Katie Hearn: Inclusivity means working with people who are unlike me. Diversity is important and powerful. My team is full of people from all different backgrounds and with different abilities. We each bring our own “superpower” to the table to help the company evolve and grow.

Danny Gattas: Inclusivity in the workplace means showing compassion and empathy to those who are different from yourself and others.

Katie Hearn: I’d like them to realize that 25 percent of Americans are living with a disability. And the number is even higher for those supporting someone with a disability. I’d want them to:

Have an Open Mind. Rather than focus on our disabilities, understand that every disability creates and builds other “superpowers” to help compensate. Due to my blindness, I can’t keep up with my schedule by just looking at a calendar. I must allow for extra time due to transportation challenges. As a result, I have become an extreme planner. My “superpower” allows me to remember calendars and schedules for two to three months at a time, in my head. This has turned out to be a huge asset for my team as we constantly juggle event schedules and commitments at the stadium.

Be Curious. When people are curious, it is about “equal access,” not special treatment. Start by thinking about equal access and develop your questions from there.

Don’t Make Assumptions. Give people the independence to thrive. And if you are unsure whether they need something, just ask.

Give People with Disabilities Opportunities. For example, don’t overlook me for opportunities that have nothing to do with my disability. Just because I am blind doesn’t mean I can’t lead important projects or mentor people. You’re not going to hit a home run with every employee you hire, but you should give everyone a chance to surprise you.

Danny Gattas: Experiencing a disability, regardless of its type, can sometimes lead to feelings of shame. Invisible disabilities, in particular, come with their unique set of challenges and opportunities. For instance, I’ve cultivated strong organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail through dedicated effort. Over the years, I’ve honed practices that suit my needs. Just as effective collaboration with individuals hinges on self-awareness and adept communication of one’s strengths and limitations, it’s equally crucial to comprehend both the strengths and weaknesses of our team members. However, you first must be able to manage yourself before you are able to effectively lead others.

Katie Hearn: When you hire someone with a disability, have a clear understanding of their skills, strengths, and needs. Then focus on their positive traits first, share their superpower, and then share their disability as appropriate. It is important to hype the person up from the beginning and celebrate the strengths that they bring to the table. This helps set the bar for how others will engage them.

Danny Gattas: Encouraging intentional inclusivity in the workplace involves creating places that foster diversity, including disabilities. Organizations can foster a more comprehensive approach to diversity, allowing them to thoughtfully address the requirements of individuals with disabilities. By doing so, we create an environment where everyone’s unique needs are acknowledged and catered to.

Organizations should utilize available technology and tools that function to foster inclusive working environments. Understanding how others use technology and the processes they employ to collaborate effectively is crucial. It is important to take time to understand others’ working styles and remain open.

Manya Parker: My mother was a special ed teacher, so I had been around special needs children since I was a child. When my daughter was born and wasn’t hitting the expected milestones, I paid attention. She got words, and then she began losing words. And when she was just shy of 18 months, we took her to Babies Can’t Wait (BCW), Georgia’s early intervention program for infants and toddlers with special needs, and a neurologist at Emory University for a full genetic workup.

They found nothing genetically wrong with her and said she didn’t fit the mold for autism. But eventually, they determined she did indeed have it. We had good support through Babies Can’t Wait and our local city schools. In the end, she is our child and our responsibility, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t ask for anything and everything that I thought might help her. I built a support community around her and us, but I never saw her as their responsibility, and I was careful to never abuse those relationships. With that approach, I have found many willing to help and support us.

Randy Hain: I vividly remember the moment my wife Sandra and I heard the diagnosis when our son Alex was just 25 months old. We had a gut feeling something was going on for several months and the doctor’s diagnosis confirmed it. We just looked at each other for a few moments and quickly determined this journey would be a testimony to our marriage and the deep love we felt for our son. We had to figure out a way to help him. We did the research and got the best help we could find. This was back in the early years when the medical community was still determining how to help kids on the spectrum. There weren’t a lot of available resources, but we committed ourselves to doing everything we could because we loved our son. We kept the focus on supporting each other and our marriage, making sure Alex was included in everything we did as a family, and we made sure that he was connected to our faith community. Alex’s faith is very important to him. He is a lector in our parish and reads scripture to a thousand people at Mass regularly. He has a part-time job, largely takes care of himself and has found numerous ways to actively engage in life. We are very proud of him.

Manya Parker: Remember the resource constraints we face. We have often put in several hours before we even make it to the office. So, if we need to hit the restroom and get coffee when we get there, please be patient — it might be the first opportunity we have had to do so! Also, please don’t forget to include us and our special needs children in outside-of-work activities. We can’t always come, but please don’t stop asking. Be inquisitive and ask about our kids. We have a lot of not normal conversations, but we also want to have normal conversations. In terms of which words to use, don’t get caught up in using the latest jargon; just be kind, honest, and polite. Finally, please support our causes with your volunteer time, space, and funds. It really means a lot!

Randy Hain: I want to talk about my wonderful son just like every other dad. Our son is a blessing, and we are proud of him. I also want to support and encourage others who may be traveling the same road. I believe parents of special needs children need to be open and transparent with each other. Families don’t talk about their special needs children enough in public. They often live in silence, fear, and shame. I tell parents to not be afraid of the diagnosis. It doesn’t marginalize the child to discuss their challenges, but instead, an open discussion can open doors to opportunities and resources if more people are aware of your needs. For those of you not living with a child who has disabilities, please be more aware of friends and work colleagues who may be dealing with these issues. If you know or encounter someone like this, be flexible and extend the grace, patience, and love you would want someone to extend to you.

Manya Parker: There are a lot of great resources out there and even more now, including:

Babies Can’t Wait (Georgia). They were awesome and helped me find a therapist.

FOCUS. A great Georgia-based group that offers get-togethers, camps, and an informative newsletter.

Lekotek of Georgia. A no-cost learning library! It’s a lending library of toys and tools so you know what to buy. But … they also host date nights!

Parent to Parent of Georgia. Mentor program for parents of newly diagnosed children. Parents who are ahead on the “living with disabilities” journey support parents of newly diagnosed children. They point to helpful resources and provide encouragement and emotional support.

Tommy Nobis Center (National). My daughter Darby’s work has given her such self-value and self-esteem! Her co-workers love her and are her closest friends who will help out when needed.

To find similar national resources by state see the CDC listing at https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/parents/state-text.html

Randy Hain: In the old days, it was just Autism Speaks. Since then, the ability of doctors and pediatricians to diagnose early has greatly increased and there are countless resources to help parents and their children on the spectrum. A community of parents who support each other is important and can be incredibly rich on an emotional support level. When Alex got older, we engaged in “Autism Improvised,” a theater program designed to bring autistic people out of their shells. It’s hard for someone on the spectrum to do that and Alex benefited from this experience. He also had a chance to play soccer because a well-known special needs therapist named Clay White founded PEOTSI Soccer here in Georgia. Finally, check out national organizations like The Tommy Nobis Center and The Bobby Dodd Institute that support empowerment through employment.

Dave Ward: Everyone doesn’t look the same, talk the same, or act the same. If you want true inclusivity, you have to change the hiring process and go after a “well-rounded” candidate pool. Produce healthy discussion and healthy conflict. And if you’re a company that believes in an inclusive workforce, then make it a priority.

Jennifer Puckett: Not everybody is perfect for a job. But it’s important to spend time considering how to better support finding the right jobs for persons with special needs.

Dave Ward: Extending grace to people who are facing hurdles. For example, when everyone was working from home, the perception that everyone had similar life challenges outside of work changed because we saw people in their environments. Great things can happen when we extend grace.

Randy Hain: Cultivate a mindset of openness. It’s important that leaders “open the aperture of their thinking” about the tremendous capabilities of adults with special needs. Leaders need to be open to new ways of doing things and willing to adapt to include those who don’t fit the traditional mold. Be open to the idea that neurodiverse employees can do a task in a different way and still accomplish the goal or objective. Meet this type of employee where they are…and find ways for them to contribute and add value.

Jennifer Puckett: A learning mindset. Leaders are always learning and need to be learning. As a leader, you must know how to speak to your team about including people with disabilities. Direct and open communication is the basis for a lot of our world issues: The ability and willingness to confront things without bringing conflict. Adaptability to change. What can you do to invest in the lives of your employees? For example, hold face-to-face meetings and foster open communication when circumstances, such as an employee’s schedule, change due to caregiving responsibilities. A willingness to invest in specific industries where it makes sense, e.g., neurodivergent program testers, grocery baggers, cleaners, mailroom, food preparation, etc.

Dave Ward: Managing the perception that promoting inclusivity is harder and going to take more resources. We have to provide clarity. You shouldn’t assume it’s harder to hire and support employees with different abilities. That may be the case, but don’t assume it is. Hiring folks with all abilities doesn’t guarantee it will be more time-consuming to support and accommodate. That potential is there with everyone you hire regardless of their abilities.

Randy Hain: I think many well-meaning people are simply afraid. They often make assumptions about people with special needs, e.g., they’ll have emotional outbursts, can’t learn the necessary skills or they are simply unemployable. We need to help people move past these misunderstandings. There are millions of people with disabilities who are gainfully employed,¹ my son being one of them! Also, inclusivity is not only about race and gender…we need to promote greater neurodiversity as the next frontier in business if we want to see viable workplace opportunities be offered to often capable people who may simply look and think differently than you and me.

Jennifer Puckett: Platforms for the special needs community are few and far between. When we give presentations at a parent meeting or support group, we are often speaking to the choir. Finding a platform that’s receptive and wants to learn is key. For many organizations, it’s typically the last thing they want to tackle. There is a sense of fear about opening a can of worms that they’re not educated enough to think through. There’s avoidance. We just need to start the conversation.