Accessible Widget

September 30, 2024

Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM) October 2024

In celebration of "Disability Employment Awareness Month" (DEAM), Members of the Disability Action Hall wanted to share successful employment strategies to help employers and entrepreneurs thrive in Alberta. Alex created this comic titled "Employment through a Lived-Experience Pan-Disability Lens" joined by the voices of the Hall. 

To enjoy the stories and strategies on a large scale, visit this link.  

Happy DEAM!


Comic showing workplace strategies from a pan-disability lens

Plain text of the comic

Frame 1 - Six Hall members with diverse disabilities present in front of an audience. Titled "Successful Employment Strategies for a Diverse Workforce..." 
Brad: "Hello, we are members of the Disability Action Hall."
Hilary: "And we are here to talk about employment through a lived-experience pan-disability lens."

Frame 2  - Two people in an office. Titled "Flexible Work Hours"- 
Colleen: "When you live with disabilities, it can often be difficult to work a traditional 9-5 office job." 
Mike: "That's right. Flexible work hours, places and job duties that utilize a person's skills are essential. Everyone is capable of working with the right 
accommodations."

Frame 3 - Two people talk together with handheld technology. Titled "All communications is valid. Employees communicate in many ways."
Amber: "My disability makes it difficult to leave the house sometimes. I'm also non-verbal, and I sign and type to talk." 
Kavin: "All communication is valid. It's great that your employer recognizes that you are just as capable of doing your job even if you aren't always in the office." 

Frame 4: Two people in a commercial kitchen, one wearing a chef's hat and coat. Titled "Encourage adaptions to help employees thrive."
Lloyd: "My disability makes reading difficult, but my employer is understanding. I don't have to read for this job, and I love it! My support worker is even able to join me!"

Frame 5: Two people in an industrial scene. Titled "Learn practical ways to adapt sensory stimuli of workspaces for greater productivity..." 
Angie: "Many people have sensory issues, which make working difficult. There are easy fixes, though. 
Brad: "Bright lights bother me, but this office's lights are nice and dim."

Frame 6: Two people talk together in an office space. Titled "Many workspace adaptions cost little money to make it sensory friendly." 
Bruce: "You gotta tone it down with the cologne. My stomach is doing flip-flops!" 
Alex: "Sorry, my bad. I didn't realize it was making people need to leave the office!" 

Frame 7: Two people talk outside at a construction site, a construction worker and a person with the adaptive device. Titled "Workplace safety, include accessible ways to gain access to construction sites for all." 
Denise: "I've heard that transportation to and from work can be a struggle for many disabled folks."
Hilary: "Yes, my workplace is on the other side of this construction site, and it's pretty much impossible for me to walk there." 

Frame 8: Three people wait outside an accessible transit bus, one looking at their watch. Titled "Para-transit does not always arrive on time, flexible work hours set employees up for success."
Kirsten: "Looks like your accessible transit is here."
Mike: "And they are late... again. My boss is going to be upset with me."
Jennifer: "You don't have control over when your bus comes. Your employer needs to be more understanding."

Frame 9: Three people stand at a bus stop near a park. Titled "Wheelchair ramps are just the beginning of accessible workplace design."
Mary: "When people say a place is accessible, they need to check it out in person. Often it isn't accessible for everyone."
Jane: "Yes. Everyone has different access needs, even if they have the same disabilities."
Reggie: "People with disabilities designed this community garden. The signs are in plain language and have braille."


Frame 10: Two people talk in front of an artist's easel in a studio. Titled "We all need a living wage to thrive..."
Colleen: "I make and sell art but still need a part-time job, which I struggle with. My disability can be a real inconvenience."
Kathleen: "You did have great ideas, though. Tell us about it."


Frame 11: Two figures continue to talk about art in art studio. Titled "Entrepreneurs needs to be paid for their lifelong knowledge, skills and time."
Colleen: "If we had a gallery for artists with disabilities but priced it at the market prices instead of $5-$10, that would be a dream come true. then, I could share my art with the world and be compensated appropriately."


Frame 12: Six Hall Members before an audience, with the words 'The End" in the upper corner. Titled "American sign language and closed captioning should be automatically considerations for training, meetings, events and gatherings." 
Brad: "We want to thank our lovely ASL interpreters..."


Frame 13Disability Pride Flag with the Disability Action Hall logo titled Tell Stories! Take Action! Change Lives! with two figures holding signs that read Rights  Now. 







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