The U.S. Department of State is the first Federal Agency Headquarters to launch the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program. It was brought to the Department by Alex Barrasso, Chair of Department’s Disability Action Group (DAG), an employee organization that works toward inclusion of individuals with disabilities at the Department.

Alex Barrasso, worked with six bureau DEIA advisors to seek funding from the under secretary for civilian security, democracy, and human rights to bring the Sunflower initiative to the Department’s Washington staff. Since that time, several other bureaus have joined the effort to provide Hidden Disabilities Sunflower training to their employees. 

Globally, one in seven individuals is living with a disability, and of those, 80% are non-apparent disabilities that are not obvious in a casual interaction. As of Sept. 30, 2023, the Department of State’s Workforce Statistics reports that employees with disabilities compose nearly 17% of the Department’s workforce, so every office at the Department likely includes someone living with a disability.

Given the Department’s global workforce and its public-facing consular exchanges and security work, it is imperative that the Department’s workforce be aware that many disabilities or conditions may not be immediately apparent—and that people living with non-apparent disabilities may need a helping hand, understanding, or more time in shops, at work, on transport, or in public spaces. Launched at the London Gatwick Airport in 2016, the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower initiative was designed to raise awareness of the fact that many disabilities are not apparent. 

At a Department wide event, Jan. 11, Under Secretary For Civilian Security, Democracy, And Human Rights Uzra Zeya launched this effort. She encouraged a proactive approach. 

“Not only learn, but listen. Seek out the voices of persons with disabilities. Find additional training. Be willing to try doing things differently, ask, and be open to, what a colleague tells you they need to be most effective. Most importantly, be a strong ally. Not all of these efforts need to be officially documented reasonable accommodations. Sometimes just adjusting standard meeting times based on when people have more energy or focus can make a world of difference.”

DAG hopes that in the future, the Department will implement the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower initiative globally and that many more federal agencies will join this effort to identify and remove barriers and better support employees with chronic medical conditions and disabilities that are not apparent.

Article excerpt by Elizabeth Latham, a program officer in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Exchanges Division and serves as the vice-chair of the Disability Action Group.


For full article and more information about the Sunflower at the U.S. Department of State, click link: here
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