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.
