2022 Intersectionality and Employment First Summit
What is intersectionality?
“It’s basically a lens, a prism, for seeing the way in which various forms of inequality often operate together and exacerbate each other.”
Each of us has unique lived experience based on how facets of our lives come together, intersect, and interact. Intersectionality is the idea that we all have multiple identities related to disability, socio-economic status, gender/gender identity, race, ethnicity, and sexuality[1]. Kimberlé Crenshaw, who coined the term, tells us that “It’s basically a lens, a prism, for seeing the way in which various forms of inequality often operate together and exacerbate each other.”[2] For all of us, intersectionality impacts opportunities, including employment.
Intersectionality impacts employment. It is a critical consideration in providing effective employment services to individuals with disabilities receiving services through Indiana’s Vocational Rehabilitation program. To make employment the first option for people with disabilities, we must acknowledge, understand, and better address how each individual’s lived experience impacts their path to employment.
Join us for the Intersectionality and Employment First Summit
We will come together to begin conversations and learning about intersectionality, and how we can improve employment services to make employment, fair wages, and career advancement a possibility for all people with disabilities. You will learn from individuals with lived experience, subject matter experts, and practitioners in the following three tracks:
Track 1: Understanding Intersectionality
Disability is one of many facets that adds to diversity. Individuals receiving VR services have disabilities, but there are also many other parts of their identity such as socio-economic status, gender/gender identity, race, ethnicity, and sexuality. Join sessions in this track to hear, learn, and grow as a practitioner when it comes to understanding intersectionality.
Track 2: Insight into Mental Health
Gaining insight into how mental health impacts employment is important for all of us. In this track, learners will gain information and perspective around supporting individuals with mental health conditions, substance use, and individuals with co-occurring disorders.
Track 3: Supporting People with Limited Work Experience
People with limited or no experience in competitive integrated employment often have unique experiences and perspectives that impact the way professionals support them through employment services. For example, people with limited work experience include individuals who participate in sheltered workshops or center-based day programs. In this track, learners will gain information and perspective around supporting individuals with limited work experience.
Sessions will include:
Informational sessions
Perspectives from individuals with lived experience
Successful practices from practitioners on increasing access to employment