I wrote this story about Cakeable, a nonprofit in Charlotte, in celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month." Building Skills for Employment History of Disability Employment Month: " In October 2026, we celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), an annual recognition of the positive impact of people with disabilities in the American workforce. "This yearly event began in 1945 as a weeklong national observance of the contributions of people with physical disabilities. In 1988, Congress designated the commemoration as NDEAM, which then evolved to acknowledge the importance of increasing employment opportunities for people with disabilities, including those with mental health conditions and other nonobvious disabilities. "In 2001, ODEP was created and entrusted to administer NDEAM, including the selection and promotion of its annual theme." Office of Disability Employment Policy
These stories describe our journey with Ben, our oldest son. Ben is a sweet and energetic redhead, born with POLR2A, a rare genetic change. My husband, Ryan, and I try to keep up with Ben and his two younger brothers. I intend to shed insight into raising a child with disabilities and pass on the wisdom we’ve earned over the past two decades.