Written by Menachem Rephun, Creative Spirit Communications Manager Video by Alex Colby and Will Thomas, Bless You On Oct. 20, we held a special fundraiser and celebration at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, hosted by Advertising Week. This year’s event was unique in marking the 5th anniversary of Creative Spirit’s founding in 2017. The event...

In a world designed mainly for sighted people, being blind or vision-impaired can often be a challenge. This extends to finding fair-wage employment, which is difficult for many blind people due to ableism (discrimination against people with disabilities) in the hiring process, and companies that, even in 2022, often fail to provide reasonable accommodations. According...

By Joseph Conciatori, Creative Spirit Alumni, Marketing Content Writer at Navitend Following an opening week full of engaging discussions, YOUNGA 2022 presented by BridgingTheGap Ventures continued last week with even more opportunities for youth delegates from around the world to collaborate with each other, learn from global leaders, and share thoughts about how to spark...

By Joseph Conciatori, Creative Spirit Alumni, Marketing Content Writer at Navitend The 2022 kick off YOUNGA by BridgingTheGap Ventures on Wednesday, September 28, bringing together youth delegates from around the globe for two inspiring virtual discussions. In “Inclusion for All – Technology for All”, sixty delegates – including yours truly – participated in a master...

By Menachem Raphun, Communications Manager, Creative Spirit According to the United States Census Bureau, roughly 11.5 million Americans (3.5% of the national population) live with some type of hearing impairment. The National Deaf Center places the number of Americans with hearing loss much higher at 28 million, with 1 million who are deaf and use...

Education is a Right, Not a Privilege Education is a fundamental right, not a privilege, and no one should be left behind, especially not the millions of young adults with disabilities, including intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Students with disabilities who have received equal opportunities and an inclusive, accommodated education will be better equipped for...

Tourism is one of the world’s most lucrative industries, comprising roughly 10% of the global GDP as of 2019 and generating upwards of $9 trillion that year, according to World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). Unfortunately, the millions of people with disabilities in the U.S. and worldwide are still routinely excluded from travel for various...

By Menachem Rephun, Self-advocate + Creative Spirit Staff Phil Viardo and Christopher Knight’s documentary Truelove: The Film begins with a simple yet powerful statement: “I just go through life one day at a time. I don’t know what’s going to happen, we’re not promised tomorrow. I’m just thankful to be able to wake up and...

By Joanna McElnea &Menachem Rephun, Self-advocates + Creative Spirit Staff An Open Letter To Americans on the 32nd Anniversary Of The Americans With Disabilities Act Overview Of ADAFor Creative Spirit, the July 26 anniversary of the #AmericansWithDisabilitiesAct (ADA) is our annual opportunity to reflect on the global conversations on equity and inclusion, to see where...

By Menachem Raphun, Communications Manager, Creative Spirit July’s #BIPOCMentalHealthMonth celebrates the diversity of #BIPOC communities and promotes a vital message: that representation, equity, and inclusion for BIPOC people with disabilities need to be substantially improved, along with the quality of mental health care. As noted by Mental Health America, more than 7 million African-American individuals...