Mission Heading link
The Career Opportunities and Leadership (CO-LEAD) initiative is a solution-oriented council consisting of members with disabilities and partners who are committed to addressing the employment gap experienced by people with disabilities living in Illinois.
Quote2 Heading link
Immigrants and refugees and asylum seekers, when they reach this country, they reach it and arrive with tremendous energy and a tremendous amount of talent and wisdom they infuse into this great country.
| Former DRS Director of Operations
Our Mission Heading link
The platform offered by the Career Opportunities and Leadership (CO-LEAD) Council, along with its partners, is dedicated to addressing the employment gap faced by people with disabilities who are from underrepresented minority backgrounds— including immigrants, refugees, and asylees.
Our Approach Heading link
The CO-LEAD Council is committed to addressing vocational development, employment, and career disparities and inequities among working-age people with disabilities. Through storytelling, resource sharing, and data driven visualizations, CO- LEAD plans to amplify the lived experiences of underrepresented voices in the context of disability employment.
Implementation Heading link
Act as consultants, advocates and partners to advance disabilitys employment with refugee, asylee, and immigrant communities.
Forge strategic partnerships with employers, service sectors, policy makers, and funders.
Initiate dialogue around inclusive disability agendas and policies across various workforce sectors.
Quote1 Heading link
This notion of being able to collect our stories, to collect our narratives, and share that with a larger audience and community is really at the heart of the work that we’re also doing. And this is sort of how we see maybe a way to effect change.
| CIRCA- Pintig