NewsBreak Original

Welcome, friends of inclusivity and friendship! Get ready to lace up your sneakers and join me at the Best Buddies Friendship Walk in West Palm Beach, Florida - an ode to unity, camaraderie, and the power of genuine connections. This event is the leading walk nationwide dedicated to promoting inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Phillip and Leah, new parents, could hardly control their elation at the arrival of their first child, Robin. They doted on their newborn boy and cherished every second they had with him. But as Robin matured, his parents noticed that he had issues with social interactions. He rarely looked at people, ignored his name, chose to play alone, and did not cooperate.

Self-care can be done in various ways, in fact, there are many things that you can do with other people and also within your own life that won't impact others' lives too much.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina - The Sensory Day at WonderWorks will be from 10:30 AM - 3 PM on February 5, 2023, WonderWorks’ exhibits will be altered to provide limited stimulation for guests with special needs. The music in the facility will be lowered, loud exhibits will not be operational, and our inversion tunnel will be stopped, creating a safe environment for everyone to enjoy the facility without feeling overwhelmed.

Exploring the Consequences of Inequitable Internet Access and Proposing Solutions. Imagine a world where half of the population is disconnected from the wealth of information and opportunities the internet provides. This is a reality for 2.7 billion people worldwide. The internet has become a vital aspect of daily life, offering great information and resources to enhance our daily lives. However, many of us are unaware that nearly 2.7 billion people — over a quarter of the world’s population — lack access to the internet. This digital divide between the connected and the unconnected has significant consequences for communities around the globe and must be addressed.

Ethan Casale, a student at Houlton Middle/High School, has become a beloved member of the school community through his participation in the unified athletes program offered for the Shires. The program, which is part of the Special Olympics, brings together students with developmental disabilities with those who do not typically get to compete as a whole. The state introduced this program in 2015.

Comcast RISE distributes $10,000 cash grants to 100 small businesses owned by women and people of color in Washington.Photo byComcast Washington. CU Chiropractic in Des Moines is among the 100 small businesses in King and Pierce Counties to receive a $10,000 grant from Comcast RISE. Comcast RISE launched in 2020 to help small businesses hardest hit by the economic impacts of the pandemic. Two years later, Comcast RISE has met its goal of supporting 13,000 small businesses nationwide by the program’s close at the end of 2022. During that time, Comcast RISE has provided over $2 million in monetary, marketing, and technology grants to strengthen and empower small businesses owned by women and people of color in Washington.

Steve Jobs said the moment you realize the world can be influenced by your actions, everything changes. I would like to inspire a Disability Disruption movement and motivate passionate, hardworking believers to come together to create meaningful change.

From my mother I learned that prejudice is taught not only on the school playground, but also at home. She taught all her children to accept others who are not like them, be it because of their race, ethnicity, religion, or level of abilities. I now realize how hopeful she was that other parents were teaching their children to be accepting of people of different abilities, because that would have meant that they were accepting of me. So when I look at diversity and inclusion today, I am hopeful that parents continue to teach their children by example to accept one another and see value in what everyone brings to the table. These are the children that grow up to build diverse teams and build successful organizations.

Deloitte has been able to help impact a number of individuals through the changes we have made with respect to hiring as part of OneTen, a coalition of employers committed to help hire, promote and advance one million Black Americans without a four-year degree. To no longer be solely focused on a college degree as a screening mechanism for people joining our organization and have the opportunity to open doors for people who didn’t have the luxury of attending and completing a four-year degree has been transformational. I am inspired by the stories of people we have hired into different parts of Deloitte as they share what it means to have a path toward a family-sustaining job and the impact that is having on their family, their children, and the ability to inspire others around them. You just fundamentally can’t beat that.

Understand the importance of finding — and, in turn, being — a strong mentor and don’t be afraid to seek mentors out proactively. The “how” you accomplish goals is often times more important than the “what” that’s accomplished.

…Every culture in the world, even those who have never been touched by anybody else. Even in the middle of the jungle where they’ve only ever known just them. Every single culture and community creates its art. They create music, and they create dance. It’s something that connects us on a human level universally. I think that because music is such a community art form, it brings people together in ways that I don’t think anything else does. It doesn’t matter who you are; it doesn’t matter how much money you have; it doesn’t matter your political beliefs; it doesn’t matter how you cook your eggs; we get an opportunity to come together, putting all of our differences aside for something beautiful. Music is beautiful.

Columbia, South Carolina — The South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (SC DDSN) announced its participation in National Disability Employment Awareness Month, an annual awareness campaign that takes place each October. The purpose of National Disability Employment Awareness Month is to educate about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America's workers with disabilities. This year's theme is "Disability: Part of the Equity Equation."

Columbia, South Carolina - The South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (DDSN) would like to announce the return of Exceptional Citizens Day at the South Carolina State Fair on Thursday, October 20, 2022. Attendees with lifelong mental or physical disabilities can get free admission along with a guest to enjoy the fair. DDSN will be inside the gates to greet guests from 11 am to 1 pm. Stop by and pick up resource information about DDSN services and a small gift to welcome the everyone to the state fair!

FoCAL performance of "Guys and Dolls"(Photo/FoCAL Facebook page) (Forsyth County, GA) In just over a week, the Forsyth County Art and Learning (FoCAL) Center will host one of its several upcoming productions that will keep the community busy into the summer of 2023 - all without burning a hole in your wallet.

The town of Fair Lawn, New Jersey, is set to hold its first-ever Pride Month festival this June, despite some community opposition. Despite opposition from some community members, Fair Lawn will be holding its first Pride Month festival this weekend.

gay couple holding hands(Lareised Leneseur/Unsplash) To some, family is tied to being related to one’s blood relatives. To others, it’s a group of people who are close and share common values.

Pride march with people walking(Norbu GYACHUNG/Unsplash) Gen Z is the most diverse generation, and it’s time for companies to catch up. In this blog post, we’ll talk about how Generation Z wants their place of work to be racially diversified and gender-inclusive. In addition, they expect them to be welcoming to LGBTQIA+.

Two Specially Marked Buses Raise Awareness of Inclusion By Inviting Customers to “Ride With Pride”. NJ TRANSIT is unveiling two Ride with Pride-themed buses to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ Community and its allies during Pride month. The wrapped buses will be on display throughout New Jersey on the transit system.

Representation matters. I am fighting for diversity and inclusion. Though we are already fighting a good fight in these movements, I’d like to continue with these movements. It is imperative especially at a time we are living in that we see ourselves being represented truthfully on the silver screen & small screen. Creatives in the entertainment industry possesses a powerful tool to influence the world. I believe It is our responsibility as an actor(storyteller) to represent it truthfully & authentically.