The St. Louis Park City Council issued a proclamation Oct. 6 observing October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Beginning as a weeklong national observance 80 years ago, National Disability Employment Awareness commemorates the history of disability employment and importance of providing accessible workplaces inclusive of mental and physical disabilities. The City of St. Louis Park invites our community to learn more about disability employment history and explore ways to incorporate accessibility in our everyday lives.

To celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the City of St. Louis Park invites you to:

• Learn about the history of employment rights for people with disabilities
  • National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) | U.S. Department of Labor
  • History of Disability Rights Milestones and Laws | American Bar Association
  • Myths About Employees with Disabilities | Minnesota Council on Disability
  • People With Disabilities Want To Work — But It’s Complicated | Forbes
• Find ways to increase accessibility in your everyday life
  • Everyday accessibility tips for the workplace | University of Waterloo
  • How to Help Employees With Disabilities Thrive | The Way We Work, a TED series
• Connect with disability rights organizations in Minnesota
  • Celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month | NDEAM
  • Advocacy and general disability related information | Minnesota Department of Human Services

Proclamation 

The National Disability Employment Awareness Month proclamation reads:

Whereas, the City of St. Louis Park supports the Minnesota Council on Disability vision of “a barrier-free Minnesota where every person with a disability has full access to all aspects of life”; and

Whereas, the Minnesota State Demographic center notes that about 595,684 Minnesotans report having a disability, with ambulatory disabilities (difficulty walking, climbing stairs) being most common; and

Whereas, disability has legal and medical definitions, with the American with Disabilities Act defining it legally as a person with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity – this includes those who have a record of disability and those may not see themselves as having a disability; and

Whereas, being disabled has complex impacts on an individual. Often, disabled people and their family have to navigate stigma, legal challenges, benefit systems and advocating for their right to access and accommodations; and

Whereas, the legacy of state and federal policies and beliefs about disabled workers is present as evidenced by double the low employment rates as compared to those without disabilities, and the continued fight for disability rights; and

Whereas, individuals with disabilities are highly skilled and valuable contributors to our economy and communities; and

Whereas, St. Louis Park encourages all residents to learn how to build an inclusive community with access and equity for all; and

Now therefore, let it be known that the mayor and city council of the City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, hereby honor October 2025 as National Disability Employment Awareness Month in our community.