Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Governor’s Reception Room, 2nd Floor.
New York State Capitol

October 2025 marks the 80th Anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), a national movement that recognizes people with disabilities in the workforce and promotes employment opportunities. This year’s NDEAM theme, “Celebrating Value and Talent,” highlights the unique skills, perspectives, and contributions people with disabilities bring to our workplaces. It also reminds us that each one of us benefits when we honor the diverse experiences and identities of every New Yorker.

New York State has expanded this annual tradition to its own Disability Rights and Employment Awareness Month (DREAM). DREAM, along with this exhibition, celebrates the disability rights movement, and features individuals, groups, and pieces of legislation that have provided New Yorkers with disabilities with more equitable opportunities, protections, and services.

Listen to the Exhibit

In September 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul signed Executive Order 40, officially making New York an Employment First (E1st) state. E1st is a national movement that prioritizes employment as the first and preferred option for people being served by our disability public health system. It establishes Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) as not just a goal, but an expectation for all, including those with significant disabilities.

E1st touches upon economic, public health, workforce, and civil rights issues. Achieving this vision requires changes in public policy, culture, and economic systems, and a recognition that current systems have often failed to fully support the employment potential of people with disabilities.

American Sign Language Interpretation – Employment First: Executive Order 40

For decades, New York State has worked through grassroots activism, legislative action, and statewide programs to expand opportunities for people with disabilities. Recent initiatives continue this commitment and focus on building an inclusive workforce.

The New York State Office of the Chief Disability Officer (OCDO), in conjunction with several state agencies, works to ensure that the needs of people with disabilities are met and that their rights are protected. Governor Hochul established the OCDO in February of 2022 to, among many other things, provide a dedicated office to improve employment outcomes for all people with disabilities.

The Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing Office works to break down barriers improve access to resources and services for these communities statewide.

Programs like the State As a Model Employer (SAME) and the Partnership for Inclusive Internships (PII) focus on closing employment gaps and creating career paths in public service.

While there is much more to do, New York State is committed to equity and inclusion and recognizing the contributions that people with disabilities make to the workforce, communities, and the economy.

American Sign Language Interpretation – Impact, Advocacy, and Action