On July 24th, 2021, the founders of L&V Enterprise Resources Inc, sat down for a conversation with Gabe Cazares; the director of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities for the City of Houston on their Saturday morning radio show, “The Love & Victory Show with Val”, to discuss the employment gap in the disability community. According to Gabe, “The unemployment rate for people with disabilities hovers at around 72 percent nationwide”. Gabe Stated, “Part of the problem is because of the stigma associated with disability. People assume that people with disabilities are automatically more burdensome, that they’re going to require more work, that they can’t be good employees, that they can’t be productive.

”However, this manner of thinking is not only negatively affecting disabled people looking for work, its negatively affecting our society at large. Society is constantly pushing towards inclusion and diversity in the workplace, but statistically speaking, this movement does not seem to include those with disabilities. Despite the regular availability of assistive technology and programs that incentivize employers to hire people with disabilities, for which there are resources in the article from last month’s newsletter, the biggest obstacle to overcome in the fight for equality in the workforce is our own misunderstandings and prejudices. “We can legislate nondiscrimination. We can legislate equal access. What we cannot
legislate is changing hearts and minds.” said Gabe. The only way we can properly move forward in bridging the gap is through community involvement and education on the difficulties faced by people with disabilities looking for a job. L&V Enterprise Resources Inc. was founded upon the belief that to make a change in society, it takes everyone’s involvement. The resources for helping people in need are already available and ready to be used, but if people are not aware of how to access them, they are no good to anyone. This is where L&V steps in to help bridge the gap between the resources and those who they benefit most. By going to our website, you can learn more about the types of benefits L&V can connect you with and the services we can provide. Visit lverinc.com to learn about how we can help, and how you can do your part in raising the unemployment rate in the disability community and as a result, our country as well.