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Countering ableism through the awareness of others’ abilities Leading with the awareness of ability opens doors to untapped talent many of us have never considered for our organizations. istock.com/Eoneren National Disability Employment Awareness Month is a time where those of us living in a world designed for our abilities might pause to consider others’ challenges — as if a moment of reverence fulfills some social responsibility. But when we stop at acknowledgement, we completely miss the purpose and intent of this important annual event: recognizing the extraordinary gifts people develop and the accomplishments they achieve because of the challenges they face every day. This year, the observance carries special significance for our organization because of an initiative called XR for VR, a project designed to support systemic change for individuals with disabilities. Systems change doesn’t happen overnight. It isn’t driven by technology and you can’t ignite it with a brainstorming session in a conference room. Those approaches, if misaligned, lead to advocacy without action, which stalls progress and distracts from meaningful change. In the disability space, connecting advocacy to action requires coordinated effort: advocates working alongside those with lived experience, whose expertise ensures all efforts are aligned through the awareness of others’ abilities. MORE FOR YOU Getting Schooled in Our Ableism I once took a mind-bending “Introduction to Advanced Mathematics” course. One afternoon, while turning and asking a question, the professor interjected: “I can’t hear. Could you turn toward me so I can read your lips?” The class was stunned, not because she was deaf, but because we never noticed. She made everyone feel heard. Months later, she introduced me to a recruiter considering her for a new position. He asked a question laden with bias, “Does her hearing affect her ability to teach?” He heard the truth: “She can’t hear, but she listens better than any professor I’ve ever had.” Years later, I worked part-time supporting individuals in the disability community. One client would obsess about details like routines, timing, and order of tasks. I perceived a limitation, until he recalled our first meeting in perfect detail, down to what I wore and who we met. “You don’t remember things like I do,” he said, smirking. He was right — and as an entrepreneur, I envy his gift every day. Our company co-founder, Katie, taught this lesson again. With limited vision in one eye, she can’t comfortably wear a VR headset, a significant challenge for an immersive media company. Yet her perspective reshaped our entire approach, forming a foundation for our work in accessibility. Katie’s limited sight expanded our vision. Each lesson revealed the same truth: when we perceive a disability, we should be reflecting on the real limitation; that we create a great injustice when we assume ability looks the same in everyone. Innovation craves inclusion As we grew our team, we began to realize that exceptional talent frequently exists in places others overlook. So, we reached out to an employment organization specializing in aligning individuals on the autism spectrum with meaningful careers. We had an intricate and methodical process of building digital assets that was also highly repetitive. Too rigid for designers, but too creative for full automation. Everyone hated it. We thought we’d never find someone who enjoyed this incredibly important work, until we met Kryss. Her precision, patience, and consistency are unmatched. Tasks that drain the rest of us bring her focus and joy. Her unfiltered feedback, as jarring as it is refreshing, is almost always right. She loves her job, and we’re better because she shares her talents with us. Post-production specialist Kryss Geray at her workstation, designing immersive workplace experiences to support CareerViewXR workforce initiatives. CareerViewXR Awareness becomes action Kryss’s story showed that intentional inclusion can outperform traditional hiring. This inspired us to collaborate with Bismarck State College to apply for a federal grant. The XR for VR project would focus on adapting the CareerViewXR platform to support Vocational Rehabilitation outcomes; a simple idea that required an exceptional team. Not long after our submission, a local advocacy group heard about the proposal and invited me to speak. What happened next was completely unexpected. Lived experience defines expertise The advocacy discussion was brief but insightful. Near the end, a young man named Bruce sitting in the back of the room was eager to know more. He spoke with deliberate care, some of his words blending together. While a split-second assessment might suggest Bruce’s life is defined by fine motor challenges; it doesn’t stop him. He challenged me with a tough and insightful question I didn’t expect about a piece of technology I’d never even seen. The event concluded, but Bruce wasn’t finished. He made his way to the front, insistent on continuing the discussion. His unstoppable curiosity, sharp intellect, and deep questions demonstrated how much he desired to get involved. What others perceive as limitations, Bruce channels into precision, confidence, and resolve. Every step he takes with purpose and intent. Every word spoken with meaning. And when he writes, any remaining misperceptions instantly vanish. He was an unemployed disability advocate with both an undergraduate degree and MBA. So, when BSC’s XR for VR project was funded, and they began looking for a job coach with disability advocacy experience, Bruce applied. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better alignment between an individual, an organization, a project, and a purpose. The college immediately recognized the significance of the ideal candidate standing before them. Bruce is now thriving in his new career, ensuring the outstanding talents of others are never overlooked. Members of the XR for VR Team with the Governor of North Dakota. Pictured from left to right: Bruce Klootwyk - Job Coach, Governor Kelly Armstrong, Mandi Eberle - BSC Assistant Dean (AEAT), and Shannon Coulter - Project Director CareerViewXR While we currently live in a world where success stories like Bruce’s are viewed as the exception, not the norm, it’s important to embrace reality — that individuals like Bruce, Kryss, Katie, and millions of others with exceptional talents are ready, and have immeasurably valuable contributions to offer. National Disability Employment Awareness Month is important, but its significance gets diluted when the only action we take is acknowledgement of a problem. Its impact occurs when it serves as an annual reminder for us to take action every single day, increasing awareness of the exceptional abilities in others. Because when we do that, we can change systems, shift mindsets, and open doors that should never have been closed in the first place. Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions
