Yesterday’s rumination on comic book superheroes who have disabilities served to reinforce a common theme on this blog: people with disabilities looking for role models within popular culture. One doesn’t need to wear a mask and cape to be a hero, however. As employment for people with disabilities continues to lag behind the national rate, there is a need for those who are working and succeeding in the business world to have a moment in the spotlight.
Part of human nature is to be inspired by those whom we identify with; but portrayals of people with disabilities in mainstream television programs, movies, books, etc. are frequently unflattering. It is only through organizations like the Sprout Film Festival, with its “making the invisible, visible” tagline, that we tend to find stories about people with disabilities that feel authentic. Or as executive secretary of the Washington state Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues and Employment, Toby Olson, wrote in a guest column for the The Seattle Times last year, stories that “focus on the audacity of the goal or the humanity of the hero, not the disability.”
One such recent story comes from Dionne Gleaton, staff writer for the Orangeburg, South Carolina newspapers, The Times and Democrat. Her Sunday profile of Kendall Williams and his selection as State Employee with Disability of the Year portrays the 40-year old man as very cognizant of his opportunity to inspire others through his actions. With Williams currently working as a research associate and teaching assistant in the chemistry department at Claflin University, his career path illustrates a work ethic and drive to always improve his circumstances and himself. Gleaton writes:
He began his teaching career in 1999 after moving to Washington, D.C., where he taught earth science to ninth and 10th graders. He then transitioned to the field of information technology. ‘I worked in that field for approximately 10 years. I moved back to South Carolina and worked in IT for Blue Cross Blue Shield for a period time. Then I worked at the Boeing plant in North Charleston just prior to attending Claflin University’s masters program in biotechnology in 2007,’ Williams said.
While higher education may not be the desired goal for every individual with a disability, many will find similarities between Williams’ willingness to work manufacturing and IT jobs with their own path of working in contract services or customer service while they figure out their long-term goals.
Williams is a teacher; so in addition to inspiring people with disabilities like himself, he also wants to motivate the students with whom he interacts. One of his colleagues tells Gleaton that Williams has “single-handedly interviewed, hired and trained approximately 50 undergraduate and graduate student workers in the past two years.” For Williams, it’s all in a days work:
‘I still try to give as much back to individuals as possible. That’s evident in the way I teach my courses and follow up on my students. I’ll try to point out to them ways to get extra help if they should need it. I try to inspire others as I go through my life,’ Williams said.
Do you have an inspiring story? Share in the Comments section.
Image by NYC-MetroCard (Josh and Erica Silverstein), used under its Creative Commons license.