There's no avoiding that some of my postings have had a negative slant to them, and a darker casting.  I won't apologize for it; when things are bad, the responsible, mature, beneficial members of the community keep their eyes, minds, and hearts open.  It doesn't matter if voices in the dark speak loudly or softly, but they should be present, meaningful, and contributing.  The contributions don't necessitate relentless or naive positivity, but optimism that's been measured, qualified, tested, and proven carries as much value as the thudding war drums resonating in the deep.  I believe the world ain't all bad, and that's what

Cynics say that the belief and reality that people all make and live in one community is an idealist's refuge of theory and abstraction.  I believe this point of view is untrue and damnable, and my reasoning is grounded in the progressing injustice being executed in Ferguson, Missouri.  Michael Brown has been laid to rest, and the facts and judgments surrounding his death are in dispute, but I believe that the circumstances spiraling out from the gunning down of an eighteen-year-old in the street in broad daylight are less important than the undeniable truth that this young man died violently

Click this link to read the August 2014 AbilityLinks Newsletter

I’ll begin with a reminder that this article is written specifically from the perspective of an individual with an obvious physical disability, who self-identifies by nature and choice as an individual with a disability.  Not everyone who has a disability is readily identifiable as a disabled person, for myriad different reasons.  For example, their disability may not be physical, visually recognizable, or they may choose to obscure or deny the conditions and precepts of their disability.  This is their choice, and they are free to make it.  However, an argument will be made in this writing that it is personally and professionally detrimental to either attempt to or successfully hide a disability from an employer or colleague.

By Mark Williams

Employers’ hiring decisions may be affected by cultural or individual biases against individuals with disabilities. These biases may be implicit, in that they are not apparent to the jobseeker or the interviewer. Implicit bias can be addressed through training, experience, and policies and practices that promote inclusion, objectivity and measurement.

BIAS IN THE WORKPLACE