By: Menachem Rephun, Creative Spirit Communication Manager April is National Autism Awareness Month. Vector illustration. Holiday poster. Source: Getty Images The Current Employment Reality for the Autism Community Approximately 1% of the global population (over 75,000,000 people) live with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a broad group of conditions whose symptoms include challenges with social skills...

A Disability Pride Parade in New York City, from disabilitypridenyc.org. By: Menachem Rephun, Creative Spirit Communication Manager Since its beginnings in the early 19th century with efforts to provide formal education for deaf and deaf-blind individuals, the disability rights movement has worked to achieve inclusion and societal acceptance, shatter stigmas, and expand recognition that individuals with...

By: Menachem Rephun, Creative Spirit Communication Manager We’re very saddened to share that Judy Heumann, the renowned disability rights activist who co-organized the historic “504 Sit-In” in 1977 and helped pave the way for the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the Rehabilitation Act, has passed away at...

By: Menachem Rephun, Creative Spirit Communication Manager February is Black History Month, which celebrates black heroes contributions, triumphs, and achievements throughout U.S. history. One aspect of Black History Month that has been less explored is the significant, historical contribution made by African-Americans to the disability rights movement, which promotes equity and inclusion for the millions...

By: Menachem Rephun, Creative Spirit Communication Manager In 2023, the 61 million Americans with disabilities, including the 15 – 20% of the population who are neurodivergent, are still facing record unemployment. Within the disabilities community, another group still has not received adequate representation: individuals with chronic conditions (i.e. rare diseases). According to Rare Diseases.org, over...

By: Joanna McElnea, Disability Advocate, and Menachem Rephun, Creative Spirit’s Communications Team By Chris Jarin, Creative Spirit Art Director and Disability Advocate Creative Spirit strongly and unequivocally condemns the statement made this week by Rep. Sean Tarwater (R), chairman of the House Commerce, Labor, and Economic Development Committee, that people with disabilities will, in his...

Welcome to Creative Spirit Connect, a group designed by and for individuals who are neurodiverse and interested in fair-wage inclusive employment. Our Creative Spirit communications team is neurodiverse, with personal experience navigating the ups and downs of finding employment as someone with a disability. We’ve created this group as an inclusive space where members can...

Creative Spirit: Who We Are and What We Do Welcome to the inaugural newsletter of Creative Spirit! Since this is our first newsletter, we thought it would be a good time to offer an overview of our organizational mission and history.  Background In 1990 the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed and held the...

Creative Spirit is honored to welcome four new trustees to our board–a vast group with outstanding experience and commitment to advancing economic security, equity and inclusion for people with disabilities. The expanded board is already hard at work helping Creative Spirit take on an amazing array of new programs including advocacy, expanded consulting services, greater...

Since the founding of Creative Spirit in 2017, we’ve been working nonstop to close the unemployment gap for people who are neurodiverse. We envision a world where disability isn’t synonymous with “unemployable” and where people who are neurodivergent can feel knowledgeable, prepared, and confident entering the workforce.  Changing the employment status quo for people with...