An Eventful Final Quarter of 2020 for 6 Wheels Consulting

The last few months of 2020 have been busy for 6 Wheels Consulting, and we have some great upcoming activities during the last few weeks of the year as well!

In mid-October, I took part in a really cool photoshoot. I can’t say much more since the campaign hasn’t been launched yet, but keep an eye out for news about that coming soon!

On October 27th, I spoke at the 2020 Virginia Ability Forum, which was titled The Ability Equation: Employer Engagement minus Disincentives equals Abilities Reimagined. October was National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and at the forum I discussed my experience starting a business, as well as the importance of hiring people with disabilities. COVID has made working remotely an option for so many people, and this should open the door for people with disabilities to work from home. Employers should take advantage of this and value what people with disabilities bring to the table!

I worked with Sentara earlier this year and am excited to be working with them once again on December 9th to do a keynote discussion for HR managers. We’ll be talking about the importance of hiring and retaining individuals with disabilities.

Right after that, I’ll be moderating a legislative policy discussion on December 3rd. We’ll be talking about how to self-advocate for yourself during a pandemic.

I’m also preparing for the upcoming General Assembly. One of my biggest goals this session is to focus on legislation that provides hiring preferences for people with disabilities within the Virginia state government. This session will be different since everything is going to be virtual, so it’ll be interesting to see how that pans out—but we’ll make it work!

 I’ve also been working on a video series about how to have difficult, important conversations. These conversations will cover different topics, including racial equality and the way people, especially students, engage with one another during the pandemic.

Finally, I’ve been getting ready for 2021. I already have different projects I’m working on for the new year, so make sure to follow 6 Wheels Consulting on social media to keep up with our most recent activities and accomplishments!

As the year’s coming to an end, I hope everyone has a safe holiday season, even if it looks a little different this year. I hope 2021 is a wonderful year for everyone, and I’m sure it will continue to be a year for growth and exciting new opportunities!

PHOTO: Green Cursive writing that reads Thank You

Keeping Busy In A Remote World: 6 wheels Consulting Update

I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe and healthy in this strange time we’re in! I’ve been busier than ever these past few months and wanted to share some of what I’ve been up to!

On October 15th, I’ll give a virtual keynote presentation to Sentara Healthcare staff, as Sentara Healthcare is trying to expand its diversity and inclusion efforts. October is Disability History and Awareness Month as well as Disability Employment month, so I’ll be discussing my experience starting my business and why employers should hire folks with disabilities. I’ll also discuss the current work environment; right now, a lot of us are on a digital platform, and that could open up the door for more people with disabilities as far as employment goes. The presentation will be an hour in total with the last quarter will including a Q&A. I look forward to working with Sentara Healthcare and continuing a strong relationship with everyone there as we continue to work in other avenues.

I’m also now on a speaking roster with an organization called Evolve Productions, a production company that hosts in-person and virtual events focused on inclusion and diversity content. I’m on the speaking roster as a motivational speaker and to discuss disability inclusion. Currently, we’re working on a video project that focuses on having difficult conversations in our current climate about topics such as race, disability, the LGBTQ+ community, etc. The project will also highlight ways to connect with people in this unique time—I personally have experience being isolated societally as a disabled person, so I know how to establish a social network when not everything is accessible. Our goal with this project is to share this video with businesses, colleges, etc., as a resource to help promote connection and having hard conversations.

Throughout October, I’ll also be working on my book project, which will combine humor and stories to talk about different subjects surrounding disability and life. I’m hoping to interview different subjects and share my experiences and others’ experiences to give people a true picture of what life is like for disabled folks and give strategies to navigate different spaces and conversations.

Over the past few months, I’ve continued to work with Rachel Kaplan on our online course. The course is for HR professionals who want to know how to hire people with disabilities in different areas of work. The course will detail how to establish a good disability corporate culture, how to provide appropriate workplace accommodations, and more. We’re hoping to launch this course in the first quarter of 2021.

Several new episodes of the 6 Wheels Consulting Disability Podcast have been released lately as well, so make sure to check those out!

Finally, I’d like to encourage everyone to get out and vote! This year, any registered voter can vote absentee in-person or by mail; if you’re a Virginian, you can register if you haven’t already or find out more information about where and how to vote here.

As always, thank you for your support and make sure to keep an eye out for more updates on my social media pages and on the blog!

PHOTO: Pink cursive lettering on a black background with a white border. The cursive writing reads What we've been up to lately…