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From the NIH Director: NIH 2020 National Disability Employment Awareness Month

by David Rice

Dear NIH Family,

I am pleased to announce that NIH is celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) in October. Our theme for 2020, "Accessibility Matters: Why accessibility matters at NIH" supports our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion for all. This year’s celebration is particularly significant as it coincides with the 75th observance of NDEAM, and the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disability Act.

As part of our celebration we are holding our second annual "Cultivating Inclusion: Honoring NIH Champions and Allies of Disability Awards" ceremony. In this ceremony we will recognize and celebrate those in and those making an impact within the disability community. Please join us virtually on October 14th at 10 am to celebrate this year’s recipients and their efforts for the disability community.

To further showcase why accessibility matters to everyone, EDI is launching a social media and photo campaign focused on accessibility. This campaign is meant to show how we all have a role in, and responsibility for, ensuring that the world around us is accessible to everyone. To share why accessibility matters to you, please visit the campaign’s website.

I encourage you all to join me in reflecting on and celebrating the diversity within NIH and our commitment to recruiting, retaining, and advancing individuals with disabilities. We have a responsibility to learn about the manifold interests and talents the disability community has, and I invite you to explore research opportunities within their community.

It is my hope that all NIH-ers will applaud diversity and inclusion in the workplace every day, and not just in October. To learn more about NIH NDEAM activities, please visit edi.nih.gov/our-communities/people-with-disabilities and follow EDI on Twitter and Instagram at @NIH_EDI.

Together, we make NIH a more inclusive workplace, where we strive to treat everyone with dignity and respect and value our colleagues for the person they are and their contributions to our mission.

Sincerely yours,

Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D.
Director

Do you have a story idea for us? Do you want to submit a guest blog? If it's about equity, diversity, or inclusion, please submit to edi.stories@nih.gov.

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