Empire State Plaza Event Included Job Fair, Mock Interviews, Workshops, Vendor Fair, Special Olympics Demonstration and “The Path Forward – Remembering Willowbrook” Documentary Screening
Multi-Agency Discussion Focused on Goal of Increasing Employment for People with Disabilities
Photos of the Symposium Available Here
Governor Hochul yesterday celebrated the second Annual Disability Rights and Employment Awareness Month Symposium at the Empire State Plaza as part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The event highlighted the rights of people with disabilities and continued the discussion around increasing the employment rate for people with disabilities throughout New York State.
“Increasing employment access, training opportunities, and financial stability for individuals with disabilities continues to be a core priority,” Governor Hochul said. “Having a disability should not preclude anyone from career planning or advancement, and I remain committed to supporting the rights of people with disabilities to fully attain their desired professional and personal milestones.”
Led by the administration’s Chief Disability Officer Kim Hill Ridley and her team, the symposium opened with a video from Governor Hochul and remarks from First Gentleman William Hochul and included leaders from the state Department of Labor, Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, Office of Mental Health, Office of General Services, Department of Civil Service, Office of Children and Family Services/Commission for the Blind, Education Department/ACCES-VR, Workers’ Compensation Board, and the New York State Division of Human Rights.
New York State Chief Disability Officer Kim Hill Ridley said, “Is it an honor to bring together stakeholders, people with disabilities, their families, advocates, service providers and agencies to prioritize the rights and needs of people with disabilities. I am so proud of all that we have accomplished under Governor Hochul’s leadership this year and I look forward to so much more to come.”
The event included a job fair hosted by the Department of Labor, mock interviews, a vendor fair, several competitive rounds of bocce with some of New York’s Special Olympians, a screening of “The Path Forward – Remembering Willowbrook” documentary and six workshops pertaining to the employment of people with disabilities, including:
- An Update on New York State’s Civil Service 55 B Program & the Importance of Self Disclosure;
- The Partnership for Inclusive Internships: Expanding Work Opportunities in Government for People with Disabilities;
- OPWDD’s Employment Services – A Year in Review;
- Facts vs. Myths about Benefits/Benefits Counseling;
- Resume/Interview Prep Techniques; and
- The A in DEIA: Embedding Accessibility in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives.
The DREAM 2023 Advocate of the Year Award was presented to Harvey Rosenthal, CEO of the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services and the DREAM 2023 Lifetime Advocacy Award was presented to Simeon Goldman, General Counsel of Independent Living Center of the Hudson Valley.
New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities Commissioner Kerri Neifeld said, "We agree with Governor Hochul that people with developmental disabilities can and should play a vital role in growing our state's economy. Many people with developmental disabilities are ready, willing and able to work in every corner of the state. We were so proud to partner with our Chief Disability Officer and our sister agencies on the 2ndAnnual DREAM Symposium and with Access-VR, NYSID and Eleversity on the first-of-its-kind EmployAbility training program that will introduce a new generation of New York employers to the benefits of inclusive employment.”
New York State Office of Language Access Executive Director Margarita Larios said, “We applaud and celebrate the transformative work of the Governor’s Office of the Chief Disability Officer, who has been a close partner to the OLA, lending their expertise and guidance to spearhead trailblazing work at the intersection of disability and language access to advance equity for all New Yorkers, like the ASL interpretation videos series we collaborated on.”
Established in 2022, the Office of the Chief Disability Officer advocates for the needs of the disability community, which includes individuals with physical sensory, mobility, intellectual, developmental, and psychiatric disabilities. Led by the Chief Disability Officer, the office ensures all State policies, programs and activities meet the needs of all people with disabilities. Learn more about the Office of the Chief Disability Officer here and contact the office here.