24:45.000
education pays off in jobs and earnings.  Which then enable people with disabilities to be more self-sufficient and lead

03:24:45.000 --> 03:24:53.000
independent fives our community.   I'm hoping we have a few minutes for questions before we hand it over.

03:24:53.000 --> 03:25:02.000
>> Nadine: Thank you very much.  That was a fabulous presentation.  We do have a question that came in from Ken at Unum.  How

03:25:02.000 --> 03:25:03.000
are the undergraduates with disabilities identified and then are they based on accommodations requested or what other ways are

03:25:03.000 --> 03:25:06.000
you looking at this?

03:25:06.000 --> 03:25:27.000
>> ELAINE: John, I'll let you talk about that.

03:25:27.000 --> 03:25:41.000
>> John: In terms of our survey, we we surveyed a large number of college graduates and we actually asked them to respond to a

03:25:41.000 --> 03:25:50.000
number of questions about disability to see whether they affirmed any of those.  And that's how we identified our sample.  The

03:25:50.000 --> 03:26:00.000
question may not be how do you find students with disabilities within colleges.  Certainly, the office for students, all

03:26:00.000 --> 03:26:14.000
colleges universities for the most part have offices for students with disabilities, they have many different names.

03:26:14.000 --> 03:26:22.000
Sometimes disability service offices, accessibility centers and so it varies and so that is one place you can go to find

03:26:22.000 --> 03:26:38.000
students with disabilities but there are a number of students in college that don't utilize those services who have

03:26:38.000 --> 03:26:47.000
disabilities.  A number of students who might have mental health issues, may not need the accommodations and may shy away from

03:26:47.000 --> 03:26:58.000
identifying themselves as a person with a disability in order to avoid the stigma that might be associated with that.

03:26:58.000 --> 03:27:06.000
>> ELAINE: I can add one more thing too.  We had a 2017 supervisor survey and we found that companies that use outside

03:27:06.000 --> 03:27:15.000
assistance to help them develop Diversity and Inclusion programs such as Springboard Consulting or others, found if very, very

03:27:15.000 --> 03:27:26.000
helpful to help them work through the process, identify students and adult with disabilities who may want to work with their

03:27:26.000 --> 03:27:35.000
companies.  Locally there is also a Vocational Rehabilitation or each county also has a career office, job -- they keep

03:27:35.000 --> 03:27:41.000
changing their names.  They also typically have people about disabilities working with them.

03:27:41.000 --> 03:27:49.000
>> Nadine: Thank you for mentioning that.  Springboard has a variety of programs where we work with companies.  Actually

03:27:49.000 --> 03:27:57.000
across the globe in looking at hiring people with disabilities who are graduates of college, who are in college, mentoring

03:27:57.000 --> 03:28:04.000
programs, internship programs and the like.  Another question has come in.  Were you able to look at the intersections between

03:28:04.000 --> 03:28:12.000
disability and race and if so, did you find any significant learning?

03:28:12.000 --> 03:28:20.000
>> John: We are still analyzing the data and that's another level of analysis that we haven't gotten to yet but we will.  We

03:28:20.000 --> 03:28:29.000
are very interested in that and obviously it's very important issue.

03:28:29.000 --> 03:28:37.000
>> ELAINE: I can add one more fees that.  Although we are still doing the data analysis on that in our survey, we are finding

03:28:37.000 --> 03:28:45.000
through our other supervisor surveys -- so they are all interrelated and built upon each other, that companies when they look

03:28:45.000 --> 03:28:48.000
at diversity, they may look at people of color.  They may look at LGBTQ, but they are not thinking within those populations so

03:28:48.000 --> 03:28:58.000
people with disabilities.  Which is intersectionality.

03:28:58.000 --> 03:29:03.000
>> Nadine: So we have one final question which is, what would you say was the most surprising of all the results in your

03:29:03.000 --> 03:29:15.000
survey?  Anything that just shocked you that you weren't expecting?

03:29:15.000 --> 03:29:31.000
>> John: I think one of the things I wasn't expecting was the degree to which students -- there was equality among students

03:29:31.000 --> 03:29:42.000
with and without disabilities in terms of using advisement services of colleges as well as the Career Services.  That was

03:29:42.000 --> 03:29:46.000
refreshing finding for me because having worked in a University system at the University of New York, there was a strong myth,

03:29:46.000 --> 03:29:53.000
apparently, that that wasn't the case.

03:29:53.000 --> 03:30:02.000
>> Nadine: It would be nice to see that quality transition over to the workplace.  So Elaine and John thank you both so very

03:30:02.000 --> 03:30:11.000
much.  We are going to transition and stay on the topic of college students with disabilities.  So if we could -- I want to

03:30:11.000 --> 03:30:16.000
thank the two of you and ask tie Felicia Henderson, Executive Director of the Springboard Foundation, and a lad lad finance

03:30:16.000 --> 03:30:46.000
Director of the Springboard Foundation.  -- Elizabeth Ladue.

03:30:46.000 --> 03:31:16.000
I see we have tie Felicia.  And John, I need you to shut your video, please.  Thank you.

03:31:20.000 --> 03:31:28.000
>> I'm Tynisha Henderson and joined by my wonderful colleague, Libby Ladu.  I'll tell you about myself and then Libby can

03:31:28.000 --> 03:31:35.000
introduce herself.  I'm the part-time Executive Director with the Springboard Foundation.  I am also the full-time Director of

03:31:35.000 --> 03:31:42.000
Student accessibility services at Western University in Springfield, Massachusetts.  I do identify as a person with a

03:31:42.000 --> 03:31:48.000
disability and I'm truly enjoying supporting students.  Hi, Libby.

03:31:48.000 --> 03:31:57.000
>> Libertyforelian.org hi, everybody.  I'm the Treasurer of the Springboard Foundation that we are going to talk about just

03:31:57.000 --> 03:32:11.000
now.  And I have been with the foundation since it started.  And I'm the Chief Financial Officer of Springboard Consulting and

03:32:11.000 --> 03:32:20.000
I also have a history of working with mainly women-owned small businesses in various financial capacities.

03:32:20.000 --> 03:32:28.000
>> Liz Liz we are here because there is a direct correlation between the information -- Tynisha: The Springboard Foundation is

03:32:28.000 --> 03:32:37.000
a non-profit that is designed and established to provide scholarship with students diagnosed with disabilities and registered

03:32:37.000 --> 03:32:43.000
with the student accessibility offices at their local college or University.  We provide scholarships for college students

03:32:43.000 --> 03:32:53.000
diagnosed disabilities and I think it's important to note that diagnosed disability is really different from a simple

03:32:53.000 --> 03:33:01.000
diagnosis.  It rises to the level of disability when according to ADA, it impacts an area of living.  The Springboard

03:33:01.000 --> 03:33:12.000
Foundation has a wonderful engaging board that supports the work that we do.  We have a number of corporate donors, private

03:33:12.000 --> 03:33:22.000
donors and what I love about this organization is we also provide internship support.  So most recently, with one of our 2021

03:33:22.000 --> 03:33:28.000
scholarship recipients, we have a student who also received a scholarship but was also allowed to participate in the Dell

03:33:28.000 --> 03:33:36.000
internship program through a direct connection of one of our Board Members as a result of applying for the scholarship.  And

03:33:36.000 --> 03:33:41.000
as mentioned, in the previous presentation, there is a direct correlation between internships or working during college and

03:33:41.000 --> 03:33:57.000
also accessing employment after college.  Libby?

03:33:57.000 --> 03:34:08.000
>> Libertyforelian.org can we have the next slide.  So we give two types of scholarships.  Our 2500 dollar one-time

03:34:08.000 --> 03:34:22.000
scholarships to students which are funded by our corporate donors which also allow them to interact with that corporate donor

03:34:22.000 --> 03:34:33.000
to see if there are internship possibilities.  Some of those corporate donors choose certain kinds of majors like for example

03:34:33.000 --> 03:34:44.000
STEM majors.  So we look for STEM majors for those possibilities.  And then we have general scholarships we award out of our

03:34:44.000 --> 03:35:04.000
general fund which are 1500 dollars.  So those are the two types of scholarships and since 2017, we have awarded over 700

03:35:04.000 --> 03:35:11.000
scholarships awarded to students all over the country.   Including STEM, fashion, business, teaching whatever.

03:35:11.000 --> 03:35:20.000
>> Tynisha: Full-time undergraduate college or University student that has a documented disability of any type.  The student

03:35:20.000 --> 03:35:30.000
must have completed 24 credits and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.  Registered with the university's Disability Services office,

03:35:30.000 --> 03:35:40.000
a U.S. citizen and a permanent resident.  Are eligible to apply.  We have given over 40 scholarships but we have given 58

03:35:40.000 --> 03:35:52.000
since 2016 and those scholarship recipients seen there by Franklin in the picture that is a student from the college who is

03:35:52.000 --> 03:36:02.000
one of our recipients for 2021 and he shared with us the importance of being recognized by his community because the

03:36:02.000 --> 03:36:10.000
scholarship itself helps him feel like he's a part of the community as he moves forward in his academic career.

03:36:10.000 --> 03:36:21.000
>> Libertyforelian.org we wanted to introduce you all to the foundation.  We love for you to look at the website.  It has

03:36:21.000 --> 03:36:33.000
pictures of all the recipients and some information about them on the website.  If you know anybody who might be a good

03:36:33.000 --> 03:36:42.000
applicant for these scholarships please encourage them to apply the application on line.  Anybody who is interested in

03:36:42.000 --> 03:36:54.000
supporting our efforts can donate to us on line to the general fund or if you're a corporation and you want to talk to us

03:36:54.000 --> 03:37:05.000
about sponsoring scholarships, please let us know.  I also want to mention one other thing last December, we had our first

03:37:05.000 --> 03:37:18.000
annual Film Festival which was absolutely marvelous.  It was two hours of about 13 films interspersed with interviews with the

03:37:18.000 --> 03:37:29.000
producers, Directors or actors.  Each film was featuring people with disabilities or produced by, acted by, whatever people

03:37:29.000 --> 03:37:40.000
with all different types of disabilities, the types of films were different from animation to live and it was fascinating.  So

03:37:40.000 --> 03:37:40.000
if you're interested in getting on the mailing list for the next Film Festival, please again, contact our office and thank

03:37:40.000 --> 03:37:44.000
you.

03:37:44.000 --> 03:37:54.000
>> Tynisha: Thank you.

03:37:54.000 --> 03:38:02.000
>> Nadine: Thank you.  I really appreciate it.  This is a personal passion for me.  College students have lots of hurdles to

03:38:02.000 --> 03:38:10.000
get through.  People with disabilities have extreme hurdles to get through.  And we don't want dollars to be one of those

03:38:10.000 --> 03:38:20.000
hurdles.  We want to find a way to further the mission.  The other thing we know and know so well is that if we just provide

03:38:20.000 --> 03:38:29.000
money, it's not that it's a bad thing, but if we provide money and a connection to a company for that internship, and then we

03:38:29.000 --> 03:38:36.000
do that for those scholarships, it's just amazing.  So I ask each and every one of you that are on this conference with us

03:38:36.000 --> 03:38:49.000
today, depending on what organization you work with, depending on where in the organization you believe scholarships are

03:38:49.000 --> 03:38:55.000
available, please reach out to tie Felicia.  Let her know.  I'm happy to have a conversation tie Felicia will have a

03:38:55.000 --> 03:39:02.000
conversation with you.  Our founding corporate members are Colgate and Oracle.  We had so many other and continue to have so

03:39:02.000 --> 03:39:18.000
many others.  So I wanted to say that and thank you both very much and we'll turn it over to Ivette.

03:39:18.000 --> 03:39:26.000
>> Ivette: .  Thank you and now moving on to our every day Disability Hero session.  Let me just preface by saying this is not

03:39:26.000 --> 03:39:34.000
a Corporate Award.  This is actually annual award for an individual.  A disability here so someone who makes their voice,

03:39:34.000 --> 03:39:48.000
time, efforts and at times, money count for issues impacting the disability community.  And with that, we're going to welcome

03:39:48.000 --> 03:39:59.000
to the stage, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, General Manager Customer Advocacy at Intel, Laura Barbaro to introduce our

03:39:59.000 --> 03:40:02.000
Panelist.  And author Goodby Orchid and Global Corporate Strategy at Mars incorporated, Carol Van Den Hende.

03:40:02.000 --> 03:40:03.000
Laura.

03:40:03.000 --> 03:40:06.000
>> Laura: Can you hear me?

03:40:06.000 --> 03:40:11.000
>> Ivette: Now I have you.  Thank you.

03:40:11.000 --> 03:40:17.000
>> Laura: I apologize for my background it will not change so I hope this is not too distracting.

03:40:17.000 --> 03:40:17.000
>> Ivette: It's beautiful.

03:40:17.000 --> 03:40:25.000
>> Laura: Hello, everyone.

03:40:25.000 --> 03:40:36.000
>> Ivette: I want to make sure that Carol is here.  We cannot hear you, Carol.  That's why I wanted to make sure.  You might

03:40:36.000 --> 03:40:39.000
be muted maybe?

03:40:39.000 --> 03:40:47.000
>> Carol: Can you hear me now?

03:40:47.000 --> 03:40:55.000
>> Laura: Good afternoon from sunny Naples, Florida.  I'm so honored to be here with you today and be part of this special

03:40:55.000 --> 03:41:04.000
15th anniversary of disability matters.  And I'm so inspired by all of the speakers that have proved to us that anything

03:41:04.000 --> 03:41:14.000
is possible and yes, we can.  After today, and I hope I'm not going ahead of the agenda but I'm going to go on a him and say

03:41:14.000 --> 03:41:22.000
I'm confident we all will be saying, yes, we will, at the end of the day today.  As I was introduced, my name is Laura Barbaro

03:41:22.000 --> 03:41:29.000
Vice President of Intel's customer experience organization and Co-Chair of the disability Leadership Council as well as on our

03:41:29.000 --> 03:41:39.000
Executive Board for inclusion.  It's my honor to announce this year's every day hero award and as we heard a little bit more

03:41:39.000 --> 03:41:49.000
about the award, I wanted to also reinforce what we just heard.  This distinguished award matters, this Disability Matters

03:41:49.000 --> 03:42:00.000
Award, is really given to a hero.  These heroes are people who make their voices time, efforts and sometimes even money count

03:42:00.000 --> 03:42:08.000
for issues that impact the disability community.  We heard so many stories over the last few days of how this work matters.

03:42:08.000 --> 03:42:18.000
These individuals can be found anywhere in all and hips all sizes and all ages and they are not affiliated with a non-profit

03:42:18.000 --> 03:42:26.000
or an agency.  This is through their direct in their acts of kindsness that create these amazing outcomes.  I wish we were in

03:42:26.000 --> 03:42:35.000
person because I have just been so excitedded to have the opportunity to meet our hero award winner.  So if you could please

03:42:35.000 --> 03:42:46.000
if you're in your office, stand up and give a virtual cheer to the 2021 every day hero award winner and the third recipient of

03:42:46.000 --> 03:42:55.000
this award, Carol Van Den Hende.  Carol is an Award-Winning author who pens stories of resilience and hopes.  She holds an MBA

03:42:55.000 --> 03:43:07.000
with 20 plus years of lived experience in marketing and strategy and insights at Mars incorporated.  Her novel, Goodby Orchid,

03:43:07.000 --> 03:43:16.000
won the 2020 American fiction award for urban fiction, the pinnacle Achievement Award for multicultural fiction, the IAN

03:43:16.000 --> 03:43:26.000
outstanding function for best first novel, two royal dragonfly Awards, two best book finalists, audio book reviewer new author

03:43:26.000 --> 03:43:36.000
of the year.  She's won a buck Excellence Award.  She's been named the top 2020 by the write review.  She has been featured on

03:43:36.000 --> 03:43:44.000
glamour, BuzzFeed, parade, travel and leisure, Chicago tribune and so many more.  If you're like me, once you read this book,

03:43:44.000 --> 03:43:52.000
I will assure you this will become one of your own personal Awards that you issue as the best book in your personal library.

03:43:52.000 --> 03:44:02.000
Carol is an inspirational speaker.  She is a strategist.  She is a Board Member and a climate reality Leader.  I don't know

03:44:02.000 --> 03:44:11.000
how she has all this time in her day.  She shared her secret to good fortune as her humorous husband, her fun-loving twins and

03:44:11.000 --> 03:44:19.000
a rescued cat who proves that love really does conquer all.  So Carol, congratulations!  It's such an honor to have this time

03:44:19.000 --> 03:44:27.000
with you.  I personally found this book to be the most engaging and inspiring book that I have ever read.  I couldn't wait to

03:44:27.000 --> 03:44:35.000
turn the page and was immediately immersed in the story.  The characters and story line impacted both my head and my heart and

03:44:35.000 --> 03:44:36.000
it left me with so many thoughts and questions for today.  So my first question is, what was the source of your inspiration

03:44:36.000 --> 03:44:43.000
for Goodby Orchid?

03:44:43.000 --> 03:44:51.000
>> Carol: First of all, thank you very much for that amazing introduction and I have to say it's such an honor to be here on

03:44:51.000 --> 03:45:00.000
this stage with you, with incredible speakers that we saw in the last two days and today.  To be with Nadine and crew,

03:45:00.000 --> 03:45:08.000
especially because unlike many who are in the audience, many who have been on this stage, IND is not my day-to-day job.  And

03:45:08.000 --> 03:45:14.000
so I'm so inspired by all that I have learned over these last few days myself.  So this question you asked about what was the

03:45:14.000 --> 03:45:24.000
inspiration behind Goodby Orchid.  I'm going to start with quite a personal story like many of the speakers who spoke in these

03:45:24.000 --> 03:45:33.000
last few days have.  Because the origin of the story for Goodby Orchid comes at a time when my husband and I were realizing

03:45:33.000 --> 03:45:43.000
and grappling with the idea that our son has a disability and what services did he need, how could we best support him?  And

03:45:43.000 --> 03:45:52.000
in that journey, as a way to look for solace, I did turn to writing and that the time, what was inspiring me were stories of

03:45:52.000 --> 03:46:00.000
combat wounded Veterans.  So you know Laura, having read Goodby Orchid, the story is not actually about military or

03:46:00.000 --> 03:46:08.000
combat-wounded Veterans but the characters of the story actually follow that journey and the reason I say it takes inspiration

03:46:08.000 --> 03:46:18.000
from combat-wounded Veterans is because the main character, Phoenix walker, when we meet him, he's like our military heroes in

03:46:18.000 --> 03:46:26.000
that he is starting at the top of his game.  He's an entrepreneur, an agency head, a Founder of his own company, incredibly

03:46:26.000 --> 03:46:33.000
successful.  But actually right in chapter one, an accident bee falls him that changes him forever.  And it's a result of that

03:46:33.000 --> 03:46:42.000
accident that makes him think about his relationship with the woman who he loves, orchid page.

03:46:42.000 --> 03:46:49.000
When he wakes in the hospital and finds what happened, he feels he's faced with the hardest decision of his life, whether to

03:46:49.000 --> 03:46:57.000
love orchid he might need to leave her and that's why the name of the book is Goodby Orchid.  In fact, I'll add one other

03:46:57.000 --> 03:47:05.000
piece because it was so moving to hear you describe what a Disability Hero is and I feel very honored that you would bestow

03:47:05.000 --> 03:47:15.000
that, that Springboard Consulting would bestow that title upon me.  I think the true heroes have been on this stage the last

03:47:15.000 --> 03:47:33.000
few days, the true heroes are the combat wounded Veterans I've med as part of the deep research and the true hero is somebody

03:47:33.000 --> 03:47:44.000
like a Phoenix walker and what he ultimately exemplifies.  In resilience.  I hope you were able to hear that.

03:47:44.000 --> 03:47:52.000
>> Laura: Yes, I'm sorry.  I keep on getting dropped.  Thank you very much for that insight.  I didn't want to say too much

03:47:52.000 --> 03:47:58.000
about the book because I want people to actually read this for themselves.  So I didn't want to ask too much about the

03:47:58.000 --> 03:48:17.000
characters.  I also have the wonderful experience of not only reading the book and I'm going to put the cover here so everyone

03:48:17.000 --> 03:48:28.000
can see it, but I also had the opportunity to listen to you, to your voice telling this stories and it reminded me the impact

03:48:28.000 --> 03:48:34.000
storytelling can have for those who have disabilities and for those that are also the supporters of folks that have a

03:48:34.000 --> 03:48:44.000
disability and I'm curious how we could be vulnerable and telling our life experiences through our own unique voices and what

03:48:44.000 --> 03:48:55.000
kind of tips that you would provide us because you're a magical storyteller so I encourage to read and listen.  How do you

03:48:55.000 --> 03:49:04.000
think we here in the audience could use storytelling to tell our own stories and help advance this topic?

03:49:04.000 --> 03:49:15.000
>> Carol: It's so insightful you're asking that question because actually I totally believe that telling our own stories and

03:49:15.000 --> 03:49:21.000
writing as well are very therapeutic to share what our inner most thoughts and use that as a way to express as therapy.  In

03:49:21.000 --> 03:49:31.000
fact, when my son was going through trouble, the trouble I was talking about and we were trying to find services and supports

03:49:31.000 --> 03:49:39.000
for him, one of the areas of recommendation was bib low therapy, finding the right book for that moment to help him with what

03:49:39.000 --> 03:49:41.000
he was going through and finding the right reading materials can be so moving and this is part of what is really touched me

03:49:41.000 --> 03:49:50.000
about how Goodby Orchid has shown up in the world.

03:49:50.000 --> 03:49:59.000
When I hear back from readers and how Goodby Orchid has touched them it's just incredible to me.  And I'd say there is two

03:49:59.000 --> 03:50:07.000
main camps that I hear this from, one people who have been through trauma themselves and Goodby Orchid leaves them with even

03:50:07.000 --> 03:50:15.000
more optimism for their own situations.  And then secondly, I do hear from people who have not actually faced this kind of

03:50:15.000 --> 03:50:28.000
trauma and it deepens their empathy and understanding for people who maybe have gone through that.  And so I do think telling

03:50:28.000 --> 03:50:36.000
our own stories and being authentic to them to, your question, can actually be really moving and make such a difference.

03:50:36.000 --> 03:50:45.000
>> Laura: Almost rehabilitative for patients and for the communities as well and just such an important skill for us all to

03:50:45.000 --> 03:50:53.000
continue to learn how to grow and build.  You also said something around empathy and I feel like this conversation also is a

03:50:53.000 --> 03:51:03.000
little bit of a balance.  People are always trying to be empathetic but we also have to make sure we are being aware of what

03:51:03.000 --> 03:51:14.000
we say and how we say it and across the story line, many of the characters reflected oh, my gosh, did I may be say something

03:51:14.000 --> 03:51:23.000
that was wrong or did I really -- did the way I say it have a different intent than how it came through?  Do you have any tips

03:51:23.000 --> 03:51:30.000
and tricks about how those conversations and show that empathy but also be aware that there are some things that can be

03:51:30.000 --> 03:51:40.000
misunderstood.  Do you have any thoughts around empathy and that conversation if you would?

03:51:40.000 --> 03:51:49.000
>> Carol: Yes, I mean I have been on such a learning journey myself because as I shared, I'm not an I&D professional but by

03:51:49.000 --> 03:51:58.000
researching Goodby Orchid, because the story was inspired by combat-wounded Veterans and wanting to show respect by

03:51:58.000 --> 03:52:10.000
researching as much as I could, I have come to observations myself and from my readers, I do hear back that those insights do

03:52:10.000 --> 03:52:17.000
resonate with people.  And so a few things I might suggest is one, I think that empathy comes from deep listening and each

03:52:17.000 --> 03:52:26.000
individual is so different.  So I think there aren't blanket answers.  There aren't umbrella answers that are true

03:52:26.000 --> 03:52:35.000
across-the-board and each individual's experience is their own and to hear what works for them and what might be helpful to

03:52:35.000 --> 03:52:45.000
them.  I also found that by writing Goodby Orchid, by writing the experience of 15ic walker, one thing that writers do is they

03:52:45.000 --> 03:52:54.000
go into what is called deep point of view or deep POV.  That point of view meant that as I was putting myself in Phoenix

03:52:54.000 --> 03:53:02.000
walker's place and thinking about how he might experience and feel the experience of going through the accident and the

03:53:02.000 --> 03:53:14.000
recovery and all the stages of grief and going through occupational and physical therapy and then coming out the other side,

03:53:14.000 --> 03:53:22.000
it actually gave me a lot of insight into one, how the physical world is not built for somebody who has been through what

03:53:22.000 --> 03:53:30.000
Phoenix has been through and thinking about everything from after he's been discharged from therapy and he's in a New York

03:53:30.000 --> 03:53:43.000
theater for the first time and he says to himself, I never realized the floors are so slanted.  That kind of insight into how

03:53:43.000 --> 03:53:51.000
the world is built.  But then also, how the emotional experience might be.  And so I got so much insight in particular from

03:53:51.000 --> 03:54:01.000
doing research with Purple Heart-decorated veteran, Sergeant Bryan Anderson who shared with me firsthand his experiences and

03:54:01.000 --> 03:54:10.000
also wrote about his experiences in his memoir.  One thing he talked about was that certainly pity is not helpful.  So rather

03:54:10.000 --> 03:54:21.000
than pity, I think empathy is much deeper.  And even beyond that, one of the stories he shared that was so moving was he was

03:54:21.000 --> 03:54:30.000
blown up in Iraq and he actually lost both legs and his left hand as a result of being hit by an IED.  Somebody asked him, if

03:54:30.000 --> 03:54:40.000
you could, would you change what happened to you?  And she's says, no I wouldn't change the accident because it made me so

03:54:40.000 --> 03:54:52.000
strong and has taught me things I could have never known.  What I would change is how people look at me.  His one ask if he

03:54:52.000 --> 03:55:02.000
could have a request of the world is not to judge him and not to judge the quality of his life because of what is so apparent

03:55:02.000 --> 03:55:05.000
that he's lost and to just assume his life is not full because actually it is incredibly full and he is full of life and

03:55:05.000 --> 03:55:10.000
happiness and joy.

03:55:10.000 --> 03:55:22.000
>> Laura: We heard a little bit about that from Chris today also when he lost his eyesight and people making the assumption,

03:55:22.000 --> 03:55:32.000
you're going to have to move to a new career, 24-48 hours after his surgery, which is really interesting.  I know personally

03:55:32.000 --> 03:55:41.000
what it's like when people ask you, how do you feel?  When are you going to be normal again?  11 years ago I was the lucky

03:55:41.000 --> 03:55:48.000
recipient of a brain tumor that made me single-sighted deaf, people would say when are you going to get back to hearing?  Why

03:55:48.000 --> 03:55:59.000
why don't you just put in a hearing aid and telling stories of elderly grand parents like I was going to miraculously recover.

03:55:59.000 --> 03:56:08.000
And many times people are being -- their intentions are well, their intentions are how are you feeling?  They want to say

03:56:08.000 --> 03:56:23.000
something, but perhaps maybe saying these things we can all help each other and understanding how to have those conversations

03:56:23.000 --> 03:56:30.000
not of what did you lose, but what did you gain?  For myself, having my hearing go away and having partially sight

03:56:30.000 --> 03:56:42.000
single-sighted and practically blind and made me realize what the power of my other eye and ear can do and how to become a

03:56:42.000 --> 03:56:48.000
more active listener.  So it's very interesting in your description here of the introduce that you have done.  This topic --

03:56:48.000 --> 03:56:58.000
interviews -- are you disabled, seems to be something that companies are struggling with self-ID and getting people not think

03:56:58.000 --> 03:57:08.000
about this is something to raise your hand and say yes, you fit in that category.  But instead identifying superpowers.  I

03:57:08.000 --> 03:57:19.000
know in your book you have so many references to Phoenix's insights of himself, not even thinking at all about what he

03:57:19.000 --> 03:57:30.000
couldn't do but the possibilities of what could happen.  So those reflections and every part around the book, I think I might

03:57:30.000 --> 03:57:39.000
have 60 stickies in my book where it's like this evening makes sense!  So thank you for that.  As you are engaged at Mars, and

03:57:39.000 --> 03:57:47.000
also with other corporate executives, how do you feel we're doing with the disability conversation and self-ID if you would?

03:57:47.000 --> 03:58:00.000
>> Carol: I think it's an interesting question and thank you very much for sharing your own experience.  I would say I'm not

03:58:00.000 --> 03:58:07.000
the expert in this the idea of self-identification is probably quite complex.  I see it with my own son at school applying for

03:58:07.000 --> 03:58:19.000
colleges.  Does he disclose to colleges?  And in the end the decision was, yes, let's be transparent.  This is part of who he

03:58:19.000 --> 03:58:29.000
is and part of how she going to show up at school and there is really no purpose in hiding that is what we came to decide.  I

03:58:29.000 --> 03:58:39.000
actually as you were talking was reminded of David Renaud's Keynote yesterday because I loved how he first dissected the word,

03:58:39.000 --> 03:58:47.000
disability, lack of ability.  And that's maybe not serving communities well that that is the definition of disability and

03:58:47.000 --> 03:59:01.000
actually I had typed in the question of, do you have an alternative phrase to recommend?  When he said, disaccessability, it

03:59:01.000 --> 03:59:02.000
really resounded for me because the idea of how is the world built for or not for you can be changed.  And that was incredibly

03:59:02.000 --> 03:59:14.000
powerful.

03:59:14.000 --> 03:59:24.000
>> Laura: I agree.  So many reflections.  We'll have to figure out how to get on the good doctor.  I found your book also

03:59:24.000 --> 03:59:31.000
really about bringing the conversation of creating a culture of caring and belonging and advocacy front and centered and we

03:59:31.000 --> 03:59:40.000
all know that to improve those cultures, we have to build a psychologically safe environment for the individuals but also for

03:59:40.000 --> 03:59:51.000
the families and I know you shared your amazing story of your family and as you were writing the book, you had introduced

03:59:51.000 --> 03:59:59.000
other characters, Phoenix's brother, Caleb and his mom and his ever-so bold executive assistant who tried to keep him guarded

03:59:59.000 --> 04:00:06.000
from anyone that may come his way.  Do you have any insights or anything you would like to share around why that story line

04:00:06.000 --> 04:00:17.000
was used and how important that was to you as well?

04:00:17.000 --> 04:00:24.000
>> Carol: Thank you for bringing up these characters of who were so important in Phoenix's healing.  And nuances you're

04:00:24.000 --> 04:00:36.000
pointing out, perhaps Veronica, Phoenix's mother, if she was trying a little too hard or wanted to protect a little bit too

04:00:36.000 --> 04:00:45.000
much, that could be counter productive to Phoenix's healing because ultimately when he found himself again it was through his

04:00:45.000 --> 04:00:52.000
own independence and realizing he could have a life he wanted and had had before the accident even if things need to be done

04:00:52.000 --> 04:01:04.000
differently.  He still could do what he wanted to do.  I think the idea of the different points of view were really powerful.

04:01:04.000 --> 04:01:11.000
I heard this from Bronze star valor Purple-heart decorated doc Jacobs, a combat-wounded veteran and he said, this idea of

04:01:11.000 --> 04:01:21.000
multiple points of view taught him about his own experience.  He had been injured in Iraq as well and after he came back and

04:01:21.000 --> 04:01:30.000
spent 14 months at Walter Reed, he had been so focused on his own experience that it wasn't until he read Goodby Orchid and

04:01:30.000 --> 04:01:41.000
read the point of view of Caleb, Phoenix's twin brother or Veronica, Phoenix's mother, that he started to think about his

04:01:41.000 --> 04:01:50.000
loved ones around him.  His father and G ma spent those 14 months at Walter reed with him and for the first time, he thought

04:01:50.000 --> 04:01:59.000
about how hard that experience must have been for them as well.  Because he had been so wrapped up in his own experience.

04:01:59.000 --> 04:02:09.000
>> Laura: I think at one point in the book you described how it took a toll not only on Phoenix but on his entire -- everyone

04:02:09.000 --> 04:02:17.000
that came in touch with them and I think that is so important, especially for those that do have a disability not only to

04:02:17.000 --> 04:02:26.000
reflect on yourself but how can you lift the rest of your support around you to help you with that positive momentum and bring

04:02:26.000 --> 04:02:35.000
them along it's fortunate talk about where you are and continue to have the conversation and be ignited by the possibilities

04:02:35.000 --> 04:02:45.000
of new learnings.  So I know my family is fascinated.  How could you hear better?  So I have all of these technology gadgets

04:02:45.000 --> 04:02:56.000
at Intel.  We love technology.  So the hearing helpers, the speakers, the CC readers, the way that is I'm able to engage, I

04:02:56.000 --> 04:03:08.000
feel like I'm a better listener without having my hearing.  So it's just that it's a fascinating conversation overall.  And so

04:03:08.000 --> 04:03:21.000
I wanted to ask the Moderator, are there questions from the audience that we'd like to make sure that Carol can see and answer.

04:03:21.000 --> 04:03:21.000
>> Nadine: For some reason people keep sending me stuff.  So one of the questions is a loaded question, Carol.  Are you

04:03:21.000 --> 04:03:23.000
ready?

04:03:23.000 --> 04:03:26.000
>> Carol: Go for it.

04:03:26.000 --> 04:03:28.000
>> Nadine: When is the next book?

04:03:28.000 --> 04:03:31.000
>> Laura: Great question!

04:03:31.000 --> 04:03:39.000
>> Nadine: I had three people ask me.

04:03:39.000 --> 04:03:47.000
>> Carol: It's a great question.  And I am working on another book.  There is actually in the works both a pre quell and a

04:03:47.000 --> 04:03:55.000
sequel for Goodby Orchid because readers when I joined many libraries and book clubs and bookstores and this is very common

04:03:55.000 --> 04:04:00.000
for readers when they read Goodby Orchid they love the characters and want to know what happens to Phoenix and orchid

04:04:00.000 --> 04:04:06.000
afterwards and before.  So there is more storytelling to come.  Thank you very much for asking that.

04:04:06.000 --> 04:04:14.000
>> Nadine: Three people.  I mean really, it was like immediate.

04:04:14.000 --> 04:04:23.000
>> Laura: And once you read this, I can't stop thinking about them.  Seriously.  That was my question, Nadine.  That was going

04:04:23.000 --> 04:04:33.000
to be my closing question.  What can we expect next, is it Goodby Orchid or hello -- what will be next?  I love that.

04:04:33.000 --> 04:04:39.000
>> Nadine: And I think that that is the part which makes this so successful.  The characters not just memorable, like they

04:04:39.000 --> 04:04:48.000
almost like integrate into -- you almost feel like they're your family.  You think about them as if you're thinking about

04:04:48.000 --> 04:04:54.000
family and friends, which is -- I just think it's amazing.  And I have to say a personal shout out to Carol.  We used to be

04:04:54.000 --> 04:05:04.000
when I lived in New Jersey, we were neighbors and I remember when she first told me about thinking of writing this book.  So I

04:05:04.000 --> 04:05:05.000
have to say, I feel like such a proud mama.  I did nothing to help.  I did nothing to help but I still feel like a proud mom

04:05:05.000 --> 04:05:12.000
just because I knew.

04:05:12.000 --> 04:05:21.000
>> Carol: You should feel proud and you're being way too humble.  You connected me with Heather Abbott, an amazing sensitivity

04:05:21.000 --> 04:05:23.000
reader for the story.  And as a result, a portion of the profits is going to Heather Abbott foundation USA cares which looks

04:05:23.000 --> 04:05:29.000
after military veterans and their families.

04:05:29.000 --> 04:05:36.000
>> Nadine: Thank you.  Another question did come in.  A common thread across the best advocates for people with disabilities

04:05:36.000 --> 04:05:46.000
is that they are parents of children who face the disability journey.  Would you say that is your experience?

04:05:46.000 --> 04:05:55.000
>> Carol: It is an incredible experience to see someone you love so much struggle and not know exactly how to help.  And so

04:05:55.000 --> 04:06:03.000
writing this book was my way of helping me and then it is just so heart warming that it is also helping others.  I have

04:06:03.000 --> 04:06:10.000
readers e-mailing me in the middle of the night because they could not wait to find out what happened.  So they stay up way

04:06:10.000 --> 04:06:19.000
past their bedtime to read it and then tell me the ways in which the story touched them.  One reader told me, she had back

04:06:19.000 --> 04:06:24.000
problems for 10 years and that after reading Goodby Orchid, she felt like a Phoenix could get through, she could feel more

04:06:24.000 --> 04:06:32.000
optimistic about her own outcomes.  Those types of things just make my day.

04:06:32.000 --> 04:06:42.000
>> Nadine: Laura, like what you said, disability impacts everyone.  It impacts the individual but families, friends,

04:06:42.000 --> 04:06:49.000
colleagues, obviously readers of books.  And through that impact is learning along the way.  And I think everyone to your

04:06:49.000 --> 04:06:59.000
point, it benefits.  Everyone benefits in some way.  So I just want to say thank you to you Carol for everything you did to

04:06:59.000 --> 04:07:09.000
get this book out there and for the books that are coming.  So you have to let us know when we can pre order the whole bit.

04:07:09.000 --> 04:07:11.000
I'm waiting for the movie.  I'm just pushing pushing.  And Laura I'll turn it back to you for final Closing Remarks but you

04:07:11.000 --> 04:07:17.000
were fabulous.  Thank you.

04:07:17.000 --> 04:07:28.000
>> Laura: Thank you and Carol, just in closing, for those that do pick up the book tonight available on Amazon in your

04:07:28.000 --> 04:07:30.000
favorite readership, there was a point in the book that really hit me the most.  And I don't want to tell too much about the

04:07:30.000 --> 04:07:32.000
story but --

04:07:32.000 --> 04:07:48.000
[ Broken audio ]

04:07:48.000 --> 04:07:56.000
Amazing pivot point in the book and having the ability to recover, to crash through glass and to become stronger as a person,

04:07:56.000 --> 04:08:06.000
it was just so empowering.  You touched me in way that is I will never be able to thank you.  Auto such an honor to know you.

04:08:06.000 --> 04:08:09.000
I feel like I have a new friend.  As Nadine said, you can count on us to be your booksellers and reviewers.  Thank you for the

04:08:09.000 --> 04:08:16.000
contributions you have made in writing this book for all of us.

04:08:16.000 --> 04:08:23.000
>> Carol: I so appreciate you reading the book and loving it.  Thank you for sharing your experience.  We have made new

04:08:23.000 --> 04:08:32.000
friends here.  And I am looking forward to deepening that friendship with you Laura, with anyone who is on the call.  Plea

04:08:32.000 --> 04:08:35.000
please feel free to reach out to me.  Thank you very much.  This is truly an incredible honor.  Thank you.

04:08:35.000 --> 04:08:48.000
>> Laura: Enjoy your award.

04:08:48.000 --> 04:08:53.000
>> Ivette: Thank you, Laura and thank you Carol.   Congratulations again.  And now we're going to take a quick 15-minute

04:08:53.000 --> 04:08:53.000
break.  Please come back at 3:15 and please check your local time.  Thank you.

04:08:53.000 --> 04:09:02.000
[ Break ]

04:13:55.000 --> 04:14:04.000
>> Ivette: Welcome back.  And you're going to be glad you took that break now because this session is supposed to be on fire.

04:14:04.000 --> 04:14:15.000
So let's light it up and to the stage The Hottest Disabled Entrepreneur in America, Terry Moorer.  I have to agree with that

04:14:15.000 --> 04:14:15.000
title.  And Vice President, Synergy Records, L.A. Williams.  Welcome!

04:14:15.000 --> 04:14:33.000
[ Music Playing ]

04:14:33.000 --> 04:14:58.000
[ Music Playing ]

04:14:58.000 --> 04:14:58.000
>> L.A.: I'm pumped up and super excited and ready to have a phenomenal conversation.  Has this conference been amazing or

04:14:58.000 --> 04:15:07.000
what?

04:15:07.000 --> 04:15:17.000
>> Terry: I'm loving all the different Panelists and the information they are bringing.  I'm loving it man.  Unbelievable.

04:15:17.000 --> 04:15:27.000
>> L.A.: Crazy.  You had Chris Downey earlier today, they were rolling all the stats and everything.  I felt like when she got

04:15:27.000 --> 04:15:37.000
knocked off, this has been stupendous.  I never knew really that there was a community of people who care the way that these

04:15:37.000 --> 04:15:46.000
folks do.  Like seriously, where I come from but in my world nobody cares.  They are like so what L.A., you blind.  So what.

04:15:46.000 --> 04:15:55.000
>> Terry: Absolutely.  People need this information.  And I'm so glad that Nadine and her crew put this together because this

04:15:55.000 --> 04:15:59.000
is phenomenal.  I'm loving all the corporations that are involved and highlighting people with disabilities and showing that

04:15:59.000 --> 04:16:06.000
we got something to bring to the table and I support you.

04:16:06.000 --> 04:16:12.000
>> L.A.: Sure do.  So tell people about who you are so they know.  They know officially why you so on fire.

04:16:12.000 --> 04:16:22.000
>> Terry: And then I'm going to piggyback and throw that back to you in a few minutes.  I have been in the music industry for

04:16:22.000 --> 04:16:30.000
over 30 years.  I have been very blessed to work with some phenomenal artists, Queen Latifa, will Smith, jada pinket and a

04:16:30.000 --> 04:16:38.000
person with cerebral palsy, I often say that I'm glad to be here because technically, I wasn't supposed to be here when the

04:16:38.000 --> 04:16:45.000
doctors told my parents when I was a young baby, to put me in a nursing home that I would never amount to anything.

04:16:45.000 --> 04:16:55.000
Thankfully my parents didn't listen and as a person also a brand Ambassador and a public speaker, I love getting out there and

04:16:55.000 --> 04:17:00.000
sharing my story and especially talking about me being disabled, I'm overcoming that and being able to strive in the

04:17:00.000 --> 04:17:09.000
entertainment industry.  So I'm going to hand it back to you.  Tell the family what you do and your background.

04:17:09.000 --> 04:17:17.000
>> L.A.: Absolutely.  As they told you, my name is L.A. Williams.  Leslie Alexander Williams the third, I know that sounds

04:17:17.000 --> 04:17:26.000
Regal but I promise you that's not my story.  You folks having all kind of contraptions and everything to help when you blind

04:17:26.000 --> 04:17:33.000
and the ladies -- she had all the hearing contraptions.  I ain't had no money for none of that.  I'm from north Philly, the

04:17:33.000 --> 04:17:42.000
straight hood.  The only thing that I found different about me when I grew up, that's when I lost my sight.  I lost my sight,

04:17:42.000 --> 04:17:49.000
I had 12 surgeries and on the third birthday I lost my sight completely.  And it's crazy because I remember getting a early

04:17:49.000 --> 04:17:58.000
birthday present because I guess they knew I was going to have surgery on my birthday.  It was a fire truck and I was playing

04:17:58.000 --> 04:18:04.000
with it a couple days afterward, this need batteries.  He like why?  What you say that for?  Because it don't light up.  And I

04:18:04.000 --> 04:18:11.000
didn't realize it was lighting up, I just couldn't see it.  You know what I'm saying?  That's kind of how we figured out that

04:18:11.000 --> 04:18:18.000
I really lost my sight and to me, it didn't matter.  To me, it was like I wanted to be able to do all the stuff all the other

04:18:18.000 --> 04:18:24.000
kids did.  So other kids that was riding their bike and stuff like that, look, I wanted to ride a bike too.  So what I can't

04:18:24.000 --> 04:18:25.000
see!  It was other kids playing video games and stuff like that, guess what I wanted to do y'all?

04:18:25.000 --> 04:18:33.000
[ Music Playing ]

04:18:33.000 --> 04:18:42.000
Play video games too!  So I just didn't feel like wasn't nobody stopping me.  Somebody put the word no limits if you don't

04:18:42.000 --> 04:18:50.000
like putting limits on you based off what they think you can or cannot do.  Just type no limits in the chat if you want to

04:18:50.000 --> 04:18:57.000
live a life with no limits.  Let me know.  So we got people who don't want to have no limits around them.  I realize that was

04:18:57.000 --> 04:19:07.000
talented with music production and engineering and stuff like that so playing keys and all that good stuff and I opened up a

04:19:07.000 --> 04:19:18.000
studio and making $60 an hour doing that but the challenges are faced was crazy because you know, Terry, where I come from,

04:19:18.000 --> 04:19:27.000
like everybody all ever heard of Stevie one derand ray Charles.  And so they obviously are megasuccessful so people have --

04:19:27.000 --> 04:19:32.000
you supposed to be that good too.  I always had a chip on my shoulder.  But don't let you like have a hard time trying to

04:19:32.000 --> 04:19:39.000
record something or print something or something like that.  People like, what is wrong with you?  Because I carry around this

04:19:39.000 --> 04:19:39.000
swag that says, I can do everything you can do except see.  So people really helped me through that.  I don't mind.  It's all

04:19:39.000 --> 04:19:48.000
good.

04:19:48.000 --> 04:19:55.000
>> Terry: I agree with that 100%.  It's crazy because you know, I tell people all the time, I have cerebral palsy and when I'm

04:19:55.000 --> 04:20:03.000
sitting down or when standing, you really can't tell but when you notice it is when I start walking and I love it because it

04:20:03.000 --> 04:20:12.000
is really like the best thing that ever happened to me.  It really elevated my way of thinking on like you say, no limits.  I

04:20:12.000 --> 04:20:22.000
mean I jump out of airplanes.  I love going skydiving and but you know what?  I walk into a room and I know people staring at

04:20:22.000 --> 04:20:31.000
me because they see me walk in.  And in the back of my mind, I'm like, they have no idea that I work with jada pingeret and

04:20:31.000 --> 04:20:39.000
I'm a publicist and so that is sort of like that back seat be like, I got a little something going on.  But I love it, man.  I

04:20:39.000 --> 04:20:48.000
love that the community of disability is just that we're not sitting down.  We out here making it happen.  We are modeling.

04:20:48.000 --> 04:20:51.000
We are acting.  We are doing a music industry and when companies really start to take notice of that, it's going to take their

04:20:51.000 --> 04:20:55.000
branding and their marketing to a whole new level.

04:20:55.000 --> 04:21:02.000
>> Lou.

04:21:02.000 --> 04:21:09.000
>> L.A.: When you say people stare at you and everything, obviously I don't notice but people might tell you.  Even my wife,

04:21:09.000 --> 04:21:13.000
you know everybody is looking at us.  I'm like that's because we superstars.  I flip the mindset and I think that is what it

04:21:13.000 --> 04:21:18.000
is.  We can't fret and act like there aren't challenges we get faced with, right?

04:21:18.000 --> 04:21:27.000
>> Terry: Right.

04:21:27.000 --> 04:21:33.000
>> L.A.: This ain't really normal for me.  Nadine got me talking about problems and stuff I have.  I normally don't speak on

04:21:33.000 --> 04:21:41.000
those things because I don't want necessarily to say I hide it, maybe I do or don't.  I don't know but it's more so a thing

04:21:41.000 --> 04:21:47.000
where you just focus on what you have to do to get things done but if we were to be transparent, what would you say or some of

04:21:47.000 --> 04:21:50.000
the things that you really have a challenge with where it's like, oh, my gosh, how am I going to get this done?  Where you

04:21:50.000 --> 04:22:00.000
have to make a work around where there probably shouldn't have to be?

04:22:00.000 --> 04:22:08.000
>> Terry: You know, it's very strange because when I first got into the music industry, one of the questions that people

04:22:08.000 --> 04:22:18.000
normally ask is, getting into the industry how was it for you?  Was there any obstacles?  Any problems getting into the

04:22:18.000 --> 04:22:25.000
industry?  And thankfully people like busta rhymes and MC light, Queen Latifa is like my little sister.  They always shown

04:22:25.000 --> 04:22:34.000
lunch.  They would never like Terry too fragile.  We got to make sure that -- they were like what is wrong with you?  Why

04:22:34.000 --> 04:22:44.000
can't you go get done yourself?  Always loving it.  And even from a lot of the executives like Craig Coleman, Sylvia -- they

04:22:44.000 --> 04:22:48.000
never treated me less than.  It was always like hey, if you can do it, we going to put you to the test.  And you have to prove

04:22:48.000 --> 04:22:56.000
yourself.  What about you, man?  How has it been for you in the industry.

04:22:56.000 --> 04:23:03.000
>> L.A.: Same type of stuff.  It is crazy.  I remember one time I was in the studio and we're just having a conversation and

04:23:03.000 --> 04:23:13.000
we're talking.  I have free way in the studio, which most of the Philly artists I worked with but then they were like having a

04:23:13.000 --> 04:23:23.000
conversation and one of his friends in the studio.  I am like anybody ever tell you you sound like LL, everybody start

04:23:23.000 --> 04:23:32.000
laughing say this is LL.  So LL cool Jay is in my studio.  And then we did a song and it was a lot of fun.  But when it comes

04:23:32.000 --> 04:23:41.000
to some of the challenges again, I just -- a lot of people don't realize like right now if anyone is familiar with the music

04:23:41.000 --> 04:23:48.000
industry, they would know that pro tools is like the industry standard and then you got logic, Apple and everything, I don't

04:23:48.000 --> 04:23:58.000
use north of those.  I graduate Friday full sail University and got certified in pro tools, I don't use it because it's not

04:23:58.000 --> 04:24:07.000
accessible.  I use sonar but not the current sonar.  I use an old version of sonar.  8.5.  And anybody who knows music, it's

04:24:07.000 --> 04:24:15.000
up to like 30, like literally.  I'm on 8.5.  Why?  Because if I were to upgrade, there would be no screen reading technology.

04:24:15.000 --> 04:24:22.000
Not to the level of what I can do right now.  I can run a session by myself without any sighted assistance, but any other

04:24:22.000 --> 04:24:24.000
program logic included, which I would love to use it because the sound is amazing but you got to get an assistant.  I don't

04:24:24.000 --> 04:24:34.000
want an assistant.  I want to do it myself.

04:24:34.000 --> 04:24:39.000
>> Terry: Exactly!  Because it may be the time when you're like Clint, you want to wake up at 2:00 in the morning you know.

04:24:39.000 --> 04:24:45.000
Don't want to call anybody at 2 a.m. say come on over to help.

04:24:45.000 --> 04:24:54.000
>> L.A.: You want to be inspired and be musical, an artist when you need it.  I agree.

04:24:54.000 --> 04:25:02.000
>> Terry: I think for the most part, one of the things I thought about and probably the biggest obstacles now that I'm

04:25:02.000 --> 04:25:11.000
thinking about it is, when you go to an event, let's say you go to the Academy Awards or some type of Awards show, a lot of

04:25:11.000 --> 04:25:20.000
times for people with disabilities, they don't think that -- take that into account when they are doing event.  They telling

04:25:20.000 --> 04:25:28.000
you when you get up to the venue, they say you have to stand in line with the other 200 people.  And I'm like wait a minute, I

04:25:28.000 --> 04:25:36.000
got cerebral palsy, I can't stand in that line.  So that's probably one of the biggest obstacles dealing with the events.

04:25:36.000 --> 04:25:38.000
They don't have someone in the board or in the committee that says, hey, what about the disability community?  Maybe we

04:25:38.000 --> 04:25:46.000
should -- so that's probably that.

04:25:46.000 --> 04:25:52.000
>> L.A.: And then steps.  Like a lot of steps and stuff like that that is involved.  And handrails aren't like there to be --

04:25:52.000 --> 04:25:59.000
because it doesn't look guide for their set.  You know what I'm saying.  That's why I thought it was cool yesterday when I

04:25:59.000 --> 04:26:07.000
think it was -- I know he was talking about the good doctor how they changed the set for him.  I'm like, that's what I'm

04:26:07.000 --> 04:26:12.000
talking about.  But again, he around people who cared.  Because if it was me, they like I don't know what to tell you L.A.