Thoughts on National Disability Employment Awareness Month

Posted by Karen Wolffe on 10/13/2009 3:30:40 PM

When I saw reports about the unveiling of the Helen Keller statue last week in Washington, DC, and read Carl Augusto's comments about the event, the words that resonated with me were "she worked with us at AFB for more than 40 years."

Through her work, Helen Keller positively impacted millions of people's lives throughout the world. When people think of Helen Keller, when children do their elementary school reports on her or watch the play, The Miracle Worker; when people read the biographies of this fascinating lady, I hope they remember that she was many things—an advocate, a world-renowned speaker, an author, and, for the greater part of her life, a working professional. Therefore, it seems apropos that at the beginning of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a statue of Helen Keller was unveiled at the U.S. Capitol.

So, what is AFB doing currently to enhance employment opportunities for people like Helen Keller who have sensory disabilities? Our primary vehicle for enhancing employment is AFB's CareerConnect web site. If you are not well acquainted with CareerConnect, be aware that it is one of the most helpful sites available to visitors who are interested in learning about employment of people with visual impairments and the tools that enable them to work competitively. It is also a site that provides accessible, interactive tools to aid in job seeking, highlighting content for youngsters and adults with visual disabilities related to career exploration, job maintenance, and job search techniques. Visitors can link to President Obama's announcement of his new initiatives ensuring fair and equal access to employment for people with disabilities and to the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy to learn more about this month's activities.

Visit... and see how other people with sensory disabilities can work as productively as Helen Keller did during her tenure with AFB!

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