💡️ Practical Strategies for Workplace Inclusion and Leadership
The Innovative Impact Newsletter By Dr. Kirk Adams. The world’s leading business strategy and workplace inclusion newsletter.
A Dr. Kirk Adams Publication.
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Section Jumper: Access Awareness | Featured Advertisement | News | Featured Events | News Team | Subscription Information
Access Awareness: Updates That Matter ♿️
Designing For All: BBC StoryWorks Film Shows How P&G’s Sam Latif Makes Everyday Products Easier To Identify By Touch
Here, Dr. Kirk Adams brings word of The Difference Is In The Details, a 3½-minute film in which Sumaira “Sam” Latif, P&G’s Company Accessibility Leader, shows how tactile markings on P&G packaging help blind and low-vision people tell products apart in the store and at home. Sam began losing her sight at age 3 or 4 and is now 97% blind. When her kitchen cupboard grew confusing and her cleaning products became hard to tell apart, she asked what a little symbol on a package could tell someone like her, and took the idea to her colleagues at P&G. The film was produced for P&G by BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions as part of All In, a 10-film series presented by The Valuable 500 on disability inclusion and accessible innovation.
P&G worked with more than 50 blind and deafblind people to test whether the symbols were intuitive and tactile enough, because, as Sam explains, very few blind people read braille, while a tactile symbol is easy for anyone to remember. Stripes mean cleaning and circles mean conditioning: one stripe on body wash, lots of stripes on shampoo, lots of circles on conditioner and one circle on face moisturizer. OLAY Regenerist Face Moisturizer, the first facial moisturizer with a tactile symbol on its cap, earned Best in Class for Universal Design at the 76th annual PAC Global Awards, and Sam hopes the symbols spread until every package in every store can be understood by touch. The film includes audio description: in the YouTube player, choose Settings (the gear icon), then Audio track, then English Descriptive.
This Month’s Featured Advertisement 🎯️
Help Shape the Future of Healthcare: Join Rare Patient Voice Through Dr. Kirk Adams
If you’re a patient or caregiver who wants to make a difference, I invite you to join Rare Patient Voice through my personal referral link: https://rarepatientvoice.com/rp/DrKirk.
Rare Patient Voice connects individuals living with rare and non-rare conditions to paid research opportunities where your voice directly shapes new treatments, products, and policies. Participants are typically compensated $120 per hour for surveys, interviews, and focus groups. It’s a powerful way to ensure your lived experience helps improve care for others, and you’ll be compensated for your time.
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Dr. Kirk Adams, Ph.D.
Advocate, Leader and Keynote Speaker on Disability Inclusion & Leadership
Leading the Way to Accessible Innovation
Institute for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion (ISDI)
Executive Director
Strengthening individual and organizational capability for creating diverse, inclusive and equitable workplaces.
Innovative Impact, LLC Consulting
Managing Director
Impactful Workforce Inclusion Starts Here
American Foundation for the Blind
Immediate Past President & CEO
To create a world of no limits for people who are blind or visually impaired.
News 📰️
1.) Podcasts by Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview With Mary Williams, Founder, and Sian Welch, Chief Executive Officer/Administrator, New Start Health Enterprises | DrKirkAdams.com | October 28, 2026
New Start Health Enterprises operates three six-bed California homes for 18 people with catastrophic disabilities, pairing round-the-clock nursing with rehabilitation and independence training. Founder Mary Williams says the model grew from her 1982 effort to keep a 27-year-old quadriplegic out of a nursing home; CEO Sian Welch cites Medi-Cal approvals and managed-care contracting as barriers to expansion.
2.) Podcasts by Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview With Victoria Hillard, Founder & Executive Director, Blind Professionals Network | DrKirkAdams.com | October 27, 2026
Victoria Hillard recounts going totally blind at 30 from neuromyelitis optica and building Blind Professionals Network from a 40-member Zoom group in 2019 to nearly 1,000 members. BPN provides free assistive-technology training, employment support and workshops, while its Workplace Solutions unit hires blind professionals for accessibility testing and custom JAWS training.
3.) Who Gets to Name the World? | DrKirkAdams.com | October 26, 2026
Dr. Kirk Adams connects naming to institutional power, from the 1998 Akayesu ruling on sexual violence as genocide to Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Canada’s Orange Shirt Day. He contrasts the National Library Service’s 2019 shift from “handicapped” to “print disabled” with corporate DEI renaming, urging scrutiny of whether resources, access, and accountability remain.
4.) Vision Monologues Tour Atlanta | Eventbrite.com | October 25, 2026
Blind Girl Magic LLC will bring its Vision Monologues Tour to South Fulton, Georgia, on December 5, 2026. The black-tie production features blind and low-vision storytellers sharing lived experiences spanning accessibility, employment, family, mental health, faith, advocacy, grief, and resilience.
5.) Disability Lived Experience Through The Lens Of Relational-Cultural Theory With Dr. Kirk Adams At The International Center For Growth In Connection | GrowthInConnection.org | October 22, 2026
Dr. Kirk Adams leads the International Center for Growth in Connection’s RCT-Informed Leadership and Change Affinity Group on Friday, November 13, from 2:00 to 3:30 PM Eastern on Zoom. Drawing on his life as a blind leader and his doctoral research on blind adults employed in corporate America, he will explore how relationships, organizational cultures and power shape belonging, and what Relational-Cultural Theory asks of leaders.
6.) Disability Employment Month Should Change What Employers Measure, Says Dr. Kirk Adams | EINPresswire.com | October 19, 2026
Dr. Kirk Adams, former CEO of the American Foundation for the Blind, says employers should track disability inclusion quarterly, including hiring, advancement, accommodation timelines and accessibility of essential digital tools. He cites 2025 BLS data showing 38.1% employment among disabled people ages 16 to 64.
7.) A Podcast Interview with Dr. Kirk Adams on The Intersection | Intersectional.group | October 15, 2026
Dr. Kirk Adams, managing director of Innovative Impact and executive director of the Institute for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion, says accessibility and inclusion are strategic advantages as well as ethical imperatives. Drawing on his upbringing as a blind child, Adams connects lived experience to disability advocacy and employment.
8.) Podcasts by Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview With Anthony Corona, Host and Executive Producer, Sunday Edition With Anthony Corona | DrKirkAdams.com | October 14, 2026
Anthony Corona, founder of Anthony Corona Media and Sunday Edition, recounts losing his sight at 40 after shingles affected his brain, eyes and ears, then rebuilding his career through VoiceOver, mobility training and guide-dog school. He says Sunday Edition has grown from an ACB news show into eight podcasts, with 10 expected by year-end, plus the Corona FM streaming channel.
9.) Get Paid To Share Your Lived Experience: Stargardt Disease Research With Rare Patient Voice | RarePatientVoice.com | October 10, 2026
Rare Patient Voice is recruiting people in the United States who live with Stargardt disease, a rare genetic eye disease that affects central vision, for Study 14038, a paid 60-minute web-assisted telephone interview. Participants receive $120, and joining the free patient panel can lead to future studies. Dr. Kirk Adams, a Rare Patient Voice referral partner, notes that he receives a small referral fee when a new member is approved through his link.
10.) Sensory Beyond Sight: A Choreographic Workshop Series with Davian “DJ” Robinson | DarkRoomBallet.com | October 9, 2026
Visually impaired dancer and choreographer Davian “DJ” Robinson will lead Sensory Beyond Sight, a cumulative movement workshop series for Dark Room Ballet’s 2026 Rotating Faculty program. Six 90-minute sessions, running May 15 through December 4 at 4 p.m. Eastern, use breath, touch, spatial hearing, weight, proprioception, and tactile drafting tools instead of visual imitation.
11.) BBC All In | Designing For All: How P&G Makes Products More Accessible By Touch | P&G (Procter & Gamble) | YouTube.com | September 29, 2026
Showcasing tactile package markings, Sam Latif explains how P&G is making everyday products easier to distinguish for blind and low-vision consumers. The approach focuses on practical cues that can help shoppers identify products both on store shelves and at home.
12.) Are You Controlling AI Responsibly And Efficiently, Or Is It Controlling You? An ISDI Workshop With Mai Ling Chan | I4SDI.org | September 21, 2026
Speech-language pathologist and technology entrepreneur Mai Ling Chan leads Workshop 5 of the Institute for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion’s 2026 NW Diversity Learning Series, online on Thursday, November 12, from 9:00 to 11:00 AM Pacific. She covers how to check AI output on unfamiliar topics, spot bias and weigh a tool’s accessibility before adopting it, and the session is approved for SHRM and HRCI credit.
Featured Events 📅️
November 3, 2026 | Lighting Tips for Everyday Life | Vision Support America
11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 7:00 PM GMT
In this free session for people with low or changing vision, Vision Support America shares simple ways to make the home easier to see and move through by using contrast and lighting and by reducing glare.
November 3, 2026 | Make Your iPhone Work for You | Vision Support America
1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET, 9:00 PM GMT
In this free, step-by-step session for people with low or changing vision, Vision Support America explores simple ways to make an iPhone work better for the eyes, at a pace that feels comfortable and doable.
November 5, 2026 | 2026 Disability:IN EMEA Summit | Disability:IN
1:00 AM PT, 2:00 AM MT, 3:00 AM CT, 4:00 AM ET, 9:00 AM GMT
Disability:IN and Bloomberg bring senior leaders from Europe, the Middle East and Africa together in London to examine how companies are using neuroinclusion, accessibility, AI and data-driven insights to shape the future of work, technology and customer experience. The summit runs a full day on November 5 and a morning session on November 6 at Bloomberg in London, and attendance is by invitation request.
November 5, 2026 | Create Repeatable AI Workflows | Vispero
9:00 AM PT, 10:00 AM MT, 11:00 AM CT, 12:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
Vispero presenters Elizabeth Whitaker and Rachel Buchanan show how to turn recurring responsibilities into repeatable AI workflows built from reusable prompts, instructions, templates and review steps. The session covers spotting tasks suited to a workflow, breaking them into clear steps, and testing and refining the result for more consistent output. ACVREP credits are available for those who attend live.
November 5, 2026 | Accessibility and Air Travel | Accessibility Online
11:30 AM PT, 12:30 PM MT, 1:30 PM CT, 2:30 PM ET, 7:30 PM GMT
Accessibility Online joins the U.S. Access Board, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Security Administration to walk through accessible air travel, from arriving at the airport through boarding and deplaning, along with the laws that cover terminals and flights and common access problems and their solutions. Video remote interpreting and real-time captioning are provided.
November 6, 2026 | 2026 Disability:IN EMEA Summit | Disability:IN
1:00 AM PT, 2:00 AM MT, 3:00 AM CT, 4:00 AM ET, 9:00 AM GMT
Disability:IN and Bloomberg bring senior leaders from Europe, the Middle East and Africa together in London to examine how companies are using neuroinclusion, accessibility, AI and data-driven insights to shape the future of work, technology and customer experience. The summit runs a full day on November 5 and a morning session on November 6 at Bloomberg in London, and attendance is by invitation request.
November 6, 2026 | Home Organization and Labeling | Vision Support America
10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 6:00 PM GMT
In this free, supportive conversation for people with low or changing vision, Vision Support America explores simple ways to organize the home so it feels easier, calmer and more predictable again.
November 7, 2026 | Let’s Go Shopping 11: Virtual Holiday Shopping Event | Let’s Go Shopping Virtual Events
The 11th Let’s Go Shopping virtual holiday shopping event, founded by Laura Legendary, runs over two days with small-business entrepreneurs. Vendors can apply and shoppers can join the announcements list through the event’s information page.
November 8, 2026 | 18th Annual Dining In The Dark Fundraiser To Benefit The Blind | Florida Outreach Center For The Blind
1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET, 9:00 PM GMT
Experience an unforgettable evening at the 18th Annual Dining in the Dark, where guests enjoy a three-course meal served in complete darkness by the PBSO SWAT Team using night-vision goggles. The night also features live entertainment, an inspiring guest speaker, and a silent auction supporting programs for the blind community in Palm Beach County.
November 8, 2026 | Let’s Go Shopping 11: Virtual Holiday Shopping Event | Let’s Go Shopping Virtual Events
The 11th Let’s Go Shopping virtual holiday shopping event, founded by Laura Legendary, runs over two days with small-business entrepreneurs. Vendors can apply and shoppers can join the announcements list through the event’s information page.
November 9, 2026 | Tribal and Rural Accessibility Town Hall | National Council on Disability and U.S. Access Board
8:00 AM PT, 9:00 AM MT, 10:00 AM CT, 11:00 AM ET, 4:00 PM GMT
The National Council on Disability and the U.S. Access Board bring Tribal leaders and elders, people with disabilities, service providers and community organizations together at Ability360 in Phoenix to discuss accessibility in Tribal and rural communities, from public facilities and transportation to healthcare and housing. The town hall is also available online, and attendees may offer public comments.
November 10, 2026 | Accessible Surveys Live Demo (Americas Session) | Accessible Data
8:00 AM PT, 9:00 AM MT, 10:00 AM CT, 11:00 AM ET, 4:00 PM GMT
Accessible Data hosts a free live demo of Accessible Surveys on Zoom, showing a survey that adapts to the person answering, with sign language video, text read aloud, Easy Read and multiple languages. Co-founders Jerry Nicholson and Christophe Geiser also show how organizations can create and launch accessible surveys without technical hurdles, followed by an open Q&A. The same demo repeats on November 12 for Asia-Pacific and for Europe and Africa.
November 11, 2026 | Disability Law Legal Update: A Smattering of ADA Cases II | Accessibility Online
11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 7:00 PM GMT
In this ADA Legal session, the Southwest ADA Center and the Great Lakes ADA Center review recent court decisions, settlements and agency policy changes under the Americans with Disabilities Act, from accommodation delays and return-to-office rules to service animals, accessible parking and effective communication in health care. The session closes with live audience questions, and real-time captioning is provided.
November 12, 2026 | Accessible Surveys Live Demo (Asia-Pacific and Europe and Africa Sessions) | Accessible Data
Accessible Data repeats its free live demo of Accessible Surveys on Zoom in two sessions: Asia-Pacific at 5:00 PM Sydney (1:00 AM ET), and Europe and Africa at 11:00 AM London (6:00 AM ET). Jerry Nicholson and Christophe Geiser show a survey adapting to the person answering, with sign language video, text read aloud, Easy Read and multiple languages, then take open questions. Attendees choose their session on the booking form.
November 13, 2026 | Disability Lived Experience Through the Lens of Relational-Cultural Theory with Dr. Kirk Adams | International Center for Growth in Connection (ICGC)
11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 7:00 PM GMT
Dr. Kirk Adams joins the RCT-Informed Leadership & Change Affinity Group to explore disability lived experience through Relational-Cultural Theory, drawing on his life as a blind leader and his doctoral research on blind adults successfully employed in corporate America. The discussion may cover condemned isolation, accessibility and belonging, authenticity and interdependence, and shared power and repair, and how leaders can turn relational understanding into meaningful action. The 90-minute session meets on Zoom and is facilitated by Ileya Grosman, PhD.
November 17, 2026 | Scaling Digital Accessibility through ServiceNow: From Requests to Results | Accessibility Online
10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET, 6:00 PM GMT
In this Section 508 session, Accessibility Online looks at how the FDIC uses the ServiceNow platform to run and scale its digital accessibility work, including document remediation requests, Section 508 training, application testing and IT reasonable accommodation requests, and how its reporting tools keep compliance on schedule. Video remote interpreting and real-time captioning are provided.
November 17, 2026 | Carter Kits: Supporting Positive Interactions for Neurodivergent Patients During Emergency Encounters | Accessibility Online
11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 7:00 PM GMT
Carter Kits co-founder Justin Severs and training and grants manager Andie describe the sensory bags their organization supplies to first responders, emergency department staff and community partners for encounters with autistic and neurodivergent patients, where a lack of tools and training still produces worse health outcomes. Dr. Sam Wrobleski of the Michigan EMS for Children Program also explains how that partnership works and how others might build one in their own state. Real-time captioning is provided.
November 17, 2026 | Lighting Tips for Everyday Life | Vision Support America
11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 7:00 PM GMT
In this free session for people with low or changing vision, Vision Support America shares simple ways to make the home easier to see and move through by using contrast and lighting and by reducing glare.
November 17, 2026 | Make Your iPhone Work for You | Vision Support America
1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET, 9:00 PM GMT
In this free, step-by-step session for people with low or changing vision, Vision Support America explores simple ways to make an iPhone work better for the eyes, at a pace that feels comfortable and doable.
November 18, 2026 | Birdability Book Club: Birdsong by the Seasons by Donald Kroodsma | Birdability
4:00 PM PT, 5:00 PM MT, 6:00 PM CT, 7:00 PM ET
The Birdability Book Club closes out 2026 with Birdsong by the Seasons: A Year of Listening to Birds by Donald Kroodsma, a lyrical guide to a year of sound. The book was chosen so readers could follow along month by month through the year and then gather in November to share reflections from twelve months of attentive listening. Free; registration required.
November 19, 2026 | Member-Only Event: Practices for Accessible Virtual Meetings | National Organization on Disability
10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT, 1:00 PM ET
A 25-minute virtual session for NOD Leadership Council members focused on practical, hands-on strategies for making virtual meetings more inclusive and accessible to all participants. The full briefing is restricted to Council members; non-members can join the Leadership Council to attend this and similar exclusive members-only sessions.
November 20, 2026 | 2026 Virtual Technology Fair | Carroll Center for the Blind
9:00 AM PT, 10:00 AM MT, 11:00 AM CT, 12:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
The Carroll Center for the Blind hosts a free four-hour technology fair on Zoom with sessions on VoiceOver image and Live Recognition features, Lumin AI and JAWS Page Explorer, tech support with Aira and Quick Assist, and the Indigo GPS app for iOS, each followed by live Q&A.
November 24, 2026 | Tech It Out | Hadley
11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 7:00 PM GMT
Learn a few tips about everyday technology from a technology expert, ask your questions, and share your experiences.
November 30, 2026 | From Room to Route: Practical Ways to Build Spatial Concepts with Room with a View and Grid and Go | APH
12:00 PM PT, 1:00 PM MT, 2:00 PM CT, 3:00 PM ET, 8:00 PM GMT
In this APH Passport to Innovation webinar, presenter Karen demonstrates practical ways to teach spatial concepts with Room with a View and Grid and Go, taking learners from understanding a familiar room to reading a tactile map and planning a route. The session also shows how the same materials can be adapted for different learners and extended beyond orientation and mobility into sensory efficiency, independent living, classroom concepts and recreation. Participants leave with activity ideas and a repeatable instructional sequence for their own practice.
December 1, 2026 | CEO Office Hours: Disability & Intersectionality | National Organization on Disability
11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 7:00 PM GMT
National Organization on Disability President and CEO Beth Sirull hosts an in-depth conversation with Apoorva Gandhi, Senior Vice President of Community Engagement and Business Councils at Marriott International, reflecting on progress and looking ahead in disability inclusion. Gandhi draws on more than 30 years in strategy, organizational change, community engagement and global business.
December 8, 2026 | Sight Tech Global 2026 | Sight Tech Global
9:00 AM PT, 10:00 AM MT, 11:00 AM CT, 12:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
Sight Tech Global, produced by the Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, returns as a free, fully virtual two-day conference on how AI and emerging technology can expand independence and access for people who are blind or have low vision. Registration is open.
December 8, 2026 | Blind Birder Community Conversations: The Science of Birdsong With Donald Kroodsma | Birdability
4:00 PM PT, 5:00 PM MT, 6:00 PM CT, 7:00 PM ET, 12:00 AM GMT
Ornithologist and author Donald Kroodsma, one of the world’s leading experts on birdsong with more than 45 years of research behind him, opens the new season of Birdability’s monthly Blind Birder Community Conversations. He goes beyond familiar mnemonics to the acoustic differences that let listeners tell species apart by sound, and to what birds are actually doing with their voices. The series is designed by and for blind and low vision birders, and sighted birders are welcome too. Virtual (Zoom); every registrant receives the recording.
December 9, 2026 | Sight Tech Global 2026 | Sight Tech Global
9:00 AM PT, 10:00 AM MT, 11:00 AM CT, 12:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
Sight Tech Global, produced by the Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, returns as a free, fully virtual two-day conference on how AI and emerging technology can expand independence and access for people who are blind or have low vision. Registration is open.
December 17, 2026 | Blindness as Method: Contemporary Art and Creative Practice | Dark Room Ballet
3:00 PM PT, 4:00 PM MT, 5:00 PM CT, 6:00 PM ET, 11:00 PM GMT
Bill Porter leads a three-hour seminar that treats blindness and low vision as sources of artistic knowledge and method rather than limitations, looking at how artists including Carmen Papalia, Andy Slater, Emilie Louise Gossiaux and David Johnson work through touch, sound, memory and description. Through presentation and group discussion, participants consider their own lived experience as a source of creative knowledge. Tuition-free on Zoom; register by emailing info@darkroomballet.com with the subject line “Bill Porter.”
December 19, 2026 | Weightlifting for Dancers | Dark Room Ballet
1:00 PM PT, 2:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM ET, 9:00 PM GMT
Krishna Washburn, a blind ballet teacher with multiple certifications from the American College of Sports Medicine, leads a fully audio-described workshop that helps dancers build their own resistance-training program with household objects, resistance bands or gym equipment. Participants learn to choose exercises, track sets and repetitions, progress safely over time and adapt training after injury; no weightlifting experience is needed. Tuition-free on Zoom; register by emailing info@darkroomballet.com with the subject line “Weightlifting.”
December 22, 2026 | Tech It Out | Hadley
11:00 AM PT, 12:00 PM MT, 1:00 PM CT, 2:00 PM ET, 7:00 PM GMT
Learn a few tips about everyday technology from a technology expert, ask your questions, and share your experiences.
January 12, 2027 | Blind Birder Community Conversations: Birding by Ear and Mnemonics With Jerry Berrier | Birdability
4:00 PM PT, 5:00 PM MT, 6:00 PM CT, 7:00 PM ET, 12:00 AM GMT
Jerry Berrier, a lifelong blind birder and co-founder of the Blind Birder Bird-a-Thon, leads a practical, participatory session on birding by ear and on using mnemonics to learn and remember bird songs and calls, with examples from birds across a broad geographic range. Berrier has been birding by ear since the 1970s and has led programs for Mass Audubon, L.L.Bean and the Carroll Center for the Blind. Open to blind, low vision and sighted birders. Virtual (Zoom); every registrant receives the recording.
January 13, 2027 | Introduction to Simonson Jazz | Dark Room Ballet
9:30 AM PT, 10:30 AM MT, 11:30 AM CT, 12:30 PM ET, 5:30 PM GMT
Valentina Bertani teaches a ten-class course in the movement principles and exercises of the Simonson jazz dance method, building class by class to the full-body format, for blind and visually impaired adults with no Simonson experience, including those who have never studied dance. Classes meet Wednesdays from 12:30 to 2:00 PM Eastern, January 13 through March 17, are not recorded, and attendance at all ten is strongly encouraged. Tuition-free on Zoom; register by emailing info@darkroomballet.com with the subject line “Simonson Jazz.”
January 17, 2027 | Actor’s Toolbox: An Actor’s Practicum | Dark Room Ballet
9:00 AM PT, 10:00 AM MT, 11:00 AM CT, 12:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM GMT
Luna Vintner leads an eight-week introductory acting course in which students build practical tools for any acting pursuit: working with a scene partner, staying present, listening and responding truthfully, analyzing scripts and preparing audition material. Two-hour sessions meet Sundays from noon Eastern, January 17 through March 7; no acting experience is needed, but regular attendance and a good internet connection are required. Tuition-free on Zoom; register by emailing darkroomballet@gmail.com with the subject line “Acting.”
February 3, 2027 | Developing a Contemporary Art Practice | Dark Room Ballet
4:00 PM PT, 5:00 PM MT, 6:00 PM CT, 7:00 PM ET, 12:00 AM GMT
Bill Porter leads a 16-week hybrid course that helps artists build and sustain an independent contemporary art practice through research, experimentation, making, critique and revision, with particular attention to the work and scholarship of blind and low vision artists. Eight live sessions meet every other Wednesday from 7:00 to 9:30 PM Eastern, February 3 through May 12, with online activities between them; enrollment is limited to eight students. Tuition-free on Zoom; register by emailing info@darkroomballet.com with the subject line “Bill Porter Spring.”
February 9, 2027 | Blind Birder Community Conversations: A Deep Dive Into Warblers | Birdability
4:00 PM PT, 5:00 PM MT, 6:00 PM CT, 7:00 PM ET, 12:00 AM GMT
Birdability’s Blind Birder Community Conversations take a deep dive into warblers, with particular attention to identifying and enjoying these much-loved and sometimes challenging birds through their songs and calls. Open to blind, low vision and sighted birders. Virtual (Zoom); every registrant receives the recording.
March 9, 2027 | Blind Birder Community Conversations: Spring Migration and Bird Conservation With Scott Weidensaul | Birdability
4:00 PM PT, 5:00 PM MT, 6:00 PM CT, 7:00 PM ET, 12:00 AM GMT
Naturalist, ornithologist and author Scott Weidensaul returns to the Blind Birder Community Conversations to talk about spring migration, bird conservation and themes from his recent work and writing, just as birds begin moving north again. His book Living on the Wind was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Open to blind, low vision and sighted birders. Virtual (Zoom); every registrant receives the recording.
April 13, 2027 | Blind Birder Community Conversations: The Diversity of Birdsong With Juan Pablo Colasso | Birdability
4:00 PM PT, 5:00 PM MT, 6:00 PM CT, 7:00 PM ET, 11:00 PM GMT
Juan Pablo Colasso, who has identified more than 1,000 bird species by sound, joins the Blind Birder Community Conversations for a discussion of the extraordinary diversity of birdsong and an international perspective on birding by ear. Open to blind, low vision and sighted birders. Virtual (Zoom); every registrant receives the recording.
April 29, 2027 | Blind Travel Summit 2027 | Blind Travel Foundation
The Blind Travel Foundation’s biennial gathering, hosted by United Airlines at its headquarters in Willis Tower, Chicago, expects 200 to 250 blind and visually impaired travelers, advocates, and industry partners for two days of conversation about accessible travel. Activities are also planned around the Summit, so attendees can stay for the weekend. A speaking application, sponsorship levels, and registration and hotel details will be announced soon.
April 30, 2027 | Blind Travel Summit 2027 | Blind Travel Foundation
The Blind Travel Foundation’s biennial gathering, hosted by United Airlines at its headquarters in Willis Tower, Chicago, expects 200 to 250 blind and visually impaired travelers, advocates, and industry partners for two days of conversation about accessible travel. Activities are also planned around the Summit, so attendees can stay for the weekend. A speaking application, sponsorship levels, and registration and hotel details will be announced soon.
May 11, 2027 | Blind Birder Community Conversations: Bird-a-Thon Welcome and Preparation Session | Birdability
4:00 PM PT, 5:00 PM MT, 6:00 PM CT, 7:00 PM ET, 11:00 PM GMT
The last Blind Birder Community Conversation before the Blind Birder Bird-a-Thon on May 23 and 24 is a welcome and preparation session covering how the event works, ways to take part, birding by ear, connecting with other birders and everything participants need to feel ready. Open to blind, low vision and sighted birders. Virtual (Zoom); every registrant receives the recording.
May 23, 2027 | Birdability’s Blind Birder Bird-a-Thon 2027 | Birdability
The Blind Birder Bird-a-Thon, created by and for blind and low vision birders, returns for 2027 with two days celebrating birding by ear, community and all the different ways people experience birds. Birders of any age, experience or location identify as many species as they can by sound or by whatever sight is available, solo, in a group or as part of a team. Registration details are still to come; the event page offers sign-up for 2027 updates.
May 24, 2027 | Birdability’s Blind Birder Bird-a-Thon 2027 | Birdability
The Blind Birder Bird-a-Thon, created by and for blind and low vision birders, returns for 2027 with two days celebrating birding by ear, community and all the different ways people experience birds. Birders of any age, experience or location identify as many species as they can by sound or by whatever sight is available, solo, in a group or as part of a team. Registration details are still to come; the event page offers sign-up for 2027 updates.
Innovative Impact Newsletter By Dr. Kirk Adams News Team 🗞️
Distribution: Dr. Kirk Adams
Distribution Since: 2025
As of April 7, 2025 the distribution of the Innovative Impact Newsletter By Dr. Kirk Adams is made possible by Dr. Kirk Adams, a leading disability inclusion advocate, workforce accessibility expert and business strategist dedicated to fostering inclusive workplaces and leadership development worldwide.
Any time the Innovative Impact Newsletter By Dr. Kirk Adams carries less than its Sponsor limit, Dr. Kirk Adams donates the remaining dollars necessary to keep the publication running.
Publisher: Dr. Kirk Adams
Publisher Since: April 7, 2025
Location: Seattle, Washington
Time Zone: Pacific Standard Time (PST/PDT) (GMT-8/GMT-7)
In addition to serving as Publisher for the Innovative Impact Newsletter, Dr. Kirk Adams also serves as the Managing Director for Innovative Impact, LLC, an award-winning firm where he leads strategic consulting, workforce inclusion initiatives, and leadership development programs focused on creating accessible, equitable, and high-performing workplaces. Through his consultation work with https://innovativeimpact.consulting to his speaking engagements and direct marketing initiatives via https://drkirkadams.com, Dr. Adams advises and assists Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations on advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives to drive meaningful, systemic change.
As Publisher, Dr. Adams oversees the monthly distribution of the Innovative Impact Newsletter By Dr. Kirk Adams on behalf of Dr. Kirk Adams.
Dr. Kirk Adams, Ph.D.
Advocate, Leader and Keynote Speaker on Disability Inclusion & Leadership
Leading the Way to Accessible Innovation
” Inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s a strategic advantage. “
Institute for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion (ISDI)
Executive Director
Strengthening individual and organizational capability for creating diverse, inclusive and equitable workplaces.
Innovative Impact, LLC Consulting
Managing Director
Impactful Workforce Inclusion Starts Here
American Foundation for the Blind
Immediate Past President & CEO
To create a world of no limits for people who are blind or visually impaired.
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Subscription Information 📰️ABOUT 💡️Founded in 2025, the Innovative Impact Newsletter By Dr. Kirk Adams is the world’s leading business strategy and workplace inclusion newsletter that reaches over 7,000 corporate executives, HR professionals, policymakers, disability advocates, and business leaders all over the world, each month. Subscribe here. Review the most recent issues here. The Innovative Impact Newsletter By Dr. Kirk Adams delivers essential monthly updates on workplace inclusion, disability employment strategy, leadership best practices, accessibility innovations, and the latest trends in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across industries. The Innovative Impact Newsletter By Dr. Kirk Adams is a Dr. Kirk Adams Publication. Publisher: Dr. Kirk Adams. RELEASE SCHEDULE 📅️The Innovative Impact Newsletter By Dr. Kirk Adams is released on the 1st Monday of each month at 6:00 AM ET. SUBSCRIBE 📧️Do you, a friend, or colleague wish to receive the Innovative Impact Newsletter By Dr. Kirk Adams newsletter? If so, please use or pass along our free sign-up link. You can also subscribe to receive the Innovative Impact Newsletter By Dr. Kirk Adams newsletter on the Dr. Kirk Adams Website. Either of these methods will provide you with an accessibly friendly and secure medium through which you can subscribe to our mailing list. Just enter your email address, click send, and begin receiving the Innovative Impact Newsletter By Dr. Kirk Adams. It’s that easy. WEBSITE 🌐️Visit the Dr. Kirk Adams website online at: https://drkirkadams.com/. RSS 📡️Do you prefer RSS? Follow the Innovative Impact Newsletter By Dr. Kirk Adams via RSS today to begin receiving current news and trends in business strategy and workplace inclusion using your choice of news aggregator. THANK YOU 🙏️Thank you for reading. On behalf of all of us here at the Innovative Impact Newsletter By Dr. Kirk Adams, we look forward to keeping you informed. |