In 1992, the United Nations declared December 3 the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPWD), a day dedicated to appreciation, celebration, and advancement of the more than 1 billion people around the world living with disabilities. National Industries for the Blind (NIB) is proud to support IDPWD and to work with institutions spanning a multitude of sectors to improve employment and economic opportunity for people who are blind. We recognize that raising awareness of Americans with disabilities is a first step to building an inclusive and accessible future.
The IDPWD isn’t just about celebrating all that people with disabilities have accomplished, it is also about society coming together to address the marginalization of people with disabilities and working to address the gaps that still remain. IDPWD looks to a brighter future, where people with disabilities are treated as full and equal members of society in every country around the world and businesses, organizations, and individuals work to level the playing field for their peers with disabilities by providing accommodations that empower them to reach their full potential.
At NIB, we are intimately familiar with the challenges people who are blind face in entering and advancing in the workforce. We offer job training, professional development programs, certifications, and more to people who are blind, doing our part to ensure they are prepared to compete in the modern workforce. From basics such as business concepts, writing and communications, and web-based research, to comprehensive programs that prepare people who are blind for managerial and leadership positions, our offerings open up a world of opportunities.
NIB is dedicated to empowering people who are blind to play a vibrant role in their communities. Since 1938, people who blind working in NIB associated nonprofit agencies have answered our nation’s call to service in times of adversity, from World War II to the current coronavirus pandemic. Designated as part of our country’s essential critical infrastructure, they are working long hours through the pandemic to provide personal protective equipment, cleaning and sanitizing products, and other critical supplies to support health care personnel on the frontlines and keep their communities safe.
As individuals, each of us has the responsibility and power to affect change in our communities and workplaces, to improve our colleagues’ understanding of the barriers people with disabilities face, and to empower people with disabilities to participate more fully in society. To learn more about IDPWD, visit idpwd.org.