Featured spotlight article in corporate newsletter published by Kohl's diverseAbilities BRG & distributed to 2,000+ internal employees.
Written by Emma Rarick
The diverseAbilities BRG is a group that is very near and dear to my heart. In my opinion, to be a part of this BRG means that we all have a shared belief that people with disabilities are really awesome people. Period.
I love that this group has built such a safe space for people who are often looked down upon or have needs that are constantly overlooked, (aka people with disabilities), to feel capable of success. The support this group is able to provide by showing up to listen to our voices that are often spoken over or ignored, inspires a sense of relief that some people are open to developing compassion for diverseAbility experiences.
One piece of advice I’d share for those looking to support people with disabilities would be to thank them for sharing their heart with you. When someone with a disability feels safe enough to disclose their disability or disability experiences to you, replace your “sorry” with a simple“thank you for letting me know” to positively reaffirm that they’re safe to be authentically themselves around you.
Having a disability takes a lot of energy, but showing up for people that you believe in does not. In my eyes, time spent making at least one person feel less invisible is definitely time well spent.
