National Disability Institute
Financial Inclusion, Disability and Race: A National Convening
Tuesday
December 7, 2021
11:30 AM‑2:00 PM EST
	
	>> SHAJIRA BROWN: Hello, everyone, welcome to Financial Inclusion, Disability and Race: A National Convening with National Disability Institute. 
	My name is Shajira Brown and I'm the Manager of Equity and Inclusion here at NDI. 
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	With that, I'm going to turn it over to our moderator of the day, Bill Gould.  	>> BILL GOULD: Great to be with you. I'd just like to introduce our first welcome and introduction speaker, Kamilah Martin‑Proctor, our Board Member. 
	Kamilah, please take it away.  	>> KAMILAH MARTIN‑PROCTOR: Good morning and thank you all for being here. My name is Kamilah Martin‑Proctor and five years ago I had the opportunity to attend a briefing at the Congressional Black Caucus where NDI released their first brief on race, ethnicity and equitable. 
	I remember sitting in the audience and thinking, finally, I see myself in the data!  
	I would now like to turn this over to ‑‑ this amazing event over to Tom Foley.  	>> THOMAS FOLEY: Thanks, Kamilah, I really appreciate it. 
	And thank you, everybody, for being here today. 
	Again my name is Thomas Foley, I'm the Executive Director of the National Disability Institute. NDI is the first and only disability organization that focuses exclusively on issues of financial inclusion and financial capability for folks with disabilities and their families. 
	I really want to thank everyone for being here today, but particularly our sponsors. I want to recognize American Bankers Association, AT&T, Bank of America, Experian, JPMorgan Chase, Prudential, and Wells Fargo. 
	And thank you to all of our partner, we couldn't do this work without you, so Alpha Phi Alpha, FDIC, the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research, Office of Disability Employment Policy, 2Gether‑International, and United Way of Greater Houston. 
	Today we're going to talk about what happens at the intersection of race and disability. And this is what happens. This is a graphic of net worth in the United States. 
	So average household has a net worth of nearly $84,000. With a householder with a disability, it goes down to about $14,000. And if it's a householder who is Black with a disability, it's $1,282. 
	So today we want to share some resources to share with your networks that focuses on the research and solutions. We want to share some never before seen data and some existing briefs that can really help start, lead, and sustain some of those difficult, but productive, conversations. 
	We have some brand new fact sheets to help inform and share with your networks to help with advocacy. We have a BIPOC Outreach Toolkit. 
	And we'd also like to remind folks to take a look at our website, that's nationaldisabilityinstitute.org and click on the "Race and Ethnicity" button for lots more information on this topic. 
	Thank you all, again, for being here today, for choosing to be part of the solution. 
	Without further ado, I'll turn it back to Bill.
	Bill, take it away.  	>> BILL GOULD: Thank you, Tom. 
	As the new Director of Equity and Inclusion, I'm leveraging my background as a person with a disability and the understanding of the importance of race equity which I learned through lived experience. 
	I'm joined by my colleague, Shajira Brown, and we here at NDI continue to make sure that Black, Indigenous, Latinx and People of Color with disabilities are at the forefront of our work to propel forward NDI's mission of financial capability and economic advancement for people with disabilities of all races, ethnicities, and identities.  We will continue to provide on‑going, updated, reliable technical assistance to both internal and external audiences on the unique systemic challenges that Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and People of Color with disabilities face as a result of their intersecting identities. 
	We will continue to work diligently to further develop intentional external partnerships with organizations working on equity issues. 
	We cannot facilitate financial empowerment now in these times without understanding the historical impact of racism and ableism. Regardless of race and ethnicity, individuals with disabilities are significantly more likely to be living in poverty than their non‑disabled peers. The highest poverty rates are amongst Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and People of Color with disabilities. These individuals also experience the lowest rates of engagement with the financial system, the highest use of alternative financial services, which are too often too frequently predatory, and the largest wealth gap. 
	We thank you for joining us today and we hope you will continue to join us to move the needle on this very important ‑‑ in this very important work. 
	So thank you. 
	And I'm going to pass it over to Brittany who is going to cue us up with our first polling question of the day.  	>> BRITTANY THOME: Thank you. If you just give me a moment, it is not allowing quite yet to open that poll, but it should be available momentarily.  	>> BILL GOULD: While we are waiting, we encourage you to look at our goals of the Convening. We are celebrating five years of inclusion on the intersection of race, ethnicity, and inclusion, as well as other goals we will get to throughout the day. 
	Go ahead, Brittany.  	>> BRITTANY THOME: Bill, my computer is having a technical difficulty, so I'm going to request that Shajira start the poll. It's the first poll.  	>> BILL GOULD: It looks like it's up.  	>> SHAJIRA BROWN: Hi, everyone. 
	So the poll is up and the question is: 
	I, or my organization, works on challenges and opportunities related to the following topics. 
	It's a multiple choice question. And the choices are: 
	Disability; 
	Race equity; 
	Financial inclusion; 
	And poverty alleviation.  	>> BILL GOULD: Thank you. Please take a moment and respond and then we'll hear the results.  	>> SHAJIRA BROWN: I'm going to end the poll now. And the results are as follows: 
	We have 95% of you said disability. 
	5% said race equity. 
	57% said financial inclusion. 
	And 45% said poverty alleviation.  	>> BILL GOULD: Thank you, Shajira. 
	So now I'd like to turn to our partner, Wynne Lum. Wynne manages philanthropic relationships that help individuals and families achieve financial wellness at Bank of America. And Wynne is an Environmental Social and Governance Program Manager there. 
	So thank you very much, Wynne, for joining us. Please go ahead.  	>> WYNNE LUM: Bill, thank you very much. 
	Thank you for inviting me. And to the entire NDI Team, it's good to be with all of you. And to our participants, our attendees today, happy holidays to all of you!  
	As Bill mentioned, I am with Bank of America and I'm with the ESG Program. Underneath that is the Bank of America Charitable Foundation. 
	And I joined that Foundation back in 2004. And in 2005, I receive a request to consider partnering with the National Disability Institute, a new nonprofit being formed at that time. 
	So that was a new idea for us is to partner with another nonprofit that is just starting up and helping to benefit the disability community. 
	I didn't know whether we should do that or not. We usually love to get a track record from a nonprofit and understand that before we go into a serious partnership, but it worked for us. So we said, oh, let's take a chance on Michael Morris and the entire NDI Team because of the great ideas that they had on how they are going to help achieve economic security for people with disabilities. 
	And it just so happened it aligns with the Bank of America's Foundation focus on financial wellness for all and people in our communities. 
	So that was the start of a relationship that has not stopped and continues to grow every time. It's probably the only homerun I've ever hit at the bank while working there. 
	A couple of factors why this relationship works and to the topic of new ideas and new programs, thanks to the National Disability Institute, it's the people behind those ideas, the people behind the program, the talent of the NDI Team makes this partnership work for us. 
	And I would, also, like to recognize this is the first year anniversary of Thomas Foley being appointed to the Executive Director, so Michael Morris found talent and NDI Board, found new talent, and brought Tom in. Congratulations on the first anniversary for Tom!  
	But it's the entire NDI Team, the smart people there that help drive and get those new ideas to work. And they do it by being very focused and they remind me every time that we talk that it's more than just about the economy, it's more than just about financial wellness, more than just about people in an economic status. We have to keep remembering there are different types of disabilities, so we have to be aware that unique challenges of people with different disabilities. 
	We have to be aware of race and ethnicity, as was mentioned earlier. And we have to be aware of where the range in the social economic status. That's important, too, because not everybody, even if you are lower income, it's not just everybody is in lower income. People with disabilities, it's not just remember that any idea, any program that we have, needs to address all people, all disability types. 
	So the intersection for us is the social economic intersection, the race/ethnicity, and the different disability types and have all of that come together and ensure that we continue to benefit all is one of the great success stories for us. 
	And it's having National Disability Institute focus on equity for all in order produce equality for all. And that is the innovation that comes up is just perfect for us. 
	So to end this story and the great partnership that will continue with us is Bank of America was pleased earlier in the year to award the National Disability Institute with our first National Builders Award, recognizing a nonprofit, a national nonprofit, that is innovative and continues to innovate their program so that the new ideas remain new and not yesterday's program. 
	So congratulations to NDI on getting our first National Builders Award!  
	Thank you for having me. Thank you for all the talent you have and the great work you do. 
	Thank you, Bill.  	>> BILL GOULD: Thank you so much, Wynne, for your support and for your time here with us today. 
	Next we have Darlene Goins, Head of Banking Inclusion ‑‑ of the Banking Inclusion Initiative at Wells Fargo. The Banking Inclusion Initiative, launched in May, it's Wells Fargo commitment to help more people who are unbanked gain access to affordable, mainstream bank accounts, with a focus for removing barriers to financial inclusion for Black and African‑American households. 
	Previously, Darlene was the Head of Financial Health Philanthropy for the Wells Fargo Foundation. 
	We are pleased to have Darlene join us today.  	>> DARLENE GOINS: Thank you so much, Bill. It's great to be here with you all today discussing such an important topic at such a pivotal time in our country. 
	We are seeing some bright lights ahead, but we all know that the pandemic is still effecting people physically and financially and people with disabilities and other marginalized groups are bearing the brunt of the prolonged economic downturn. 
	There are still far too many on ramps and far ‑‑ sorry ‑‑ there are far too few on ramps and far too many off ramps and barriers to economic opportunities and financial inclusion. 
	Overall trends are worsening and nothing validates this more than today's wealth gap, which is the issue of our generation. 
	The fact that race, having a disability, community conditions are a predictor of life outcomes is not only unjustly affecting people's lives today, but it's really setting our country up for a socioeconomic crisis tomorrow. 
	And so as we've already started discussing, the intersectionality of race, gender, and disability presents added challenges to equity and inclusion. There isn't a silver bullet and banks like Wells Fargo and my peers here and others across the public and private sector need to continue making equity a priority. 
	We need to be very intentional about investing and testing different solutions that can increase financial inclusion. And that's one of the reasons why Wells Fargo started the Banking Inclusion Initiative, so we could take that test and learn approach and share those learnings widely so we can all benefit from learning what works and what doesn't work and be able to scale those solutions broadly. 
	And just a few examples of what we've been doing in this space, over the past several years, we have worked with communication services for the deaf to figure out a way to better meet the needs of those who are deaf and hard‑of‑hearing, including their teachers and service providers, by offering a free online Financial Education Series in American Sign Language that is based on Wells Fargo Hands‑on Banking Program. 
	In 2018, we collaborated with NDI and the California State Treasurer’s Office to create the Achievable Corner, a resource on the CAL ABLE website to help people with disabilities and their caregivers better understand all aspects of ABLE accounts. 
	Last year, we funded NDI's creation of the Financial Resilience Center, bringing together a central hub of resources, the Life Sense Financial Wellness platform, and access to specially trained AFCPE Counselors and coaches. 
	And most recently, we are funding and collaborating with NDI and the Oregon Savings Plan for Outreach Strategies that promote savings among eligible individuals. And those outreach efforts will be focused on reaching individuals and families at the intersection of disability, race and ethnicity, those impacting by COVID‑19. 
	Investing in pilots and new innovative ideas and, again, sharing those learnings widely of what works and what doesn't is even more critical for an inclusive recovery. 
	So as we convene today to learn about the actionable insights from NDI's research and roundtable discussions, Wells Fargo with like to commend NDI for its five years of leadership in financial creation at the intersection of race, disability, and ethnicity. 
	We look forward to supporting NDI's mission for years to come. 
	Thank you.  	>> BILL GOULD: Thank you, Darlene, for your support and for your time as well with us here today. 
	Innovation is best designed when driven by data. Simply put, data equals knowledge. NDI has published several reports on the financial status, behaviors, and realities that individuals with disabilities face. 
	Before we share new data on the financial status of people with disabilities and how we're using this data to launch conversations at the local‑level, we have with us Jim Sinocchi. 
	Jim is the Head of the Global Office of Disability Inclusion at JPMorgan Chase. He works with leaders and employees across the firm to set the strategy for driving an inclusive culture for recruiting, hiring, and promoting qualified people with disabilities. He represents the firm in forums at the United Nations, in discussions with members of Congress, and in meetings with Government officials and nonprofit entities. 
	Please welcome Jim Sinocchi, Head of Disability Inclusion, JPMorgan Chase. 
	Thank you so much, Jim.  	>> JIM SINOCCHI: Thank you, Bill. Glad to be here, everyone. 
	Listen, this has been a passion of mine since I became disabled when I was 25 years old due to a surfing accident. I had a career at IBM for 33 years and I have been with Chase for the last five years. And this has become a passion of mine in terms of helping people with disabilities join the workforce, join society as equal partners. 
	And what we've found at JPMorgan Chase is that the firm embraced this strategy holistically and I think we're making a dent in employment for people with disabilities who are qualified to work here, as well as letting people become part of society in terms of wealth management and growth. 
	I really think that the bank has gone a long way to establish itself as a bank for people with disabilities. We have internally, for example, set up an Accommodations Team, that when we hire people with disabilities, we are able to leverage accommodations to help them work in the jobs that they are doing here. 
	Number two is we have a separate Technology Team that helps to deliver these accommodations all over the world for people with disabilities. 
	And we're active on the outside, in the outside marketplace in terms of wanting to be the bank for people with disabilities. 
	As NDI has helped us with the study this year and we work with the Small Business Administration and we want to be the bank of choice for people with disabilities who want to be entrepreneurs and go to a reputable organization that can help them run their business. 
	And it's not a disability business, it's a business, and that's how we see people with disabilities. We see them as people. We see them as having needs. And we want to be the bank that does that. 
	We talk about our work, we share our work, and we want to be very inclusive, so we are a strong bank with strong people with strong convictions in this space. 
	I think it's an honor to be here among similar‑thinking people that see us in the mainstream. I think we'll go a long way with our programs, as well as the partnerships that we have established with NDI and others and our fellow banks, which I applaud in terms of stepping up to this. 
	So thank you very much for having me and I wish you well with a great conference.  	>> BILL GOULD: Thanks so much, Jim, for yours and for JPMorgan Chase's support of NDI and we're going to be pivoting into a topic where there's a lot of support from JPMorgan Chase and we're really appreciative of yours and the bank's efforts to help us. 
	Our next speaker is our very own Maria Jaramillo. Maria is the NDI's Division Director for Financial Empowerment. And she is joining us today with new findings on the financial status of people with disabilities, as well as giving us some historical, very important, foundational data that NDI has produced over the last five years. 
	And so I'd like to pass it along to Maria for this next section of the program. 
	Thanks so much.  	>> MARIA JARAMILLO: Thank you, Bill. And good afternoon to all. 
	In the next slide, I will share data points to help us have a better understanding of the financial fragility of disability, race, and poverty. 
	NDI launched this research in 2017 and we updated this data in 2020. 
	So almost 41.1 million people in the U.S. have a disability, which represents 12.7% of the total U.S. population. 
	People with disabilities are the largest minority population in the U.S., and it is the only population we could all join at any time. 
	As you see on the graph, among the population age between 18 and 64 years, there are 20.3 million people with disabilities. 
	Among the population 65 and 75 years or more, 17.7 million people have disabilities. 
	Next slide. 
	Disabilities grows as a result of poverty. In this data source we're using, the population age between 18 and 64 years, 7.3% have a disability. However, they are disproportionately represented in the population living in poverty, comprising 17.4% of the population age 18 to 64 living in poverty. 
	Next slide. 
	When we look at the population of people with disabilities by race and ethnicity, we see that 14.1% of the Black population are disabled. 
	17.2% of the American Indian and Alaska Native population are disabled. 
	9.1% of the Latino population are disabled. 
	7.2% of the Asian population are disabled. 
	And 14.1% of the White population, not Latino, are disabled. 
	We want to recognize that currently in the Latino community there's a discussion, a conversation, going on around the name to be used to describe this community. Latinx, Latine has been used by different organizations, so we want to acknowledge that and mention for this slide, we'll be using Latino or Latinx to reflect the language used in the data sources we're using for this analysis. 
	Next slide, please. 
	People with disabilities who are Black, Indigenous, or Latinx have higher poverty rates than people with disabilities who are White. The poverty rate among Black individuals with a disability is 36%. The poverty rate among Indigenous people with disabilities is 34%. And the poverty rate among Latinx individuals with a disability is 28%. 
	Now you will notice in the next slide that the conversation will focus on Black and Latino households with a disability. 
	Unfortunately, the data sources we use do not have enough data on individuals with disabilities who are American Indian, Alaska Native, Hawaiian Native, or Pacific Islander. We do not have enough responds for this group, which puts the community of being overlooked in Public Policy and Programming. 
	Next slide, please. 
	This graph shows annual income per disability status. If you look at the blue column to the left of the red line, which represents individuals with a disability between the ages of 25 and 64, our analysis shows that 55% of head of households with a disability earn income of $30,000 or less, compared with 15.5% of head of households without a disability. 
	Next slide. 
	If we now look at income under $15,000 per year, our analysis indicates that the percentage of households with an income, annual income, of less than $15,000 is 5.6 times higher in households with a disability than those without a disability. 
	That is 32.3% of households with a disability have an annual income under $15,000 compared to 5.8% of households without a disability. 
	This financial fragility is manifested in several ways. For example, people with disabilities are almost three times more likely to have extreme difficulty paying bills. They are also two times more likely to skip medical treatment because of costs. 
	Next slide. 
	Another research that NDI has been a part of highlights that households containing an adult with a work‑disability require, on average, 28% more income, or an additional $17,750 a year at the median household income, just to obtain the same standard of living as a comparable household without a member with a disability. 
	This data helps us understand that this additional cost of disabilities increases the financial fragility of individuals with a disability. 
	Another challenge is that many means‑tested programs public benefits in the U.S. impose asset and income limits, but do not take this additional cost of living with a disability into consideration. 
	The result is that many people with disabilities may be viewed as financially able and, thus, denied assistance, even though the reality of their extra disability‑related expenditures places them in a weak financial position. 
	Next slide. 
	We also see that a higher percentage of Black and Latinx households with a disability have an annual income of less than $15,000. 
	That is 45.2% of Black households with a disability earn less than $15,000 per year compared to 13% of Black households without a disability. 
	For the Latinx community, 33.3% of households with a disability earn less than $15,000 per year compared to 9% of Latinx households without a disability. 
	And 27.4% of White households with a disability have an annual income of less than $15,000 a year compared to only 3.6% of White households without a disability. 
	Next slide, please. 
	If we now look at banking inequality, we see that the percentage of unbanked households, that is no person in the household has a bank account, is three times higher than a person without a disability. 
	The percentage of unbanked households is 2.5 times higher in Black households with a disabilities. 
	And the Latinx households with a disability are almost twice as high compared to 22% of households without a disability. 
	Next slide, please. 
	We also see the financial fragility of the community‑based on the significantly high proportion that spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs. 
	More than 50% of Black and Latinx households with a disability spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs. 
	Individuals with a disability are also more likely to be late on mortgage payments, more likely to overdraw on checking accounts, and take loans from their retirement account. 
	Next slide, please. 
	Across all racial and ethnic groups, a lower percentage of people with disabilities save for unexpected expenses compared to people without disabilities. 
	And then an even lower percentage of people with disabilities who are also Black and Hispanic save for unexpected expenses compared to those who have disabilities and are White. 
	Next slide, please. 
	We now look at credit inequality and see that the percentage of households with an unmet need for credit is 1.7 times greater in households with a disability than those without a disability. 
	A household has an unmet need for credit if one or more of the following is true: 
	The household is a non‑bank credit product; 
	The household was denied a credit card or a personal loan or line of credit from a bank, or not given as much credit as requested; 
	Or the household did not apply for a credit card or personal loan or line of credit from a bank because of concern of being turned down. 
	Next slide. 
	This is the final slide of our research data, but the focus of our conversation today is how to address the financial fragility with communities with a disability. 
	I want to share a few data points that I have already shared and I want to highlight them here so they stay with you throughout this conversation and so that you can consider them for your work as well. 
	As mentioned, the net worth of Black households with a disability is $1,282.  
	The net worth of Latino households with a disability is $13,340. 
	45.2% of Black households with a disability have less than $15,000 annual income and 33.3% of Latinx households with a disability have less than $15,000 annual income.  
	More than 50% of Black and Latinx households with a disability spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs. 
	Less than 30% of Black and Latinx households with a disability saved for unexpected expenses. 
	You will see in your chat a link to two reports that NDI produced, one in 2017 and one in 2020, with some of this data I have shared on the financial fragility of people at the intersection of disability, race, and poverty. 
	In the chat you will, also, see a new fact sheet and an infographic that highlights the inequality in banking based on the 2020 NDIC Banking and Households Services. These are our gifts for you and we hope the data can help inform your work. 
	Thank you. 
	I will now move on to introduce our next speaker. So please join me in welcoming Camron Doss, FDIC's Chief, Strategic Partnerships and Program Development. 
	Camron provides direction and leadership to a team of subject matter experts that coordinate projects and initiatives related to the FDIC's economic inclusion and community development priorities. 
	He and his team develop programs directed to underserved populations, such as the unbanked and underbanked, persons with disabilities, communities of color, Veterans and Service Members, and residents of rural communities and Tribal lands.   	>> CAMRON DOSS: Thank you for having me here to share some words about what FDIC is doing to move the needle for racial and ethnic inclusions. 
	The FDIC is committed to expanding economic inclusion in the financial mainstream. Our goal is to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable and sustainable products and services from the depository institutions. 
	Starting with the 2013 FDIC Survey, unbanked rates and other estimates have reported for working‑age disabled households. These estimates have shown that underbanked rates for working‑age disabled continue to be much higher than unbanked rates for working age non‑disabled households. 
	In 2019, 16.2% of working‑age disabled households were unbanked compared with 4.5% of working‑age non‑disabled households. 
	About two‑thirds of this difference in unbank rates is associated with the difference in household characteristics, such as income, employment status, education, and between working‑age disabled and working‑age non‑disabled households. 
	Providing visibility into unbank rates and use of banking and financial services by this demographic means that we need to use the data to develop and target interventions for these households. 
	This is why the FDIC considers the National Disability Institute a key strategic partner. We're looking forward in 2022 to continuing and deepening our relationship with NDI. We aim to partner on a couple convenings that will increase financial education and build financial resilience for persons with disabilities and increase understanding of credit and capital needs for entrepreneurs and small business owners with disabilities. 
	In addition, we continue to make our Money Smart Products accessible. In September of this year, we launched our website game called: How Money Smart Are You?  How money smart are you is a suite of games related about financial topics. You can play, playmoneysmart.fdic.gov to see how money smart are you. 
	Likewise, we continue to promote our hashtag, #getbankinitiative. We want every bank to offer affordable banking accounts. 
	Our website is FDIC/getbank. 
	As I conclude, FDIC is excited about the work we are doing to expand economic and racial inclusion for low and moderate income communities and for persons with disabilities. We're committed to our partnerships with organizations such as NDI and we look forward to our continuous collaboration. 
	Thank you. 
	>> MARIA JARAMILLO: Thank you, Camron, for your remarks and being here with us today. 
	We will now go to our next poll, so my colleague, Brittany, will do the next polling question for us. 
	Please stand by as the polling question shows up in your computers and give us one minute to set that up. 
	Maybe, Shajira, you can bring up the polling question. Thank you.  	>> SHAJIRA BROWN: It's Shajira. Hi, everybody. 
	Our next poll is: 
	How can this data help inform your work?  
	You have four options: 
	I plan to share this data with my staff. 
	I plan to track disability status in addition to race, ethnicity, and disability. 
	I plan to channel funds to address the compounding challenges. 
	And the last one is all of the above. 
	We're getting a lot of participation. 
	I'll give you a few more moments here. I'll let you know when I'm going to end the poll. 
	It seems like we are slowing down, so I am going to end the poll and the results will come out momentarily. 
	So the results are, we have 144 people answered at 52% saying: I plan to share this data with my staff. 
	19% said: I plan to track disability status in addition to race, ethnicity ‑‑ race equity. 
	3% said: I plan to channel funds to address compounding challenges. 
	And then 26% said: All of the above. 
	I'm going to turn it over to Maria.  	>> MARIA JARAMILLO: [Microphone muted]  	>> MARIA JARAMILLO: Sorry, I'm muted. I keep talking and talking. 
	In the chat you will now see our next gift. It's a Quick Reference Guide that NDI has put together to share how to use local‑ and national‑level data to identify the financial needs of people with disabilities in your local communities. So you will see in your chat the link to this Quick Reference Guide. 
	Thank you. 
	So throughout the data we have shared, we see the financial fragility of people with disabilities and the significant wealth gap that Black people with disabilities face. 
	If we can go to the next slide, please. 
	To impact the wealth gap we must not only support people in stabilizing and increasing their income whenever possible, but we must also support long‑term savings and wealth creation. 
	Next slide, please. 
	With that, let me introduce our next speaker, Paula D'Ambrosa. 
	Paula currently serves as Director of Work and Wealth for Prudential's Social Responsibility and Partnerships Team. In this position, Paula manages philanthropic grant‑making for the portfolio. This portfolio focuses on building equitable pathways to wealth creation for all workers. 
	Welcome, Paula, and thank you for being here with us today.  	>> PAULA D'AMBROSA: Hi, good afternoon, everybody. Thank you for having me here for this really exciting event. 
	As mentioned, my name is Paula D'Ambrosa and I work as the Director of Work and Wealth for Prudential's Inclusion Solutions Team. 
	Prudential's Inclusive Solutions Team is focused on inclusive economic growth, powered by both our talents, our investment, and the capabilities of our businesses. 
	We're really the engine room for Prudential's purpose, to make the lives better by solving the financial challenges of our changing world. 
	With this aim in mind, since 2017, Prudential has been partnering with the National Disability Institute's ABLE National Resource Center, or ABLE NRC, whose mission is to educate, promote, and support the positive impact that ABLE accounts can have on the lives of millions of Americans with Disabilities and their families. 
	ABLE accounts offer individuals with disabilities the ability to save, set financial goals, and define a path towards more economic, secure, future. 
	In addition to really being a very strong thought leader and leading organization focused on championing the economic empowerment of people with disabilities, NDI has been really thoughtful and intentional in their approach to thinking about the financial impact of systemic inequality and the intersection of race, ethnicity, and disability as we heard about earlier. 
	Some of the work that Prudential is currently supporting with NDI is focused explicitly in this area, such as ABLE NRC's BIPOC Outreach Program, as well as NDI's BIPOC, Deaf, Hard‑of‑Hearing, and Youth Outreach Pilot partnership with DEAFinitely, Inc. 
	Together these efforts are really forging new and exciting ground around helping individuals with disabilities and their families achieve long‑term financial prosperity. 
	Thank you so much. I'm really excited for the rest of this program. 
	And back to you, Bill.  	>> BILL GOULD: Thank you so much, Paula. We really appreciate yours and Prudential's commitment to NDI and the work we're doing. 
	Next in our program we're going to be featuring a panel. Let me tell you something about this panel. Some of our key partners are involved in this panel and so I'm going to ‑‑ they're going to be speaking about their work and their efforts to move the needle on the wealth gap. 
	First, I'd like to introduce Edward Mitchell, who after serving as a Board Member at the Jackson Center for Independent Living in Tennessee for more than ten years, he then become an Independent Living Specialist for the Center and services on the Board of the Tennessee Statewide Independent Living Council. 
	Edward knows from his own experience obtaining information about disability resources isn't easy and there is a need for information to be presented accurately to the Disability Community. 
	As an ABLE Advisor, he can bridge that gap. 
	Also, we have with us Diego Mariscal, who at the age of 18 started Limitless Prepa Tec, a Disability Education Program for students in Monterrey, Mexico. 
	In 2015, Diego founded 2Gether‑International, a nonprofit accelerator that supports entrepreneurs with disabilities and moves us closer to a world where disability is recognized and valued as an asset for business and entrepreneurship. 
	Diego has been internationally recognized for his work, most noticeably by the Waldzell Institute in Vienna as an Architect of the Future and by the British Council as a Global Changemaker. 
	Last, Gerald Johnson, who is a native of ‑‑ but not least, who is a native of Jacksonville, Florida, and he currently serves as the Chief Development Officer at Alpha Phi Alpha, the oldest and largest Black fraternities in the country. 
	In this role, he develops and implements fundraising strategies, strengthens charitable giving, and enhances membership engagement. 
	I'm going to turn it over to Edward to start us off and really appreciate your initial comments on some of the work that you are involved in, Edward, so thank you.  	>> EDWARD MITCHELL: Thank you. Good afternoon. My life totally changed on March 29, 2003, when I was a victim of a hit‑and‑run bicycle accident which left me with a spinal cord injury. From that point on, I was a minority within a minority at the age of 17, a young, African‑American male compounded with having paralysis at the C7 level. 
	My mother and I found safe harbor when we stumbled upon ABLE accounts during a lathe night search.
	Achieving A Better Life Experience, ABLE Act, allows individuals with disabilities and their families a tax advantage way to save money for disability related expenses that will not affect their ability to qualify for or remain on Government assistance. 
	With the help of my ABLE account, I was able to check off such milestones as recently purchasing a wheelchair accessible van, a 2020 Odyssey Elite with electronic hand controls, after two years without independent transportation. 
	It also allowed me to save for a wheelchair accessible home, as I live in rural Tennessee and nobody wants to live with their parents forever. 
	It also gives my parents peace of mind to save for long‑term expenses. 
	During the never‑ending pandemic, civil unrest and political instability seem to trend 24/7. These underlying tensions only magnified as financial pressures rise alongside COVID and lockdown concerns. 
	For those in BIPOC communities who are burdened by the additional and significant expenses that come along with having a disability and are striving to improve their financial well‑being, we have BIPOC Ambassadors who are family members within BIPOC communities. 
	The pandemic has shed light on unbanked and underbanked communities. Whether they only have access to the most basic financial, we aim to raise awareness and involvement around ABLE accounts. 
	The work of BIPOC Ambassadors each takes time to educate the community on establishing an account. In the past two years of collaboration with BIPOC Ambassadors we have developed the BIPOC Outreach Toolkit. Check the link in your chat. 
	The BIPOC Outreach Toolkit will explain how 529A accounts with help members of the community. The Toolkit is your Swiss Army knife with many utilities, such as podcasts by Ambassadors who are working while disabled, to parents who have children with disabilities. 
	Another utility is our American Sign Language Video Log from a BIPOC ABLE account owner who is deaf. 
	Finally, the spotlight is on the Ambassadors, read their stories, strategies, and testimonials as account owners and family members. 
	This only scratches the surface of what the able BIPOC Outreach Toolkit has to offer. 
	On behalf of myself, we ask that you use the tools and resources provided in this Toolkit as part of your outreach and educational efforts. Know it better than your Netflix watch list. Together we can work to help BIPOC communities improve the financial stability of people with disabilities, increasing the financial security of people with disabilities as a positive fit for all parts of their life and ABLE accounts can do just that. 
	Thank you.  	>> BILL GOULD: So maybe why don't we go ahead and transition over to Diego Mariscal then next. 
	Thanks so much.  	>> DIEGO MARISCAL: Yes, thank you. Hello, everyone. Really excited to be here. I'm going to say, based on this picture on this screen, I feel under dressed. [Laughter] I'm the only one that is not wearing a suit. 
	Anyway, hello, everyone. Really excited to be here. My name is Diego Mariscal. I am an entrepreneur with a disability. 
	As Bill mentioned, I grew up in Monterrey, Mexico. I was born six months and a half in my mom's pregnancy. My parents were actually, who are both Mexicans, were shopping and I was born prematurely. My mom jokes and said that I have always been really stubborn, even before I was born, I wanted to get out quickly. As a result of that, I have CP, Cerebral Palsy, which manifests in primary trouble walking. Some reading and writing, but primarily trouble walking. 
	Growing up in Mexico, I didn't have as much ‑‑ we didn't have things like ADA, 504, so I saw there was a clear differentiator between folks who had disabilities versus those who did not. 
	I remember when I was about 7 years old asking a kid if he wanted to play with me and he said his dad didn't let him play with weird kids. 
	So my life has really focused around, how do we change the perception of people with disabilities so that it's perceived ‑‑ it's not perceived as something that needs to be cured or fixed, but rather as something that can ‑‑ people can be proud of and they can embrace. 
	And that really changed when I moved to the states for College. I found a community of like‑minded people that also saw disability as something to be proud of and embrace. 
	And I started thinking, well, how do we do that systematically?  How do we make sure that not only a select few people within the Disability Community have access to this sense of community and pride, but how do we make sure that all people with disabilities are able to see their disability as something positive?  
	And that's where entrepreneurship came into play. I had the honor of leading several start‑ups when I was in High School and then later in College, and then starting to see a lot of similarities between the disability experience and the entrepreneur experience. 
	When you think about it, as a person with a disability, we have to figure out how do we get dressed, how we drive, how we communicate, right?  And those are all problem‑solving skills, that if given the right support and resources, can lead to thriving businesses. 
	And so that's really what the preface of what 2Gether‑International was born. We are the leading accelerator for start‑ups led by founders with disabilities. We have a network of over 400 disabilities worldwide and we are proud to be partnering and being the lead partner with the National Disability Institute on a recent community grant given by the SBA, the Small Business Administration, that is going to allow us to support over 750 entrepreneurs with disabilities over two years. 
	And, you know, it's really a remarkable way to look at disability as a competitive advantage for business. 
	As a Mexican‑American, I definitely sit at the intersection of being a person with a disability and being part of the Latin community and really being able to feel supported and being able to have resources that both address my entrepreneur side, but also my disability identity, something that I find really unique. 
	So we're proud to be partnering with NDI on this work and I trust that it's only the beginning of the movement, really, because people with disabilities are twice more likely to start their own businesses for a variety of reasons, right, for this entrepreneur mindset, for lack of employment opportunities.  
	And so I'm really proud to be a part of this work and can't wait to show you guys the progress as we continue to develop this partnership with NDI and with the Small Business Administration. 
	So thank you.  	>> BILL GOULD: Thank you, Diego, for those initial comments. 
	I want to talk ‑‑ introduce Gerald Johnson now. I cued him up a few minutes ago, so we're delighted to have Alpha Phi Alpha, a representative from Alpha Phi Alpha, Gerald, Chief Development Officer, with us today. And he is going to be highlighting some of the aspects of our new MOU that NDI and Alpha Phi Alpha signed in June. 
	So I'm going to pass it over to Gerald to give a little background on his fraternity and also the partnership that we've developed. 
	Thank you, Gerald.  	>> GERALD JOHNSON: Bill, thank you so much for having me. I hope everyone can hear me and see me clearly. 
	Gerald Johnson, I serve as the Chief Development Officer for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. As you can see, we are in our general offices, we are back hard at work for all the communities that we serve. 
	A little background on who Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated is, we were founded on December 4, 1906 on the campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York by what we call our Founding Members, the seven jewels. Since then we have initiated over 200,000 members, the organization is founded in over 13 countries, we have general initiatives of special programs that focus on voter awareness and voter opportunity, going to High School, going to College, College life to corporate life, we even have a project, Alpha Initiative, that focuses on safe sex, STDs, and having that conversation. 
	But most recently, as Bill mentioned, we were able to ink a really important and impactful partnerships with the National Disability Institute that I'm excited to talk about now. 
	To kind of go off of what my colleague said a few moments ago there, what Diego mentioned, we are part of the SBA community, Pilot Program. Not as involved as Diego's organization, but our arm here is really going to focus on being able to bring in some mentors that will support the work that we're looking to do within our communities, especially within the D&E area. We have gentlemen that meet that requirement that can really step in and provide a great mentor opportunity for a small business own we are a disability. 
	More so than that, our partnership really focuses on providing more awareness to our brothers, as well as our community members, about the resource ABLE accounts. 
	I see we have Brother Edward Mitchell on the call here and I think he is coming up next and he will dive into his experience with the ABLE accounts. But an excellent opportunity for our brothers to be provided financial services, counseling resources, as well, really looking to bring those out and make those aware for our brothers. 
	We already had a really nice webinar on October 27th entitled: Disability Access and Inclusion within the African‑American Community. It was a fantastic conversation. One that is still available on the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated Facebook page, as well as YouTube at Sphinx TV. You can continue the conversation of having a disability, as well as the opportunities in front of you as well. We were even able to connect with a member of our team, which is a brother that was able to connect with that conversation. Truly powerful stuff and we are so excited to be part of that. 
	And lastly, we'll talk about really collaborating with NDI on the creation of the National Disability Institute Brotherhood Award of Recognition. This is something we're going to look to provide to our members that are heavily engaged with the partnership. 
	We have a brother that will be applying for the intern opportunity, which is another element of our partnerships. Just an incredible bridge between organizations. 
	Bill, we thank you for having us on today and we look forward to continuing to be great partners.  	>> BILL GOULD: Thank you so much, Gerald. 
	Let me ask the partners, the three partners here, just to, perhaps you can give us a little bit more on sort of as people who are living at the intersection of disability and race and/or working in that space, you know, what do you think has been some of the big differences that you have experienced so far in terms of making an impact in that work?  
	So perhaps, Edward and Diego and even Gerald, if you want to hop in, but I'll toss it over to you guys to tell us a little bit on that.  	>> EDWARD MITCHELL: I'll start off. This work has just been instrumental, not only using it within the BIPOC community, but also with me being a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated, trying to bridge the gap between both organizations, between NDI and ABLE and this great partnership, as brother Gerald was speaking of, it will open up doors within our national program, but, also, it really embraces those transitioning from College life to corporate life. I believe it's such a great opportunity in ABLE accounts and the BIPOC Outreach Toolkit will definitely be able to help accommodate that.  	>> DIEGO MARISCAL: Yeah, and what I can say in terms of living in the intersection of entrepreneurship and being a Mexican‑American, I think that, you know, speaking for myself, Spanish is my first language, right?  And understanding mixing cultures is what I grew up with. So being able to tap into communities that have not been served in the past and being able to navigate both English speaking and Spanish speaking languages and conversations is really a unique offering that we're able to provide. 
	I mean, the fact that just ‑‑ not just in terms of the services that we're able to provide to the community within the D&E area, but also beyond that. As an organization we do a lot of work with the State Department in Latin America. So thinking, again, how are those intersections not really a liability, but more so a competitive advantage that can set us apart from other people?  And how do we bring those resources and stories to other marginalized communities and other under‑represented founders so they can utilize their communities and experience as leverage for their businesses and their start‑ups?   	>> GERALD JOHNSON: I'll say something really quickly there, Bill, to answer that question. It goes off of what Diego, as well as Edward said, and that is really providing a voice to the voiceless. Providing a voice to the communities that for so long have not had their story in the forefront. This is what these partnerships ‑‑ the partnership with NDI has provided with us and we think that's really special. 
	I can't harp on that conversation enough because there are some true gems in there as far as individuals going through certain challenges and going through certain, how can we say, opportunities that have led them to where they are today based on disability is something that make this is extremely special. 
	We are putting a voice, we are putting a face to a community that may not have these conversations as often as they should, but they are definitely conversations to be had. So we are so excited to be at the table.  	>> BILL GOULD: I really appreciate that. 
	Just last question from me to all of you is just, just an opportunity to sort of express any more work that you think is important that you are involved in, you know, in the space. And if you have any sort of ‑‑ and/or if you have any revelations from today in terms of takeaways that you think are particularly important from where you sit as people that are doing work in the space of this intersection with race and also disability equity. 
	So any thoughts in terms of, you know, additional work that you want to share and/or takeaways from today from you, Edward, Diego, or Gerald?   	>> EDWARD MITCHELL: Again, knowing this ABLE BIPOC Outreach Toolkit will go a long way to educate and do, if everyone wants to know what part they can play in helping individuals with disabilities, this is one of those. 
	Each one of the people in each one of their section in their respective career paths is doing just that and I appreciate them as an individual with disabilities, for them and their company putting their best foot forward, and not just talking about it, but being on this webinar. 
	Again, I'm glad to be here and contributing, but also seeing the great work they are doing in their industries.  	>> GERALD JOHNSON: I'll follow that up there and I'll leave the final word for Diego. I know he has something to follow‑up there. 
	I can't harp enough, what has been eye‑opening to me was the resources being provided through ABLE accounts, which was something I was unaware of. I think a lot of our brothers were unaware of, especially when it came to ABLE to Save Month, we were able to advertise that and get a lot of traction. 
	That is another element of our partnerships that I failed to mention, it's not just focused on our brothers that have disabilities, but also members within their family also have disabilities, how can we provide them resources?  That is something we will continue to build upon and we feel we can really build a strong‑arm based on that.  	>> BILL GOULD: Thank you, Gerald.  	>> DIEGO MARISCAL: Something we have seen in our work, and I'm excited to work with NDI on, also, is creating communities and programings that bring people together from various communities. In a way that haven't been before. 
	An example of that is we run cohort that is are focused on specifically Founders with disabilities. And the number one feedback we get from people just in terms of the value that they get out of the program is that they really enjoy being a part of a cohort that is just, you know, with fellow Founders who have disabilities because oftentimes they are sort of the odd man out in other types of programings. 
	And so I think there's value for both, but there's definitely a case to be made about creating space that is are uniquely designed for under‑represented founders and to create a community sense. Right?  
	So I think there's a lot of value in the work that we're doing around focusing on BIPOC communities, focusing on Latin communities, and, obviously, focusing on founders with disabilities because it provides a unique level of support and perspective that people haven't been getting before. 
	So that's in terms of takeaways. 
	Then in terms of what we're doing and what I hope to be able to share with everyone is we are hosting our pitch competition for our upcoming cohort next Monday. Next Monday at 6:00 to 8:00 Eastern. I'll post the event in the chat. I would love to see everyone there. 
	I know we'll be talking a lot about entrepreneurship and disability and perhaps maybe even talking some about the work we'll be doing with SBA in more detail. 
	So, yeah, that's just a little plug there, but thank you, thank you for having us and thank you for bringing light to a very important conversation.  	>> BILL GOULD: So we really appreciate Edward, Diego, and Gerald, all your contributions and the developing partnerships that we have with all three of you in your representative work. We really thank you for being here today and taking time to be with our audience. So thanks so much. 
	Next we're going to transition in our program to Michael Roush, who is our Director for the Center for Disability Inclusive Community Development, and he is going to talk to us a little bit about what's going on in the field today. 
	So really appreciate Michael and his historical work with NDI and his impactful work. So we're going to be hearing from Michael Roush here now. 
	So thanks so much. Michael, take it away. 
	You're on mute, Michael. Okay.  	>> MICHAEL ROUSH: Great. Thank you, Bill. 
	I wasn't prepared there for a minute. This is great. I want to thank you all so much for being here today and I'm here to share with you a little bit of information on what we've learned from community‑led conversations. 
	So as many of you know, NDI's network of partners at the local‑ and state‑level have been working to create an intentional conversation on the inclusion of people with disabilities with intersecting identities within their delivery of services. 
	The work has included hosting local roundtables, educational webinars, and in‑person events. Also, through creating coalitions to identify solutions and developing specific trainings on diversity, equity, and inclusion to train community‑based organizations that serve people with disabilities and their family members. 
	The conversation, particularly from this past year and a half, created new conversations on the term "inclusion." And to the extent of the definition of what inclusion is. This term is synonymous within multiple community that is may not have been working together, but have been working in silos. 
	Diverse communities, we've learned, have been working together to learn from one another, to identify selective solutions. There are similarities in the conversation amongst communities to ensure we are all working together and creating those synergies. 
	We have also learn from the conversations that access to services and goods, including financial services, accessible transportation, food, jobs, and affordable housing, is scarce and continues the impact of the discriminatory practices created by redlining are still plaguing communities that prevent the upward mobility to financial freedom. 
	But the advocacy to build awareness and develop innovative strategies from the field are really creating new opportunities to lift these communities up together. 
	It is a conversation also from this past year and a half, they have also brought new light on how to be an ally and what does that mean. Being sensitive and [indiscernible] innocent ignorance as we learn from one another, but also creates conversation to be sure we are not offending one another. 
	We have also learned that community‑based organizations are eager to collaborate and learn from one another. 
	One of the things we have found is that it's important to know who to connect with and how do we connect with them in creating those new collaborations where we can learn from one another on the full financial inclusion on individuals with disabilities with intersecting identities. 
	We've also seen great best practices taking place. We see the creation of coalitions and work groups that have specific focus on disability, race, and ethnicity that are informing local municipalities, financial institutions, and community‑based organizations strategic plans. 
	We see where the national research and local research is identifying the specific needs and barriers of individuals with disabilities who have intersecting identities is creating a new approach within these communities. 
	We also see the training programs that are created by and led by individuals with disabilities, particularly individuals with intellectual and development individuals who are Black, Latino, and Asian American. These trainings are informing the field on how to be stronger allies and how to work together. 
	Learning more about this information in the coming year about the best practices and the lessons learned of these communities. 
	Our work as a financial stability institute and that of our partners has identified this past year and a half that there's more work that is needed to address the economic mobility and social justice barriers in low and moderate income community that is are largely comprised of individuals with intersecting identities. 
	But, you know what?  Together we are keeping our fingertips, we are keeping our fingertips on the pulse on how we can change the wealth divide, the wealth gap, for people with disabilities, particularly individuals with intersecting identities and making a difference. 
	So we're excited about these future opportunities and the continuing conversation we will have. 
	In the coming months, we will host additional roundtables in four additional cities: Detroit, another one in Boston, as well as in Pittsburgh. 
	And last month we held an event in Houston, Texas, and we are fortunate, we wanted you to have an example of what takes place at a roundtable, so we're fortunate today to have a partner of ours, Schirell Sidney, who is the Senior Program Manager at THRIVE United Way in Houston Texas. She will share with us a few words on the latest roundtable that took place and giving her perspective. 
	With that, Schirell, thank you so much for joining us and it's great to see you. I'll turn it over to you.  	>> SCHIRELL SIDNEY: Phenomenal! Phenomenal! I'm so glad to be here, can I tell you that?  Listen, NDI you are doing it. I'm going to tell you something, this is personal, I need you to hear me, this is personal to me because I'm the person you are talking about, the one with the disability, the one that is hearing‑impaired. So here is the deal, and happens to be a Person of Color. 
	When we came together, what was the goal?  We wanted to bring together community, nonprofit, and faith‑based organizations working on economic and racial equality with disability and financial inclusion partners in a roundtable format. 
	And when I tell you, we had a blast, we had a blast! We identified and we were also ‑‑ we identified and worked on action plans and concrete steps. It's so often we talk about it, but do we truly make plans to figure out where is it we're going to go from here?  What is it that we are going to do next?  
	When I tell you we worked jointly to address some of the barriers to financial stability and financial resilience that contributes to the significant wealth gap ‑‑ oh, I'm sorry, I thought I muted, I'm sorry ‑‑ by BIPOC community was disabilities. 
	What was really amazing about it, y'all, there were over 40 attendees, not only were there over 40 attendees across sections of organizations, but we stayed ‑‑ this was an all‑day event. This meeting was so good that most of us stayed all day. 
	And I'm going to tell you, I was like, yeah, I'll stay for a little while, but in meeting was ‑‑ listen, I had to cancel all of the rest of my meetings because this one was so amazing. We were able to look at national and local data that was presented and discussed and we had to figure out, how does it affect us here in Houston?  
	We were able to jump‑start conversations with local presenter where they provided information on various topics in which communities of color and persons with disabilities often face systemic barriers to include housing, right?  Asset buildings and employment. We discussed the barriers and the challenges in small groups and then we were able to share with the larger group. And it was exciting for me. I got to talk about what I, myself, had experienced. 
	I'll tell you something, in all of my 44 years, I have never been prouder to say, listen, I am a person with a disability. That's something I have been ashamed of all my life, but through this, NDI, listen, hats off to you, hats off to you, that we were able to have this conversation and I was able to talk about what I had been through in my life. 
	We were able to discuss collaboratively possible next steps and ways to identify possibility opportunities for strategic ‑‑ for strategies and solutions. 
	Let me tell you, and I know I have said it enough times, when I was six months old, I lost my hearing, right, due to spinal meningitis. Employees have the mentality, "Just be glad we are accommodating." Oh, baby, that is yesteryear because there are fantastic things happening now. 
	What did we figure out from this meeting?  Okay, Schirell, you had a good time, you stayed all day, but what did you figure out?  I am so glad you asked!  
	We realized there needs to be more training, there needs to be improved access to services and resources, and better communication and greater collaboration. 
	Most widely discussed is, like I said, the need for training. Professionals across the spectrum from service providers to financial institutions, they need to be exposed to and engaged in conversations on topics that will help improve their understanding of the complexities that exist when working with folks with disabilities. 
	Here's the deal, I know we all get burnt out sometimes, but when you are working with folks with disabilities, hey, sometimes you have to take that extra time because it's easy to get burnt out and just treat them like just somebody else, which we are somebody else, but sometimes we need a little more care, right?  
	So that is some of what we discussed. Important takeaways, we wanted to talk about that disability does mean something different in every population, right?  We were able to talk about how having multiple identities can create challenges. 
	Most importantly, we need to have understanding of cultural context of disabilities across different communities. Disability cuts across race, socioeconomic status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity. We need to be able to address generational poverty and know that poverty does not have to last forever. 
	I'm going to tell you something, my personal story, when I was a kid, they said, just be glad if you get a High School diploma. Somebody will give you a check at some point and you'll be fine. 
	Absolutely not! I am so glad to be on here with folks who are entrepreneurs and folks who are making things happen because just because I have a disability does not mean that I've got to live in poverty. 
	All right, Schirell, now what?  Now what?  Listen, in Houston we are not going to sit on this. We've got some next steps. I'm so glad to be part of United Way, where I'm going to utilize my platform to take it to the next level. 
	We said we were going to discuss and develop a Resource Map. We're going to identify local champions, explore training opportunities, and we're going to continue this conversation. 
	Listen, Bill, it is not over! For this group to come to a consensus around the end goal, we need to work backwards to identify the solutions. I said "backwards" because sometimes we think we're doing the right thing and, no, let's backtrack a little bit. That's exactly what we're going to do. We're going to identify solutions and next steps. 
	We have agreed we're going to convene in the New Year. I told you it's not over! I can't wait until 2022 because I can't wait to see what's next. If that roundtable was good, I know the next work we're going to do will be even better!  
	I'm going to take my role and my suggestion to you, whatever platform you are on, whatever it is you are part of, do your part because as they mentioned earlier, being a person with a disability can fall up on you at any given time. 
	All right, Bill, back to you.  	>> BILL GOULD: Thank you so much, Schirell, that was just a jolt of great energy and really appreciate your sincere life story and your enthusiasm and the work that you are helping us do in Houston. It's just, you know, fantastic! 
	And it struck a chord with me, you know, I think back to when people in my childhood, when people were calling me Captain Hook. You know, some of the feelings that you get, you know, as an amputee, it was very impactful on my identity. 
	I know hearing Edward, Diego, and many others in this forum, these conversations are sometimes uncomfortable, but really necessary to have and I really appreciate your energy that you just gave us. What an incredible jolt of energy you just gave us for this work and here in our program. So thank you so, so much. Really appreciate that. 
	We're going to turn to Susan Mazrui. So Susan ‑‑ and really appreciate Schirell. 
	Susan is ‑‑ has ‑‑ AT&T was one of our first funders at NDI, but we heard from Gerald and we heard from Diego and we heard from Edward on the impact of some of the partnerships. And we know that quantitative data also is very important to ‑‑ for change. And we know that, you know, providing these stories, as well as data is a critical thing for macro level change. 
	So we're hoping that some of these stories, some of the partnerships, some of data that that you are hearing today sort of energizes your work and we can continue to move these efforts along. 
	Susan is the Director of Global Policy at AT&T. She has worked in the field of accessible design and disability inclusion since 1994. She currently covers a range of policy issues from the intersection of disability and race in artificial intelligence to opportunities presented in NextGen wireless technologies. 
	And in addition to being a great friend, really appreciate all she does in the disability space, policy space, and welcome Susan to talk with us today. 
	Thank you so much, Susan Mazrui.  	>> SUSAN MAZRUI: Thank you for having me today. I'm very excited to be here, although I cannot match the energy level of Schirell, I must say. [Laughter] 
	As a person who is biracial, who has acquired a disability, a person who was raised by someone who came to this country and had English as a second language, I understand many of the struggles. I understand it from a personal perspective. 
	And like AT&T, I'm really committed to understanding how we can address the issues of intersectionality, equity, and what we can do to work together to learn from each other to make sure the effort we're making make sense. 
	AT&T, like NDI, understands that high speed access is critical to economic opportunities. And we feel very fortunate to work with NDI and the folks on this call who are committed to helping us understand that. We know a lot about broadband. We know a lot about technology, but we really look to experts in the field who can tell us more about how not only we can make services available, but make them in a way that they are likely to be adopted by people so that we can address the issues of digital inequity. 
	We really want to decrease the digital divide and we cannot do it without folks who are experts in both research and experts in the daily lives of people with multiple identities. 
	One of the things that AT&T has done is made a commitment to connected learning. We think education is a big part of a first step to reducing the digital divide. 
	We just recently opened the first of 20 connected Learning Centers. And we base these centers in community organizations because those are the community understand the needs of the community. 
	Our first one was in Family Gateway in Dallas and we choose that place because it's a nonprofit that deals with stability and life changing support of services for people who are unhoused. 
	We know technology can be a great benefit if you have access to it and you know how to use it and it's accessible to you. 
	We worked with Overland Tamderg, which is a leading technology and services company, that is a backbone company in the community. We know you cannot make changes in a community that are meaningful, that lead to equity, if you are not learning from the community. 
	In these Centers, students and families will have access to educational contact from Khan Academy and support from AT&T employees. Those are important, not just for those who are being mentored, but those doing the mentoring as well because any conversation like that is better when we understand the needs. 
	We have over a 2 billion dollar commitment for over three years that will look at broadband affordability, accessibility and adoption. 
	I know there are people who are experts that you want to hear from more, but I really want to thank NDI and those in this Convening because we all need to work together to address digital and financial equity. 
	So thank you for allowing us to participate and keep up the great work. We really need you.  	>> BILL GOULD: Thank you so much, Susan Mazrui. Really appreciate your contributions from AT&T and your involvement here today.  
	And, also, bringing up the very important issue of broadband access, especially in these times, you know, as a great issue that People of Color who are disabled often don't get the same resources that some other members of community do. 
	So I want to just alert you that in the chat, there is another gift and that is, it's Identifying Disability Partners in Your Community Resource Guide. And it was posted in the chat for all of you. So as you are looking to do more work with disability partners, we have a guide to help that work. 
	So I think at this point we have a polling question that I think Brittany is ‑‑ Brittany Thome is going to help us ‑‑ or Shajira Brown is going to help ‑‑ one of the two is going to help us with our next ‑‑ our third polling question at this point in the program. 
	Thank you so much. 
	I'm passing it along to you guys.  	>> BRITTANY THOME: Thank you. The poll is now open and the question is: 
	Would you like training or technical assistance from NDI or is there another way we can support your work or partner with you?  
	The options are: 
	We currently take advantage of NDI training. 
	We consider ourselves a current partner. 
	We would like to schedule a meeting to discuss partnership. 
	Or, you are not sure at this time. 
	And we'll give folks another moment to answer those questions. I still see several voters still participating. 
	And I'm ending the poll now. Most people have had the opportunity to participate. 
	And the results are: 
	25% currently take advantage of NDI training. 
	8% consider themselves a current partner of NDI. 
	14% would like to schedule a meeting to discuss partnership opportunities, so we will be following up with those of you that mentioned that as a polling answer. 
	And 53% were not sure at this time.  	>> BILL GOULD: Thank you for that poll and for those of you that contributed to that poll. 
	As many of know, President Biden set a new expectation for the Federal Government on January 20, 2021 through the Executive Order on advancing racial equity and support for underserved communities through the Federal Government. 
	The order states: Equal opportunity is the bedrock of American democracy and our diversity is one of our country's greatest strengths. Affirmatively, advancing equity, Civil Rights, racial justice, and an equal opportunity is the responsibility of the whole of our Government. By advancing equity across the Federal Government, we can create opportunities for the improvement of communities that been historically underserved, which benefits everyone. 
	So thank you to Anjali Forber‑Pratt, Director of the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research, and Taryn Williams, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy, for being here and for the efforts they can make as a change agents. 
	Anjali Forber‑Pratt, Ph.D., is a disability activist, is a two‑time Paralympian, and the Director of the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research, NIDILRR, in the Administration of Community Living. 
	As a researcher, her primary area of work relates to disability identity development.  As a wheelchair‑user for over 35 years, Dr. Forber‑Pratt is nationally and internationally recognized as a disability leader and mentor. 
	Thank you very, very much, Dr. Forber‑Pratt, for being with us add and we're looking forward to hearing from you. So passing it on to you. Thank you. 
	>> DR. ANJALI FORBER‑PRATT: Thank you so much. I'm so honored to be here to share a little bit of our work related to Federal effort that is are really pushing towards change based on the topic that is are being discussed here today. 
	Just briefly, as an access note, I'm wearing a white shirt with black markings and a red jacket and I'm black‑skinned with black hair. 
	For those that don't know, NIDILRR is the research organization and we strive to promote effective use to improve the lives of people with disabilities to perform activities of their choice within the community and to expand society's capacity to provide opportunities and accommodations for individuals with disabilities. 
	We have so proud that NDI is one of our grantees and it is essential to us that the work we fund is not only rigorous, but relevant to the Disability Community. 
	The entire Disability Community, including BIPOC individuals. 
	One of the attendees, I believe it was Darren Bates, mentioned in the chat that the research mission is critical and personally I could not agree more as the Director of NIDILRR and I want to share some of the ways in which NIDILRR is committed to this work to partner with others to carry forward this research and apply for funding to do so. 
	This is also a very personal topic as we have heard from some of the other presenters and for me personally, it really intersects with some of my identities, as you heard in my introduction, a Paralympic, a Person of Color, a woman, a research, a Disability Advocate. 
	I want to say a huge thank you to NDI for bringing us altogether on this important and understudied topic of financial inclusion, equity and race. NDI is engaged in this work and is not afraid to go there. 
	My own personal experience, having grown up in the Disability Community, I see the financial disparity that is were discussed by many of the presenters today and that have affected me as a disabled person versus my non‑disabled friends. It costs more to rent apartment that is are accessible because oftentimes there's more construction. It costs more to drive a car because of vehicle modifications. It costs more to use the bathroom. It costs more to exist. 
	When I entered my early adult years, I was dismayed that friends of mine had money for down payments for a house and I wondered what I had done wrong and then I remembered all of the wheelchairs I paid out‑of‑pocket for that. Those additional costs, commonly referred to as the disability tax, are very real and disproportionately affect Black and Brown and disabled individuals. These are costs that are expedientially higher if you have higher support needs. This is part of the disability experience.  
	At NIDILRR, we found work across three main domains. We name the areas of community living and participation, health and function, and employment. Every single one of these has impacts on the economic challenges in disproportionate ways. 
	The term "equity" as was described from the Executive Order, really is important about fair and just ways that include individuals who belong to underserved community that is have been denied such treatments. This includes Black, Latino, Indigenous, Asian American, Native American, Pacific Island persons, members of religious minorities, LGBTQ, persons with disabilities, person from rural areas, and otherwise affected by persistent poverty or inequity. 
	Within NIDILLRR, we work to go beyond that definition of equity to assert equity and equality are not synonymous. Equity is the quality of being fair and just and equality is the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, and opportunities. 
	For us what this means, we aren't all equal, some of us need a little more extra supports than others and what this means within NIDILRR in terms of grant‑making is how can we make sure the implementation and promotion of fair practices within the grants that we award?  So grant‑making includes announcing opportunities, submitting applications, reviewing applications, and of course, making awards and implementing the grant to carry out the research. 
	Grant equity and grant‑making ultimately improving access for underserved communities to benefit from the Federal funding. So what I mean by this is that it's both from researchers as individuals with disabilities who are generating the science and the knowledge and disabled individuals who are study participants and who are benefiting from the work that is being carried forward. 
	I want to point out one thing that NIDILRR has forecasted right now is three different Equity Centers within each of the domains, which will conduct research on disparities among people with disabilities and generate knowledge towards new interventions, approaches, and policies to reduce those disparities. 
	Every single one of these, again, has impacts on economic challenges in disproportionate ways and so we believe that this work will really help to dig us in deeper and to carry forward the mission that NDI has really set forth. 
	Projects within these centers must be responsive to the economic disparities we have been discussing here today and these are forecasted, meaning the full funding opportunity announcement will be coming later, which is slated for February, but I wanted to flag this for you all and encourage partnering and/or applying. 
	And with that, I think I'll turning things over to Assistant Secretary Taryn Williams.  	>> BILL GOULD: Yes, I'm going to quickly thank you so much, Anjali, for your comments and leadership in this space. Really appreciate all of the work you are doing at NIDILRR and the forthcoming Equity Centers. Really appreciate your comments. 
	To Taryn Mackenzie Williams is the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy. In this position, she advises the Secretary of Labor on how the Department's policies and programs impact the employment of people with disabilities and leads the Office of Disability Employment Policy, ODEP. 
	ODEP works with employers and all levels of Government to improve opportunities and outcomes for people with disabilities. 
	Thank you so much, Taryn, for being with us today and, Taryn, I will say is having some video issues, so she may just be on with us on audio. 
	So really appreciate your remarks forthcoming. Thank you, Taryn.  	>> TARYN WILLIAMS: Thank you. I'm first going to ask, can I get a thumbs up that you can hear me okay?  Oh, that is great! It is often the case that when I'm having issue was my camera, it can affect other aspects of the system. 
	So I just want to say good afternoon to everyone and thank you to NDI for organizing an event on such a critical topic and for inviting me to join you. 
	I'm sorry I can't be on camera. I'll see if it's able to come back up, but just want no note for the audience that I am a light‑skinned Black woman with an afro, sitting in a room with blue walls. 
	As you heard, I am the Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy at the Department of Labor and leader of the Office of Disability Employment Policy, or ODEP. 
	And we work across agencies, policies, and programs to promote the employment of people with disabilities, ensuring financial inclusion is consistent with our broader commitment to promoting employment opportunities and economic security for people with disabilities. 
	And our work, also, encompasses people with disability who is are also People of Color or folks from historically marginalized communities. 
	As we know and as many of the participants today have shared, these are individuals who often fair worse in areas such as educational attainment, gainful employment, decent housing, quality healthcare, and income and assets. 
	And NDI is to be commended for its leadership and the collaborations you've forged in addressing these disparities. 
	I'll just note that ODEP is eager to join NDI and other partners in this work. 
	The Biden Administration has made clear its commitment to address inequity. One of the President's first Executive Order, as Bill was just talking about a few minutes ago, directed the entire Federal Government to promote equity and inclusion. And in response to this commitment, ODEP is examining our entire portfolio to identify ways to advance equity, including by addressing long‑standing racial inequities. 
	This has included new partnerships with organizations representing People of Color, national online dialogues to gain diverse public input, data analysis of employment disparities by race, examining services for youth and young adults with disabilities who are persons of color, increasing our efforts to reach underserved populations, and much, much more. 
	One specific thing to mention given today's topic is that ODEP's lead Center, which is our partnership with NDI and Social Policy Research Associates, recently released a Financial Toolkit and it provides resources for individuals across the entire arc of employment. 
	We often talk about the arc of employment and recognizing that employment is, indeed, a lifelong journey. And in that Toolkit, there are resources related to maintaining or changing employment and retirement and managing finances. 
	And you can access that Toolkit on ODEP's website at dol.gov. 
	Again, I want to thank you, again, for the opportunity to be with you today. I've been able to participate in the entire session today and so much enjoyed the speakers and my co‑panelists. It's always great to join a panel with Anjali and to follow Susan. 
	I just look forward to the rest of our conversation and thank you, again, for having me.  	>> BILL GOULD: Thank you, Taryn, for your leadership in this space and your work at ODEP and your partnership with the National Disability Institute. 
	So as we're closing, we're going to have a final poll for everyone to answer and then we're going to have Will Lewis to kind of wrap us up. 
	So we're going to bring up a Call to Action poll and then Will is going to wrap us up and I'll introduce Will in a moment, after we do this poll. 
	Thank you to Brittany and Shajira for cueing us up on the poll.  	>> BRITTANY THOME: Thank you, Bill. 
	The poll is now open. Your Call to Action could help us inform our work. 
	Based on what you learned today, which of the following calls to action will you adopt to include within your work in 2022?  
	The options are: 
	Identify and execute ways to further this work within your organization. 
	Identify and execute ways to include Black and Brown individuals with disabilities in your decision‑making and work. 
	Identify and execute ways to close the wealth gap. 
	Identify and execute ways to improve the financial status of the individuals you serve. 
	And, finally, identify and execute ways to increase the use of ABLE accounts in communities of color. 
	And we'll leave the poll over for another moment as I see many are still answering. 
	And I'm going to end the poll now. 
	And the results of the poll are 63% of you will be identifying and executing ways to further this work within your organization. 
	62% will be identifying and executing ways to include Black and Brown individuals with disabilities in your decision‑making and work. 
	45% will be identifying and executing ways to close the wealth gap. 
	64% will be identifying and executing ways to improve the financial status of individuals you serve. 
	And, finally, 55% will be identifying and executing ways to increase the use of ABLE accounts in communities of color.  	>> BILL GOULD: Great. Well, thank you, for all of your responses. 
	I want to cue up Will Lewis, who is Experian's Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer. Will is helping to build his company's commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity by driving innovation in product development, building on the company's culture of belonging and attracting talent that represents the communities in which Experian operates. 
	Will is, also, an NDI Board Member, recently joined with us. 
	So thank you so much for closing us out, wrapping us up, and really appreciate your involvement. 
	Take it away, Will.  	>> WILL LEWIS: Bill, thank you. All I can say is wow! I mean, NDI knows how to deliver a webinar. It has been so engaging and really lots of information and learning. I actually, I have notes that I have been jotting down. I just held up my note pad in front of the camera here to show the notes on, 1, 2, 3, pages that I have been jotting down during our conversation today. 
	I will tell you, I sat here learning from the guests, appreciating and valuing the information that was happening in the chat, as well as the questions that were asked along the way. 
	And that's how you want to go about a webinar. You want to walk away and feel as though you just walked away with something that helped you. 
	On behalf of NDI's Board of Directors, I want to thank all of our presenters. I want to thank each of you for participate today. 
	And really ask that you continue to stay engaged NDI. Let us know what you need. Let us know what additional information may add value to you and where you would like to see us continue to focus. 
	At the end of the day, without each one of you, without your engagement, without your involvement, frankly, without your direction, we're not able to deliver the most and the best we can. And the Board of Directors at NDI is committed to continuing to evolve and grow our organization under the direction of Tom Foley, our Executive Director. 
	Thank you so much for participating and we hope to see you in a future NDI webinar again soon. 
	And know that all of the people that you were able to engage with here today are here to support you, are here to learn from you and have tools and skills that we ‑‑ that each one of us use. Leverage them, engage with them, and know that we are advocates. 
	Bill, thanks so much for the introduction and really thanks to our audience for participating and being so engaged today. 
	Oh, one more thing, Bill, before you take over. 
	I have to thank the people that planned this event. An amazing event like this doesn't just happen by accident. Folks have been working for weeks and months to try to get this event landed in just the right way. I want to give thanks to all the behind the scenes individuals who have been coordinating, some of which you have heard, some of you which you may not have heard today, but many people working from the NDI Staff and Team to pull this off. 
	I have a list of names that I started to read, but then I thought there's someone I'm going to forget and then somebody will send me a nasty e‑mail that I forgot them. No, they won't send me a nasty e‑mail, but I want to thank everyone behind the scenes for helping out. 
	All right, that's it, Bill.  	>> BILL GOULD: Thank you, Will and for your experience and leadership with NDI and your involvement with our Board. Really appreciate it!  
	And really want to thank everyone for their attendance.  
	And a big special thanks to Shajira Brown for her incredible work on this effort. 
	So really thank you, everyone, and hope to be in touch and see you all soon. Thanks for joining us today! Take care! 
	
	[Webinar concluded]