Celebrating NDEAM- CIL Staff Spotlight: Danielle Head

October is nationally recognized as National Disability Employment Awareness Month, also known short as NDEAM. This year’s observance is unique in that it not only marks the 75th anniversary since NDEAM originated, but 2020 also celebrates the thirtieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); a piece of civil rights legislation signed by George H.W. Bush, that granted rights and equal opportunities to people with disabilities in the United States.

One of the numerous focuses of the act was the expansion of equal employment opportunities and full inclusion for people with disabilities. While great advances in employment equality have been made thanks to the ADA, some people with disabilities still find it difficult to secure meaningful employment. In the state of Florida alone, there are an estimated 2.67 million people who indicate that they have some sort of disability, according to a 2019 report from the Florida Chamber Foundation. This is 13.4 percent of all Floridians. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported an unemployment rate of 7.3 percent among people with disabilities in the United States in 2019, a slight decrease from the 8 percent reported in 2018. However, people with disabilities are still twice as likely to be unemployed, compared to those without a disability.

This was the case for a young woman named Danielle Head, 35, who was not born Deaf, but after childhood complications from Rotavirus, lost her hearing. After graduating and attaining an associate degree from Seminole State College, Danielle wanted to explore the work field of graphic design and photography, with the hope to ultimately land a job. But it’s not that simple for people with disabilities in the United States. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2019, unemployment rates for persons with a disability were higher than those for persons without a disability, even with the same education levels. Although Danielle had a respectable amount of graphic design and photography experience, she still struggled to find fulfilling employment that utilized her skills and capabilities.

“I think that it’s important that people know that people with all different types of disabilities can do so many things that a lot of jobs require. There is so much misconception about the capabilities and work ethic of people with disabilities,” said Danielle.

In November of 2018, Danielle was referred to the Center for Independent Living of Central Florida, now known as CIL, for employment services. After working closely with her case manager on things like her resume, interview skills, and the job application process, Danielle felt ready for the next step of the process, which was on the job training, or OJT. This process typically is a supervised hands-on experience at a workplace to ensure that the transition to a job after this process is smooth. Danielle inquired if her training could take place within the walls of CIL, specifically with the development department, and her request was happily accepted. Development Director, Brittany Pilcher, knew that this training opportunity could allow Danielle to utilize and grow her skills of graphic design and photography, and that is exactly what happened.

After Danielle’s on the job training came to an end, she still found herself struggling interview after interview. She couldn’t help but feel that she was at a constant disadvantage because of her disability, and found that as an individual who is Deaf and primarily uses American Sign Language to communicate, there was a communication barrier that kept her from connecting with potential employers. At this time, an opportunity arose within the development department at CIL for a graphic design position, and Danielle was happily selected to fill that role.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are approximately 6.5 million current job openings. Many of these positions could be filled by qualified people with disabilities; yet stigmas and misconceptions keep these positions vacant and unfilled.

“With increased education and advocacy on people with disabilities, we hope that potential employers see the true benefits of hiring people with disabilities,” said Jascinth Lawrence, Program Director at CIL.

“Our clients are eager to get into the workforce and lead independent lives; they just need the opportunity and employers who are willing to see them for their abilities,” Lawrence added.