We want to inform and connect with the entire Job Path community
so we are all on this path together.
An expert with furry friends
Ryan H. has been a kennel assistant at the Juniper Valley Animal Hospital in Queens since 2021 but recently wanted to improve his skills.
He connected with innovative Brooklyn doggy day care Pawsability Dog Club, which provides traditional services like boarding, day care, and grooming but also features a job training certification program for adults with autism.
Ryan graduated from the program earlier this summer and says he’s been excited how it has boosted his confidence and abilities on the job.
“It’s really something!”
Ryan was immediately a natural with animals, says Jillian Forman, Pawsability’s executive director, founder, and chair.
Photo by Pawsability.
“He has this natural ease around them, and you can tell it made him really happy to be with the dogs,” says Forman, who says she created Pawsability in 2022 to enter the in-demand world of pet services but also to “create a place where autistic adults could thrive and be comfortable and accommodated.”
Ryan is particularly good at asking for feedback and with following through on his tasks, Forman says. On the job at Juniper Valley, Ryan is diligent, ready to help, and cheerful as he walks dogs, assists during ultrasounds, pitches in with the administrative team, and “keeps the hospital spotless,” says owner Monica McCarthy. He has some extra canine experience with his own dog at home, a shi-poo named Molly.
“With respect to our client’s pets, he’s very gentle and caring and always makes sure that they are well taken care of,” McCarthy says.
As for his job, Ryan says, “I was a little nervous at first, but I knew I’d have help, and it’s nice!”
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Job Path artists & poets have a busy month
The Met Museum
The Community Connections Art Group visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art, taking in special exhibitions, Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion, and The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism.
"Earlier this year, I did a presentation about the Harlem Renaissance. So when we walked through this exhibit, it helped click everything together," says Job Path art facilitator Michelle Borg,
"One participant said a painting from that exhibit reminded her of her grandmother's wedding photo. That shows how art impacts the personal experience."
Photo by Gabriella Badaracco.
The New York City Poetry Festival
On July 13, the poetry group Poets, of Course was part of the prestigious New York City Poetry Festival on Governors Island.
“It was pretty fun,” says Jordan W. “A good chance to get my voice out there. I want people to know I exist and have something to say.”
This is the 6th time that the group has read at the prestigious festival, says arts facilitator Cathy James. Christian B. says he enjoyed performing and getting a chance to see other poets.
“I felt great as a poet and I felt confident. I do not let fear hold me back,” he says. “I wrote a poem about a forest as a way of staying calm in your body and don't trouble yourself!”
Fun in the summer sun
More than 60 participants and staff gathered at Brooklyn Bridge Park last week for the food, fun, and friendship of the annual summer Job Path picnic. Photo by Marvin George.
There are lots of ways to think about the passage of a year. Most people think of how the traditional calendar year begins with the ball dropping in Times Square in January. Lots of folks are connected to the academic year’s start as the days begin to grow brisk in September.
When we wanted to celebrate the 45th Anniversary of our founding in 1978, we decided to tie it into our fiscal year from 2023-2024.
In that case, the “New Year” began July 1, launching us one step closer to five decades of service for New Yorkers with autism and other developmental disabilities.
It was wonderful to look back at our history, to see how much we have grown, and to recognize all we have accomplished together. We’ve put a few of our favorites from our “45 years, 45 stories” series on our website here. Cheers to the past, and here’s to the next 45 years!
Digital Ambassadors for Employment Diversity
"I think that employment is a really powerful entry into all levels of the community.
And that's what we want in our lives as adults – you know, something we feel productive and passionate about, because that's what gets you up in the morning."
-Karen Waltuck, the Director of the Consortium for Customized Employment
Waltuck and Job Path’s Employment Specialist, Johnadam Haridopolos were featured on the iHeartRadio podcast Stonstein Sessions. Click here for the show, which explores the value of customized employment for job seekers and businesses alike.
“While the ADA has been the letter of the law for 34 years, some workplaces are still slow to include that “A for Accessibility” in their DEIAB umbrella, which is a mistake.”
-Wendy Banner, the Associate Director of the Consortium for Customized Employment advocated for the legacy of the ADA in an article in CommPro, a collection of online resources for communications executives.
Congratulations to Emanuel P. who received his Master’s Degree in Art Administration in May from Baruch College.
He’s currently working as an Assistant Stage Door Attendant at New World Stages, where he's also an usher on a seasonal basis. We can't wait to see what you accomplish next!
Photo courtesy of Emanuel P.
As part of our efforts to highlight and celebrate the great diversity within our Job Path community, we will be featuring racial, ethnic, cultural, and identity pride commemorations here each month.
August
Aug. 26 is Women's Equality Day - a celebration marking the 1920 adoption of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibited the states and the federal government from denying the right to vote to citizens of the United States on the basis of sex. If you're looking for ways to celebrate, check out this list!
Cathy James
Job Title: Arts Facilitator - Poetry, Theater, and Shakespeare
Years at JP: 16 years
What is one of your favorite things about Job Path?
People! Always people! The people I get to make art with each week and the support workers that are integral to the process.
What's something that no one knows about you?
I am a licensed minister who has officiated at many weddings.
What have been some of your favorite memories of your time here?
I always love it when the actors or the poets perform and just obliterate the low expectations that people often have. Every time we read at the New York City Poetry Festival (which we did again this year on July 13th), I really enjoy watching people get surprised by how incredibly good the work is. (Excuse the plug!)
Something you are reading right now?
I am that nerd... I am reading Black Disability Politics by Sami Schalk. It is a really enlightening examination of the intersections of Black and Disabled activism.
What skills do you think help you work at Job Path?
I ended up going back to school at a ripe old age to get my MFA with a focus on performance and disability. I will be paying off student loans until I die, but it was an absolute joy to be able to spend time digging in and studying something that is so important to me.
Staff Anniversaries
Special recognition to staff who celebrated their anniversary at Job Path in July. Thank you for all of the contributions that you have made over the years in making Job Path successful.
Anderilla Bennett - 12 years
Frezzell Brewer - 12 years
Phyllis Schinz-Devico - 10 years
Mary Cedillo - 9 years
Gabriella Badaracco - 7 years
Kelly Deegan - 6 years
Nicole Mulet - 6 years
Monica Boston - 5 years
Bryant Yee - 3 years
Timothy Murphy - 2 years
Fatumata Bah - 1 year
Ariel Gold - 1 year
Michelle Miller - 1 year
Do you know someone who would be a great member of the Job Path team?
Click here for our list of open positions in Employment, Community Connections, Supported Living, and Self-Direction Services.
Job Path employees are encouraged to participate in our Employee Referral Bonus Program, which rewards the employees who make successful referrals with $400. Contact hr@jobpathnyc.org for more information.
Job Path supports people with autism and other developmental disabilities as they find jobs, live in their own homes, and become involved in community life. To learn more, visit our website.
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