October: A Month of Awareness, Resilience, and Possibility
October has always been special to me. It’s the month I became a mom and later a Mimi, a role that fills my heart more than I can describe. October also carries additional meaning. It is a month filled with awareness campaigns that speak directly to my journey as a service-disabled veteran, a professional, and most importantly, a person striving to make a positive impact despite challenges.
I live with sensory issues tied to post-traumatic stress, fibromyalgia, and legal blindness in my left eye. These aren’t just diagnoses, they are part of my lived reality. Yet I’ve learned that our challenges don’t have to define our future. My first grandson, who is on the autism spectrum, teaches me that every day. His spirit, his brilliance, and his unique perspective remind me that ability is always greater than limitation when we create environments that allow people to thrive.
That is why October feels like a gift. It’s the month we recognize:
- Learning Disabilities Awareness Month
- National Learning and Development Month
- Positive Attitude Month
- Sensory Awareness Month
- Blindness Awareness Month
- National Work and Family Month
Each of these themes connects deeply to the mission of The ASCEND Collective® and the values we bring into our work every single day.
Learning Disabilities Awareness and National Learning and Development Month
Too often, people with learning disabilities are underestimated. Their skills and potential are overshadowed by what others perceive as “limitations.” At The ASCEND Collective, we advocate for a skills-first approach that ensures no talent goes unseen. We believe in removing barriers so that every individual, regardless of how they learn or process information, can find a pathway to meaningful work.
National Learning and Development Month reminds us that growth never stops. Veterans, military spouses, people with disabilities, and founders from underrepresented communities all need opportunities to expand their skills, learn new tools, and keep pace with evolving industries. Through our training, partnerships, and employer education, we create pathways that focus on ability, adaptability, and lifelong learning.
Positive Attitude Month
Maintaining positivity isn’t about ignoring hardship, it’s about choosing hope. As someone who navigates daily pain and sensory challenges, I know it’s not always easy. But attitude shapes possibility. At The ASCEND Collective, we see this truth every day in the candidates and founders we serve. They show us resilience, grit, and optimism in the face of systemic barriers. Our role is to match that positivity with opportunity, so their light can shine in workplaces and communities.
Sensory Awareness and Blindness Awareness Month
These awareness months strike particularly close to home for me. Living with sensory sensitivities and partial blindness has changed how I experience the world. It has also fueled my determination to build a more inclusive future.
Accessibility isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s a must-have. Employers who design workplaces with sensory needs and visual impairments in mind are not just accommodating—they’re unlocking talent that is creative, capable, and incredibly loyal. Our advocacy helps businesses understand that inclusion isn’t charity, it’s smart, sustainable strategy.
National Work and Family Month
Balancing work and family is something every household understands, but for veterans, spouses, and caregivers, it can be especially complex. Military life often means constant change, relocations, and deployments. Transitioning to civilian careers doesn’t erase those challenges—it just reshapes them.
That’s why The ASCEND Collective emphasizes whole-person support. Career pathways aren’t just about paychecks—they’re about stability for families, confidence for children watching their parents succeed, and ripple effects that strengthen entire communities. When we help one candidate secure meaningful work, the benefits extend far beyond that individual.
The ASCEND Collective: Our Work in Action
Over the past three years, The ASCEND Collective has served more than 12,000 candidates and partnered with 200+ businesses. These numbers matter because they represent real people—veterans finding careers that match their skills, spouses discovering flexible opportunities that honor both work and family, founders turning expertise into enterprises, and underestimated talent proving that potential knows no boundaries.
As we celebrate these milestones, we also recommit to the work ahead. October’s awareness themes remind us that the challenges are real—but so are the solutions. A skills-first approach changes everything. It levels the playing field. It gives dignity to the job seeker, confidence to the employer, and hope to the family.
Closing Reflection
For me, October is a month of reflection and gratitude. It’s about acknowledging the struggles that shape us and celebrating the possibilities that push us forward. Whether it’s navigating a learning disability, living with sensory differences, balancing work and family, or simply choosing to maintain a positive outlook when life gets heavy—these experiences connect us.
At The ASCEND Collective, we don’t just see those experiences. We honor them. And we transform them into pathways that allow people to ASCEND beyond barriers and into futures filled with purpose.
Here’s to October: a month of awareness, resilience, and endless possibility.
Join Us in Building What’s Next
As we celebrate three years of impact at The ASCEND Collective, we’re reminded that milestones are only stepping stones to bigger possibilities. Our work so far proves what’s possible when we lead with a skills-first approach—but the need is still great, and the work is far from finished.
Looking ahead, we’re preparing for our 2026 podcast, a platform to amplify the voices of small business founders who are reshaping industries and communities. We’re actively seeking sponsors and partners who want to invest in these stories of resilience, innovation, and impact.
We’re also proud to champion initiatives like the Northern Compass Academy, where the next generation is learning to lead with purpose. Supporting this work means fueling opportunities that ripple out across families, communities, and future industries.
💡 Here’s how you can help right now:
- Become a podcast sponsor and spotlight your support of small business founders.
- Invest in the Northern Compass Academy to empower tomorrow’s leaders.
- Share our mission with your network so more veterans, spouses, and underestimated talent can find their pathways to success.
Together, we can ensure the next three years create even greater impact—and that no skill, no voice, and no potential goes unseen.
✨ Together We ASCEND.
Watch Now!
Introducing Founders ASCEND — because visionaries deserve support, not just survival.
Founders ASCEND is a bold new initiative from The ASCEND Collective, created to champion, support, and elevate entrepreneurs—helping Founders succeed and thrive with tools, mentors, networking and more!
Whether you’re launching a tech startup, building a business from your trade, or turning lived experience into innovation, founders need more than funding—they need a foundation. 🔹Coaching and readiness
🔹 Access to resources, mentors, and networks
🔹 Blogs and events
🔹 Visibility, advocacy, and inclusive opportunities
At Founders ASCEND, we meet entrepreneurs where they are and walk with them as they grow. Because when founders thrive, so do families, communities, and the future of work.
If you’re a founder—or if you believe in the power of entrepreneurship to change lives—join us.
This isn’t just a program.
It’s a movement to support those who will build and lead our future.
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
Every October, the United States observes National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), a time to celebrate the contributions of workers with disabilities and promote inclusive hiring practices. NDEAM serves as a powerful reminder that disability is not a limitation of talent or ambition, but rather an aspect of human diversity that enriches the workforce.
While progress has been made in increasing job opportunities for individuals with disabilities, challenges remain. In 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 22.7 percent of people with disabilities were employed, compared to 65.8 percent of people without disabilities. The unemployment rate for individuals with disabilities was 7.5 percent, nearly double the rate for their non-disabled peers. Additionally, more than 30 percent of employed people with disabilities work part-time, often because of barriers to full-time employment.
Despite these gaps, labor market trends since the COVID-19 pandemic have shown encouraging improvements. Remote work opportunities, assistive technology, and heightened employer awareness have all contributed to increased participation. These shifts point to a clear reality: when workplaces embrace inclusivity, everyone benefits.
Organizations that prioritize disability inclusion tap into an underutilized pool of talent. Beyond fulfilling a moral or compliance-driven responsibility, there are concrete, measurable benefits to bringing individuals with disabilities into the workforce.
· With nearly one in four U.S. adults living with a disability, employers who overlook this population are missing out on a substantial group of skilled and motivated individuals. Recruiting from this talent pool helps businesses address labor shortages, especially in industries struggling to fill key roles.
· People with disabilities often bring unique perspectives shaped by navigating barriers and developing creative approaches to everyday challenges. This problem-solving mindset translates into the workplace, where innovation is increasingly critical for growth.
· Studies have found that employees with disabilities tend to have higher retention rates compared to their peers. Lower turnover saves employers significant costs in recruiting and training new staff. In addition, inclusive workplaces foster a culture of belonging, which improves morale, loyalty, and overall engagement across the entire workforce.
· According to a report by Accenture, companies that actively employ people with disabilities achieved 28 percent higher revenue and two times higher net income on average compared to those that did not. Disability inclusion is not just the right thing to do—it’s a smart business strategy.
· Today’s consumers and employees increasingly expect companies to demonstrate social responsibility. By building inclusive workplaces, organizations enhance their brand image and appeal to socially conscious customers.
A case in point is my son, Noah. He’s on the autism spectrum and has always loved interacting with adults. At 16, we agreed that he should seek employment and thought carefully about the right fit for his skills and interests. For parents and caregivers, this is critical. Understanding how your loved one relates to the world should be the driver in helping him or her find the right job.
After interviewing, Noah went to work for Publix Super Markets as a front-end clerk. Nearly nine years later, he’s still there because the job enriches him. He’s learned valuable skills and proven himself to be a dependable teammate. Ask his supervisors and they’ll tell you that he enriches the job as well. He’s eager to add value, and he gets the training and support he needs from his managers to build the skills that enable him to do so.
National Disability Employment Awareness Month is more than a recognition—it’s a call to action. By hiring and supporting individuals with disabilities, employers not only uphold principles of fairness and inclusion but also gain access to valuable skills, perspectives, and loyalty that strengthen organizations.
