Today we have a Q&A with Erin McGregor, Global President of the ENABLED Employee Network (ENhancing ABilities and LEveraging Disabilities) at Chevron.

Belo Miguel Cipriani: Do you have a disability?

Erin McGregor: Yes, I had a severe repetitive stress injury (RSI) years ago — tendinitis in both arms where it was to the point that I could not wring out a washcloth, cut my own meat, and would get anxiety seeing a door knob that I would have to turn, knowing it was going to cause pain. My middle stepdaughter, Emma, is also profoundly disabled. Emma was diagnosed with a terminal illness, Metachromatic Leukodystrophy, at the age of 8. She had an experimental umbilical cord stem transplant, which has slowed the progression of the disease. She is now 24 and attends a day program for adults with disabilities. She is in a wheelchair and needs assistance with all activities of daily life. (Growing up, I was fortunate to interact with people of all abilities — my mother was a special education teacher and my aunt taught adults with developmental disabilities.)

BMC: What motivated Chevron to develop programs that support people with disabilities and their families?

EM: The motivation for Chevron to develop programs for the underserved, and specifically people with disabilities, goes back to several milestone events that eventually led to a set of guiding principles called The Chevron Way.

In 1923, the Standard Oil Spirit was created and highlighted the importance we placed on protecting people and the environment. By the 1960s, we issued a publication called What We Believe that offered our first official definition of corporate citizenship, as well as calling out the importance of documenting company values.

Throughout the 1970s, 80s and 90s, company milestones showed our efforts in opposing workforce segregation, protecting the environment and fostering diversity and inclusion.

In 1995, we formally established The Chevron Way as a living document that reflected our vision, values and strategies, and we’ve continued to update The Chevron Way to reflect an evolving portfolio and employee base, increasing diversity and inclusion efforts, and increasing investor and stakeholder expectations. The Chevon Way is more than just words on paper, it is our purpose, the foundation of who we are, what we believe and our culture. And we’re taking action to ensure we continue to strengthen our values and culture.

These guiding principles set the wheels in motion for the development of strategies, programs, processes and initiatives that enabled diversity and inclusion to grow. Simply put, we want all of our employees to bring their authentic selves to work. Peak performance comes from a culture that enables every individual to realize their full potential.

Chevron’s employee networks have been an effective incubator for our diversity and inclusion efforts. We have 12 employee networks: Pride, Women, XYZ, Baby Boomer, Asian, Black, Latino, Native American, Filipino, Boola Moort, Veterans and ENABLED. These networks provide support for members, but also allow for deeper conversations on the headwinds women and minority groups face that lead to meaningful change. Our PRIDE network, which was the first organized network of employees, started more than 20 years ago.

The ENABLED Network was chartered in 2002. The network started with employees who had disabilities themselves. We began including more employees who had parents, children, or other family members who are disabled. More recently, we’ve added employees who are allies for individuals with disabilities. ENABLED currently has over 1100 members globally.

The ENABLED Employee network chapter locations are: Northern California, Pascagoula, Bakersfield, Houston, Covington, El Segundo, Venezuela, Salt Lake City, Washington DC; New chapter locations: Manila (2019), AMBU (2019-20)

Chevron ENABLED Network’s mission is to foster a broad understanding of the issues related to disabilities and their impact throughout Chevron; and to promote heightened awareness of their relevance in attaining and maintaining a productive and inclusive work environment where perceptions of people are based on their abilities, not their disabilities.

BMC: What disability programs were developed and deployed first?

EM: We’ve supported both internal and external disability related programs. Internally, we wanted to build awareness regarding different types of disabilities. We have had educational awareness sessions and guest speakers on a variety of topics, including things like diabetic alert dogs, Alzheimer’s, caregiving, mental health, and so many more. Employees have volunteered for years with the Special Olympics at many sites, we’ve supported local programs such as Mychal’s Learning Place in Southern California, the Kiwanis Aktion Club of South Mississippi, On Track (program for adults with acquired brain injury) in Concord, CA, and The League of Dreams in Bakersfield, CA.

BMC: What programs took longer to develop and why?

EM: Some programs are more complex and involve many different functions within the organization. We have a few recent examples:

• The ENABLED Network helped to advocate for the Addition of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) coverage for autism or pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) to the benefit program for U.S.-payroll employees in 2018. This benefit is widely recognized as the most effective behavioral intervention for children with autism.
• Chevron and Texas Workforce Solutions Vocational Rehabilitation Services (TWS-VRS) worked in collaboration to develop and implement Chevron Day. This opportunity is specifically for students with disabilities in the VR program, providing career exploration and mentorship with a STEM focus. We just completed our 3^rd year program.
• The Chevron Stations Inc. retail convenience stores network is actively supporting the Chevron Corporation’s ongoing efforts in promoting an inclusive workplace for people with disabilities through our Chevron Stations, Inc. (CSI) ENABLES Program Pilot.
  • Program Goals
    • Provide opportunities to people with disabilities and mental health diagnoses to help them strengthen their workplace abilities and build life skills.
    • Adapt CSI hiring processes to accommodate / attract a more diverse work force
    • Visibly demonstrate and execute Chevron’s commitment to employee diversity & inclusion.
  • Program Overview
    • Nine employees hired through local employment agency partnership – all of whom are on the Autism spectrum
    • Part-time target of 20 hours / employee per week
    • Core position roles / responsibilities: cleaning, stocking, general stations maintenance / support
    • Initial 100% on-site employment agency job coach support provided to Chevron
    • Each employee has on-going development support from CSI
  • Next Steps
    • Possible further expansion in Fall, 2019

BMC: Chevron received a perfect score of 100 in the 2019 DEI, being recognized as one of the best companies for those with disabilities. Was receiving this honor something Chevron set as a goal?

EM: Our involvement with the Disability Equality Index, has grown over the years. Chevron was initially involved with Disability: IN from the supplier diversity perspective. This year was our first time to participate from a corporate perspective. The criteria for the rating focus on the support of people with disabilities throughout business processes and procedures, benefits and accommodations, web accessibility as well as our company culture. We will continue on our journey of disability inclusion and are always learning more ways to support inclusion here at Chevron.

BMC: Chevron supports the work of several artists with disabilities. What type of art does Chevron sponsor, and how can artists submit their work for consideration?

EM: In our efforts to support the communities in which we work, Nurturing Independence Through Artistic Development (NIAD) is an organization in Richmond, CA where Chevron has a refinery. Chevron has supported NIAD for many years. Through NIAD, we support local artists with disabilities by showcasing more than 40 pieces of artwork by 25 different NIAD artists, this display is now part of a permanent collection displayed at our San Ramon, California, headquarters.

BMC: What is next for Chevron within the space of disability inclusion?

EM: We’re excited about our Neurodiversity Pilot for IT Support. An opportunity exists to be the first major oil company to establish a Neurodiversity Program within Chevron to attract IT talent (Software Engineering, Security, Data Science) from the neurodiversity population, which is a largely untapped talent pool. In addition, future opportunities exist to tap into this talent for other critical talent needs across Chevron.

To kick off our pilot, we have identified six supervisors with open roles in their IT organizations where we think a candidate on the spectrum could excel. We are in the process of identifying candidates to fill those roles. We are working with an external vendor and an internal SME to help provide an interview process that works differently than our traditional approach.

Link to a Harvard Business Review article, “Neurodiversity as a Competitive Advantage.”

By Belo Cipriani

Having a job is important. Aside from generating income, it provides independence and can boost a person’s self-esteem. But for people with disabilities, landing that one job is extremely tough.

According to a study released by Melwood, a nonprofit providing jobs and opportunities to people with disabilities throughout the greater Washington, D.C. area, only four out of 10 individuals with disabilities are employed in the U.S. While the study points to some grim figures when it comes to work participation for people with cognitive or mobility conditions, the Melwood study highlights that people with disabilities have a lot to contribute, if given the opportunity.

For example, the report states Melwood workers of differing abilities earned wages of about $27.7 million in 2017 and paid about $6 million in federal, state, and local taxes.

Melwood’s CEO, Cari DeSantis, believes the disability community has a lot to offer employers.

“This group of people is creative, hardworking, and loyal,” she said.

Legally blind electronic dance music star Lachi, who only uses one name, fits DeSantis’ description like a glove. In addition to being a performer, she is an entrepreneur and author. She also does a lot of freelance work to support herself.

“In today’s industry, you gotta keep the bills paid between the major projects,” she said. “So apart from live engagements, I also write toplines and produce vocals for other artists; compose music or vocals for producers, production studios, and ad agencies; and create vocal packs for club DJs.”

While Lachi has no problem landing projects, she said that her disability sometimes impacts how her clients perceive her.

“I tell artists and clients about my visual impairment right at the gate, if they don’t already know,” she said. “Usually they start off a little taken aback by the way I work, then they get all ‘Oh, wow, she’s really good for a blind person,’ but it usually ends with ‘Wait, she’s actually just really frickin’ good.'”

Lachi recognizes looking for work with a disability has its challenges. And to all those individuals that are having a tough time securing a job, she encourages exploring the gig economy.

“If you’re having a hard time finding work,” she said, “consider ditching the traditional work-grinder and joining the gig economy. With micro-skills such as writing ad copy, Photoshop editing, virtual assisting, people are making livings without leaving the house or interacting with other humans beyond a few messages. Sites like Upwork or even Fiverr allow you to post your skills on their sites and find clients. SoundBetter is a great marketplace for experienced musicians to acquire independent projects.”

For Lachi, being an entrepreneur means she has to be constantly networking. And with just one partially-seeing eye, meeting people at events often presents barriers.

“Well,” said the LGBTQ ally, “being blind makes networking quite the endeavor. I’m on a constant split-test of how best to shock people into engaging with me. Learning and navigating new locations is always a thing, namely because I’ve gotta figure things out super fast and somewhat furtively. People have no idea that most of the simple tasks I do in new locations (i.e. sitting in a chair, opening a door, shaking a hand) is about 60% based on intuitions and deductions, not on actual physical knowledge.

“People sometimes assume I’m aloof because I don’t wave back, or approach, or make direct eye contact, or acknowledge social cues altogether,” she continued. “People also render me a bit pushy, because I often have to really focus on the situation at hand to comprehend it. Failing to see and needing to work hard to focus are both physical traits — resulting from my disability — that have seeped into the macrocosm of my personality. But once I can see you, and even when I can’t, I’m super social.”

Lachi’s determination has made her an artist to watch out for. Her recent release “Fire” debuted on international dance charts, and “Go” hit over one million streams in three months, and hit the BeatPort Top 100 for EDM/Drum & Bass. She also has a few releases dropping in July and August — including a dub track titled “Unafraid,” featuring emerging Milano DJ duo RIOHTZ.

Lachi represents a small section of the disability community that is employed. As the Melwood study pointed out, and as we have learned through meeting Lachi, the disability community has many creative and hardworking individuals that would be an asset to any organization. Improving the work participation of people with disabilities can seem like a huge undertaking; however, it is an issue that anyone can support in several different ways.

If you are a supervisor or work in human resources, you can talk to the leadership in your company to see about starting a program that recruits from the disability community. Additionally, employers can establish partnerships with nonprofits that help people with disabilities find work to create hiring events. And if you are one of those people that likes to volunteer, you can reach out to nonprofits and offer to provide interview coaching, or simply help out through any volunteer need the agency may have.

For those who may not have much free time to get involved, you can pledge your support for increasing the number of employed people with disabilities by donating to the agencies that do work in this space, as well as by buying the goods created by people with disabilities. Gift card donations to nonprofits for places like Target or BestBuy are other ways people can help the disability community with securing work, as this makes it possible for people to buy clothes and gear for work. Also, liking and sharing the social media posts of disability advocates, and the agencies that support them, helps them to be seen by more people.

To learn more about Melwood, visit www.melwood.org. To follow Lachi’s work, visit http://www.lachimusic.com.

While the meaning of diversity has morphed as much as the world around us in recent years, and some may even believe it has become a corporate buzzword, the truth of the matter is many employers are failing the LGBT community and people with disabilities by not properly defining diversity in their initiatives.

According to a 2017 report by Out and Equal Workplace Advocates, a nonprofit that tracks employment statistics for the LGBT community, 1 in 4 LGBT employees report experiencing employment discrimination in the last 5 years. Likewise, transgender people face double the rate of unemployment as the overall population, and nearly 1 in 10 LGBT employees have left a job because the environment was unwelcoming.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states in 2015, only 17.5 percent of people with a disability were employed — a steep contrast to the 65 percent of able-bodied individuals who were employed that year.

In 2017, Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. (Con Ed), the utility company that provides New York City and Westchester County with electrical and gas services, was fined $800,000 by the EEOC for not hiring applicants with disabilities.

While some industries and places struggle more with diversity, such as high tech and television writers’ rooms, there are some organizations that are definitely hitting the diversity mark at the workplace.

Miguel Castro, Global Lead for Culture and Identity at SAP, shares LGBT people have a lot to offer to employers.

“In today’s world,” he said, “we know a commitment to inclusion is much more than a cultural ‘nice to have.’ In fact, it is proven that companies that are LGBT-inclusive are 72 percent more likely to attract allies as employees and increase productivity.”

“SAP is an active member,” Castro continued, “in recruitment and technology fairs targeting the LGBT and ally community across the globe, with examples like Lesbians Who Tech in San Francisco, and Sticks & Stones and #UNIT in Berlin.”

In addition to having LGBT-focused initiatives, SAP also has a division that actively recruits and supports people with disabilities. SAP’s “Differently Abled” area is lead by Stefanie Nennstiel, and the unit runs programs such as the world renowned Autism at Work, which helps people with autism enter the workforce, as well as SAP Software Accessibility, which ensures the highest levels of access guidelines are enforced across products.

Although some organizations are thriving as a result of their diversity strategies, there are far more that are simply getting worse when it comes to integrating inclusivity into their day-to-day operations.

Tammie Stevens, Daily Living Skills Trainer and Vocational Assessor for the Center of Vision Enhancement (COVE) in Merced, CA, a training facility for blind or visually impaired people, believes companies that struggle with diversity are organizations that have an antiquated perspective on diversity.

“Businesses focus so much on race,” she said, “that they leave everyone else out of the conversation. They don’t engage the communities they want to hire from and, instead, make assumptions on what will work.”

“For people with disabilities,” she continued, “this means that companies draw to conclusions on what we can or cannot do. They don’t realize that having a disability means being creative and resourceful on a daily basis, because we constantly have to adapt ourselves to our environments.”

As the definition of diversity continues to change, organizations that routinely reposition their inclusivity goals will find themselves at the heart of innovation.

The paratransit driver lurches to a stop outside the Tribune Towers in downtown Chicago, but I don’t hear the driver bark my name because I am deep in a book, as I have been ever since the two-hour site-seeing tour began. When I finally hear the driver barking my name, I immediately spring up, grab my cane, portfolio, and waltz down the bus steps onto pavement. From past experience, I know that the drivers drop me off at the entrance, plus I see masses of colorful blurs opening something ahead of me where a cool breeze tickles my skin. I follow the breeze until I am in the Chicago Tribune lobby, my portfolio ignorant of the opportunity I’m advocating for. If my resume hadn’t been so flashy, I never would have landed the job interview. If my letters of recommendation didn’t warble with the practiced fervor of a songster, the interviewer would not have considered me. I’m glad my old age of 24 doesn’t hold me back from epic chances to prove I have the chops to write without a bachelor’s degree.

As I take a step closer toward this different world, the world of big time news, I think to myself, “I know these older folks are wishing they had as wicked of a hairstyle as I do.” As I tap my way inside, leading a marching band that only I can see, I begin to wonder what my blindness will do for me. I saunter up to the handsome black security guard and wave my state ID at him like a baton. My cane pines for attention as well, as it decides to linger upright in my armpit. I want him to marry me. He looks dashing.

“Welcome sir. How can I help you?”

“I’m here for a job interview with Tracy.” There’s a pause where the guard contemplates how he will handle the fate of the future by letting me through to the waiting room.

“A job interview?” he asks, knowing my blindness better than I do.

“Yes, I’m here to see Tracy D for a 1:00 job interview.”

“Really?” he asks, able to predict how my blindness will be the death of the Chicago Tribune.

“Yes. Really. I even dressed up!” I say gleefully, silently thanking the gay gods for a gay friend who is darker than this man, cuter, and smarter about fashion than I am. The guard makes a few phone calls and when he, indeed, learns that I am here for a job interview, his voice drowns in apologies as he helps me to a chair in the lobby. I notice that there’s new paint and this becomes more apparent the longer I sit in the waiting room. People clip clop their way past me. A few editors are barking into their cell phones yelling at their writers about deadlines. Perfumes and colognes keep wafting past my nostrils every few minutes as I tap my cane on the wood floor, learning all the emergency exits and procedures and policies thanks to a repeating training video to my left. I wonder if it’s closed-captioned. The longer I sit there, because I’m early, the more astonished I am at how many different perfumes and colognes someone can drown in. I don’t smell the same fragrant twice. I think I’m going crazy. I’m nervous. I don’t know if I should be a blind guy and jam ear buds in my ears and continue reading Star Wars or if I should concentrate for different pairs of shoes. Surely, the hiring manager would have shoes that sound more elegant as they tap the wood.

I hoist my writing portfolio in my lap, wondering if I have too many letters of recommendation and not enough clippings. I wonder if I should have even brought paper clippings, because I sent links the other day when they gave a small email interview, because I have a stutter. I’m wondering if people are staring at my youth as they walk past, wafting every fragrance in the United States with each step.

I suddenly decide that I really want to finish this chapter, so I jam the ear buds into my BookSense, refusing to care about how stereotypical I look. Besides, I had another gay guy dress me up this morning, because I would have also stereotypically walked in with mismatched shirts and sweaters. I wonder why braille is so confusing. Who will I meet here? What kind of questions will they ask in the interview? Why did I skip the tea this morning despite Jamaal’s urgings? How can I get him to think of new racial jokes?

Just as the chapter finishes, and Luke gets captured, elegant sounding shoes step towards me with purpose and slight hesitation. I know this is the woman interviewing me because her perfume is the best I have smelled all day and it doesn’t want to make me write an editorial. She steps closer, thinning the visual thread, allowing me to see what she looks like. Her face makes me believe she smiles for a living.

“Robert Kingett?” she asks, wondering if I will be the downfall of the Chicago Tribune because of my lack of cologne.

“Yes,” I say, standing up and smiling wider than a final contraction before shaking her hand. I’m thankful my teeth are white. I’m also thankful I sent her links to my work and my resume the day before. My print portfolio feels heavier than it did a minute ago. “I can’t tell you how excited I am to be here!” I boast. Her smile competes with mine. We’re in a smiling contest. I will lose because she’s an expert and I’m an intermediate.

“I’m really excited to have you here, too! How do you want to do this? Do you want to grab my elbow or follow me?” I decide that the world can be safe from me bumping into things today and take her elbow. As we walk into a carpeted hallway, I excitedly listen to my possible future as we navigate various turns. Phones ring, air swooshes past me at random intervals, people are saying that the coffee needs more sugar even though it’s 1pm, people laugh at funny quotes, and  atmospheric and furniture smells trickle in and out of my nose as we race towards the finish line, with her explaining that we entered different parts of the newsroom. Doors halt our steady march for a few seconds but we continue onward talking as if we’re already in a clique. She tells me she really likes the articles that she’s been reading and sharing, and I manage to say much more clever things than “thank you” repeatedly.

We finally make it to the room that will decide my future and she and I sit in very comfy chairs that I want to steal so I can watch Netflix on them. A few more people come into the room, including a few more editors, an assistant, and laptops. Before long, the interview begins. She’s read about me online, so she has different questions for me than I expect.

“Your letters of recommendation were utterly glowing! You’re only 24?”

“Yes,” I say, not knowing if I should add to this. I add to this by saying, “I’m thankful they wrote so much about me! I’m also very happy about the work I’ve produced. I’m very passionate about my quality.”

“I know! Do you know how many times I’ve shared your articles and interviews? A lot! Now, you’ve said that you are still in school, yes? Community college, right?”

“Yes,” I say, wishing I had Denzel Washington there to stroke my hand and still my screaming heart. The stutter draws all of my answers out, as if I’m stretching vowels because I’m marveling at my own sentence structure. I want to go on a date soon. I wonder what question she will ask. Chairs produce noises of shifting bodies. I’m wondering if any of these African American men think I’m attractive. Should I say less, more? Should I stop imagining myself in the newsroom?

“You’re only a freshman, judging by your resume. How did you get to be published in so many venues?” I’m about to have a heart attack. I think my hair is utterly wonderful.

“I’m just a diligent person. When I set my sites on a goal, I do everything I can to achieve it, including learning from my past mistakes, such as with editing and the like. I just worked very hard and learned because I wanted to achieve my goal. I want to be a valuable reporter anywhere that I go.” My cerebral palsy is making me jerk slightly as I talk. I hear typing on keyboards, knowing that the other editors are taking notes on what pizza they want to have tonight. A few look my way as if I’m the chief reporter. Perhaps I will be. I imagine myself going out with one of them. I think I have said too much.

“Well, can I just say I am amazed at how calm you look? Usually college students are sweating bullets in here.” I smile.

“Thank you! I’ve learned that everything works epically with a collective noggin. Otherwise, pizza delivery guys would get lost.” There are a lot of genuine chuckles that dance around the table as if we’re doing a microphone test.

“I totally agree,” Tracy says, wondering why I am so young. “So did you learn AP style on your own?”

“Well, yes. I had to. I know that’s a style I will use, so why wait for someone to teach it to me? For example, I know that…” I forget what I’m going to say. “I know that with states, there’s a three letter abbreviation instead of the two letter abbreviation, among other things. AP style is a standard and I want to be the best I can be, so I just decided to learn it.”

“Interesting! How many times are you out in the field?” She means interviewing. Should I tell her about the BookSense I have? I think I will. I brandish it as I talk.

“I’m usually out in the field interviewing people rather than doing email and or phone interviews because I’ve had stories where, say, an email interview wouldn’t give me the information I needed for the story. When I write human interest stories, I want to tell their stories how they tell it, in their own voices. I record interviews on this BookSense. It’s a really cool player that will allow me to listen to books, recorded notes, and documents.” I show them the player, playing a Star Wars excerpt, knowing any professional journalist would never describe something as a cool device. I’m sure I won’t get the job. I imagine myself going on an assignment, telling someone I’m with the Tribune.

There’s a collective gasp around the table as if I’m doing brain surgery.

“Oh my god! I need one of these!” one of the editors says as I demonstrate the recording function.

A few minutes later, the serious questions start hitting home.

“Who do you read, as far as news outlets?” I have no idea how to answer this one.

“I read a lot of different articles from a lot of different publications, but I don’t religiously read the same publication. I’ve read a bunch of articles from a number of writers on a number of websites, including the Tribune, USA Today, The Herald, BBC, and a bunch of other stuff.” I conclude with a smile, my nerves straining to be rational.

“That’s great! Diversity is really great; it means that you have different angles to the same story.”

“I know,” I say before I can stop myself, but then I quickly add, “I just enjoy all kinds of news in all places. I like examining different perspectives.” There are smiles spreading throughout the editors like they are a tidal wave.

“That’s wonderful! With all this experience, have you ever been in a newsroom before?”

“No, I have not been in a newsroom before, at all,” I say, feeling the tension shift in the room. There’s a long pause, and then Tracy says, “A newsroom is very hectic. You have a lot of people running around and the like. Boy, I tell you, sometimes it’s difficult for ME to navigate around there.” I smile because I know I’m doomed, but I want to leave them with a quote, at least, that they will remember as they are hiring someone else. I imagine myself sitting in a newsroom and Tracy approaching me, giving me a medal that touts employee of the year on it. I don’t think I will get the job. I will be the best reporter at the Tribune.

“I can imagine. I’ve been in a newsroom for meetings and stuff, but the way I look at it is, if I can fill out a tax return than a newsroom shall be no match for me!” There’s a collective chuckle and this makes me feel good. She will tell me that I’m hired in a few days and then I will be a reporter here. I know this will happen, because I won’t order pizza tonight and everything will happen smoothly if I don’t order pizza. My heart threatens to rip out of my skin a few times before the interviewee goes,

“Do you have any questions for me?”

“No. I don’t. I do want to say that I enjoy the work that you guys do, though.” Everyone stands up and shakes my hand hard, marveling at my hair and choice of clothes. The interview lasted an hour, and I wonder what happens next in the Star Wars book.

A few days later, I receive an email from Tracy telling me that, even though I was stellar, they have chosen to go ahead and hire someone with more experience. I listen to the email several times, glad that I don’t have to worry or think about it anymore. It’s done. The stellar interview is over, and I’m still a freelancer who doesn’t wear cologne. I decide to order pizza that night, because pizza makes everything better. I order one with peperoni because I want to have cold pizza tomorrow. The Tribune didn’t hire me because I didn’t have epic cologne on during the job interview. Ah well, at least they got to hear a bit of Star Wars.

Robert Kingett is a disability journalist, covering every disability in every subcategory, even business. He is also a blogger and video game critic in Chicago, who reviews mainstream titles on the basis of accessibility for mainstream gaming publications. He’s also a motivational speaker and the creator of the Accessible Netflix Project, as well as an activist for various other campaigns for LGBT equality and disability advancements. You can find him on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Photo: Courtesy of Robert Kingett

Belo Cipriani: What is your background and why did you establish the Blind Institute of Technology?

Mike Hess: An English proverb states,  “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

I began my journey as a disabled person at the age of 7 in a small, Midwestern town in Ohio. As an April Fools baby, I had an affinity towards acting like the class clown. In fact, I wanted to sit in the back of the class cracking jokes as early as 1^st grade. I quickly moved to the front of the class after I realized I would not be able to see the chalkboard. However, I was still unable to fully participate. After several larger town visits to more sophisticated optometrists, I ended up in a large Cleveland hospital where my mother and I were told that I was losing my sight and would be completely blind by the age of 18. At that age, I had no idea what blind even meant. When I asked my mom, she simply said that I was going to be special. At this point, in many ways, I began to fulfill her prophecy.

My mom was determined to keep me within the public schools and did not want to send me off to a school for blind and deaf children. Disabled children are placed into special learning programs within the public school system. I was no different. This established a clear line in the sand with my classmates, plainly stating, “I’m different.”  However, I maintained my belief that I was special, regardless of the large print books and dark colored paper to aid me in my learning. I learned to make friends quickly because fitting in was not an option. I also refused to allow schoolmates to bullyrag me just because I was blind. Therefore, I stayed the course throughout my thousand-mile journey because either I engaged new people through shenanigans or I played tough.

Junior high school quickly came and we ended up in Colorado and I began using low vision technologies for the first time. My secondary educational life was now a mix of learning life as a total blind person through cane training and Braille classes, and low-vision technologies.

After high school and a couple years of junior college classes, I enrolled at the Community College of Denver (CCD). I studied programming while in college and began a career in Information Technology (IT). I graduated from CCD in 1995 with a certificate in application programming where I also received the Student of the Year award from The Computer Training for People with Disabilities Program (CTPD).

Of course, throughout my college career, challenges continued to present themselves. With the limited technology at that time, I needed to collaborate with others and utilize alternate methods to achieve success. As an example, I paired up with a partner that had carpal tunnel syndrome. I was able to type while she acted as our eyes. So as a blind young person, I had experienced the shunning of one who is different, the thrill of achieving like one who is not and continued to grow in the belief that my journey was meant for greatness.

Immediately after college, I married my wife and adopted my two daughters. Our family then grew again in 2008 with the addition of a little boy. I believe it is important to demonstrate to my children that my disability should not affect my life and that I am just as capable as someone who has sight. My kids experience a dad who attempts all mental, physical or emotional challenges. They have lived my mantra that my vision loss is simply a mere inconvenience and nothing more. They have watched me keep a positive attitude throughout all my trials and tribulations. They have seen me compete at martial arts tournaments, snow and water ski, run half marathons and climb 14,000-foot mountains. My kids have witnessed me working 16-hours days to create business-valued systems and spend hours on a bus each day to keep my employment. Finally, they have been my driving force when it seemed like the world was unfair. My family has been my excuse to thrive, my joy and support throughout all my successes and challenges.

My journey has been thrilling thus far, as I have climbed corporate ladders, martial arts belts and literal mountains. However, my thousand miles is far from over — the next phase of my journey is materializing before my mind’s eye with Blind Institute of Technology (BIT). BIT was founded in February 2013 with the mission of preparing the visually impaired, and the employers who hire them, for success in the workplace. BIT strives to close the gap between the blind and their sighted counterparts by providing relevant business-valued skills. Because of my personal successes, I initially focused BIT’s efforts on education, coaching, and job placement services for the blind.

Belo: How did you acquire the funds for your organization?

Mike: My wife and I went “all in.” With my wife’s support, we used our life’s savings to establish the legal entity with the Secretary of State and the IRS. My goal is to create a legacy for myself and not just a six-figure income in the corporate environment.

Belo: What services do you provide?

Mike: A list of BIT Programs:

Employer Education & Outreach: Educating employers about the untapped pool of talent found in the visually impaired community, and the actionable steps they can take to make blind employees a valuable addition to their own workforce.

Workplace Preparation: Preparing the employer’s workforce and worksite to support successful employment of visually impaired candidates.

Certifications & Training Programs: Developing and increasing the visually impaired’s access to certification programs in project management and technical skills.

Staffing & Placements: Helping Colorado employers recruit, train and maintain a talented workforce through low-cost staffing and placement services.

Belo: How many people have you helped? How did you help them?

Mike: We have secured 7 paid opportunities thus far and spoken with hundreds of executives across the country. We have delivered dozens of workshops and keynotes illustrating the many assets and advantages the visually impaired community brings to an organization. BIT has recently signed a contract with a global organization that will allow us to place hundreds of blind people.

Belo: What are some of the institute’s future plans?

Mike: We will continue to execute on all four programs and focus on opening eyes through BIT.

Belo: How can people get in touch with you?

Mike: In addition to our website, you can find us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
Who is Belo Cipriani?

Belo Cipriani is the Writer-in-Residence at Holy Names University, a spokesperson for Guide Dogs for the Blind, the “Get to Work” columnist for SFGate.com, and the author of Blind: A Memoir. You are invited to connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.

Logo courtesy of the Blind Institute of Technology

When I decided to become a writer, I figured that my past experience as a recruiter coupled with a big dose of eagerness would make landing my first writing gig not as challenging. Unaware of the obstacles ahead, I retired from an eight year career in staffing and belly flopped into the competitive field of writing.

I’m now a freelance writer and I’m always looking for my next gig. Initially it was frustrating to hear undertones of fear or confusion in the voices of the hiring managers when I revealed my blind side to them over the phone or to get the novelty treatment while interviewing in person, which never lead to job offers. My luck began to change thanks to the help of a television commercial. A few years ago, Samsung was running an advertisement that featured a blind woman and her guide dog as she used her phone on the beach. Everyone mentioned the commercial to me and suggested I contact Samsung for a job; I even got the same phone she had as a gift.

Realizing the impact of demonstrating a blind person using a cell phone had on my circle of friends prompted me to carry my adaptive equipment with me to job interviews. I heard sighs of awe and admiration whenever I showed the people interviewing me my laptop and talking dictionary. I began to hear “When can you start?” instead of “We will be in touch.”

I believe that more employers would hire blind workers if movies, commercials, and print ads showed more blind people doing day to day mundane things. Currently, the media showcases people of all shades of skin and cultures; I look forward to the day more companies use disabled people in their marketing, as we also buy their products.

Who is Belo Cipriani?

Belo Cipriani is the Writer-in-Residence at Holy Names University, a spokesperson for Guide Dogs for the Blind, and the author of Blind: A Memoir. You are invited to connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.

I interviewed few disabled candidates and rarely considered their job prospects. As a recruiter, I rarely debated if and how they would be able to perform the duties of a position. I soon found a new perspective — one that changed the way I viewed both the role of the recruiter and the place of people with disabilities in the job market.

A Shift in Thinking

I was attacked more than six years ago — a beating that caused severe retinal trauma, which left me blind. A year after the attack, I found myself at California’s Orientation Center for the Blind, learning new ways to complete necessary daily tasks. Most significantly, I learned that while I had helped place hundreds of people into positions at top companies, my opportunities and chances of finding a job were slim.

Members of the blind community warned me that I would need a lot of patience when I began my job search. I now belonged to a group of people erroneously viewed by recruiters as unskilled, unproductive, and more difficult. I didn’t need my guide dog, Madge, to sniff out the irony of my new situation.

According to Dr. Lennard Davis, these stereotypes exist in part because people’s misconceptions of the blind are split between thinking they’re completely helpless, yet also brimming with superpowers. These misconceptions carry over into the business world and can seriously confuse potential employers.

The Misconceptions of Managers

According to a recent study done by the nonprofit National Industries for the Blind (NIB), out of 3.5 million blind Americans of working age, a walloping 70 percent are not employed. And of the 30 percent working, the majority work for blind organizations.

One major reason blind people struggle to find employment is that public misconceptions of the blind affect hiring managers’ perceptions of potential candidates who are visually impaired. I’d like to break down a few of these — put out by the NIB study — and discuss why these misconceptions are fallacies.

Among hiring managers, most respondents (54 percent) felt there were few jobs at their company that blind employees could perform, and 45 percent said accommodating such workers would require “considerable expense.”

The reality is that a blind person can do any job that involves a computer, and there are a slew of adaptive tech toys that make most jobs accessible, such as a portable scanner to read printed material. As for the purported expense, according to The American Foundation for the Blind, most accommodations cost less than $1,000, a negligible amount for a serious business.

Forty-two percent of hiring managers believe blind employees need someone to assist them on the job; 34 percent said blind workers are more likely to have work-related accidents.

This fear can be attributed to some of our common idioms, e.g., “It’s like the blind leading the blind.” This phrase implies poor navigation skills, when the reality is that blind people often have superb orientation skills due to hours of training by mobility experts. Far from being clumsy, the visually impaired have an attention to detail that most sighted people lack. Insurance statistics back this up: Blind people actually have better safety records than their sighted colleagues.

Nineteen percent of hiring managers believe blind employees have a higher absentee rate.

In reality, blind people don’t actually miss more time from work. A DuPont study, completed during a 25-year span, found that disabled people, in general, have better attendance than 90 percent of their non-disabled colleagues.

The Realities of 2014

The disabled did not get their rights during the Civil Rights movement and had to wait until the ‘90s for the Americans with Disabilities Act to pass. Even now, many people assume the blind are unemployable. As a former recruiter, I realize there are different requirements and considerations that need to be addressed when hiring a visually impaired individual, but without changing our perspective on the capabilities of the blind, we can never end the discrimination that still takes place.

Some companies such as Google, Apple, and Yahoo! routinely hire visually impaired employees. The U.S. government — especially the CIA, the Department of Rehabilitation, and the Social Security Agency — also hires many visually impaired people.

Jobs capitalizing on the unique skills the blind develop are also being created. Givaudan, a company in the fragrance and flavors business, has developed a special internship program designed to give the blind work experience. Participants evaluate fragrances, detecting subtle differences that aid the creative team.

Just like the civil rights took time and effort to sink into people’s consciousness, it will take some time to abolish blind stereotypes. However, both the blind and sighted people can contribute to the shift.

How Managers Can Improve Inclusivity

Prejudices toward the blind workforce are not beyond repair. In addition to a “lead by example” role that managers can take, they can also become more inclusive by reaching out to groups that cater to the blind to recruit for potential new hires.

Encourage your human resources department to diversify its pipeline of candidates by recruiting from employment programs at organizations such as LightHouse in San Francisco and The Lions Center for the Blind. Hiring a blind person for an internship not only gives him job experience but also will encourage others to be more open to considering a person who is blind for a position in the future.

If a company is serious about inclusivity, then it is also very important that its website and job application portal be ADA-compliant. Companies can also demonstrate a commitment to diversity by portraying blind people in their recruitment advertising.

How the Blind Can Increase Their Chances of Hire

The reality is that we live in a sighted world, and stereotypes pervade the workplace. For people without sight, bring your adaptive equipment along to interviews to demonstrate how you would complete required tasks to give the hiring manager the insight they need to make a decision.

Network in the blind community and get to know people in your line of work. If you know of a person who is blind and doing the job similar to the one you are applying for, get advice from him and obtain a reference if you can. Telling a hiring manager about another blind person in a similar role can help you land the job. Finally, do not hesitate to report a company if you believe you were discriminated against.

How Sighted People Can Help

If you work for a company that does not feature people with disabilities on its employment page, let your employer know he is not being inclusive. You can also ask your employer, school, and friends what they are doing to acknowledge disability awareness month in October.

Education helps young people crush outdated beliefs at an early age. In California, the FAIR Education Act, which passed in 2011, requires public schools to include disability education. If you are a parent outside of California, demand your school district to add disability studies to its curriculum.

Finally, perform a quick Google search any time a disabilities stereotype crosses your mind. Educating yourself on the truth about disabilities is the best way to eliminate outdated stereotypes.

It will take time to change the collective consciousness of society and root out wrongful discrimination against people with disabilities. However, people can help by educating themselves about issues facing blind people today, discouraging outdated stereotypes, and working to encourage inclusivity in their workplaces.

Who is Belo Cipriani?

Belo Cipriani is the Writer-in-Residence at Holy Names University, a spokesperson for Guide Dogs for the Blind, and the author of Blind: A Memoir. You are invited to connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.

Photo: “Hire Us” by Dita Margarita is licensed under CC BY 2.0