Championing Inclusion and Leading with Empathy in the Disability Community

Here at Commvault, we have celebrated Disability Pride Month across our global Vaulter community with open dialogues and educational initiatives hosted by our CapAbilities Employee Resource Group (ERG) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) team.

It is our CapAbilities ERG’s mission to raise awareness and break down the bias of workplace issues that affect people with disabilities and/or caregivers of those with a disability. It is equally important to be an ally to our disability community to create an environment where all our Vaulters feel valued and respected.

To conclude our celebration of Disability Pride Month, we hosted a virtual Courageous Conversation where we were joined by Coach Jordene, a children’s gymnastic coach who champions inclusion and leads with empathy.

During the conversation, Coach Jordene shared how growing up with a brother with Down Syndrome made her passionate about disability pride and working in the special needs community. Jordene has been involved in the special needs community since she was a young girl and always jumped at the chance to show what inclusion looks like. She was fortunate enough to combine her love of gymnastics and working with the special needs community when she started her Xcel team at her local gym.

Her gymnastics program at Action Gymnastics differs from more traditional gyms and classes. The gym offers both youth and adults classes to foster inclusion of all ages. She also shared her insights on how the community at her gym interacts with the differently abled teams that she coaches – it has a positive impact for everyone and teaches teams of all ages the importance of empathy.

Before the conversation ended, Coach Jordene answered questions from Vaulters on the challenges that she faces when running this program. It was so inspiring to hear from Jordene about her team and role as a coach.

This Courageous Conversation was another opportunity for us to talk about the importance of inclusivity and following your passion. Click here to learn more about our DEI efforts at Commvault.