People with disabilities can work, but they need jobs

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a time to reflect on inclusive employment and take meaningful action.

Despite the progress made, society continues to underestimate the potential of people with disabilities. As a mother and advocate, I've witnessed both the challenges and opportunities we face in creating a future where everyone has the chance to contribute and thrive in the workplace.

My son Isaiah, born with Down syndrome, is now 2-1/2 years old. I dream of a future where his talents are valued, not questioned. Like so many individuals with disabilities, Isaiah has the capability to make meaningful contributions to society, yet outdated stereotypes and systemic barriers threaten to hold him back.

The work we do today isn't just about my family — it's about creating a more inclusive future for all. Too often, individuals with disabilities face obstacles when trying to access inclusive hiring, navigate inaccessible workplaces or deal with non-supportive environments. These barriers aren't just physical; they stem from a mindset that sees people with disabilities as burdens rather than assets.

Research consistently shows that inclusive workplaces are more productive and engaged. Companies that embrace diversity, including disability, regularly outperform their competitors, achieving higher retention rates and increased employee satisfaction. I see this first-hand at a local cafe, where adults with Down syndrome exhibit incredible work ethic and flourish when given the right opportunities.

For true inclusion to take root, local businesses, corporations and policymakers must step up. Employers need to go beyond the basics by promoting inclusive hiring practices and creating accessible workplaces. Policymakers must strengthen laws that protect workers with disabilities and offer incentives to businesses that lead the way in fostering inclusivity.

As we observe National Disability Employment Awareness Month, I urge our communities to reflect and, more importantly, act. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 22.5% of people with disabilities are employed , compared to 65.8% of those without disabilities. This stark gap underscores the barriers we must dismantle.

Let's not just talk. Let's take concrete steps to unlock the potential in all of us.

Chicago police obstruct journalism

The U.S. Department of Justice issued new guidance on Oct. 4, cautioning against dispersing or arresting journalists covering protests. It took the Chicago Police Department less than a week to violate it. On Oct. 10, officers reportedly threatened to arrest journalists covering an anti-war protest because they deemed it a "police activity" area.

That's the exact opposite of how it works. Journalists (and everyone else) have a constitutional right to document "police activity," and to do so up close . If reporters actually obstruct police, there are laws to deal with that — their mere presence can't be deemed obstructive.

That shouldn't be news to the CPD. Before the Democratic National Convention, the Freedom of the Press Foundation warned in these pages — citing past DOJ pronouncements and court cases — that the Constitution prohibits dispersing journalists from protests they're covering. That's because how police deal with demonstrators is important news. Another DNC, in 1968, comes to mind.

The CPD also reportedly told the National Press Photographers Association that it did not need training on dealing with the press before the DNC because it knew everything it needed to know.

But then officers threatened to revoke journalists' press credentials for disobeying dispersal orders. That's according to several journalists present, who have reported on protests all over the country. They agreed the officers' conduct — including allegedly tearing credentials from reporters' necks — was unusual and egregious (putting police in charge of press credentials is like letting the fox guard the proverbial hen house, but that's another story).

Worse, at least three journalists were arrested for failure to disperse, according to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker (there may be more who didn't come forward to avoid putting a target on their backs). Charges remain pending. Rather than ticketing reporters and letting them get back to their work, CPD processed them and prevented them from reporting. These "catch and release" arrests are, in effect, censorship.

But as far as we know, no one has been held accountable. That sends the message that what happened at the DNC is acceptable. The events last week show that CPD continues to feel emboldened to harass journalists and deprive the public of news. The impunity must end. All pending charges against journalists arrested for noncompliance with unconstitutional orders must be dropped. And cops who illegally disperse journalists should be dispersed from their jobs.

Fight TB, other global diseases

Thanks to the Sun-Times Editorial Board for the editorial about the critical importance of vaccines. ( "Rising whooping cough cases are another example of why vaccines matter" ).

This applies locally and globally, as we have seen too many examples of global threats like COVID, tuberculosis, and Zika come home to threaten us in America.

Thanks to the U.S. Senate for passing the End Tuberculosis Now Act , which will prioritize TB resources to areas around the world most affected by the disease and set up processes and measures to track success. It's time for the U.S. House to pass this same legislation.

In addition, fully funding Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance which has vaccinated 1 billion children and saved 18.8 million lives since 2000, would then be able to reach another 500 million children over the next five years.

Let's do our part by thanking Sen. Dick Durbin and Sen. Tammy Duckworth for passing the TB bill and asking them to continue supporting Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

We must ask our U.S. House members to pass the End Tuberculosis Now Act and support Gavi funding. It will take only a few minutes to call your representative at 202-224-3121, but it can make a life-saving difference for millions globally while protecting us locally.

Why vaccines matter

In 2022, 4.9 million children under the age of 5 died due mostly to preventable health problems like diarrhea, pneumonia and measles. But there is a proven strategy to save lives and fight these diseases globally.

The Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunization, also known as Gavi , is an international partnership that provides essential supports for locally-led vaccine programs worldwide.

The Biden administration recognizes the importance — for Americans — of fighting infectious diseases globally. At the June 2024 Gavi pre-replenishment meeting in Paris, the U.S. pledged at least $1.58 billion for Gavi over the next five years. This is an excellent start, and it's a promise that must be kept.

I urge Congress to keep this promise by increasing funding for Gavi in this year's annual spending bills.

We see Native American influence all around us

Having worked past the cowboy and Indian stereotypes of my baby boomer childhood, I've since become a great admirer of Native Americans. In the process I've noticed the strong influence various tribes have had. There are places and designations that reference tribal names, leaders or words drawn from their languages.

Study, for instance, the Bureau of Indian Affairs page on derivation of state names. A handful of origins are disputed but certainly over half feature Indian roots, including 12 states federally classified as the Midwest, from North Dakota to Ohio.

Check the cities and towns scattered across our continental map, and Indian-linked names also appear frequently. Look no further than Chicago or Milwaukee for prominent examples. Or survey the street signs on Chicago's Northwest Side. You'll see an abundance with Indian ties. For a start, Miami, Mohican, Navajo, Potawatomie, Seminole and Sioux all credit pre-modern North American tribes. Numerous other salutes can be found around the city, and doubtless, there are many elsewhere.

In a sense, all the above have long assured Native American recognition every day of the year, and we only have to take note. Indigenous People's Day-Columbus Day serves as a reminder.

Chicago needs industrial jobs

I just read the about the Valadez family that grew up on the Southeast Side. I loved it. The story is about immigrants fulfilling the American dream.

The story stated that the families raised kids near steel factories and other industries. And they thrived because of those good-paying jobs. Once those factories closed, the neighborhood went down. Businesses closed. The neighborhood became a shell of what it once was.

This is what we need in Chicago: industry. If we keep pushing industries out by protesting them, they will go to Indiana and other business-friendly states. These are the jobs that will keep Chicago alive. Fast food and dollar store or liquor store jobs are an honest living but not the answer.

We need Chicago to return to the industrial hub it once was, which made this city great.

Please stop the protesting of warehouses or any kind of industrial sites, and let the city thrive again.

Drivers, cyclists must show mutual respect

In response to reader Skylar Moran's condemnation of drivers, Moran needs to have a more balanced perspective and look at realities about commuting and travel. Bicycling may sound like a utopia, but not everyone is able to ride a bike.

Most drivers are law-abiding because we are required to follow the rules of the road. We must pass driving tests, pay plenty for licenses and insurance, and we get tickets if we don't follow traffic rules. Bicyclists don't have to pass tests, pay for licenses, and I've never heard of a bicyclist getting ticketed for dangerous cycling. Drivers share the road with bicyclists who ride dangerously, zipping through stop lights and stop signs, cutting suddenly in front of moving cars, not staying in their bike lane, etc.

Cars are "exacerbating the affordable housing crisis?" Really? I wonder if the huge city, county and state taxes might contribute a little bit? I wonder if rampant corporate greed might contribute to the crisis? What about the oil companies that have stood in the way of fuel-efficient vehicles? With Moran's wide-ranging blame, I'm sure drivers must have been responsible for the White Sox losing so many games this season.

As a two-time lymphoma survivor, my immune system is very challenged, so I can't take public transportation anymore. Because of knee and hip injuries, I can't ride a bike. So driving a car is the only mode of transportation I can use.

When I see a bicyclist, I see a human life on the road and I show respect. Drivers and bike riders need to share the road, show respect and follow the rules of the road.