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Pizzability is serving up a slice of community right alongside its hand-tossed pizzas and craft beer

BusinessCareersDisability

Tiffany Fixter pictured with employees at the brewery in Pizzability Restaurant

Owner Tiffany Fixter’s mission for the restaurant, which opened in December, is not only to create employment opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD); she also wants to give Denver area families with special needs children or adults an inclusive restaurant option that accepts and supports people of all abilities.

After teaching special education for 11 years, Fixter knew she could do more to help an often-overlooked population gain skills training that can lead to meaningful work.

“I realized there’s an employment crisis for adults with developmental disabilities,” she says. “I wanted to try to solve that, so I started the brewery.”

In 2016, she opened Brewability Lab, Denver’s first and only brewery focused on employing and training adults with IDD for job opportunities in the beer business. Then last spring, she heard a local pizzeria was closing, so she jumped at the opportunity to grow the business.

“I just thought, (pizza) goes with beer really well,” she says. “I just see so many job applications. It can be difficult trying to fit everyone in and make sure they’re getting what they need, but the only way to solve that was to expand.”

Pizzability employees have a wide range of differing abilities. Between the brewery and the pizzeria, Fixter says many of her employees have autism spectrum disorders. She also has one who is deaf, one who is blind, and others with Down Syndrome and cerebral palsy.

Aside from some funding from the Rocky Mountain Human Services’ mill levy program that was put toward the initial renovation of the space, Pizzability is funded entirely by customers. And at such affordable prices (during happy hour, which runs 2-5pm Tuesday through Saturday, pizza is $2 a slice and a glass of Brewability beer or wine is $5), keeping afloat is a challenge, but one Fixter believes is well worth it.

“So many people (with IDD) need jobs,” she says. “I just have to make sure we have the customer base to support it.”

Five days per week, Chef Bryce Love is in the kitchen giving employees hands-on support, making sure everyone understands everything from how to get ready for work to the importance of following processes to ensure food safety.

“It’s important to me that everyone learns the right way the first time,” Fixter explains. “We got very lucky with Chef Love.”

Recently, ESPN featured the pizzeria in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Special Olympics, recognizing Pizzability as one of 50 “game changers” that is changing the way the world views disability.

To continue her mission to change the game, Fixter is working on setting up delivery and catering services within Cherry Creek. She’s also looking forward to summer, as she plans to open up the restaurant’s garage door to allow guests to enjoy the outdoor seating.

“We’ll also be adding gelato and we’ll be creating a sorbet out of our beer.”

When guests step up to Pizzability’s counter, they are greeted with a visual menu, which is also available in braille. The restaurant offers mostly classic toppings like pepperoni, supreme and Hawaiian, which are also available on gluten-sensitive crust.

Fixter says they’re happy to blend the pizzas for anyone who has trouble swallowing or chewing. She also stocks adaptive utensils, cups and plates—there’s a visual menu board that includes all of these items at the counter, and guests can request whatever they need.

A sensory corner with noise-cancelling headphones, board games, and an interactive light up wall was created with help from PIMA Medical Institute students.

“It’s for anybody that needs to move and fidget,” she explains.

There’s also a quiet room in the back that allows employees to take a break away from the noise, which helps reduce any stress and anxiety that can be overwhelming for people with certain disabilities. Even the bathroom is stocked with personal care items to ensure accidents won’t disrupt a pizza party.

Continue on to Cherry Creek North to read the complete article.

Kickstart Your Career With Public Health AmeriCorps

Careers

A desk covered in work essentials and a notepad with the words

As communities across the country work to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and build a healthier, more resilient future, there is an urgent need to grow our nation’s public health workforce.

Our communities also need innovative solutions to help break down barriers to good health and improve health equity. That’s why AmeriCorps and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are teaming up through Public Health AmeriCorps, a new program that supports the recruitment, training and development of a new generation of diverse public health leaders.

Opportunities Are Now Available Near You

AmeriCorps is recruiting thousands of people to serve in public health roles at health departments, government agencies, community-based organizations, schools and other settings across the U.S. Adults of all ages and educational backgrounds are eligible to join Public Health AmeriCorps, which aims to recruit members who reflect the communities where they serve.

“Public Health AmeriCorps members add much needed capacity and support for local organizations and help address critical public health issues — like health equity, mental health and substance use disorders, COVID-19 recovery and more,” said Michael D. Smith, AmeriCorps CEO. “This program will not only meet urgent public health needs, but also help fill the shortages in the public health workforce with thousands of Public Health AmeriCorps alumni who represent the rich diversity of the communities they serve.”

Depending on the organization’s and community’s needs, some common roles include:

Health education and training
Community outreach and engagement
System navigation, referrals and linkage to care
Research, data collection, analysis and assessment
And more!

For example, AmeriCorps members have helped more than 2.5 million people at COVID-19 vaccination sites and conducted 1.7 million wellness checks. Members have also served as recovery coaches to help individuals overcome opioid addiction by providing substance use prevention, education, screenings and assessments.

Why Serve with Public Health AmeriCorps?

For many AmeriCorps members, serving is a way to gain valuable, first-hand experience to help further or transition their careers. Members receive on-site experience in a public health setting and have access to a comprehensive training program. Serving is also a great way to help make a difference in communities and give back. In addition, members receive benefits including:

Professional development opportunities: Gain transferable skills employers value including leadership, teamwork and problem-solving.
Living allowance: Receive a living allowance to cover basic expenses during your service term.
Money for college and trade school: Individuals who complete a term of service will receive an education award which can be used for a range of educational expenses.
Loan deferment and interest forbearance: AmeriCorps members are eligible for forbearance for most federally guaranteed student loans. In addition, interest payments that accrue during service may be eligible for repayment by AmeriCorps.
Access to the national AmeriCorps alumni network: Be part of a network of like-minded leaders who are passionate about improving communities. AmeriCorps alumni receive access to unique benefits and resources.

Learn More & Apply

Is this a good fit for you? Visit AmeriCorps.gov/PublicHealth for a complete list of opportunities to serve and guidance on how to apply. Part-time and full-time roles are available in rural and urban locations across nearly every state, D.C., Guam and Puerto Rico. You can also subscribe to AmeriCorps’ newsletter (public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USCNCS/subscriber/new) and contact publichealth@americorps.gov with any questions.

Disneyland Reopens Completely Redesigned, More Inclusive Toontown

Assistive TechnologyDisabilityEntertainment

Mickey and Minnie's house in adaptive vivid colors

After a year-long closure, the California theme park is finally ready to welcome guests back to Mickey’s Toontown.

Disneyland is finally ready to welcome guests to a completely reimagined version of its beloved Toontown–one that makes the magic accessible to every guest.

The theme park initially closed Mickey’s Toontown in early 2022, explaining that the company had big plans to transform the area home to iconic attractions, like Mickey and Minnie’s houses, into a more inclusive experience that prioritizes accessibility.

Now, the company is ready for visitors to enjoy the newly transformed land, unveiling its redesign and officially reopening Mickey’s Toontown on Sunday, Mar. 19.

“We want every child to know that when they came to this land that this land was designed for them,” Jeffrey Shaver-Moskowitz, executive portfolio producer at Walt Disney Imagineering, told CNBC. “That they were seen, and that this place was welcoming to them.”

“We know a day at Disneyland can be hectic and chaotic, running from one attraction to another, one reservation to the next,” he said. “We wanted Toontown to not only be exciting, but also decompressing and relaxing and welcoming.”

Mickey’s Toontown, which first opened at the Anaheim, California park in 1993, is now home to quiet areas, shaded spots, and more inclusive play areas for visitors–including a completely wheelchair-accessible land, softer paint colors and a remixed soundtrack of soothing tunes that are played throughout the land to make Toontown more approachable and appealing to those that may have more sensitive auditory and visual processing.

“We really wanted to take a look at Toontown, knowing how important it was for so many of our guests for many generations growing up and the so many memories here that are connected to the land, and make sure we don’t lose any of that,” Shaver-Moskowitz explained. “But, bring a lot of new magic.”

Including the World: One City at a Time

ActivismDisability

Dr. Victor Santiago Pineda in wheelchair smiling

By Lily Coltoff

For more than 20 years, Dr. Victor Santiago Pineda has spearheaded initiatives to advance the principles of access and inclusion in the U.S. and abroad. Pineda moved to the United States from Venezuela when he was seven years old because he was denied a right to an education.

As a wheelchair-user, he grew up in Orange County and was 12 years old when the ADA was signed into law. By the time he graduated high school, he realized that he had benefited from rights in the United States that were missing in many parts of the world. He was driven to understand why some parts of the world advanced while others were left behind. He completed a dual degree in Political Economy and Business Administration. He continued on to a Master’s in City and Regional Planning from UC Berkeley’s prestigious College of Environmental Design. His mentor, Judith Heumann, encouraged him to continue his studies and training, and he completed a PhD in Urban Planning from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Now he directs his own foundation Pineda Foundation / World Enabled and serves on the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board. He founded and Co-Chairs the Cities for All Initiative and the Global Network for Disability Inclusive and Accessible Urban Development. However, what he enjoys most is teaching what he has learned through 20 years as a practitioner working at the intersection of policy, planning and design. He is also a highly sought-after teacher, and since 2011 he has taught a popular course called “Building the Inclusive City” at his alma mater, UC Berkley.

His scholarship advances the theory and practice of inclusive development through urban policy, planning and design.

Pineda serves on RespectAbility’s Board of Advisors and speaks on his experience as an immigrant, and he has mentored Latinx youth with disabilities. He is committed to bringing light to his experiences as a stepfather of a child with a disability and his work to support undocumented Latinx youth who are facing deportation. His commitment to intersectionality and success for a range of communities is broad and deep. He’s worked with English-as-Second Language (ESL) Learners, Latinx youth with disabilities who face deportation proceedings, educating leaders on inclusive philanthropy and other topics.

“One of the most important things for us to think about is that really accessibility is about making people experience whatever event, whatever gathering, whatever knowledge, whatever you’re trying to create [so that] people experience that without any barriers,” he said during a 2019 RespectAbility webinar on “How to Ensure Accessible Events.”

“That doesn’t mean that you have to do any major, dramatic changes. It just means that you have to be thinking along the process of planning, engaging and ensuring that people with disabilities, whether they have difficulty seeing, hearing, remembering, will be able to participate equally in the event.”

Pineda also shared some of his own experiences trying to attend inaccessible events and how this has impacted the mission of his work.

Pineda’s work and impact has been prolific. During his time at graduate school, Pineda became the youngest government delegate to participate in the drafting of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Of the experience, he shared, “My engagement with the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) fundamentally altered the way I thought about human rights, justice and inclusion. I saw that the struggle for recognition, more specifically for inclusion, taking place in similar ways, simultaneously all over the world.”

He has received numerous grants and awards, including a National Science Foundation (NSF) Innovation research grant, Jefferson Award and the AAPD Paul G. Hearne Leadership Award. In 2015, he was appointed by former President Obama to the United States Access Board. This federal agency provides guidance and leadership for ADA compliant designs.

He also directed important research projects as the UC Berkley Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow, Fulbright-Hays Fellow and Senior Research Fellow at the World Institute on Disability, which led to the publication of his book, Building the Inclusive City published by Palgrave. He stated of his research, “I believe that whether you’re a student, a researcher, a community advocate or a policymaker, you will need to cultivate collaborative relationships and critical analysis skills that are built on a fundamental and comprehensive understanding of equity and inclusion.”

Source: RespectAbility

DARK DISABLED STORIES Extends Through April 2

DisabilityEntertainment

DARK DISABLED STORIESactors on stage bright pink background on stage

After opening on Thursday, March 9 to rave reviews, DARK DISABLED STORIES has extended performances at The Public Theater through Sunday, April 2 in New York.

Writer and performer Ryan J. Haddad’s newest autobiographical play is a series of unforgiving vignettes about the strangers he encounters while navigating a city (and a world) not built for his walker and cerebral palsy.

A New York Times Critics’ Pick, “Ryan J. Haddad’s gracefully layered play about the lives of disabled people blasts away condescension and replaces it with comprehension” (Laura Collins-Hughes, The New York Times). Directed by Jordan Fein, the 75-minute play features Haddad, who uses a walker; Dickie Hearts, a Deaf performer; and Alejandra Ospina, a wheelchair user. Open Captions, Audio Descriptions, and American Sign Language are integrated throughout the play.

Accessible seats are available for $30 using the promo code AccessDDS on the show’s website. “This play proves that disability need not be seen as something sad, tragic, or “dark.” It can be funny, messy, sexy, and complicated” (Christian Lewis, TheaterMania).

Link: https://publictheater.org/productions/season/2223/dark-disabled-stories/

The Mentor Match – Would You Be Swiped Left?

Careers

By Allison Struber

Recently, a friend shared with me she was meeting a lot of great people by swiping right. I was a bit taken aback because she is, what appears to be, happily married. My response caused her to grin and clarify she was not looking for romance. She was using a new app to find mom-friends. It has similar features to the infamous Tinder dating app, but the purpose is to narrow down the vast number of moms in an area to those who share similar interests.

As she further explained how the app worked and her success, my opinion of this swipe left/swipe right function began to change. With correct intentions, the technology could be helpful.

HOW TO SWIPE FOR NETWORKING SUCCESS

Consider all of the factors that go into choosing a mentor or mentee. It would be great to quickly swipe through professional profiles to find a good match. I would look for things like: integrity, honesty, enthusiasm, skills and experience. I would want someone who was passionate about growing new leaders and committed to investing the time it takes to do so. But just like the popular dating app, a swipe right on a mentor’s professional profile would not mean a match. My profile would also need to reflect good mentee status.

If you were seeking a mentor, here are a few things you would need to get swiped right.

Availability

Good mentors and good mentees use their time intentionally. It can be difficult to find coordinating availability, so be accommodating. Make this opportunity a priority and accept the meeting time offered.

Prepared questions

Good mentors have a wealth of knowledge, and a good mentee is going to pull out that great information. Think about what you admire in this mentor and ask questions to discover how he/she developed that skill or ability.

Teachable

Nothing is worse than a person who ‘knows it all’ except a person wanting to be mentored who ‘knows it all.’ If the conversation turns to a topic you feel confident about, pivot the discussion to something else with a new question or ask for feedback about a time you have utilized that specific knowledge.

Listener

It is ok and important to open up and share about yourself, but give your mentor the chance to lead the conversation. If you are doing most of the talking at every meeting, the balance is off.

Willing to take advice

No mentor is perfect, but there is an assumption their role has been given because he/she has been successful in an area. There is no expectation that a mentee must mirror the mentor’s experience, however, if instruction/advice/guidance is continually being disregarded, you will be right on track to find yourself without a mentor.

Willing to be a mentor

A good mentor has a goal to inspire and teach others. It is a reward to see the investment of their time multiplied by their mentee becoming a mentor. Honor your mentor and give yourself the joy of pouring into someone else. Swipe right on your own mentee.

Source: ClearanceJobs

The World Mourns the Passing of Judy Heumann, Disability Rights Activist

ActivismDisability

Judith “Judy” Heumann—widely regarded as “the mother” of the disability rights movement—passed away in Washington, D.C. on the afternoon of March 4, 2023. Judy was at the forefront of major disability rights demonstrations, helped spearhead the passage of disability rights legislation, founded national and international disability advocacy organizations, held senior federal government positions, co-authored her memoir, Being Heumann, and its Young Adult version, Rolling Warrior, and was featured in the Oscar-nominated documentary film, Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution.

Born in 1947 in Philadelphia and raised in Brooklyn, New York to parents Ilse and Werner Heumann, Judy contracted polio at age two. Her doctor advised her parents to institutionalize her when it was clear that she would never be able to walk. “Institutionalization was the status quo in 1949,” she wrote. “Kids with disabilities were considered a hardship, economically and socially.” When Judy attempted to enter kindergarten, the principal blocked her family from entering the school, labeling her a “fire hazard.” However, her parents, particularly her mother, fought back and demanded that Judy have access to a classroom. Judy eventually was able to attend a special school, high school, Long Island University (from which she earned a B.A. in 1969), and the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned a Master’s in Public Health six years later.

In the 1970s, Heumann attended Camp Jened, a summer camp for people with disabilities in the Catskills, and she later returned there as a counselor. Several of the leaders of the disability rights movement also were at Camp Jened, which was the focus of the documentary Crip Camp.

During the same decade, the New York Board of Education refused to give Judy a teaching license because they feared she could not help evacuate students or herself in case of fire. She sued and went on to become the first teacher in the state to use a wheelchair. Continuing her fight for civil rights, Judy helped lead a protest that shut down traffic in Manhattan against Richard Nixon’s veto of the 1972 Rehabilitation Act, and she launched a 26-day sit-in at a federal building in San Francisco to get Section 504 of the revived Rehabilitation Act enforced.

Judy was instrumental in developing and implementing national disability rights legislation, including Section 504, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Rehabilitation Act, and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

In addition, Judy helped found the Berkley Center for Independent Living, the Independent Living Movement, and the World Institute on Disability. She also served on the boards of the American Association of People with Disabilities, the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Humanity and Inclusion, Human Rights Watch, the United States International Council on Disability, Save the Children, and several others.

In 1993, Judy moved to Washington, D.C. to serve as the Assistant Secretary of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services in the Clinton Administration, a role she filled until 2001. From 2002-2006, she served as the first Advisor on Disability and Development at the World Bank. From 2010-2017, during the Obama Administration, she worked as the first Special Advisor for International Disability Rights at the U.S. State Department. She also was appointed as Washington, D.C.’s first Director for the Department on Disability Services.

“Some people say that what I did changed the world,” she wrote, “But really, I simply refused to accept what I was told about who I could be. And I was willing to make a fuss about it.”

In addition to her advocacy work and busy professional life, Judy loved to attend musicals and movies, travel the world, make new friends, and hang out with old ones, many of whom were introduced to each other at dinners that she convened. Judy learned Hebrew as a child, became Bat Mitzvahed as an adult, and was a long-time member of the Adas Israel congregation.

Judy is survived by her loving husband, Jorge Pineda, her brother, Ricky, wife Julie and her brother Joseph and wife Mary, her niece Kristin, grand nephew Orion and many other members of both the Heumann and Pineda families. She had many close friends that will miss her dearly.

Source: AAPD.com

Selma Blair to Lead Inclusive Makeup Brand

BusinessDisabilityLifestyle

Selma Blair and woman with her hand on her shoulder

GUIDE Beauty, a collection of makeup tools and products that has reimagined the way we apply makeup, is thrilled to announce Selma Blair as their Chief Creative Officer.

Internationally acclaimed actress, author, advocate, style and beauty icon, Blair will join GUIDE as a partner and take a leadership role in product and brand development for the multi-award-winning company. Combining forces with GUIDE’s Founder Terri Bryant, Blair will help the brand to accelerate its mission to expand inclusivity in the world of beauty through thoughtful, universally-designed products for everyone.

“We are proud to welcome Selma to the family,” says Bryant, founder of GUIDE Beauty. “Her devotion to creative expression and advocacy for all people fits perfectly with GUIDE Beauty’s mission and practice of Universal Design – when we design with all people in mind, we create the best products for everyone. From the novice to somebody who has challenges with movement or strength and even the professional makeup artist on set, GUIDE’s products enhance the lives of makeup users everywhere.”

In the prime of her career as a makeup artist and beauty educator, Bryant started to notice stiffness in her shoulder and a loss of dexterity in her hands. Makeup artistry that had been second nature was becoming a real struggle due to the inaccessibility of products that suited her needs. She was eventually diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Empowered by knowledge and a life-long love of makeup, she partnered with human factors designers and clean chemists to create a better, easier way and a new, more inclusive approach for the beauty industry with products designed for the broadest universe of makeup users.

“As a professional makeup artist, I felt a natural ability that most of my friends, family, and clients did not share,” continues Bryant. “When that ability shifted due to the onset of Parkinson’s Disease, it became so clear that my needs, like so many, had not been considered in the design and development of the products I had always used, so I decided it was time to create them.”

“When I first held the GUIDE Wand, I immediately felt more confident than I ever had with a traditional pencil liner and found myself looking forward to doing my own makeup for the first time in a long time,” says Blair, who revealed her diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis in 2018. “Upon meeting Terri, we bonded instantly over our mutual love of makeup and its ability to transform a face and a day. I’m thrilled to join her and GUIDE to create and advocate for a more inclusive world of beauty.”

GUIDE Beauty today also introduces its new makeup brush collection utilizing its patented GUIDE Ring to steady the hand and make application smooth and easy as well as its first eyeshadow palette that has been designed with Blair to showcase beautiful, easy-to-wear neutrals for everyday or a special red-carpet moment.

In addition to the new launches, GUIDE’s debut collection, which launched in early 2020 and revolutionized ability-inclusivity in beauty, includes Lash Wrap Mascara and Brow Moment Brow Gel, both featuring the GUIDE Ring, and the award-winning GUIDE Eyeliner Duo. The Eyeliner Duo has become the hero SKU among customers, influencers, and media, receiving Allure’s Best of Beauty Breakthrough, ELLE’s Future of Beauty, O, The Oprah Magazine’s O-Ward, and Essence’s Best in Black Beauty, among other prestigious awards.

The GUIDE Wand eyeliner applicator is celebrated for its unique, forward-thinking, ergonomically and universally-designed shape, paired with the GUIDE Line pressed-cream eyeliner to make looks like tightlining, waterline application, and even winged liner a cinch. All GUIDE Beauty formulas are cruelty-free, 100 percent vegan, and formulated without known toxins or harsh ingredients.

Blair, Bryant, and the GUIDE Beauty team are currently developing additional universally-designed makeup products to improve the lives of makeup users and are committed to advocating for inclusive and empowering beauty for all.

Source: GUIDE Beauty

A Dream Come True: Deaf Actor Keivonn Woodward Meets Hero Hockey Player Alex Ovechkin

DisabilitySports

Not too many kids get to meet their heroes but Keivonn Woodward Keivonn Woodwar isn’t your ordinary kid.

The 10-year-old actor is deaf with dreams of becoming the first Black deaf hockey player in the NHL.

His aspirations recently caught the attention of the Washington Capitals star, Alex Ovechkin, who Woodward is a huge fan of, and invited him to spend the day at the teams facility, according to USA Today.

The viral moment of the meeting for the first time is enough to bring tears to your eyes.

The star of “The Last of Us” received a tour of the facility and even got some time on the rink. He scored twice while running practice drills with the team goalie, Charlie Lindgren, and forward, Nicolas Aube-Kubel.

The Russian hockey star presented Woodward with an autographed hockey stick. Thanks to an ASL interpreter, the Maryland native was able to express his excitement. “Oh, this is so cool,” Woodard said according to the Daily Mail. “I can’t believe it. This is a dream of mine.”

The surprises didn’t end there. Woodward got the chance to meet Devante Smith-Pelly, a former Capitals forward, and one of 11 Black players who have played for the organization. Both Woodward and Smith-Pelly participated in the puck drop for the “Celebrating Black History” pregame festivities. Woodward stayed for the game where the Capitals beat the New York Rangers at home. He was among other “Rising Stars” and was honored during the game.

The moment came full circle as earlier this year, the Capitals provided a $10,000 grant to the Bowie Hockey Club in Maryland, where Woodard is a member. Thanks to the club’s “missions and impact toward diversity in hockey,” a portion of the grant was used to support Woodward with an ASL interpreter and special hockey equipment.

Read the original article from Black Enterprise here.

Your first career move, powered by Netflix

CareersSTEMTechnology

Man in wheelchair on computer doing Apprenticeship

Netflix is partnering with Formation to build a world where people from every walk of life have a seat at the table in tech.

Our program will be completely free of charge for students accepted. It is designed to unlock your engineering potential with personalized training and world-class mentorship from the best engineers across the tech industry.

The below information will be required, and adding why you want to land a New Grad Engineering role at Netflix.

The application requires:

Info about your experience, education, and background

Info regarding your eligibility for the program

A one minute video telling us about yourself

Apply today at https://formation.dev/partners/netflix

Application deadline is March 5, 2023.

What it Takes to Get DOBE Certified

BusinessDisability

smiling woman in pink suit jacket sitting in wheelchair business setting

By Kat Castagnoli

Disability-owned businesses, or DOBEs, are a growing segment of the small business population. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), there are nearly 30 million small businesses in the U.S. alone, accounting for a whopping 99.9 percent of all U.S. businesses – and eight million of those are classified as diverse businesses.

Approximately one in five Americans have a disability, and people with disabilities are nearly twice as likely to be self-employed as people without disabilities.

Corporations realize the importance of disability inclusion in their supply chains – so much that the Billion Dollar Roundtable (BDR) is expanding their criteria of diverse businesses that are counted toward a corporation’s supply chain spend.

Diverse-owned businesses now accepted by the BDR include: Certified Disability-Owned Business Enterprises (DOBEs), Veteran Disability-Owned Business Enterprises (V-DOBEs), and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Enterprises (SDV-DOBEs).

Read on for the requirements for each of these diverse-owned businesses.

Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE) Requirements

At least 51 percent of the business is owned by disabled individuals, or in the case of a publicly-owned business, at least 51 percent of the stock is owned by one or more such individuals, i.e., the management and daily operations are controlled by those minority group members.

Disability is defined as a physical and/or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

Veteran-Disability Owned Business Enterprise (V-DOBE) Requirements

Special classification is available for disabled veteran business owners, a growing sector in our economy. According to the Small Business Administration (SBA), veteran-owned firms had receipts of $1.14 trillion, employed 5.03 million people, and had annual payroll of $195 billion in 2012. Approximately 7.3 percent of those veterans reported having a service-connected disability.

V-DOBEs require all of the DOBE requirements plus:

Business is 51 percent owned, controlled, operated, and managed by a veteran, but disability was not incurred during their time of service.

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDV-DOBE) Requirements

The government limits competition for certain contracts to businesses that participate in the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business program. Joining the disabled veterans’ business program makes your business eligible to compete for the program’s set-aside contracts, and you can still compete for contract awards under other socioeconomic programs you qualify for.

To qualify for an SDV-DOBE, your business must:

Be a small business.
Be at least 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more service-disabled veterans.
Have one or more service-disabled veterans manage day-to-day operations and also make long-term decisions.
Eligible veterans must have sustained their disability during their time of service.

Just a point of note – the SBA does not have a separate DOBE designation, but they do have an SDV-DOBE category.

8(a) Economically Disadvantaged Small Business Requirements

The federal government tries to award at least five percent of all federal contracting dollars to small disadvantaged businesses each year through the 8(a) program.

To qualify for the 8(a) program, you will need to:

Be a small business.
Have not previously participated in the 8(a) program.
Be at least 51 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens who are economically and socially disadvantaged.
Be owned by someone whose average adjusted gross income for three years is $250,000 or less.
Be owned by someone with $4 million or less in assets.
Have the owner manage day-to-day operations and also make long-term decisions.
Have all its principals demonstrate good character.
Show potential for success and be able to perform successfully on contracts.

More information about small business requirements can be found on SBA’s website at sba.gov.

Becoming Certified as a Disability-Owned Business

If you meet the requirements to be a DOBE, V-DOBE, or SDV-DOBE, your next step is to become certified. There are two types of certification, although they are not equal: self-certification and third-party certification.

While self-certification is easier than going through a third-party, many of today’s corporations prefer the latter. Third-party certification assures corporate supplier diversity programs that an independent, nationally-recognized agency vetted your company and verified your disability-owned status.

Self-Certification

To self-certify, follow the SBA self-certification process online. You can use the link below to begin certifying your disability-owned business.

https://certify.sba.gov/

SDV-DOBEs can self-represent to the federal government as being owned by a service-disabled veteran by simply updating the socioeconomic status section of their business profile at SAM.gov.

Third-Party Certification

The Disability Supplier Diversity Program (DSDP) is the leading third-party certifier of DOBEs, including SDV-DOBEs. The program is administered through the U.S. Business Leadership Network (USBLN), an organization that unites business around disability inclusion in the workplace, supply chain, and marketplace.

DSDP certifies DOBEs through a rigorous and highly credible two-year national certification process trusted by corporate America. Learn more at

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/odep/alliances/usblnagreement

Education & Contracting Resources

Whether you’re just beginning your business or you’ve been around a while, these educational resources are sure to help:

Disabled Businesspersons Association (DBA)

The DBA works to advance vocational rehabilitation and increase the competitive performance of the disabled in the workplace. The organization offers education, mentorship for both veterans and civilians, and a special youth-focused program to identify the next generation of leaders with disabilities.

U.S. Business Leadership Network (USBLN)

USBLN offers several opportunities for professional growth and networking. USBLN has a network of nearly 50 Business Leadership Affiliates, representing over 5,000 businesses. These affiliates engage businesses of all sizes in networking discussions to increase their knowledge of community outreach, recruiting and interviewing, the accommodation process, and barriers to employment.

The annual conference brings together business owners, entrepreneurs, corporations, thought leaders, and high-profile speakers to learn more about succeeding as a disability-owned business.

The Rising Leaders Mentoring Program brings together employers and college students/recent graduates with disabilities, including veterans, in a six-month career mentoring opportunity.

SCORE

The nonprofit SCORE has been helping small businesses (including disability-owned) for more than 50 years get off the ground through education and mentorship.

Because disability-owned businesses are supported by the SBA, they can take advantage of their services at no charge or at very low cost. Visit SCORE’s website at SCORE.org to find more information on mentors, workshops, and other available resources.

8(a) Business Development Program

The 8(a) Program is a business assistance program designed specifically for small disadvantaged businesses. The program is government sponsored, highly involved, and has some inspiring success stories. Participants of the program go through a four-year developmental stage followed by a five-year transition stage.

In addition to the nine-year program, participants have access to specialized business training, marketing assistance, and mentorship programs. Find out how your 8(a) minority-owned business can participate here:

https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-assistance-programs/8a-business-development-program

Contracting Opportunities

Both the federal government and many of America’s top corporations require their procurement departments to spend a certain percentage on diverse suppliers every year. Once you are certified as a DOBE, it’s time to leverage that certification to gain access to contracting opportunities.

Supplier Registration Platforms

To streamline supplier diversity, blue chip firms invest in third-party supplier registration portals to streamline the buyer-supplier contracting process. Free registration, seamless communication with potential buyers, and robust opportunity filtering are just a few features that a quality platform should provide to suppliers. Register your company today to start on the path toward working with Fortune 1000 companies.

Veterans First Contracting Program

The Department of Veterans Affairs, which awards a large number of contracts to veterans, sets aside contracts for veterans through their Veterans First Contracting Program. Note that this program is not the same as the SBA’s program for SDV-DOBEs. To get access to set-aside Veterans Affairs contracts, your business must be verified through the Vets First Verification Program at https://www.va.gov/osdbu/verification/

8(a) Business Development Program

Small disadvantaged business participants may be eligible for sole-source contracts, up to $4 million for goods and services and $6.5 million for manufacturing, through the 8(a) Program.

What may be an even greater aspect of the 8(a) Program is a participant’s ability to form a joint venture or team to bid on contracts. This gives 8(a) firms the ability to fulfill larger contracts that they may not be able to handle alone, while also developing industry relationships. Interested in learning more about the 8(a) Program and its requirements? Visit https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-assistance-programs/8a-business-development-program

Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) Program

The SBA created this program to assist businesses in economically depressed areas who often face greater business disadvantages. While not restricted to minority-owned businesses, the HUBZone program can be a boon to your organization if you qualify. Learn more at https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-assistance-programs/hubzone-program

Give your company or business the advantage and get certified today!