Jill Houghton shares her thoughts on identity and inclusion, and it's about to get community-driven
"No one should have to hide who they are at work, and when they feel they are accepted – in all aspects– then that’s when we see increased innovation, retention and stronger business performance." In this week's edition of You've Got This, President and CEO Jill Houghton of Disability:IN discussed her approach towards intersectionality and inclusion, how metrics can help increase program adoption and drive meaningful change, and how you can get involved. Be sure to check out her answers below, and get ready for our next guest Ian Sandler of Riley's Way foundation.
Victoria: "The community of people with disabilities is so vast - one billion strong, as you shared in this October 2019 blog post - and so incredibly diverse and intersectional. What would be some key ideas you'd want to share with those who may want to learn more about meaningful inclusion of those with disabilities?"
Jill: "There is an inequality crisis happening, and we should keep in mind disability knows no race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or ethnicity. An intersectional approach is paramount. We each need to consider a person’s whole self – or all identities.
"Often times, if we just consider one identity, we miss the full picture and lose an opportunity to empathize and connect. When we go past diversity, and move towards inclusion and belonging, we start to connect with people’s truth and their authentic self. No one should have to hide who they are at work, and when they feel they are accepted – in all aspects– then that’s when we see increased innovation, retention and stronger business performance."
Victoria: "As you and Disability:IN have pioneered such programs as the Disability Equality Index (in partnership with the American Association of People with Disabilities), Supplier Diversity program, NextGen Leaders Initiatives and Inclusion Works, what do you think will be your next area of focus?"
Jill: "We will continue to drive engagement in all of our programs. We cannot say the work is done in any aspect. We have roughly ? of the Fortune 500 leveraging the Disability Equality Index – and we want all Fortune 1000 companies to leverage this tool to develop a plan for disability inclusion. Our NextGen Leaders are receiving offers and working at inclusive corporations, but how can we help them advance their careers further? How can we reach even more young students and recent graduates with disabilities? In terms of supplier diversity, how can we engage with more disability-owned businesses, including service-disabled and veteran-owned businesses? The more we can certify disability-owned businesses, the more we can connect them with corporations and help them work together.
"What gets measured, gets done. Inclusion Works has been growing rapidly (over 50,000 hires to date from participating companies) and that is a signal that it’s working. So how can we get more companies to join IN? We look forward to strengthening and expanding our reach."
Victoria: "With July 2020 marking the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), how will you and Disability:IN be celebrating and raising awareness of this milestone?"
Jill: "Our 2020 Disability:IN Conference & Expo is actually next week! I’m excited to announce we’ll be unveiling a new campaign called “Are You IN?” during our virtual opening plenary. It’s a call to action – it’s time to join in – and advance disability inclusion. 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and we need people to join in this effort if we are to advance over the next 30 years! Check DisabilityIN.org starting Tuesday, July 14th to join IN."
___________________________________________________________
Next week's guest: Ian Sandler
I'm looking forward to our next guest, Ian Sandler. Ian is the Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of Insight Ventures and the Co-Founder of Riley's Way Foundation. Launched in 2014 by Ian and his wife Mackenzie to honor the spirit of their daughter Riley Hannah Sandler, the foundation focuses on helping young leaders build community connections that in turn will create a better, kinder world.
With that in mind, here's what I'll be asking Ian:
- A recent Harris Poll underscored that the American public want companies to make a positive difference on social issues. Do you see this movement towards positive impact increasing the demand for organizations like yours who are helping to support the next generation of leaders?
- The Riley's Way Foundation has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants to young people since its founding six years ago through projects like the nationwide Call for Kindness campaign. What have been some of your favorite stories of impact over the years?
- How are you adjusting your programming around COVID-19, and what advice would you have for young people looking to engage with their communities?
Feel free to ask your questions for Ian in the comments below, and thank you for reading!
Accounts Payable
4 年Take care of your employees, then they will be more free to take care of your customers
ANORUE BRUNO
4 年Cool
Global Chief Marketing Officer | On Sabbatical | Open to Board & Advisory Roles | T1D Parent | Founder | Salon Host | I Ask Questions | I Believe in Simplicity | B2B | ???? Irish-Born, Global Citizen
4 年“An intersectional approach is paramount. We each need to consider a person’s whole self – or all identities.”
Senior Operations and Compliance Professional | Expertise in Auditing, Investigations and Fraud | Formerly at Checkr
4 年“When they feel they are accepted – in all aspects– then that’s when we see increased innovation, retention and stronger business performance." - So so true. My last position was my first after a multi-year gap due to an injury. I was terrified to open up about any lingering issues because I thought of it as a weakness. Eventually I couldn’t hide it anymore and what I found out is that I never had to. My coworkers and superiors made me feel accepted in all aspects and in return it created a deep gratitude that drove me to work even harder. After having been laid off I would still go back in a heartbeat because that level of inclusivity and acceptance is difficult to find.