In a world where those with mental and physical disabilities are seen as “disabled,” what would it take to not only have those individuals contribute [to the workforce] but also give them the same expectations, goals, and work at the same wage as those without disabilities? Can we actually design a system so creative that we can demand the same results from those with disabilities as those without disabilities? What could that system possibly look like and could it actually create value for a company?

A disability employment advocate, Randy Lewis joined Walgreens in 1992 as a divisional vice president in logistics and planning. Living within the world where technology and creativity combine, Randy designed and opened the first distribution facility of its kind, employing a significant number of people with disabilities (more than 40% of the workforce has a cognitive or physical disability.) Drawing inspiration from his autistic son, Randy has become a speaker and author on the topics of incorporating those with disabilities into the workforce, receiving numerous awards for his volunteer work and advocacy.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx

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