W. Roy Grizzard, Ed.D. 2002 National
Business Leadership Network Summit U. S. Chamber of Commerce
Washington, DC November 18, 2002
Hello. I am Roy Grizzard, Assistant Secretary of the Office of
Disability Employment Policy of the U.S. Labor Department.
I am sorry I could not be with you today, but my schedule calls
for me to be out of town. However, I want to recognize the important role
the business leadership network plays in job formation.
I also want to speak about the opportunity we all have to create
meaningful jobs for Americans with disabilities.
The word opportunity has an especially important
meaning to me, for I have retinitis pigmentosa, and have been declared legally
blind.
But that did not stop me from earning three degrees, or from
serving in the field of education for over 25 years. It did not keep me from
running a large state agency, or from being appointed as the first assistant
secretary on disability issues in the history of the country.
A large part of my success was because I came in contact with
people who focused on my abilities not on my disability. They gave me an
opportunity to succeed, and I took it.
Tom Donohue is a man who understands this. He has spent his life
making sure that a disability never bars a qualified person from the
workplace.
Tom knows first hand about disability employment issues. One of
his first jobs out of school was for a person who was born without legs, but
nonetheless, became a successful businessman who found jobs for the disabled
after the Korean war.
Tom has taken this experience, and, with his compassion and
commitment, has helped people build better lives. His leadership has helped
make BLN a success.
His vision and determination is echoed in the way the business
leadership network is creating opportunity.
By promoting the best disability practices, BLN provides a
template that every employer can use to include people with disabilities into
their employment plans.
By focusing on the demand side of the disability equation, BLN
helps employers recognize the disability community as a source of valued
employees and customers.
Your untiring efforts are also eliminating unfounded stereotypes
and old attitudes about disabilities.
The BLN is convincing employers that accommodations are
inexpensive; that insurance costs will not rise, and that the disabled employee
will certainly be as productive as a co-worker.
These sentiments are shared by president bush, who formalized his
commitment by announcing his new freedom initiative last year.
Under the strong leadership of Secretary Chao, the Department of
Labor, through ODEP, has been given a significant share of the responsibility
for fulfilling the promise of the New Freedom Initiative.
Although relatively new, ODEP has already committed millions of
dollars in grants. All are aimed at creating opportunity.
These include funding workforce investment boards to help build
the capacity of local one-stop career centers, funding demonstration grants to
integrate technology in local youth programs, and funding two national centers
to provide technical assistance to local service and government agencies.
ODEP is working with other federal agencies to expand upon needed
employment supports such as transportation, housing, assistive technology,
health care, and personal assistance.
Another NFI achievement is the recently launched
DisabilityInfo.gov website.
This on-line resource for people with disabilities was operational
within 60 days of the President's directive to develop such a site - an unheard
of accomplishment!
It stands as a shining example of the President and the
Secretary's deep commitment to making government easily accessible to all
Americans.
The site, staffed by ODEP, contains information on employment, job
accommodations and state and regional assistance programs.
You can also find information on the latest assistive technology,
Medicaid and Medicare, and even emergency preparedness.
All of these actions lead to one important goal economic
empowerment through meaningful work.
Work is important not just because it provides a paycheck, but
because it defines who we are and what we do with our lives. No one should be
denied that sense of satisfaction and identity, especially Americans with
disabilities.
In closing, let me repeat what President Bush is fond of saying -
"In the end, what matters are the results."
The staff at ODEP, the Secretary of Labor, and this President,
will be listening to your ideas and concerns.
We will continue to lend support and act as a catalyst to reducing
barriers to employment for those with disabilities.
But the government cannot do it alone.
We are looking to the BLN, under the leadership of Tom Donohue and
the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, to continue its business-led initiatives. You
show every day that peer-to-peer education will help level the playing field
for those with disabilities.
With your help and guidance, we look forward to fostering a
public/private partnership that is truly working!
Thank you and best wishes for a successful conference. |