Cultural Diversity Initiative

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, employment rates for working-age individuals who are minorities are significantly lower than for the non-minority population.

In order to address the employment issues facing minorities with disabilities, the Office of Disability Policy (ODEP) has been working with various minority organizations. In the last several months, the NAACP, the National Urban League and ASPIRA have each formed partnerships with ODEP and have made commitments to establish new High School/High Tech programs serving minority youth with disabilities. The ODEP's High School/High Tech program is designed to provide young people with disabilities opportunities to explore high tech careers, and includes such activities as shadowing, mentoring, and internships in technology-related businesses.

The NAACP's High School/High Tech program will serve Baltimore City. The National Urban League has started two programs in Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska. ASPIRA has established its program in Newark, New Jersey. In addition to serving minority students with disabilities, each of these three national minority organization will use these demonstration programs as models to be replicated by their members in other parts of the country.

At the invitation of NAACP's President and CEO Kweise Mfume, ODEP will provide training on the employment of minorities with disabilities to NAACP's national and regional leadership. This training, which is designed to raise the level of the NAACP's awareness of and active involvement in these issues, will be made available at a regional conference, as well as at the NAACP Annual Convention in 2000.

The Office of Disability Employment Policy is pursuing similar collaborative working relationships with other minority organizations, and continues its collaborative working relationship with the Howard University Research and Training Center (HURTC).