October 2020

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), an annual month of recognition that celebrates the skills and creativity people with disabilities bring to America‘s workplaces. It’s also a great reminder for employers to utilize inclusive hiring practices within their organizations. This year marks not only the 75th observance of NDEAM, but also the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

This month, TXCPA celebrates the many and varied contributions of American workers with disabilities like TXCPA member Gafar Shittu, CPA – Dallas, principal consultant at GS and Company CPA. Shittu came from Nigeria and lives with a blood disorder called sickle cell anemia. In April 2020, he founded The Sickle-Inspired Corporation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to mentoring others who are living with sickle cell anemia. Shittu says he owes his own personal success as a CPA to the mentoring he received when he was younger and new to America. Today, he enjoys “paying it forward” by mentoring younger CPAs and promoting the value that professionals with disabilities can add to the workforce, as well as the new perspectives they bring.

For specific ideas about how TXCPA members can support National Disability Employment Awareness Month, visit www.dol.gov/NDEAM.

Gafar Shittu, CPA-Dallas