Atlanta, GA – On October 7, 2020, the Georgia Diversity Council hosted their virtual disABILITY Summit – Aiming for Equity: Accessible Inclusion for All. This event established the inaugural recognition of disABILITY Leadership and Ally Awards. Daniel Crimmins, PhD, was presented with the Leadership Award during the conference for his many years of work and service with the disability community.
Dr. Crimmins is the Director of the Center for Leadership in Disability (CLD) within the School of Public Health at Georgia State University (GSU). The Leadership Award is given to individuals from both corporate America and the community at-large in recognition of their efforts to promote inclusiveness within the workplace.
Dr. Crimmins noted that he sees himself “as a member of several communities”. Within GSU, he feels the CLD “embraces the role of reminding everyone that disability is a natural part of the human experience, which does not diminish the right to full citizenship”. In the larger state of Georgia, he with his colleagues “strive to provide access to the effective services, supports, and strategies to enhance the quality of life for individuals and their families”. Expanding again, in cooperation with national partners, he has had the opportunity to “frame an agenda for equity, diversity, and inclusion of people with disabilities from all backgrounds in our network of more than 100 university-based disability programs across the country”.
The Summit offered participants the opportunity to learn and share diversity and inclusion best-practices with organizational leaders from a range of businesses and industries. The Georgia Diversity Council is committed to enhancing the appreciation of diversity and inclusion in workplaces, where people are valued for their uniqueness and are confident that their contributions matter.
The other disABILITY Leadership awardees were Denise Brown, Equity Administrator in the Office of Diversity & Inclusion at MARTA; and Audra Jenkins, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Randstad North America. The disABILITY Ally award, which recognizes a company that exemplifies disability advocacy efforts in the community and strives to promote inclusiveness within the workplace, went to Randstad North America.
Established at GSU in 2008, Dr. Crimmins has built the CLD into a national model of excellence in service, research, and leadership. The Center is part of the University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) network, as well as home of the highly-esteemed Georgia Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (GaLEND) program. CLD’s mission is to translate research into sustainable community practices that contribute to independent, self-determined, inclusive, and productive lives for people with disabilities and their families.