Every October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month gives us an opportunity to recognize the importance of creating and promoting workplaces where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, showcase their skills, and pursue their goals. As the Director of MOST™ (Meaningful Opportunities for Successful Transitions), I see firsthand how significant employment can impact the lives of the people we support. But my passion for disability employment didn’t begin with my career. It began with my brother.

My brother has an intellectual and developmental disability, and for as long as I can remember, he has always enjoyed working. While in school, he loved completing tasks for his teachers and, with the right support, he completed those tasks exceptionally. Once he exited the school system and transitioned to adult services, I asked if he wanted the opportunity to earn a paycheck, be part of a team, contribute to something larger than himself, and with the biggest grin on his face, he said “Yes, Erin!” 

The challenge was never a lack of desire or potential. The challenge was finding the right supports. My brother needed accommodations and individualized strategies to be successful. Once those supports were in place, doors began to open. Through employment, he gained confidence, developed new skills that transferred over to his day to day life, built relationships, and increased his overall happiness in ways our family had never expected.

What stands out most to me is that employment didn’t change who he was. Rather, it created opportunities for him to demonstrate strengths and abilities that others may not have previously been recognized. It showed what was possible when expectations were high and supports were tailored to his individual needs. 

That experience continues to shape the way I approach my work every day. At MOST™, we believe that employment is not about fitting people into predetermined roles or asking them to conform to systems that weren’t designed with them in mind. It’s about understanding each person’s goals, interests, strengths, and support needs, and then helping create opportunities that allow those strengths to shine. This is why I am especially proud of the work our Employment Services Coordinator, Zakia Alexander, does every day. 

One of the qualities I admire most is her willingness to think creatively when others might see obstacles. When a traditional approach isn’t working, she doesn’t immediately conclude that employment isn’t attainable. Instead, she asks, “What would make this work?” Whether that means identifying unique job opportunities, collaborating with employers, developing customized supports, or exploring nontraditional solutions, she consistently focuses on possibilities rather than limitations. To me, that mindset represents what inclusion should look like and is the mindset of our staff at MOST™.

An inclusive society is not built by expecting people with disabilities to overcome barriers on their own. It is built when employers, service providers, educators, families, and community members are willing to think differently, adapt environments, and create opportunities where everyone, disability or not, can participate meaningfully.

There is still work to be done. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 22.8% of people with disabilities were employed in 2025, compared to 65.2% of people without disabilities. The unemployment rate for people with disabilities was 8.3%, approximately double the rate for those without disabilities. While statistics help illustrate the challenge, they don’t tell the whole story.

What I think about are the people behind those numbers. I think about the person who gains confidence after learning a new task. The person who is proud to introduce themselves by talking about their job. The person who builds friendships with coworkers, earns their first paycheck, or achieves their self-determined goals. I think about families who tell us they are seeing their loved one in a new light because someone took the time to recognize their strengths and invest in their success.

And I think about my brother, whose journey taught me one of the most important lessons of my life: when we focus on people’s capabilities rather than their limitations, we often discover possibilities we never imagined.

This National Disability Employment Awareness Month, I encourage all of us to consider the role we play in creating a more inclusive community. Whether you’re an employer willing to offer an opportunity, a coworker committed to fostering belonging, a family member encouraging independence, or a service provider helping to remove barriers, your actions matter. Inclusion begins when we challenge assumptions. It grows when we focus on strengths. And it becomes reality when we’re willing to think creatively about what can be achieved.

At MOST™, we see every day that talent, ambition, and potential exist in all communities. Our responsibility is not to decide whether someone belongs in the workforce. Our responsibility is to ensure that opportunities are accessible and that the supports people need to succeed are available. Because when we create opportunities for people to contribute in ways that align with their strengths and goals, we don’t just build a more inclusive workforce…we build a stronger community for everyone.