NSWC Philadelphia Division Hosts National Disability Employment Awareness Month Observance

NSWC Philadelphia Division Hosts National Disability Employment Awareness Month Observance

By Gary Ell

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD) hosted a National Disability Employment Awareness Month Observance featuring "Disarming Disability" podcast hosts Nicole Kelly Marti and Sarah Tuberty on Oct. 2, 2024.

Disability Employment Awareness Month dates back to 1945, when President Harry S. Truman approved a congressional resolution declaring the first week in October "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week". The word "physically" was removed in 1962 to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities.

Forty-five years later, in 1990, Congress came together to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which helps to ensure that the country's workforce is more productive, prosperous, and inclusive by banning disability discrimination. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the United States counts around 61 million adults with disabilities. That's one in four Americans.

"This year's Department of Labor's theme is Access to Good Jobs for all. The Nation needs a Navy to ensure the peace and prosperity of our country - and the Navy needs us to keep the systems that it relies on to do that mission, ready and reliable. I see no better definition," said NSWCPD Commanding Officer Capt. Joseph Darcy in his welcome address.

"It's a good job providing the Navy the tools that it needs to keep our Nation safe and prosperous. We are lucky to be part of that mission and we welcome all who would like to contribute to our success," he said.

When it comes to access, Darcy explained that there are small things that can be done together to ensure that anyone who wants to contribute can contribute.

"To accomplish our mission, we need the people of the United States. We need the skill, knowledge, and abilities of all who can be a part. Please help us to continue to break down those barriers, metaphorical and physical," the Captain said before introducing the guest speakers.

Marti proudly identifies as a person living with disability and spends much of her time advocating for it. She stepped into the role of public figure in 2013 when she won the title of Miss Iowa, making her one of very few to compete at Miss America with a physical disability.

Tuberty's experience of congenital upper limb difference combined with her educational training in occupational therapy made her a collaborative and interdisciplinary advocate for reducing the stigma on the disability community.

The mission of Marti and Tuberty's "Disarming Disability" podcast is to powerfully deconstruct disability through candid conversations with experts exploring topics relating to disability. The podcast educates, empowers, provides voice, and builds a more inclusive society.
Tuberty presented in-person while Marti joined virtually. They highlighted the definitions of what disability is, as well as outlined the disability history with an evolutionary timeline of the social and cultural barriers within this community.

"Not everyone is a fan of the word or identity of a disability," Marti noted.

That's how her story started out as well.

"I have grown to absolutely love what this identity is and what it stands for. It is because of the information that Sarah and I are sharing. Once I had access to what social structures were, and who my people were, it unfolded a space for me to step into and to be proud of that word disability and to move in that world in a completely different way," Marti said.

Tuberty said that her greatest hope is that people can find relatable content on the podcast, content which leads them to connect to cool tools, people, communities, ideas, and resources.

"My world bloomed when I found these resources and people. I want other people's worlds to bloom too," she explained.

During closing statements, NSWCPD's Deputy Director of Equal Opportunity (EEO), Robert Turner said, "The word 'disarming' is defined as 'removing hostility through charm.' So 'Disarming' is used in the title to remove the hard, negative, and oppressive stigma on disability through your charming, open, mindful conversations - to socially re-define what it truly means to be disabled and to have a disability."

"We just want to make the workplace accessible to everybody and bring out everyone's strengths to work together in an inclusive environment," Turner added, thanking all for attending the event.

NSWCPD employs approximately 2,800 civilian engineers, scientists, technicians, and support personnel. The NSWCPD team does the research and development, test and evaluation, acquisition support, and in-service and logistics engineering for the non-nuclear machinery, ship machinery systems, and related equipment and material for Navy surface ships and submarines. NSWCPD is also the lead organization providing cybersecurity for all ship systems.