Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands – October 6, 2022 — October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) which celebrates the contribution of people with disabilities in the workplace as well as bringing awareness about equity and diversity for employers. The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) creates the theme and this year it is “Disability: Part of the Equity Equation”. The Disability Rights Center of the Virgin Islands (DRCVI) is spearheading the events this year along with several partners, including the Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority, Virgin Island University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI VIUCEDD), the Virgin Islands Small Business Development Center (VI SBDC), the Governor’s ADA Coordinator, Island Therapy Solutions, VI Division of Disabilities and Rehabilitation Services (VIDDRS), and the Virgin Islands Department of Labor (VIDOL).
This employer partnership group was created in July 2020 to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and continues throughout the year with quarterly events in partnership with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Miami office.
“A strong workforce is the sum of many parts, and disability has always been a key part of the equation,” said Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn M. Williams.
NDEAM events will occur the week of October 24, 2022. DRCVI and its partners are inviting the community to the following workshops:
Bill Sanchez, Director of San Juan EEOC office, will be the guest speaker for the training for employers. Additional speakers include:
- Shayne O’Rourke-Testa, Program Director, VI Supported Employment Specialist a division of Island Therapy Solutions
- Kimberly Washington, Acting Administrator, Department of Human Services, VIDDRS
- Shammi Carr, Advocate, DRCVI
- Shelley Timmons, DPT, ATP, Assistant Director of Clinical Development Research and Grant Writing, UVI VIUCEDD
An additional online event, entitled, “NDEAM’s Employer Recruitment Roundtable,” will be held for jobseekers with or without disabilities in partnership with VIDOL on Wednesday, October 26, 2022 from 11:30am-1:00pm via Zoom at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_OEtAbLXiQjmiCeQ3g49y5Q.
At the Roundtable, several employers will talk about their recruitment process and openings in the territory.
Request for disability accommodation to participate should be made 10 days in advance of the event to Shammi Carr, DRCVI Advocate at 340-776-4303 or scarr@drcvi.org.
To register for any of the events mentioned above, please email scarr@drcvi.org.
About the Disability Rights Center of the Virgin Islands:
The Disability Rights Center of the Virgin Islands (DRCVI) is the only territory-wide advocacy organization established by Congress that provides legal services to eligible persons with disabilities in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It was created on October 1, 1977 and was then known as the Committee on Advocacy for the Developmentally Disabled, Inc., and later as Virgin Islands Advocacy, Inc. There are a total of 57 protection and advocacy organizations for each state and territory of the United States. DRCVI is a member of the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN). For assistance, please contact DRCVI at info@drcvi.org or 340-772-1200.
“The Bryan-Roach Administration is investing in the Territory’s people, infrastructure and future through transparency, stabilizing the economy, restoring trust in the government and ensuring that recovery projects are completed as quickly as possible. Visit http://transparency.vi.gov .”