By Maya Hutagalung: Junior, Art BA
The piece incorporates 312 Hearing Aid batteries I have used. The batteries reference accommodations used to gain equity in any environment. They lead inside an open doorway full of colorful possibilities; possibilities created by people with disabilities. I see them as helpful stars. They allow me to engage with my surroundings, which others do. It is also the responsibility of a workspace to allow these stars and their users in by addressing all accommodations and conditions fully and avoiding bias towards people with disabilities. My work includes a personal story, but it may resonate with others. I hope people will become more understanding of different disabilities even not experiencing them themselves. Accommodations are tools to build equity, essential to ensure everyone an environment that addresses their unique circumstance. Without them, people are failed and barred from their human right to equal and fair access.
By Breck Stenson: Staff at Area 49
I'm fairly young to be using a cane, which means that when I do, people stare at me. No one says anything, but I know anyone who doesn't know me is itching to ask me why. They want to ask why I use one, or why I sometimes don't. Or why I may occasionally use it for the other side of my body. If people were more accustomed to seeing disabled people in public spaces, maybe it wouldn't be so weird and out of place. Advancing access and equity means that disabled people will be more comfortable using mobility aids in not only the workplace, but in all public spaces, without the fear of being seen as "other." I hope that we can encourage each other to learn more about mobility aids, the ways that disabled people use them, and how to bring more awareness to our peers.
By: Sophie Hirsch: PhD Student, 3rd year - Health Psychology (Clinical)
To me, "Advancing Access and Equity" means to help individuals succeed in their unique roles in their social spaces, including work, and to provide accommodations to help them manage possible challenges. My painting specifically focuses on the invisible disabilities, including, but not limited to, developmental, emotional, and behavioral disabilities, that can cause significant barriers when entering the workforce and maintaining employment.
For the 2023 National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), I decided to paint a portrait of a seemingly "normal" individual. The colors chosen for the portrait, i.e., blue, red, yellow, teal, grey, and a mixture of those, represent the arrows on the 2023 NDEAM poster. The eyes of the person in the painting remained white, resembling the color of the eyes in a non-abstract painting, as one often cannot visibly see the intellectual or psychological disability someone else may live with.
By: Iverson Ruffin: Senior, Computer Science
Advancing Access and Equity means realizing that we all have differences and embracing those differences. Our different abilities are linked to each other, in one way or another. We are of best use when we use our abilities , our gifts, to help others. What we can all learn about Disability at Work is whether or not our differences are visible to others, we should always be considerate of others' circumstances. The sky is no limit, but merely a starting line, to where we can go, to what we can achieve when we enable each other to do great things.
By: Kalee Nguyen: 2024 pre-biology
This is a portrait of a younger self prostrating all of the hardships and Challenges that surfaced at a young age. Through her mature childhood and blinded parents, she was forced to grow and care for her siblings as a young child. This shows the beauty to a person even if they are physically Challenged and the motivation a person can gain from a single hardship. Her face is designed to represent someone young but the lipstick is to be confident knowing how much she has accomplished being challenged while helping others who were challenged.
By: Jessica Franco: B.F.A Graphic Design & Minor in Art History
This poster serves as a visual call to action for National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Bold upward lines symbolize progress and growth, urging us to envision a future where inclusion thrives. The message, "Inclusion starts with you," challenges viewers to reflect on their role in creating an inclusive work environment for individuals with disabilities. It prompts changes needed to pave the way for equal access and opportunities in the workplace.
"Advancing Access and Equity" signifies a collective commitment to breaking down barriers that limit opportunities for individuals with disabilities. It embodies the pursuit of creating a work environment where everyone, regardless of their abilities, has an equal chance to contribute, grow, thrive, and ensure that no one is held back.
Through education and awareness, I hope people will recognize that creating an inclusive work environment leads to stronger, more dynamic teams and a more vibrant, prosperous society as a whole.
By: Sydney Gallup: Staff at University Career Center
The hardest part about seeing limited access to disability support and accommodations in workplaces is knowing that so many, like me, wear a mask and pretend to be something they aren't. We minimize ourselves. We exhaust ourselves. But also, others exhaust us too. Systems exhaust us. Seeing greater access and seeing things get more equitable means we can start to remove our masks
By Timothy Knox (M.S. in Data Science and Analytics)
Inclusion to me means I would know how to answer the question, "Do you have a disability?" They ask it on every application, and to this day I don't know how to answer. I don't want to lie, but I don't want to be rejected for the truth. I don’t know how the answer affects being considered for the job.
In my poster I show myself on the other side of the medicine that keeps me normal. On one side, a model employee. On the other, non-functional darkness. I did the drawing with a large sumi paint brush on watercolor paper in ink. I then scanned, adjusted, and inserted digital elements in Photoshop. Finally I added the question on my mind when I think of disability and inclusion in the workplace.
By Iverson Ruffin (Junior, Computer Science)
We often run into disappointment or dissatisfaction when unforeseen circumstances take their stand against us. We are easily knocked down when what we expect is nothing like what is presented in front of us. From pain comes stories of infinite possibilities. Remove the invisible box in which you have placed yourself. Transform your boundaries and allow what is to be.
By Jessica Gunnels (Student Health Center)
Your Community is based on the idea that people were made to do life together. We are meant to support each other, love each other, and work through/celebrate our differences.
By Lee Anne Tourigny (M.A. in Psychology)
When creating a garden every flower, plant, path and bench are meticulously chosen to create a beautiful and unique scene as the one shown. Everything that exists in the garden was created or planted with different materials, has different maintenance needs, and grows and changes differently. Yet, all the differences, they all co-exist to create something peaceful, calming and breathtaking.
To me inclusion looks like this garden. Every person had different needs, comes from different backgrounds and processes their thoughts and emotions differently. True inclusion not only acknowledges this but embraces it to create a productive, life-giving work environment.
By Sydney Gallup (University Career Center)
What does inclusion in the workplace look like to me? It looks like people getting to be themselves and feeling understood. And the workplace responds with acceptance and open arms. Respect is the bare minimum.
By Cameron Reeder (Treasury Services)
To me, inclusion in the workplace means considering everyone’s ideas, as well as providing everyone with a sense of belonging and an equal chance to succeed. The butterfly itself represents an inclusive workplace. The varying colors of the butterfly represent employees with different cultures and backgrounds in the workplace and how they all come together to make the workplace truly special. I hope others will learn that inclusivity is important in the workplace, as it creates a welcoming environment for everyone to thrive in.
By Jessica Franco
To me, the theme "Disability: Part of the Equity Equation” means recognizing the value that people with disabilities contribute to the workforce. I decided on a green and gold palette to represent UNC Charlotte, as they are advocates for the inclusion of all people. I added background puzzle pieces with mathematical equations to complement the 2022 NDEAM theme. Each person is holding a puzzle piece that represents the value that all people with disabilities contribute to the workplace. This includes people with both visible and invisible disabilities. My hopes are that through my poster people are inspired to be inclusive and open-minded to those who have disabilities. We all have something unique to contribute to the workplace. I believe that our life experiences allow us to contribute to something that is larger than ourselves. By being inclusive we can inspire and be inspired by others.