By Karla Lynch, Employment and Community Access Program Manager, Department of Community and Human Services, and Dorian Esper-Taylor, Disability Justice Specialist, Office of Equity, Racial, and Social Justice, Department of Executive Services

Disability Pride Month is celebrated each year in July. Disability Pride initially started as a day of celebration in 1990—the year that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law.  Yet for people with disabilities, navigating a society constructed by and for people without disabilities continues to highlight the presence of ableism and the power of allyship in dismantling systems, policies, and practices that often result in discrimination.

According to the 2010 census, nearly one in five Americans experience disability. Some  disabilities are visible to others and include physical disabilities such as blindness, deafness, the use of prosthetic limbs, or the use of a wheelchair. Other  disabilities may be less visible or not visually apparent at all, such as behavioral health conditions (e.g. – depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress), Traumatic Brain Injuries, developmental and intellectual disabilities, migraines, or cancer. 

Despite the high percentage of Americans with disabilities, ableism and discrimination remain widespread and entrenched in our culture.

What is ableism?

Ableism is a conscious or unconscious of implementation of practices that reinforce existing negative stereotypes, beliefs, and attitudes about persons with disabilities, often resulting in overt or covert discrimination. Examples of ableism in the workplace include using language that perpetuates stereotypes, assuming that a job applicant with a disability may be less qualified for the position they have applied for, designing buildings without ramps, accessible restrooms, providing inadequate space for wheelchair users, or questioning why an employee with mental health conditions may need extended time off work.

King County is working to move toward a more disability-inclusive culture, including changes to our physical environments and our approach we bring to our work. Supporting these changes means recognizing how ableism shows up in our work and by becoming an ally alongside people with disabilities.

How do I become an ally for people with disabilities?

There are steps we can take in becoming allies for people with disabilities. Examples of allyship provided by the Office of Equity and Social Justice and Department of Human Resource’s Disability Services team include:

• Normalize conversations about disabilities and accommodations. If you are a supervisor or manager, remind your team that King County supports employees with disabilities and that employees may speak to their supervisor, their HR manager, or Disability Services if they think they may need an accommodation. A great way for supervisors to connect with employees to begin potential conversations around accommodations is to simply ask all your employees, “How can I help you do your best work?” Make conversations about inclusivity a regular part of your work meetings and business practices. Read Supporting People with disabilities: When and how to disclose a disability.
• Advocate for inclusive and universal design. When designing spaces or coordinating meetings, encourage decision makers to consult with Disability Services or other community resources to ensure accessibility for individuals with disabilities.  There are a variety of resources available, including this publication on Universal Design from the City of Bellevue.
• Challenge your beliefs. Challenge your beliefs about how jobs can be performed and recognize that everyone brings different strengths, abilities, and approaches to getting a job done effectively. If you are a supervisor, think creatively about technology and workplace accommodations – doing so will bring greater diversity to our work teams, and strengthen our ability to look at issues, etc. from multiple perspectives.
• Educate yourself. Research disabilities and ableism. A few great resources include:
  • Job Accommodation Network (JAN) – https://askjan.org/
  • Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) – https://www.dol.gov/agencies/odep
  • Rooted in Rights – https://rootedinrights.org/
  • Northwest ADA Center:  http://nwadacenter.org/
  • Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center (HSDC):  https://hsdc.org/
  • National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): https://www.nami.org/
  • The ARC of King County: https://arcofkingcounty.org/
  • Epiphanies of Equity: https://www.christianaobeysumner.com/
• Educate others. When you hear ableist language, or see actions that perpetuate ableism, take the opportunity to inform, educate and challenge, just as you would do for individuals who experience marginalization and underrepresentation – look for opportunity to elevate the voices of people with disabilities.

The intersectionality of disability and racism

The continued presence of systemic racism means that BIPOC communities experience greater disparities when seeking education, medical care, and employment. For example, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, among adults with a disability, Black adults had a higher unemployment rate in 2023 (10.2 percent) than Latinx (9.2 percent), Asian (7.0 percent), and White (6.7 percent) adults.

This means that, in order to further King County’s commitment to equity, when we act as allies and challenge ableism, we must lead with the experiences of BIPOC who have disabilities.

More resources

For more resources for supervisors and employees to support King County’s  commitment to including people with disabilities in our workplaces and communities, please see this list of resources from the King County Disability Services Office. To reach the Office, call 206-263-9329 or email at DisabilityServices@kingcounty.gov.  For more information about King County’s Disability Services, visit www.kingcounty.gov/DisabilityServices.