Risk Free Assessment
What do a 4 AM road trip, a few close calls in D.C. traffic, and a three-hour conversation about life have to do with disability employment?
More than you might think! This National Disability Employment Awareness Month, join Mike and Logan on their journey to the M-Enabling Summit, where new connections, innovative technology, and a shared purpose reinforced one important truth: accessibility is our work, but people are our purpose.
A 4 AM Start and a Bigger Purpose
Sometimes the most meaningful moments happen between the meetings.
Our journey to the 2026 M-Enabling Summit began at 4 AM, fueled by gas station coffee, a beautiful sunrise, and a few entertaining moments navigating D.C. traffic. Special thanks to Logan for getting us there and back in one piece, despite a few close calls!
But we weren’t just heading to another conference. We were traveling with a purpose: to connect with organizations that share our commitment to creating meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
And with October marking National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), the timing couldn’t have been better.
Celebrating Talent, Removing Barriers
Every October, NDEAM recognizes the skills, contributions, and potential of people with disabilities in the workforce.
The observance began in 1945 as a week dedicated to workers with physical disabilities and expanded into a month-long recognition in 1988. Today, it celebrates people with all types of disabilities, including those that aren’t immediately apparent.
Too often, talented people with disabilities encounter barriers before they ever have the chance to demonstrate their abilities. An inaccessible job application, a rigid interview process, or assumptions about someone’s capabilities can stand between a qualified candidate and a meaningful career.
Inclusive hiring isn’t about lowering expectations. It’s about removing unnecessary barriers so talent can shine.
At Ablr, that’s central to our mission. Through Ablr Works, we help people with disabilities develop career skills while building relationships with employers who recognize their value.
Where Innovation Meets Opportunity
Organized by G3ict, the M-Enabling Summit brings together accessibility leaders, technology innovators, and disability advocates to explore how inclusive technology can create lasting change.
This year’s theme, Accessibility at the Core of Digital Transformation, aligned closely with our work.
We connected with inspiring organizations like Glidance, whose AI-powered mobility technology is advancing independence for people who are blind or have low vision.
We also had promising conversations with AT&T and Verizon about potential collaborations supporting workforce development and employment pathways, along with valuable connections at Meta and McGraw Hill.
These conversations weren’t just about exchanging business cards. They were about building partnerships that could help connect talented people with meaningful careers.
Our goal isn’t simply to prepare people with disabilities for employment. It’s to connect their skills and talents with employers who recognize their value and are willing to create opportunities.
The Best Conversation Happened on the Way Home
After a busy conference, you might expect the drive home to be quiet.
It wasn’t.
Logan and I spent nearly three hours talking about life, family, faith, personal growth, and purpose. No business agenda. Just two people sharing experiences and perspectives.
And honestly, it was one of my favorite moments of the entire trip.
Watching our Ablr team flourish within this incredible community was rewarding. But getting to know our teammates beyond their professional roles, understanding their journeys and what motivates them, is one of the greatest gifts of leadership.
Those conversations remind me that behind every initiative, partnership, and program are people with their own stories, talents, and aspirations.
Turning Awareness Into Action
National Disability Employment Awareness Month is more than a celebration. It’s an invitation for employers to challenge assumptions, rethink hiring practices, and recognize the talent they may be overlooking.
We left M-Enabling with new friendships, promising connections, and renewed motivation to continue creating pathways to employment.
The real measure of success will be how we turn those connections into opportunities.
Because at the end of the day, it’s not just about the technology, the conference, or even the work itself.
Accessibility is our work. People are our purpose.