Yesterday, MAC and Opportunity ATL hosted a webinar on The Power of People with Disabilities as Consumers and Employees, which featured Dahlia Shaewitz from the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) and Monique Bell from the Bobby Dodd Institute (BDI).
Yesterday, MAC and Opportunity ATL hosted a webinar on The Power of People with Disabilities as Consumers and Employees, which featured Dahlia Shaewitz from the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) and Monique Bell from the Bobby Dodd Institute (BDI).
Dahlia Shaewitz, Vice President, Transition, Disability & Employment at IEL kicked it off with an overview of her recent study, The Purchasing Power of Working-Age Adults with Disabilities. Survey data reveals a significant pay gap for individuals with disabilities, although in Atlanta it is lower than the national average. There are also disparities in occupations held by individuals with disabilities, most strikingly in management. Despite the pay gap, adults with disabilities in the Atlanta area have $0.9 billion worth of discretionary income to spend on goods and services – a rich market of consumers for the Atlanta businesses.
Monique Bell, Business Engagement Executive at BDI, provided an overview of the services BDI provides and explained briefly about the Work Opportunity Tax Credit for Employers.
We then launched into a panel discussion focused on the benefits of employing individuals with disabilities, resources for employers who are interested in improving their inclusion practices around disability, the importance of including individuals with disabilities and their families in your customer base and advertising and more.
Find Dahlia’s presentation here and Monique’s presentation here.
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