087 MEG O'CONNELL: "Disabled No More"

Did you know that 1 out of 6 Americans can be classified as disabled? (That’s 56 million people, folks!)

“Nearly 80 percent of disabilities are invisible,” says Meg O’Connell, managing partner at Global Disability Inclusion. “Only 17 percent of people who are disabled are born that way. We encourage everyone to come out the closet and self-identify. That’s where the true power lies.”

In an illuminating discussion that goes beyond semantics and stereotypes, we dissect the word “disabled” and shed light on more inclusive language. "It is such a limiting term. You never want to refer to someone as  a 'disabled person' or 'wheelchair-bound.' A 'person with a disability' would be more accurate."

On the corporate front, this sentiment is creating a compassionate shift in our culture and conversations. “Nordstroms, for example,” Meg states, “has been a leader both in employing people with disabilities and using them as models in their catalogues.”