Disability Impact

February 2026

News and Events for Disability Inclusion Leaders in the National Capital Region and Beyond!

Disability IN 2026 Global Conference Registration Now Open

Conference Registration

Events in the February Newsletter

• IAAP Webinar: Beyond Accommodation: Embedding Accessibility into the Employee Experience February 17
• Washington Metro Industry Liaison Group (WMILG) Navigating Compliance in 2026 February 19
• Arts Resource Fair and Omnium Circus Events for the Disability Community February 27
• Omnium Circus March 1
• Disability:IN MN “Unhide and Thrive: Inclusion and Belonging in the Workplace” March 19
• Virginia Ability Forum Richmond, VA March 19
• Ability.Jobs Career Fair Dates: 3/19, 5/7, 6/25, 8/20, 10/22, 12/10
• Celebrating Our 20th Anniversary May 5
• Disability:IN Global Conference July 27-30

NEWS

The G20 2026 will be held in USA.

Learn about the Disability 20 (D20) in this newsletter.

Subject Matter Expert Webinar: 

Beyond Accommodation:

Embedding Accessibility into the Employee Experience

February 17

11:00 am ET

Registration

Speakers: Catherine Sherry, Onward Accessibility

While digital accessibility often takes center stage, the journey toward true inclusion doesn’t end at the product interface - it extends into the workplace itself. From recruitment to retention, employees with disabilities continue to face systemic barriers that technology alone cannot solve. This session will explore how organizations can move beyond individual accommodations to create holistic, accessibility-informed employee experiences. Drawing on practical strategies and real-world insights, participants will learn how to build inclusive hiring pipelines, design accessible work environments, and sustain cultures where employees with disabilities can thrive. The presentation will bridge the gap between accessibility and organizational development, helping HR leaders, accessibility professionals, and DEI practitioners work together to embed accessibility into every stage of the employment lifecycle.

Speaker Bio

Catherine Sherry is an accessibility and inclusion strategist with deep expertise in advancing employment inclusion for people with disabilities. She partners with organizations to embed accessibility across the entire employee experience—from recruitment to leadership development—helping them move beyond compliance toward cultures of belonging. Catherine’s work bridges the disciplines of accessibility, human resources, and organizational strategy, empowering leaders to build workplaces where everyone can contribute fully and thrive.

Objectives

• Define "employment inclusion" within the broader accessibility landscape
• Identify systemic and structural barriers that persist across the employee experience
• Gain actionable steps to make early employment experiences accessible and equitable
• Explore how accessibility becomes part of organizational DNA

Target Audience: Accessibility professionals, HR leaders, talent acquisition specialists, DEI officers, and organizational development professionals seeking to integrate accessibility principles into workforce strategy

Skill Level :Beginner and Intermediate

Washington Metro Industry Liaison Group

Webinar

Navigating Compliance in 2026

February 19

Noon - 2:00pm ET

Registration is free and is now open:

Our agenda features an expert panel discussion on the evolving compliance landscape and what federal contractors should expect in the year ahead. The panel will include Lauren Hicks (Ogletree Deakins), Katie Mantoan (Orrick), Brian Marentette (Berkshire), and Murray Simpson (DCI Consulting). Panelists will share practical insights into the most significant regulatory developments impacting federal contractors in the coming year, including:

• Pay transparency trends, including significant developments in California
• The status of the OFCCP, budget implications, and enforcement expectations
• Practical insights into implementing the EU Pay Transparency Directive
• A recap of EEOC activity since regaining quorum and what to expect next

 We are also pleased to share that EEOC representatives will be in attendance, offering valuable perspective informed by recent agency activity.

We hope you will join us for this timely and informative virtual meeting!

The Omnium Circus

The Warner Theatre Washington, DC

1299 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004

Sunday, March 1, 2026

3:00 pm

Buy Tickets Now

Can't Attend?

Buy $120 Sponsor Tickets to be donated to BroadFutures Interns!

Contact Katherine McCary for details

When purchasing your tickets, please use the code "DC Metro" to trigger a 10% donation to DC Metro.

Join Us for an Afternoon of Unity

Let's all come together on March 1 as a community of advocates and allies. This event is an opportunity for everyone to gather, enjoy an afternoon in each other's company, and witness the transformative power of inclusion. The experience promises to be awe-inspiring, fostering a sense of belonging and support for all participants.

The Incredible Lineup for This Year’s Circus

We are thrilled to announce an amazing company for this year's Circus, featuring a diverse group of talented performers who are sure to bring excitement and inspiration to the show.

Ringmasters

• The First Ever Deaf Ringmaster – Making history, this groundbreaking performer will lead the circus, accompanied by his voice over companion.
• Special Guest Ringmaster: WAWA Snipe – WAWA Snipe will join as a special guest ringmaster, adding his unique flair and energy to the event.

Featured Performers

• Mandy Harvey – Singer-songwriter and “America’s Got Talent” Golden Buzzer recipient, bringing her inspiring story and beautiful music to the stage.
• Melissa Ruiz – Paralympic gold medalist turned circus performer, showcasing extraordinary athleticism and artistry.
• Danny the Acrobat – Special Olympics medalist, performing jaw-dropping acrobatic feats.

Record Holders

• Fastest Female Juggler – Guinness World Record holder, demonstrating unmatched juggling speed and precision.
• Hair Hang Artist – Guinness World Record for most weight carried by hair, presenting a stunning and unique act.

Legacy Artists and Classic Circus Fun

• Legacy artists
• Clowns

Tons of fun for all ages!

Zero Project Awardee!

Start your Circus Weekend by joining all of us at the

Friday evening Art Resource Fair !!

Arts Resource Fair and Omnium Circus Events for the Disability Community

Friday, Feb 27 6-8pm

The Jim and Carol Trawick Imagination Stage

4908 Auburn Avenue

Bethesda, MD 20814

Free for Omnium Circus Ticket Holders

RSVP to Lisa Lewis CEO

The Omnium Circus is thrilled to announce a very special free addition to your ticketed experience with Omnium Circus on March 1. In collaboration with Imagination Stage, we are expanding our Annual Circus Weekend with interactive activities for all. The Omnium Circus will host an Arts Resource Fair designed for all individuals with disabilities to explore the wide range of opportunities available to them in the Arts throughout the DC area.

How to Attend

To participate in the fair, please RSVP to Lisa Lewis.

To sponsor a Table, contact Shanna Sorrels at Imagination Stage.

Event Highlights

• Circus Skills Workshops: Join interactive workshops led by Omnium Circus, where you can learn and experience a variety of circus skills.
• Parkour Gym Experience: Enjoy a dynamic, hands-on parkour gym session provided by Mind Shift Gym, offering a unique and accessible fitness experience.
• Food Vendors: Savor delicious offerings from food vendors who are either disability-owned or employ individuals with disabilities.
• And Much More: Discover additional activities and resources available to support and engage the disability community in the arts.

If you use DC Metro code for tickets, that also works for this event, proof of purchase of your ticket is required for admission, and you do need to RSVP.

Contact Lisa Lewis, CEO, Omnium Circus, for questions and more event information

“Unhide and Thrive: Inclusion and Belonging in the Workplace”

 Thursday, March 19, 2026

1:00 PM ET

Register

Choose Disability:IN Affiliate Member/Partner  for discounted registration



Guest speaker Ruth Rathblott reveals how authenticity boosts performance and why unhiding your true self leads to success.

Ruth Rathblott is a disability diversity expert, bestselling author, and former CEO who spent twenty-five years hiding her disability before transforming her experience into a global movement for authentic inclusion. By sharing her personal journey from concealment to empowerment, she provides a practical roadmap to build psychologically safe environments where everyone can bring their full selves to work. This talk is a call to action for organizations to move beyond surface-level diversity and embrace a culture of belonging where transparency becomes the ultimate catalyst for peak performance and innovation.

In this powerful session, Unhide and Thrive, Ruth explores the high cost of "covering" in the workplace—the exhausting act of concealing one's true self to fit in—and demonstrates how hiding unique differences drains productivity and stifles connection.

Virginia Ability Forum

Access Granted - Unlocking Opportunities Together 

March 19

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon

(Registration & breakfast begin at 8:30 a.m.)

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden | Richmond, VA

Register for the VA Ability Forum

This free forum is especially valuable for:

• Employers and business leaders
• HR, DEI, and talent professionals
• Legal, compliance, and risk management teams
• Community partners, educators, and workforce professionals

Attendees can expect practical takeaways they can apply immediately, including insights on inclusive hiring and retention, legal and compliance considerations, reasonable accommodations, and strategies for fostering workplace cultures where people with disabilities can thrive.

Through expert keynotes, a legal update, and a panel discussion featuring leaders from across business and the community, the forum is designed to move beyond conversation and support real-world action.

We invite you to join us for this meaningful exchange as we work together to unlock opportunity and strengthen workplaces across Virginia. Limited spots remain.

Career Fair

Connecting Talent with Disabilities and Employers

Unlock the Power of disABILITY Talent

Job Fair Dates: 3/19, 5/7, 6/25, 8/20, 10/22, 12/10



Contact Lori Daly for more information on the Job Fairs

Since 1995, abilityJOBS.com has been the leading resource for employers seeking to hire skilled professionals with disabilities.

abilityJOBS.com has an easy-to-use job board with AI-enhanced job postings and an extensive resume bank, providing year-round career listings and ads, as well as access to a nationwide pool of professionals across all industries.

It is an accessible online job fair, bringing recruiters and job seekers with disABILITIES together in human centered experience. AJF uses face-to-face video, text chat, real-time captions and American Sign Language interpreters to allow for the most human in-person experience possible without the need to travel.

Disability:IN DC Metro

20th Anniversary Celebration

JOIN US!!!

May 5, 2026

Evening In Person

5:30-8:00 PM

K&L Gates 1601 K St. NW

Washington, DC

Honoring Accessibility Leaders

and

15th Annual Global Accessibility Awareness Day (May 21, 2026)

Buy Tickets to the Anniversary Celebration

Contact Katherine McCary about becoming a Sponsor

Where Strategy, Innovation and Market Impact Connect

July 27-30

Dallas TX

The Disability:IN Global Conference convenes business leaders, across product, technology, strategy, marketing, investment and operations who are focused on one thing: building solutions that work better for more people.

Conference Information

DISABILITY 20 (D20)

The 2026 G20 Leaders'Summit will be hosted by the UnIted States

December 14-15, 2026

For more information or to get involved contact

Marcie Roth World Institute on Disability

As the United States prepares to host the G20 in 2026, this is a rare, one-year opportunity for the U.S. disability community to lead a very important global initiative.

D20 is an advocacy initiative focused on ensuring that matters affecting persons with disabilities are part of the discussions and decisions made by the G20. Engages within G20 structures and processes by submitting recommendations, awareness-raising, and monitoring commitments to disability inclusion.

Why the D20 Matters Now

The D20 was launched in Brazil during the 2024 G20 and advanced in South Africa during the 2025 G20 as a disability-led initiative to ensure that people with disabilities are not only included in global economic and development discussions but are shaping them. In 2026, our goal is to move the D20 toward formal recognition within the G20 architecture.

Here are some links of interest from the 2025 Host Country, South Africa: 

D-20 OFFICIAL CONFERENCE CALL TO ACTION DOCUMENT

https://disability20.org.za/

D20 FAQ 

https://ncpd.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/D20-Frequently-Asked-Questions-FAQs.pdf

Disability:IN DC Metro



Promoting Inclusion

Expanding Disability Education and Awareness

Our focus is on Culture Change!

Learn More about DisabilityIN DC Metro

Twice honored as Disability:IN Affiliate of the Year

 Led by The Hon. Katherine McCary

Founding Chair of Disability:IN National and

CEO, Executive Director of Disability:IN DC Metro

The Voice of the Disability Community

• Join our First Annual Disability Inclusion Roundtable .
• Quarterly Member Meetings with Guest Speakers

Accessibility

Digital and AI implications for our community.

• Seminar Presentation by Chief Accessibility Officer Eduardo Meza Etienne, with featured subject matter expert speakers.
• Meet with us at the 2026 M-Enabling Summit

Physical Access for employees, visitors and customers.

• Featuring C5 Consulting, LLC and United Spinal Association Accessibility Services work with DC Metro

Disability Owned Businesses

• D2D Quarterly Informal Virtual Networking Event
• Partnering with OurAbility making connections for business outcomes

Expanding our Disability Organization Relationships

• BroadFutures, Melwood, NOD, AAPD, Disability Belongs

Disability:IN DC Metro (DC Metro) is an employer-led membership-based business association that creates business to business connections, dialogue, and learning within our geographic region of Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland, an area known as the National Capital Region. Our offerings, however, are not limited to geographic location.

Our Vision

“Cultivate workforces and workplaces where talent with disabilities are recruited, included, promoted, retained and valued as both internal talent and innovative vendors.”

Follow Us on LinkedIN and YouTube