October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month and National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). We can always use more awareness, more education, more enlightenment. It is always good to shine a light on critical issues. But we have enough about awareness. We’ve done enough talking, we need action.
Let’s get moving:
Jobs for People with Differing Abilities
People with Down syndrome and those with differing abilities have a right to work when their skills meet employer needs. Not charity. Not a favor. We don’t need more jobs. We don’t need special jobs. We don’t need to lower standards. We need to give people with Down syndrome and those with differing abilities the opportunity to earn a job.
My partner and son, John Cronin (who happens to have Down syndrome) and I lead a business called John’s Crazy Socks. More than half our colleagues have different ability. We don’t hand out jobs. Everyone who works with us has earned that job. And they do great work. We do same day shipping and have an error rate less than .2 of one percent. We succeed because of the excellent work our colleagues with differing abilities do.
We are a small business. If we can do this, imagine what your business can achieve?
In many places in our country, we face a growing labor shortage. We need the contributions of people with differing abilities.
Housing for People with Differing Abilities
In many communities, we face an affordable housing crisis. People with differing abilities are particularly hard hit. Many are stuck in their aging parent’s homes. Many are at risk of losing their housing.
We need more housing for people with differing abilities and more housing options. We need apartments, group homes, supported housing and more. To make this happen, we need developers to include the one quarter of Americans who have a disability in their housing plans. We need government agencies to step up with funding. We need more creative ideas from the non-profits proving housing, And we need communities to drop their unfounded fears and objections to having homes for people with differing abilities. We know what needs to be done. We need to do it.
Community Access for People with Differing Abilities
We are all better off when people with Down syndrome and those with differing abilities are full and active members of our communities and not pushed to the side in a form of disability ghetto. What do we need to do to make this happen?
Welcome people with differing abilities into our communities and community organizations. Welcome them to our political parties, our chambers of commerce, our cultural institutions Ask yourself, how many people with a differing ability are part of our organization? What have we done to invite them in and welcome them? How many are on your board?
Have we made our communities truly accessible to all people? Do we offer transit for people with disabilities? Are buildings accessible? Do we make people feel welcome?
We Need All of Our Fellow Citizens
We have made great strides in education. We have made great strides in the medical arena. Now, we need to welcome people with Down syndrome and all people with differing abilities as full-fledged citizens with jobs, housing and community engagement. No charity. No favors. We are talking equality and human rights.
We need them. We need them to fill jobs. We need their contributions.
When we stop talking, when we say enough awareness and take action, we will all be better off
About John’s Crazy Socks
John’s Crazy Socks was inspired by John Lee Cronin, a young man with Down syndrome, and his love of colorful and fun socks—what he calls his “crazy socks.” He and his father, Mark X. Cronin, started the company as a social enterprise with a mission of Spreading Happiness™. With more than 4,000 socks, John’s Crazy Socks is now the world’s largest sock store. More than half their employees have a differing ability, and their Giving Back program has raised over $750,000 for charity partners like the Special Olympics, the National Down Syndrome Society, and the Autism Society of America. Most of all, we are Spreading Happiness™.
For more information about John’s Crazy Socks, visit our webpage, Facebook page, Instagram account, TikTok or YouTube channel. You can also contact us at 631-760-5625 or via email at service@johnscrazysocks.com.
