In 1945, after years of hard work and persistence from activists, Congress created “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week.” Through the years, the official name and duration of the event has changed, and in 1988, its new name – National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) – was adopted.  Along with those changes, themes for each year were added. The 2021 NDEAM theme is “America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion.” The Biden Administration released a Presidential Proclamation where you can learn more. In summary, it reflects on the importance of ensuring that people with disabilities have full access to employment and community involvement during the national recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The WTS-Boston Diversity Committee seeks to highlight the significant contributions our disabled community members make in our local communities, workplace, and industry. We encourage the WTS community to join us in celebrating NDEAM. See links below for ideas on how you can get involved:

• MRC Joins in Observing National Disability Employment Awareness Month
• NDEAM social media
• Educators and youth service professionals
• State governors, legislators, and other policymakers
• Associations and unions
• Disability related organizations
• Federal agencies

Image Courtesy: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/odep/initiatives/ndeam