Invisible Disabilities Week speaking engagement for The Co-operators
In less than 10 days, I’ll be speaking virtually to 200-300 employees at The Co-operators about disability biases and beliefs, supporting invisible disabilities and fostering an empathetic, inclusive culture - a dream fit for Invisible Disabilities Week next week!
From my story of hiding my rare muscle disorder as much as I could for 30+ years, to rethinking common invisible disability myths and swapping in more inclusive language/responses, I’m so excited to speak to the ERG members - one of my favourite audiences!
To me, Invisible Disabilities Week (Oct 19-25) is about creating visibility and community for those living with them, and to encourage others to share their stories and experiences.
Because every time someone steps up and says who they are, the world becomes a better, more interesting place. ✨
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month - here’s why remote work is a Yay
DID YOU KNOW, October has both National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), and Invisible Disabilities Week?
Back in 2013, I was looking for my first job out of university. The idea of commuting made me nervous - I find walking to and standing on public transit tiring, and I was worried I’d be too tired by the end of the day to do all the domestic upkeep of living alone.
When I came across a job at nonprofit arts organization that produced a huge South Asian festival, helping run such a massive event seemed impossible. I knew it’d involve being on my feet for hours, which I wasn’t sure I’d physically be able to do - I’d always had to avoid the classic retail or restaurant jobs growing up, because I knew I’d be too sore and exhausted being on my feet that regularly.
The main reason I decided to accept the job? It was mostly remote work. The festival itself would be exhausting, but a one-time thing to push through. Leading up to and after that, I’d only have to go in to an “office” once a week, and otherwise be able to work from home.
After working my first-ever festival, I was on my feet at least 15 hours and couldn’t walk without limping for a week. Every year after each festival, I’d still be sore for days, and it’d take me a week or two to get back to normal.
But I stayed for 11+ years - partly because I enjoyed it, and partly because even though in the short run it was hard, in the long run it was easier than some alternatives.
What works for me and my disability experience is kind of like a sprint vs a marathon - I could push through a burst of a busy, tiring time, because I was able to rest more outside of festival season. Whereas with an in-person office job, I’d be expending energy more steadily for a longer time, which is really difficult when you’re working with 33% strength of the average person.
Here’s your friendly reminder that remote work isn’t just a “perk” or a “nice to have” or a “wow they’re lucky/must be nice” - it’s an important part of keeping workplaces accessible to people with disabilities.
In some cases, it can keep a dedicated, detail-oriented, yay-saying employee around for 11+ years. 💁🏽♀️✨
I’m a finalist for the 2025 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Award by the Women’s Nonprofit Network!
This is definitely a daily yay - an absolute joy to be named as a finalist for the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging award by the Women’s Nonprofit Network and presented by GreenShield! 🥹
After 11+ years in the nonprofit sector at MonstrARTIty and #BollywoodMonster Mashup, and now in my second career as an invisible disability speaker and an Ambassador for the Invisible Disabilities Association and the Rick Hansen Foundation School Program, it feels so special to have my work recognized. Especially alongside leaders like my fellow finalists!
The Women’s Nonprofit Network Awards winners will be announced on Oct 21 - wish me luck! 🙏🏽🎉✨
Building Inclusion Through Empathy - Canadian SME Small Business Magazine
A 2017 “Disabilities & Inclusion” study by Coqual showed that of the 30% of the professional workforce with a disability, only 39% had disclosed to their manager, 34% to their teams, and 31% to HR.
That same study also found that employees who disclosed their disabilities to most people they interacted with, were over TWICE as likely to feel regularly happy or content at work, compared to those who disclosed to no one.
After hiding my muscle disability at my nonprofit arts/events job from everyone but my director and one other colleague for 10+ years, I can definitely speak to how freeing it felt to be my whole self, once I started speaking about my lived experience with an invisible physical disability!
So happy to share my thoughts with CanadianSME Small Business Magazine on Building Inclusion Through Empathy, to create workplaces where people feel safe to disclose the barriers they’re facing.
You can read the full article linked here 🫶🏽💃🏽✨