Seeing Ability in Diversity
Seeing Ability in Diversity
Our Mission
We give people with cognitive disabilities a safe loving place to learn vitally important life, job and independent living skills, while earning their own income. There’s a vital need for transition services with this particular demographic, and really very limited resources currently available. We believe everyone deserves the right to live their best, most independent life possible, however that looks and it is our mission to help them to be successful.
Amy Harris
- Founder and CEO
Amy has always had a passion to help others. She earned her Bachelor’s of Arts in Severe Developmental Delay and Autism Special Education. She later went on to get a Masters in Secondary Special Education and Transition. She has taught disability awareness and advocacy in high schools throughout the metro, working with students transitioning into post-secondary life and feels this is the natural next step in her journey. She is also the proud mother of a little boy with Autism and Cognitive Delays, this also gives her an additional motivation to make Diversabilities successful.
When I was teaching job skills to students in the special education program at a local high school, we ran the school coffee shop. Historically, only a few of the highest performing students in the special education program were presented with the opportunity to help. I was told that the “lower functioning” students were not able to work at the pace needed for a coffee shop that was only open for a brief period of time before school. I wasn’t willing to accept that, so I partnered up with the teacher who taught the “lower functioning” students and we adapted the whole cafe so anyone at any level could be successful. And they were! Our customer line extended outside of the door and down the hall. We were allotted 10 minutes to serve our customers and the students ran the show. As our business continued to grow, we made over $10,000 in sales in only 6 months!
It was during those days that I began to really see what amazing things my students were capable of doing. However, once they graduated, I noticed there was nowhere for them to transfer those skills to! There is a shortage of places that will hire individuals with more significant disabilities. In fact, according to the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, less than 2% of individuals with intellectual disabilities and/or Autism are currently employed in the state of Missouri. This statistic frustrates me. I’ve seen firsthand that these young men and women have the skills, the desire and the passion to be successful at the tasks they are given. Yet, due to the lack of understanding of individuals with disabilities by society, they are left with little chance of working outside the home.
But it doesn’t have to be that way! The more we are able to integrate those with disabilities into society, the more we are able to educate people that we are all different and we all have strengths and challenges to face. However, we all share the common desire to be part of something and to know that we are a contributing member of the community. Diversabilities will be the perfect place to showcase these amazing individuals and all that they have to offer.
