For AHRC Nassau, an important call to action is centering the experience of disability within DEI initiatives. Through the leadership of AHRC DEI Officer Sarah Gonzalez Noveiri, Ph.D., the agency will soon broaden the reach of its results-oriented approach.

New York State’s Council on Developmental Disabilities (CDD) awarded AHRC Nassau a five-year grant of $750,000 to create an accessible “participatory learning process” on DEI. Beginning in 2024, AHRC Nassau will begin recruiting and engaging regional partners to create a Community of Practice (CoP) advisory team. Together, the CoP will develop and connect DEI trainings with New Yorkers with developmental disabilities, their families, direct care providers, and disability agency executives.

“Focusing on lived experiences is the best way to create systems of support that bring people together and inspire action,” said Gonzalez Noveiri. “DEI is ultimately about empowerment around how we can move forward together for a more equitable future.”