Disability Pride Month Live Panel: A Discussion for the Workplace and Beyond
A 75-minute conversation about identity, belonging, and what Disability Pride means and looks like for individuals, teams, and organizations ready to go deeper.
A conversation that's honest, warm, and long overdue.
Hosted by Catarina Rivera, MSEd, MPH, CPACC and featuring a panel of disability advocates, educators, and thought leaders, with a variety of lived experiences, this live event is a 75-minute experience designed to educate, challenge, and connect.
Honest conversations you won't find elsewhere: Our panelists speak openly about internalized ableism, navigating workplaces as disabled people, and the complexity of claiming a proud identity.
Practical insight for ERGs and organizations. Whether you lead a Disability ERG or you're advocating for one, you'll leave with concrete strategies for making Disability Pride Month meaningful. We'll talk about what works, what doesn't, and what has helped us.
Community that extends beyond the event The audience Q&A is built in so there’s space to engage, reflect, and connect with others who care about disability inclusion as much as you do.
Meet the Panelists
Dr. Akilah Cadet
Dr. Akilah Cadet is the Founder and CEO of Change Cadet, a creative organizational development consulting firm. As a Forbes Next 1000 Entrepreneur her work is behind some of the biggest brands you use everyday. Dismantling white supremacy through storytelling is at the core of her work as a leader, speaker, creative director, producer, writer, editor, designer, co-owner of the Oakland Roots and Soul soccer teams, host of Humane Rights podcast, and author of White Supremacy is All Around: Notes From a Black Disabled Woman in a White World. She literally has all the degrees, lives in and loves Oakland, CA, celebrates her disability, is a proud Beyoncé advocate, and has an incredible shoe game.
FounderWinston B. Clements
Winston Ben Clements is a globally recognized motivational speaker, TEDx speaker, and disability advocate known for delivering powerful keynotes on disability inclusion, resilience, and using AI for accessibility. With a previous career in the tech industry, he now partners with organizations such as Google, Accenture, Disney, EY, and HubSpot, among others, to help build workplaces where people can thrive. Winston’s work combines lived experience, practical insight, and a strong sense of possibility. Whether speaking on stage or through his popular YouTube channel, he challenges audiences to rethink what inclusion looks like and to lead with greater allyship, courage, and impact.
When
December 2 - 4, 2025
Session 1: December 2nd
Session 2: December 3rd
Session 3: December 4th
12:00 - 1:15 PM ET/9:00 - 10:15 AM PT/ 6-7:15 PM CET
(same timing for all sessions)
Where
All sessions will be held virtually via Google Meet. Autocaptions will be available.
What You’ll Learn
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Session 1: Building ERG Membership & Culture
Recruitment strategies, engagement tactics, event promotion, and creating psychological safety
December 2
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Session 2: Sustainable Leadership & Avoiding Burnout
ERG structures that work, leadership buy-in, validating leaders’ challenges, and self-care in times of fear
December 3
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Session 3: From Events to Impact
How to use ERG influence for systemic change through data, advocacy, and organizational strategy
December 4
The way Catarina mixed in her own experiences into the session really hit our goal of driving empathy and ‘human understanding’ within our organization. I highly recommend working with Catarina.
Anthony Onesto, Chief People Officer, SUZY
“I had the pleasure of working with Catarina as a speaker in a recent webinar I facilitated, and she was fantastic. She came incredibly well-prepared, with thoughtful points and a clear understanding of the audience and topic. Her insights were delivered impactfully in a clear and engaging style. I’d absolutely welcome the chance to work with her again.”
Paulina Romero, Senior Partnerships Manager, National Organization on Disability
Why this matters:
Disability ERG leaders often carry the weight of creating systemic change, without enough resources or recognition. This course validates your experience, equips you with practical tools, and helps you build a long-term, strategic approach that benefits both your members and your organization.
With the right foundation, your ERG can:
Be a safe space for disabled employees to connect and thrive
Be a visible force for disability inclusion in your company culture
Influence leadership, policies, and practices, not just events on the calendar
Investment:
We want this course to be accessible for teams of all sizes.
$800 USD flat rate for up to 4 ERG representatives (includes 1 free seat)
$279 USD per person (Founder’s Rate – this price will never be offered again)
Have more than 4 attendees? Need bundle pricing or financial assistance? Send us an email to hello@catarinarivera.com to discuss sliding scale and group options.
Catarina has been featured in:
FAQs
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Yes! All sessions in the Foundations for Building Effective Disability ERGs series will be recorded. Participants will receive access to the recordings after the series concludes so you can revisit the content anytime.
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Accessibility is a top priority for us. All live sessions will include autocaptions. Agendas will be sent out in advance. All sessions will end on time.
If you have other access needs, please email us at hello@catarinarivera.com. We’re happy to discuss and ensure you can fully participate.
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Yes, we do! We use the Green Bottle Method to determine sliding scale options for individuals who may need financial flexibility. It’s simple and easy to use, and we’re happy to explain it.
If you’d like to learn more about this or request an adjusted rate, please reach out to hello@catarinarivera.com for more information.
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Absolutely. We encourage ERG teams to attend together! You can register as a group for a flat rate of $800 USD for up to 4 ERG representatives (includes one free seat). For groups larger than four, contact us at hello@catarinarivera.com for further options.
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No problem! If you can’t join live, you’ll still get access to the full recordings and all materials. You’ll be able to learn and engage with the content at your own pace.
Meet your instructor
Catarina Rivera, MSEd, MPH, CPACC is a public speaker and DEIA consultant with over 14 years of experience in the public sector. Catarina works with companies to improve disability awareness, inclusion, and accessibility. She has worked with over 140 organizations.
She is the founder of Blindish Latina, a platform smashing disability stigmas through storytelling and advocacy. Catarina has worn hearing aids from a young age and was diagnosed with a progressive vision disability at 17 years old. She has a BA from Duke University, an MSEd from Bank Street College of Education, and an MPH from Hunter College. Catarina is a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (IAAP).
She is a member of KeyNote Women's Global Speakers Directory. Catarina is a TEDx speaker. She has been featured in Nasdaq, Authority Magazine, Forbes, and ABC News Live. Catarina was also named a LinkedIn Top Voice in Disability Advocacy. Her Instagram page @BlindishLatina was an official 2024 Webby Awards Nominee. Her TEDx talk, Creating Inclusive Workplaces for All, has 80K+ views.
