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March 24, 2025
You might have been hearing a lot about DEI lately – but what is DEI anyway?
Firstly, let’s break down what the acronym stands for:
- D = diversity
- E = equity
- I = inclusion
Diversity means having a mix of people (in this case in the workplace) with a variety of characteristics, including differences in things like gender, race, sexual orientation, disability, age, culture, social class, veteran status, or religion.
Equity essentially means fairness and justice and it is different from equality.
While equality is about giving everyone the same thing, equity recognizes that not everyone starts from the same point and that we need to address and fix these imbalances. On an individual level, it’s taking one person’s unique circumstances into account and adjusting treatment accordingly to get an equal end result. On a systemic level, it’s granting resources and decision-making power to groups that have been treated unfairly in the past, so that they can achieve equally to majority groups.
And finally, inclusion is the practice or policy of making sure everyone has the same access to opportunities and resources, especially for people who might usually be left out or treated unfairly, like those with disabilities or members of minority groups.
So, what is DEI anyway? It is systems within organizations/companies that aim to ensure everyone is treated fairly and can fully participate, especially groups that have been left out or faced discrimination because of their identity or disability.
March 21, 2025
Empower Technology Services invite you to an exciting online session on March 31st from 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM (via Zoom) to discover how AI can help with your job applications, resumes, cover letters, and interviews!
Whether you’re actively job hunting or just want to sharpen your skills, this session will give you practical tips and tools to make AI work for you.
Can’t attend live? No problem! Sign up anyway—you’ll get access to the session recording and a helpful toolkit to support your job search.
Register today and take your job search to the next level!
Registration Link: How to Use AI for Your Pre-Employment Skills
March 14, 2025
For folks that wanted to attend our Advocacy Services Accessible Public Transit Town Hall but were unable to be there or didn’t feel comfortable speaking during the event – it’s not too late! You can still have your voice heard!
The Town Hall sessions were held to gather information to create a What We Heard document to advocate for improved accessible public transit for people with disabilities in Newfoundland and Labrador.
If you would like to give feedback, please complete the survey here: Accessible Public Transit Survey
The deadline is this Thursday, March 20th for the survey to be filled out.
If anyone needs assistance with the survey, please email advocacysupport@empowernl.ca or call 709-722-4031.
March 5, 2025
CPA NL (Chartered Professional Accountants of Newfoundland and Labrador) are holding free tax clinics in the metro area until April 5th for seniors (with an income less than $35,000) and low income individuals (with an income less than $25,000), excluding those that are self-employed or have rental or foreign income.
Does this include you? Call 709-753-3090 extension 201 to book an appointment with CPA NL.
Don’t fit the criteria above, but still need tax help?
Check out the Government of Canada’s listing of volunteer-run tax clinics, including in-person and virtual, and eligibility requirements here: https://ow.ly/OkiC50V9o2b
February 18, 2025
Monday was Random Acts of Kindness Day, and at EmpowerNL, we’re celebrating the power of kindness in creating a more inclusive world for everyone, especially people with disabilities.
Let’s come together to make kindness not just a one-day act, but a daily practice that empowers others and builds a more compassionate, welcoming society for all.
A few simple ideas for random acts of kindness:
- Give an unexpected compliment
- Take a day to not complain
- Spend time with your grandparents or elderly neighbors
- Help stray animals find homes
- Be kind to yourself!
This week, and every week, let’s spread kindness in all the big and small ways we can.
(And if you’d like some more ideas , check out our holiday series (late December – early January) on social media, with lots of cheap and cheerful ideas!)
February 12, 2025
Do you know what internalized ableism is?
It’s when we, as disabled people, unknowingly adopt negative beliefs about ourselves because of the way society treats disability and people with disabilities.
Internalized ableism can have negative effects on our mental and physical health. It can lead to self-blame, low self-esteem, shame, anxiety, depression, and social isolation.
Internalized ableism can sound like: “I don’t deserve friends because I’ll just hold them back”, “I’m so lazy because I can’t do what they can do”, “I don’t deserve accommodations”.
It’s time to challenge and eliminate these harmful ideas – within society and within ourselves!
So how do we combat and hopefully eliminate internalized ableism?
The first step is to recognize it.
Pinpoint the negative thoughts and stereotypes you’ve adopted about yourself. If you’re unsure, ask yourself if you would tell a disabled friend or loved one the thought you are telling yourself.
No? Why not? Because it’s untrue, unkind or just plain wrong? Then it’s also wrong about you!
Be kinder to yourself!
The second step to fighting your internalized ableism is to challenge it!
Actively question these negative thoughts and where they come from. Are they really true or have you been believing these things because you’ve heard them from others or seen them presented in society?
If you struggle to outright reject your internalized ableism, try taking a negative thought and rewording it in a positive way. It won’t change everything overnight, but if you continue to challenge and practice positivity, you can improve your own mental health and feel more confident in challenging ableism in society!
The final step is to truly embrace yourself.
Focusing only on the negative thoughts, even in an effort to dismiss or change them, can be exhausting. Make sure you spend time appreciating your skills, abilities, strengths, and the unique way you see the world.
February 3, 2025
“If you don’t make time for your wellness, you will be forced to make time for your illness.”
– Joyce Sunada, Author & Educator
This insightful quote illustrates the importance of making time for wellness, or self-care, in your life.
When you feel like you’re not allowed to rest or don’t know how to slow down, your body can react by making you feel exhausted, mentally foggy or painful.
If you already have a disability, your symptoms can become aggravated.
Everybody needs rest and your worth is not based on your productivity.
If you don’t allow yourself to express your needs (or even admit that you have them), your body can react with chronic tension and knotted muscles.
Learning how to accept your needs and speak them to others can help not only improve your mental health but lessen the stress on your body as well.
When you don’t allow yourself to feel and process your emotions, this can manifest in your body as numbness, tingling or tightness.
Sitting with your feelings and allowing yourself to reflect on them can be hard but will ultimately lead to a healthier body and mind.
Obviously, practicing wellness (self-care) isn’t a magic solution to disability or chronic illness. But it can play a huge role – learning to understand your body’s signals as alerting you to potential issues you are not acknowledging or addressing means you can start better meeting your own needs and setting your own boundaries – so your body doesn’t do it for you!
January 27, 2025
In our society, people with disabilities often face something we call the “disability tax.” This means we have to deal with extra costs—whether it’s money, stress, or time—just to go about our daily lives. These extra costs can make a big difference for individuals and families, affecting our finances, social life, and how we get to spend our time.
As everything gets more and more expensive, disabled people are being left out of the conversation, when the financial costs of simply being disabled are higher to begin with.
One example of how the disability tax can affect the finances of a person with disabilities is through extra energy costs. Charging or powering electrical medical appliances and assistive/adaptive technology is one energy drain. But even extra heating or cooling costs – did you know that many medications can be less effective in the heat? – can add up significantly!
Another way the disability tax adds expenses to the lives of disabled people is through out of pocket medical care, supplies, mobility aids, dental and eye care and more. For example, medications for some chronic illnesses can significantly damage your teeth, causing higher lifelong dental costs.
Even for medical necessities that are partially or fully funded, like some mobility aids, the process can be complex and lengthy, leaving the person needing them to either pay out of their own pocket (have you priced a wheelchair lately?) or be physically isolated (and potentially home bound) until the process works its way through the system.
Overall, lack of accessibility in our society often removes the affordable options for people with disabilities. If there are less options for accessible food, clinics, venues, shops or services, disabled people often have no choice but to choose a pricier option, go without or be forced (potentially further) into poverty.
January 20, 2025
Did you know that Empower is on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter)?
Find us on Facebook at Empower, The Disability Resource Centre.
Find us on Instagram and X – @EmpowerNL1
We share Empower activities and events, disability education and advocacy, accessibility info and so much more!
Stop by your favorite platform and say hi!
January 20, 2025
January is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month in Canada.
Learning the facts about Alzheimer’s (a type of dementia) is one of the best ways to help reduce fear and stigma about the disease.
For example, did you know that by 2050 an estimated 1.7 million Canadians will live with dementia. That’s almost TRIPLE the number of people than in 2020.
Approximately 70% of people with Alzheimer’s disease identify as women. Research has found that women with Alzheimer’s disease tend to experience more severe mental decline than men. Also, certain gene variations can increase the risk for women more than for men.
Research further shows that sticking to healthy lifestyle habits as we age lowers the risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease by a whopping 60%!
There are six pillars of brain health – exercise, nutrition, stress management, social activity, sleep and mental stimulation – all very important parts of a healthy lifestyle