Navy background with white text and a rainbow colored heart on the left side of the image. Text reads Disability Pride Month.

Hello again from Disability:IN Chicagoland!

With the end of July and Disability Pride month, we are energized after a full month of celebration. The recent 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act is an important milestone and creates an opportunity to build upon the conversation around disability inclusion.

This month's newsletter includes:

a recap of July's event celebrating the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act;
a recap of our disability pride webinar in partnership with the insurance industry;
details on the recent Disability:IN conference;
an announcement about Disability:IN Chicagoland's transition to a 501c3;
a save the date for the Disability Inclusion Opportunity Summit on October 22 at Old National Bank;
and a list of upcoming partner events.

We look forward to opportunities for ongoing partnership and collaboration this year as we continue together on this journey toward inclusion. Thank you for being part of this movement!

Sincerely,

Laura Wilhelm
Executive Director, Disability:IN Chicagoland

It's Official: Disability:IN Chicagoland is a 501c3!

Disability:IN Chicagoland is excited to share that we are now an independent
501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and can accept tax-deductible donations!

Your support helps us advance disability inclusion across the Chicagoland region by connecting businesses, elevating best practices, fostering collaboration, and creating opportunities that drive meaningful change for people with disabilities. Every contribution—big or small—helps build a more inclusive future.

Support our mission by making a donation today!

DONATE

ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act. 36: Celebrate July 26, 2026.

Recap - Accommodations in 2026: Celebrating the 36th Anniversary of the ADA

July 26th marked the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To celebrate, Disability:IN Chicagoland, in collaboration with its affiliate partners Disability:IN Minnesota, Disability:IN DC Metro, Disability:IN North Carolina, and Disability:IN Wisconsin, hosted a webinar on Tuesday, July 14^th on Accommodations in 2026: Celebrating the 36th Anniversary of the ADA.

The virtual discussion featured: Lisa Mathess, Principal Consultant, Job Accommodation Network (JAN); Kelley Frake, Program Coordinator for Technical Assistance and Employer Outreach, and Rob Gould, Director of Research and Principal Investigator, at the Great Lakes ADA Center. Disability:IN Chicagoland partners can view the recording and session recap by logging into the Partners Only Resources page. Email Laura Wilhelm - laura@disabilityinchicagoland.org - to receive login information.

Recap - Disability Pride: Stories of Personal & Professional
Identity Across the Insurance Industry

In honor of Disability Pride Month, Disability:IN Chicagoland hosted - Disability Pride: Stories of Personal & Professional Identity in the Insurance Industry on Wednesday, July 22^nd. The virtual discussion brought together four corporate leaders with disabilities from CNA, March McLennan Agency, Ryan Specialty and Willis Towers Watson for a conversation about disability identity, leadership, and their experiences in navigating the workplace.

More than 100 people participated in this powerful discussion. Disability:IN Chicagoland partners can view the recording and session recap by logging into the Partners Only Resources page.

Email Laura Wilhelm - laura@disabilityinchicagoland.org - to receive login information

Are You IN? 2026 Disability:IN Conference.

Recap: Disability:IN Global Conference & Expo

From Monday, July 27th to Thursday, July 30th, Disability:IN Chicagoland joined the Disability:IN Global Conference & Expo in Dallas, TX. More than 3,000 people participated in the conference including representatives from Chicagoland partners: AbbVie, Access Living, Advocate Health, Aetna CVS Health, CNA, Comcast, Deloitte, Grant Thornton, Guidewire Software, inQUEST Consulting, Northern Trust, Otis, Ryan Specialty, and UL Solutions.

The event included leaders from all over the world who came together to advance disability inclusion in the workplace and beyond. Highlights included our Chicagoland community dinner on Tuesday and conference sessions that shared information on hot topics like: AI, accessibility, mental health, self-identification, and neurodiversity.

We were energized by the learning, connection, and collective commitment to building workplaces and experiences where everyone can participate and thrive!

A Disability:IN step and repeat with Chciagoland partners Danata Andrews and Scott Hoesman from inQUEST Consulting standing next to Disability:IN Chicagoland Executive Director Laura Wilhelm, and Raphael Clegg-Vinell and Mark Daniels from Guidewire Software.

Interested In Partnership?

Disability:IN Chicagoland is a nonprofit business-to-business network supporting disability inclusion. Chicagoland corporate partners connect with resources, engage in monthly programs, and network to increase inclusion across their organizations.

Want to learn more? Contact Ann Kisting, Director of Partnerships, ann@disabilityinchicagoland.org.

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Upcoming Events:

Great Lakes ADA Center hosts Accessible Storytelling for Film and Video on August 20th at 1:00 Central. Register online here.

Disability:IN North Carolina hosts Mastering Recruitment Resiliency 2.0 on August 12th at 2:30 Central. Register online here.

Save the Date: Disability:IN Chicagoland hosts its Annual Meeting on Thursday, September 10th at 4:30 Central. Register coming soon.

Save the Date: Disability:IN Chicagoland hosts its annual, Disability Inclusion Opportunity Summit on October 22nd. Registration coming soon.

Disability:IN Chicagoland Partners

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Disability:IN Chicagoland | www.disabilityinchicagoland.org