16 DIVERSEability Magazine www.diverseabilitymagazine.com
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
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ifo! uif! Bnfsjdbot! xjui! Ejtbcjmjujft! Bdu! )BEB*! was signed into law in 1990, its intent was to help make build- ings, products and services more accessible to people with dis- abilities. But accessibility means a lot more than just ramps and properly coded websites - it nfbot! hpjoh! cfzpoe! frvbmjuz! (treating people the same) to sfbdi!frvjuz!)hjwjoh!qfpqmf!uif! same opportunity to thrive). Conversely, the word dis- bcjmjuz! jt! efofe! pomz! cz! ipx! you look at it, because behind it are thousands of capable peo- ple who are ready and willing to work. That's why, at Industries for the Blind and Visual- ly Impaired (IBVI), our mission is to create meaningful employment for those with visual jnqbjsnfout/!Boe!uibu!tubsut!xjui!bddfttjcjmjuz/ Eje!zpv!lopx!npsf!uibo!81!qfsdfou!pg!qfp- ple who are blind and visually impaired are unemployed? To further expand career offer- ings and opportunities - and help lower this percentage - IBVI provides employees who are blind or visually impaired with technology and tools to do their jobs well. Up! bddpnqmjti! uijt-! xfwf! frvjqqfe! pvs! three facilities throughout Wisconsin with the latest accessibility technology and software - jodmvejoh!bo!jowftunfou!jo!Psbdmf!Dmpve!uibu!
Workplace Accessibility:
Striving For Equity
By CJ Lange, President & CEO, Industries for the Blind & Visually Impaired (IBVI)
we are customizing to be 100 percent acces- sible for our blind and visually impaired staff. Some employees use screen readers or image nbhojdbujpo!xijmf!puifst!ublf!bewboubhf!pg! npsf!tvcumf!BEB!nfbtvsft!mjlf!xjoepxt!po! eppst!boe!ejggfsfou!ufyuvsft!po!uif!pps!uibu! help them navigate our buildings. These aids give our employees the tools (and bddftt*!uifz!offe!up!ibwf!gvmmmjoh!fyqfsjfod- ft!boe!joefqfoefou!kpct/!Boe!cfdbvtf!pg!uiftf! tools and advancements in accessibility tech- nology, currently more than half of our staff is people who are blind and visually impaired. Puifs!jojujbujwft!up!foibodf!bddfttjcjmjuz!bsf! esjwfo!cz!pvs!Fevdbujpo!boe!Efwfmpqnfou!Qpm- jdz-! xijdi! jodmveft! Joejwjevbm! Efwfmpqnfou! Qmbot!)JEQ*-!uvjujpo!sfjncvstfnfou!boe!bo!po. site educational center for blind and visually jnqbjsfe!fnqmpzfft!sfrvftujoh!beejujpobm!bt- sisted technology training. We are vocal about our employees and their stories because they make us who we are. Celebrating our employees brings a sense of awareness that helps break down barriers for both the sighted and the blind and visually impaired in our local communities. But it also does something else - it inspires. When you meet our employees, you'll not only be amazed by the extraordinary things they're capable of, you'll be captivated by their remarkable stories of triumph, perseverance and courage. Ma- chine operator Emily Merced survived hurricane Maria and started over more than 2,000 miles away with new-found in- dependence. Tool kitter Easton Kons has achieved the career he's always wanted and wel- comes the challenges to come. Blind employment doesn't just give people jobs - it em- qpxfst!uifn!up!cf!npsf!obo- cially independent and makes them feel like they're a part of a team. I will say it time and time again: our employees in- spire us and make us who we are - with their stories, commitment to excellence and drive to achieve remarkable things. By implementing changes at your company to make it more ac- cessible, you'll open your doors to extraordi- nary individuals. To learn more about IBVI and our employ- ees, please visit ibvi.org.
CJ Lange is the president and CEO of Industries for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Inc. (IBVI) and the architect of a highly successful career in which he has innovated around technology, consistently implemented and executed tusbufhjft!tvddfttgvmmz!boe!vojfe!uif!pshboj{bujpo!up!dsfbuf! business opportunities for the blind and visually impaired.
PHOTOS INDUSTRIES FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED (IBVI)
IBVI employee Emily Merced
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