The Edinburg Chamber of Commerce recently hosted a lunch-time workshop with a focus on diversifying workforces in recruiting people with disabilities.

Evelyn Cano co-founded the Disability Chamber of Commerce-RGV. She serves as the nonprofit organization’s president and presented the Jan. 19 workshop. She also serves on the Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities. The governor appoints all 12 members with at least seven board members being persons with disabilities.

The RGV’s disability chamber was founded in late 2019. It became only the fourth cross-disability chamber of commerce in the nation. Cross-disability is defined as “the concept of addressing the needs and rights of people with disabilities, regardless of the specific type or nature of their disability.”

The disability chamber’s mission statement reads that it “provides disability-friendly employers in the Rio Grande Valley with educational workshops, networking events, corporate training and easy access to available resources so that they can provide meaningful, dignified, integrative employment opportunities to individuals with different abilities.”

Broadening Scope

Cano told the workshop audience that one in four people in the United States has a disability.

The three founders of the RGV disability chamber are mothers of individuals with autism. They are Esmeralda Leal and Stephanie Wilson in addition to Cano. The chamber’s founders have advocated for their children’s access to the best educational opportunities. The realization came that they had to broaden their vision.

“There’s something we weren’t thinking about,” Cano said. “The future.” 

They learned about the lack of resources, funding and jobs for people with disabilities and that others besides parents need to be part of this mission.

 “They need a seat at the table,” she said, referring to individuals with disabilities. “This is no longer my story to tell. It’s my son’s.” 

Cano’s son is a freshman in high school. She seeks his opinions and ideas and gathers input from other individuals with disabilities as well. What was learned from these conversations is that individuals with different abilities yearn for the education and training they need to be hired for and retain meaningful jobs. It’s not only about having access to housing, transportation and health care.

Cano emphasized that the disability chamber focuses on helping employers identify a “qualified individual … a person able to perform the essential functions of the job” who also meets the prerequisites for the position. Accommodations requested by the applicant or employee should never bring a hardship to the employer, Cano said.

“People with disabilities truly just deserve the opportunity to enter the workforce,” she explained.

Building Partnerships

Todd Miller, the assistant superintendent for human resources for McAllen school district, attended the workshop with several other district representatives. 

“McAllen ISD is continuously exploring various recruiting avenues to be more inclusive with our hiring practices to ensure that we are truly recruiting and hiring the best-qualified applicants,” Miller said. “This luncheon was very informational, and the information gained will be incorporated into our current recruiting practices.”

Cano shared Inclusion@Work, a framework for building a disability-inclusive organization. This seven-pronged approach provides a pathway for organizations to build an inclusive business culture while hiring and keeping the best employees. People with disabilities are the third-largest market segment in the United States, consisting of over 50 million people.

The Valley’s disability chamber believes this market is more than ready to receive training, develop their talents and receive the opportunity for employment. Cano lauded area school districts in Pharr, McAllen, Brownsville and Mission for developing transition programs that provide opportunities for students with disabilities to earn certifications. 

“I never want you to feel you have to have all the answers,” Cano said. “The disability chamber doesn’t have all the answers, either. We are seekers.” 

To learn about the DCC-RGV and its membership opportunities for individuals, nonprofits and employers of all sizes, visit dccrgv.wildapricot.com or the organization’s Facebook page. At the top of the DCC-RGV website, you will read the words Cano personified throughout her presentation: Inclusion is an action!