chronicallycapable

[chronicallycapable]

How To Support Racial Justice From Home

At Chronically Capable, we’re building a platform that does not discriminate - based on race, gender, disability, or even health conditions. Having been in constant contact with employers and job seekers during this time, we recognize how much work there is to be done. We take this work very seriously and we will be listening, learning, and planning as we reflect on the systemic racism in our nation. We are committed to doing our part.

We have compiled a list of resources for chronically ill folks who are unable to attend rallies but want to support black communities: https://www.wearecapable.org/post/how-to-support-racial-justice-from-home

[chronicallycapable]

Chronically Capable

Hi! My name is Hannah and I was diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease my sophomore year of college, after many months of misdiagnosis. Many people know Lyme Disease is caused by tick bites, but most people are unaware of how aggressive the treatment is to combat it, and how hard it is to balance with a full time job.

I realized this first hand after I landed my first job out of college at a top-tier design agency. Like any new hire, I was working long hours and trying to establish myself in the company, but I had the added difficulty of having to be on an IV for 6 hours a day. Not to mention the 28 pills I had to remember to take. Ultimately, I got completely burnt out and had to prioritize my health over the work I was passionate about. This was so defeating. But I learned I was not alone.

Over 133 million Americans suffer from a chronic illness and are put in a similar situation of sacrificing their dreams to accommodate their illness. Discovering the scale of this issue, I was resolved to come up with a solution. I was not going to let my disease dictate my potential. And after landing my next job at a cutting-edge tech startup, Chronically Capable was born. Chronically Capable is a platform that strives to connect the chronically ill with meaningful work and flexible employers, so that no one ever has to decide between their life’s passions and their health again.

Join us at www.wearecapable.org

[chronicallycapable]

I’m not sick in a hospital bed, and chronic illness isn’t this blanket term that means that. I don’t have diminished mental capacity or ambition.

Hannah Olson, Fast Company

[chronicallycapable]

Realities of living with chronic illness.

[chronicallycapable]

Why National Disability Employment Awareness Month Should Be Every Month

Last month, businesses across the nation exhibited their commitment to tackling disability employment issues in support of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). As November rolls around, those elevator signs announcing NDEAM will find their way to the trash can.

My hope is that companies will remind their employees that we should be including persons with a disability in our workforce every month of the year. We should be fostering this spirit of inclusion every single day, whether or not we have a marketing campaign to accompany it.

Leading companies are making strides towards successfully including disabled persons, yet the disability employment rate remains steady at 29%*. The number one reason for this? A lack of understanding. According to Accenture’s report The Disability Inclusion Advantage, companies “haven’t leveraged the talents of persons with disabilities” due to a lack an understanding of the scope of talent available and the potential benefits, and misconceptions of the cost versus the ROI of disability inclusion.

If companies can become aware of the potential gains of disability inclusion and work towards building programs to include these individuals, we can launch these people into the workforce faster, where they can thrive and contribute.

I am proud to be a co-founder of a business that is committed to disability inclusion 365 days a year. Here are some ways your company, too, can continue to foster this spirit of inclusion beyond the month of October. ‍

Actively hire and promote persons with a disability. Companies should encourage, engage,  and promote persons with disabilities, making sure these people are properly represented in their workplace. ‍

Assist your employees by providing them access to accessibility tools and support programming. Furthermore, educate your non-disabled employees so they can be more supportive to those who need extra accommodations. Work to foster a community of understanding and acceptance. ‍

Document your commitment to fostering a diverse workforce. What better way to educate other companies on diversity programming than by showing yours off? Don’t feel nervous about bragging. Your commitment can and will inspire other companies to participate.

Our under-represented communities deserve to be noticed all days of the year. The future of work is inclusive, are you? ‍

* https://www.accenture.com/_acnmedia/pdf-89/accenture-disability-inclusion-research-report.pdf

Visit our blog at https://www.wearecapable.org/blog