Disability Lead

Registration for the 2025 Disability Leadership Summit, which will be held on February 25 and 26, 2025, is officially open! This two-day professional development event, one of the largest of its kind, is created by disabled leaders for disabled leaders and their allies. This Summit is a unique opportunity to learn, connect, and grow in community with others, shaping the future of disability leadership. Registration fees are on a sliding scale with reduced pricing options to ensure the Summit is accessible to all who want to attend. Corporate, non-profit, and public sector employees and independent contractors: Through the end of the year, take advantage of an early bird discount of $100 with the code “EARLYBIRD.” Disability Lead Members can register at a special rate. If you are experiencing any financial hardships or barriers and would still like to attend, please get in touch with our Development Manager, Anne Renna, at [email protected]. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to learn from and alongside other disabled leaders who are creating impactful change! Register here: https://lnkd.in/gpbmFyfq #LearningAndDevelopment #ProfessionalDevelopment #Leadership #DisabilityLeadershipSummit #Disability #RegisterToday #EarlyBird #DisabilityLead #Webinar

It's a big deal kind of day. Why? Because the #DignityInPay Act PASSED and once the Governor signs the bill, it will be law, and the practice of paying disabled people sub-minimum wage in Illinois will be phased out. We are elated, and so, so grateful to the many people whose hard work brought this victory about. Celebrate, Illinois! We just did something amazing!

Congratulations to Keidra Chaney, CPACC, on the launch of her fellowship project with The Longmore Institute on Disability! Her fellowship project is called "CTRL: The Black Disabled Women Activism Digital Archive Project."Keidra hopes that through this project, she will make a lasting impact on the disability community by collecting and preserving the online activism and cultural contributions of Black disabled women and femmes across various social movements and digital spaces. The project will archive diverse content—digital magazines, podcasts, and social media content—making this important work accessible to the public. Keidra's goal is to create a rich resource that showcases the online education, activism, and cultural work led by Black disabled women. If you want to learn more, contribute, or participate in Keidra's project, please visit https://lnkd.in/gNET6pCx or email [email protected]. #WeAreDislead #Disability #Members #BlackDisabledWomen #Activist #DisabilityLead #Archival #PositiveDisruptor

The Disability Leadership Summit is a two-day professional development event created by disabled leaders for disabled leaders and their allies. Registration for the Summit on February 25 and 26, 2025 is just days away. Last week, we announced our keynote speakers. Here are some fun facts about the two powerhouse leaders driving change for accessibility and inclusion! Commissioner Rachel Arfa is kicking off day 1 of the Summit. She is one of the highest-ranking deaf leaders in city government. Since her groundbreaking appointment in 2020, three other deaf leaders have been appointed to mayoral cabinets in major cities, including Detroit, Washington, D.C., and New York City. Catarina Rivera, MSEd, MPH, CPACC is widely recognized for her impactful advocacy and storytelling. Her Instagram platform, @BlindishLatina, has garnered over 37 million views and was an official 2024 Webby Awards nominee. Catarina will be kicking off day 2 of the Summit. Don't miss a chance to learn from these two visionaries shaping the future of disability leadership! #DisabilityLeadershipSummit #Disability #DisabledLeaders #KeynoteSpeakers #Leadership Image Description: A mainly white background with a purple, orange, and fuchsia line design at the top and bottom of the graphic. In the top right and bottom left corners are purple triangles. At the top is the Disability Leadership Summit logo, with the Disability Lead plus sign on the right side. Below the logo is the text “Keynote Speakers” in purple. Under the text are photos of Rachel Arfa and Catarina Rivera. On the right side is a photo of Rachel Arfa with her name below her photo in orange text. Rachel is a White woman standing in front of a gray wall. The Chicago flag can also be seen in the background. Rachel has shoulder-length dark brown hair and hazel eyes and smiles brightly at the camera. She wears a red top with a black blazer and is accessorized with dark pearl earrings and a necklace. On the left side is a photo of Catarina Rivera with her name in orange under her photo. Catarina is a Latina woman standing outside in a beige leather jacket and a black and beige Chevron-patterned turtleneck top. Catarina has long dark hair and brown eyes and smiles brightly at the camera.

“We are hacking diversity, equity, and inclusion to ensure disabled people are represented at all levels and in all spaces.” – Emily Blum, Executive Director at Disability Lead, from 2024 Chicago Innovation Awards acceptance speech. ??Disability Lead is one of the winners of the 2024 Chicago Innovation Awards! ?? The Chicago Innovation Awards celebrate the most groundbreaking new products and services, highlighting solutions that address key challenges in healthcare, technology, education, social services, and beyond. Disability Lead was honored as one of two winners in the “Social Innovator” category for its unique leadership development model, focusing on building power and influence among people with disabilities. For the full list of this year’s winners, visit www.chicagoinnovation.com. #WeAreDisLead #Disability #ChicagoInnovationAwards #ChicagoInnovation #DEIA #PositiveDisruptors #Leadership #PowerInfluenceChange

Save the dates for the second annual Disability Leadership Summit, which will be held on February 25 and 26, 2025. This event is one of the largest professional development events created by disabled leaders for disabled leaders. Introducing our second of two keynote speakers … Rachel Arfa! Rachel is a Disability Lead Member and the Commissioner of the City of Chicago Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD). Commissioner Arfa is a visionary and the first deaf person to serve as a member of a mayor’s cabinet nationwide. Under her transformative leadership, MOPD has modernized services for the disability community, launched the MOPD Career Center to support inclusive hiring, and created the Access Officer program to promote inter-agency collaboration on accessibility. Rachel has also expanded access to city services by hiring ASL interpreters, increasing digital accessibility, and eliminating barriers like the personal assistance program fee. With over 15 years of experience as a disability and civil rights attorney, Rachel’s work continues to transform how Chicago serves people with disabilities. Learn more about Rachel: https://lnkd.in/gJ5JrUzh Registration for the 2025 Disability Leadership Summit opens soon. #DisabilityLeadershipSummit #DisabilityAdvocacy #DEIA #Accessibility #Leadership #CatarinaRivera #Summit2025 #DisabilityInclusion GIF Description: A mainly white background graphic with a purple, orange, and Fuchsia line design at the top and bottom of the graphic. In the top right and bottom left corners are purple triangles. In the middle of the graphic, to the left side, reads all of the text for the graphic. At the top, purple text reads, “2025.” Underneath is the Disability Leadership Summit logo with the Disability Lead cross logo on the right side. Beneath the logo, in purple, reads “Keynote Speaker:” followed by big orange letters that read “Rachel Arfa.” The smaller purple font reads “Disability Lead Member | Commissioner at City of Chicago Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities | Previous disability and civil rights attorney.” To the right is a picture of Rachel Arfa. Rachel is a White woman standing in front of a gray wall. The Chicago flag can also be seen in the background. Rachel has shoulder-length dark brown hair and hazel eyes and smiles brightly at the camera. She wears a red top with a black blazer and is accessorized with dark pearl earrings and a necklace. All of the information for this gif graphic slowly fades within 10 seconds as Rachel's image goes from blurry to clear.

Our Disability Leadership Summit is one of the largest professional development opportunities created by disabled leaders for disabled leaders. Mark your calendars for our second annual summit on February 25 and 26, 2025. Introducing one of our Keynote Speakers: Catarina Rivera, MSEd, MPH, CPACC! Catarina is a Disability Public Speaker, TEDx Speaker, LinkedIn Top Voice, and DEIA Consultant who helps organizations create more inclusive and accessible spaces. She’s also the founder of BlindishLatina, a platform dedicated to breaking down disability stigmas through storytelling and advocacy. Her incredible advocacy work has earned her features in Nasdaq, Forbes, ABC News Live, and Authority Magazine. In 2021, she was named one of Honest Culture’s Top 21 DEI Influencers. Registration for the 2025 Disability Leadership Summit opens soon. Learn more about Catarina on her website: https://lnkd.in/gzKpXP8A #DisabilityLeadershipSummit #DisabilityAdvocacy #DEIA #Accessibility #Leadership #CatarinaRivera #BlindishLatina #Summit2025 Gif Description: A mainly white background graphic with a purple, orange, and dark pink line design at the top and bottom of the graphic. In the top right and bottom left corners are purple triangles. In the middle of the graphic, to the left side, reads all of the text for the graphic. At the top, purple text reads, “2025.” Underneath is the Disability Leadership Summit logo with the Disability Lead cross logo on the right side. Beneath the logo, in purple, reads “Keynote Speaker:” followed by big orange letters that read, “Catarina Rivera." In smaller purple font, reads “LinkedIn Top Voice in Disability Advocacy | Disability Speaker |DEIA Consultant | Content Creator.” To the right is a picture of Catarina Rivera. Catarina Rivera is a Latina woman standing outside in a beige leather jacket and a black and beige chevron patterned turtleneck top. Catarina has long dark hair and brown eyes and smiles brightly at the camera. All of the information for this gif graphic slowly fades within 10 seconds as Catarina’s image goes from blurry to clear.

Today, we honor and thank all who have served, especially those in the disabled community, including some Disability Lead Members.

Excited to be part of this important conversation on allyship hosted by the Pepperdine University’s DEI Guild! The concept of allyship has evolved, yet its significance remains strong, especially within the OD community. Join us on Tuesday, November 12, at 4:30 pm PT/7:30 pm ET, for a 90-minute session with my fellow speakers: Roberta P. , Sally Loftis, MSOD (she/her/hers) , Samuel Liberant, Rodney Wardell Carter, and myself. Together, we’ll explore what allyship means today and how we can continue weaving the tapestry of inclusion. Looking forward to connecting with the Pepperdine University MSOD alumni, current students, and all who are passionate about advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. #DEI #Allyship #MSOD #Inclusion #Thisishowsoulutionswork #Community