National Disability Employment Awareness Month

Special Olympics Chief Inspiration Officer Loretta Claiborne will do anything it takes to cross the finish line, and her unwavering advocacy for people with intellectual disabilities reflects that same determination.

Download the TranscriptIn recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), Inclusion Revolution Radio host Novie Craven traveled to The Coca-Cola Company’s Atlanta Office Complex in October 2025 to learn more about their commitment to inclusion in the workforce. Hosted by This-Ability Inclusion Network, a thought leader and advocacy group within Coca-Cola, Novie led the conversation around support of employees with disabilities, employees who are caregivers for loved ones with disabilities and consumers of all abilities.Read the Article

A lifelong sports fan, Todd Youngblood came to the Kay Community Service Center, a day program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) located in Fort Valley, Georgia, in 1995 and was immediately put to work.

October marks National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), recognizing the contributions of people with disabilities in the workforce and reaffirming our commitment to inclusive employment.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month—it’s more than a month, it’s a mindset. In an effort to keep the conversation around inclusive workplaces and hiring practices going, this episode of Inclusion Revolution Radio, brought to you by Toyota North America, drives the momentum forward. Hosts Josh Basile, from accessiBe, and Novie Craven are joined by David Duncan, Special Olympics Jamaica athlete and Global Athlete Leadership Council member, who contributes his perspective as an employee of Special Olympics Jamaica.

Special Olympics continues to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month highlighting Special Olympics Ohio athlete, Adam Gilmer, who is pursuing work in the television/media industry.

Cody Field is a Special Olympics Colorado snowboarder and skier who competed in the 10th Special Olympics World Winter Games in PyeongChang as well as five different X Games in Unified snowboarding competitions.

Daina Shilts is a Special Olympics North America snowboarder who has worked with ESPN as a sport reporter at previous Special Olympics World Games, Special Olympics USA Games, and other large sporting events.

“I got involved with Special Olympics when I was in school and I was put down all my life. So, I found out about Special Olympics and how they accepted people and how we get the opportunity to compete.”

When Pleskow is not swimming in the Potomac River alongside her mom or running on the track, she can be found within the walls of Brightspot—a software development company just outside the nation’s capital in Reston, Virginia.