Beatriz Andre, EEOC: that are going to start to come up and the same thing in this like accommodations bucket is that.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: The idea of what because workplaces have changed so much.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: The idea of what is a reasonable combination is also going to.
Eric Felsberg: Change so.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Things that.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: were reasonable when.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: You were.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: accommodations that were reasonable when being offered to employees in the in the office space right whether it's like 10 certain technologies or.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: we're just like interacting with people and how they.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: interact with people like those kinds of things.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: It may not be possible in a remote workplace setting or in a hybrid workplace setting.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: And we don't I mean the the the law has never been that you know, once you offer an accommodation you don't have you know you're not required to keep offering it.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Because we understand things change.
And this is similar.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Once you're in a different situation, whether.
Eric Felsberg: it's.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: You know, because you're because it's remote work or just because the office or not just office, but any like when the return to work when that workplace has changed.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: On just the the.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Past accommodations may not be possible, so.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: I guess the message, though, would be both.
Eric Felsberg: Both.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: To employees into employers is to be.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Creative and flexible right like there's no there's no.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: black and white answer.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: No one really knows.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: No one really knows what's possible as an accommodation and no one really knows what's going to be needed as an accommodation so, so we are asking both.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: sides to be flexible with that.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: and consider.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: different options or new.
options.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: That may be never.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: I don't know i've never come up before just because we never.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: We were never there before um.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: and
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: yeah.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: I think.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: I think that's.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: That is all, with.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: With the accommodations but yeah I will.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: say that the.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: The issue of the the long haul covert it's it's an interesting question because, even though I gave the answer how I think it's going to shake out.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: or workout in the courts.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: You still see like random courts like saying different things so it's definitely like.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: an evolving and evolving thing.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: And I think.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: The next topic we're going to talk about is.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Well, in this life.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Changing landscape, the the greater opportunity for underrepresented communities through remote work and considerations that come along with that.
Eric Felsberg: wreck yeah absolutely a little bit of a different direction for our last few minutes here I you know, one of the things that I, you know we've started to see is as as permanent work options become more prevalent.
Eric Felsberg: Some of the historical limitations that you know would apply to efforts around recruiting.
Eric Felsberg: You know, seem to be falling away right, and I think this is one of the kind of unintended or inadvertent effects of this new remote world that we all find ourselves in right so we're never.
Eric Felsberg: In this environment limited to recruiting in areas obviously this is going to be subject to certain particular you know jobs, of course, but we're not limited to areas that would.
Eric Felsberg: You know, represent that a meeting immediate commuting distance to the workplace.
Eric Felsberg: If the job can be performed remotely and, of course, there are some jobs that can but but, for the most part, I think the conventional conventional thinking around.
Eric Felsberg: Well, this job needs to be physically present in order to be performed I think some of those notions are starting to fall away, and so, therefore, you know we have a broader net.
Eric Felsberg: That we can cast to try to get folks to to come work in our organization right we're not as concerned with relocation costs right, just like we're doing here.
Eric Felsberg: I think before code We probably all be in one big room together somewhere right, but you know we I think we've all become accustomed to and we've seen how some of these.
Eric Felsberg: You know how technology, I know Beatrice you're going to talk a bit about technology in a minute, but how that's kind of need this this whole dynamic.
Eric Felsberg: different from what we were used to, so the the the the positive right with a broader outreach is that it can it can enhance the diversity.
Eric Felsberg: of applicant pools right and open up opportunities that formerly folks that have who have mobility or health issue.
Eric Felsberg: That may prevented them from coming to the workplace right some of those limitations have now fallen away.
Eric Felsberg: Because these jobs can be performed remotely, as we all have learned, you know the one issue I would you know, certainly be cautious about there is as.
Eric Felsberg: You know you're making outreach to these communities and and again the good news is is that we're getting on with the more diversity candidates.
Eric Felsberg: being considered for employment, you have to keep really good records as to the disposition right just because somebody who.
Eric Felsberg: You know, contributes to the mercy of our applicant pool you know they may or may not ultimately be hired they may not be the you know the best qualified candidate, at the end of our process and you want to keep.
Eric Felsberg: You know records as to the dispositions as to why individuals, especially those who did not move forward in the process, the reason.
Eric Felsberg: For that, because I think, with greater diversity, to a degree, comes to come, some greater respect with respect to this particular area.
Eric Felsberg: But it's not going to happen on its own right, employers are going to have to be intentional right about ensuring opportunities, you know that that that reaching out to underrepresented populations right employers that.
Eric Felsberg: You know, federal contractors we mentioned them in passing earlier that debt, you know do business with the Federal Government have had this obligation for a long time, and I think you know, for those of you that are in that area.
Eric Felsberg: You know that you know outreach and related record keeping is particularly important, but has the potential for just a huge upside in terms of increasing the diversity of our workplace so.
Eric Felsberg: All in all, I think, certainly a very positive development, again, while inadvertent positive, but we have to be cautious about.
Eric Felsberg: You know some of those efforts and also some of the technology we may rely upon to to accomplish this so Beatrice you want to talk a little bit more about the technology piece of it and that'll bring us to the finish line here.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Yes, um so Eric you definitely started to touch on it a little bit when you mentioned.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Just.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: The you know, the idea that because because outreach efforts now can be so broad right so it's it's really going to include just a.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: whole host of people right it's it's kind of like when.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: When we first started to see like Okay, you can recruit folks through indeed and through monster right but it's like that times.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: 1000 because now you have.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: That plus you have an expanded applicant pool and people that can work from.
anywhere.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: So in doing all this obviously employers are going to have to have.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: ways and methods, where.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: They can just like process all this information from applicants.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: there's no way that a single human resources person or even a team of human.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Resources folks are going to be able to.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: review all the resumes that they're receiving from folks or.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: or conduct all the interviews or do that because.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: it's just it's just too much information.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: So obviously what.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Not obviously but but what's.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: going to happen or what's likely going to happen is that people are going or companies are going to start relying on more you know the Ai artificial intelligence to help them sift through all this information.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: there's just there's the necessity for it and and it's good, and I think that there's nothing.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: there's nothing wrong with that, I think.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: What we have to.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: We have to consider.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: However, is.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: How how this Ai is used and to um to eric's point.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: About i'm sorry my.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: My other phone is there, we go.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: My teams was blowing up I couldn't handle the teams and zoom at same time he.
said.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: So, like to eric's point, then, is so.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: You know what are the, what are the that's the positive right that you're getting a lot more.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Information applicant so.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: what's what's the downside, the downside.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: That.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: We can sometimes see in that are.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Our agency is starting to focus on a little bit more.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Is that there might be in some of these algorithms and.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Just some of these systems and what.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: What you're looking for what you what you tell these systems to look for in these resumes and so forth.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: might have might be excluding people and they might be, excluding them on the basis of protected characteristics.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: And so we want to be.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Conscientious of that as.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: As one firms are starting to.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: develop these.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Processes right so.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: i'm a simple a simple example that I.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: That I read.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: In there was testimony that was given.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: By like a data analyst person from the eeoc a few years ago, so to use the example of what if a tech firm is see you know, in seeking candidates who quote fit their culture and they.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: You know they asked questions about what.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: You know what perks people enjoy in the in the workplace let's say and so that let's say that they go for applicants who are seemingly more low maintenance and say, well, I like as long as you give me some free dry, cleaning and you know there's a happy hour on Friday.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: i'll sign up Okay, and then you're and then.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: You say Okay, I, like those folks but I.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: I don't you know the folks that are asking for childcare insurance benefits and ask them.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Questions about that not so much.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: So, in doing so, what you what you might.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: What you might be doing is might perhaps screening out older workers or screening out workers have certain sex or race and so that's what we're talking about that.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: down the line.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: As you know, as the remote work does.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Open up host of opportunities.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: As always, the processes that we're going to be implementing.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: On to take advantage of those opportunities, it might be excluding other.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Other individuals.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: very basic level like.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: You know, as.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Sure it's been discussed a lot is accessible technology as well, so.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: I think it's to keep in mind that.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: We want employers.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: to reap all these opportunities, while keeping again, as I said in the.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Very beginning this like overlay of the equal employment.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Opportunities so that, at the end.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: you're not excluding certain groups.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: um.
Nadine Vogel: Alright, I wanted to thank you guys so much this was fabulous you know, everybody has assumptions about what we think we know.
Nadine Vogel: About you know about regulations and and I think the question is more, not the regulation itself, but how to apply how to apply them practically and you guys have have really shared on how to do that, so I want to thank you both very much for joining us and.
Nadine Vogel: I know that we had some questions to maybe we'll sort them on to you because we are out of time, but thank you both.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: Thank you for having me.
Beatriz Andre, EEOC: I really appreciate it okay.
bye bye.
Nadine Vogel: Okay, ladies and gentlemen, I am back and.
Nadine Vogel: I wanted to share with you our.
Nadine Vogel: next topic and our next topic is really focused on the theme, the theme of the time is now no excuses and I really just wanted to take about just a very short period of time just talk a little bit about what I mean by this.
Nadine Vogel: On You all know that the past few years, we have experienced a tremendous amount of challenges, especially as it impacts, social justice, equity, etc.
Nadine Vogel: and people with disabilities have been disproportionately impacted not just by covert but budget cuts rollback of civil rights, I mean anytime we have an issue like this.
Nadine Vogel: Individuals with disabilities do get disproportionately impacted we are hearing a lot about the great resignation.
Nadine Vogel: I would like to turn this on its head, I would like to talk about the great attraction.
Nadine Vogel: For individuals with disabilities, this is not about perfection it's it's about progress and we have to start to move the Needle, on you heard a lot this morning about.
Nadine Vogel: You know, companies are taking more of an interest in this, but interest alone is not enough, we have to get started with doing something.
Nadine Vogel: So we learned when Kobe first started about individuals with disabilities.
Nadine Vogel: had an amazing ability to quickly adapt to a lot of the technological issues that we had to deal with going on to zoom and and and having video conferencing, more so than the traditional conference call if we weren't in person.
Nadine Vogel: You know, we just heard about coven and long whole coven and some of the impacts regular from a regulatory standpoint.
Nadine Vogel: We have to be willing to have conversations about mental health, but in doing so in doing so we have to stop referring to people with disabilities as this vulnerable population.
Nadine Vogel: When we do that we go back to the medical model of disability and what we have to do instead is really take.
Nadine Vogel: A person centered approach right and look at risk in terms of the barriers that we're putting off to the employment of people with disabilities.
Nadine Vogel: We have to rethink sourcing hiring practices, you know in this new world talent is everywhere.
Nadine Vogel: Whether in the country outside the country talent is everywhere, including individuals with disabilities, so we need to call on our HR professionals.
Nadine Vogel: To understand what that means calling our talent acquisition professionals, you know Pam was speaking earlier about training and training, specifically for talent acquisition folks talent talent acquisition folks are not born knowing how to source and recruit individuals with disabilities.
Nadine Vogel: Now, while I talk about the disability shouldn't be seen is or recognizes the vulnerable population, I also want to bring up the issue that individuals with invisible disabilities as you heard from earlier.
Nadine Vogel: You know, they may never before have had a need to share with the employer um something about the disability, but now because of this hybrid world they may be forced here.
Nadine Vogel: They may need to force themselves to disclose because of some kind of accommodation that they need now that they didn't need before.
Nadine Vogel: folks are more nervous than ever to do this because they're acutely aware that businesses are making difficult decisions about redundancies and about how to retool.
Nadine Vogel: Our workforces so we have to be aware of what I call the unintended consequences, making sure that individuals with disabilities are not just considered.
Nadine Vogel: But involved directly when we are assessing these hybrid environments these new processes for return to work.
Nadine Vogel: You know if someone has the ability or doesn't have the ability, enough quote unquote hoteling environment to work out in an open environment could be very difficult for someone who has some kind of hearing loss who perhaps is on the autism or asperger's spectrum.
Nadine Vogel: we're not including these folks in it right up front and having these conversations we're making assumptions that oh everybody will love this hybrid will work hoteling will work.
Nadine Vogel: The question is, it will work for whom and in what situations.
Nadine Vogel: We need to educate everyone about all of these issues, you know when we when code first came out, you know people were not understanding that if someone reads lips, and you had a mask on what that was going to do.
Nadine Vogel: If someone is blind and needs to hold onto the back of someone's on to navigate they may not to be able to have that succeed of social distance.
Nadine Vogel: The challenge with this is that I find the whole issue of disability inclusion is often parked in this.
Nadine Vogel: too difficult box right and we'll have to get to that later we got to deal with the low hanging fruit well people hiring individuals with disabilities.
Nadine Vogel: Is the low hanging fruit, we need to do this and we need to do it now.
Nadine Vogel: You know I think I mentioned early on that on some of our sponsors are also members of C four di chief diversity officer is for disability inclusion.
Nadine Vogel: These folks are making commitments to inclusion and accessibility, they are working on changing the perceptions about remote and flexible working and especially so as it relates to individuals with disabilities.
Nadine Vogel: We have to see your perceptions realizations translate into not just real initiatives but ongoing initiatives that are going to.
Nadine Vogel: we're going to realize long term benefits long term representation, whether it's in marketing materials external communications, we heard from our marketplace panel earlier you're looking at this relative to consumers.
Nadine Vogel: who have disabilities or consumers families, this is not work that you can say here's our initiative for the year it's for disability employment awareness month and move on.
Nadine Vogel: It is more important more imperative than ever it we as a collective group look to regroup and re evaluate.
Nadine Vogel: This post code recovery specifically as it applies to individuals with disabilities as you heard earlier of many folks a disability inclusion is not a tick box, or should it be a tick box exercise, it has to be integrated in the day to day business.
Nadine Vogel: Now is the time guys make.
Nadine Vogel: The year when no one, and I mean no one is left behind or individuals with disabilities are seamlessly integrated throughout every aspect of your organization.
Nadine Vogel: Do people with disabilities proud do me proud and do yourselves proud, because I want to hear everything that you're doing as we move into disability matters.
Nadine Vogel: Next year as a result of what we talked about here, so thank you for giving me those few minutes to to share my thoughts and I think i'll be turning it back over to Eve that at this time.
ILopez desktop: Thank you again so.
ILopez desktop: I love this title menopause and the heat of the moment, so our moderator Claire Gil founder national menopause foundation come to the stage.
ILopez desktop: she'll be joined by co founder menopause foundation of Canada trish barbato.
ILopez desktop: she's going to be joined by co founder menopausal foundation of Canada Jericho and lastly faculty beth Israel hospital Harvard Medical School and editor at I love this hot years mag calm may seibel come to the stage.
ILopez desktop: Give us a second to get everybody.
ILopez desktop: hey I can see you.
Claire Gill: excited to be here excellent excellent excellent and we're just.
ILopez desktop: Now my zoom has pause i'm just checking for trish to make sure she's moving over let's see.
ILopez desktop: Technology so far as we just finished talking about it, the patient everyone.
see if we can get everybody oh.
Claire Gill: I see trish saying she's an attendee and waiting to be.
Claire Gill: Moving.
ILopez desktop: I think they're stuck in and a pause i'm singapore's were between on some.
Trish Barbato: Can you hear me okay.
Claire Gill: nice to see you too.
Oh.
Claire Gill: Yes, hi Dr.
Mache Seibel, MD: You see, we talked about menopause and the whole system pauses.
ILopez - vFairs Team: blew up in the heat of the moment.
Mache Seibel, MD: And they.
ILopez - vFairs Team: got it, so I can see, I see Claire I see make.
ILopez - vFairs Team: sure that I have everybody else yep I see the other two kinds just sound checks for everybody.
Trish Barbato: i'm good, I think.
ILopez - vFairs Team: Okay.
Mache Seibel, MD: And one more one two yep.
ILopez - vFairs Team: Okay guys you're all set you're ready to rock and roll.
Claire Gill: Thank you.
you're welcome.
Claire Gill: hi this is Claire girl, I am the founder of the national menopause foundation in the United States it's my pleasure to be here with our distinguished panel.
Claire Gill: I am, I wanted to let you know that this session is called menopause in the heat of the moment.
Claire Gill: And for a second we'll talk about why menopause is included in a disability Conference, so that was something that we were debating ourselves when we were asked to participate, but many countries, including Europe and.
Claire Gill: that's where the content is in Europe and Asia, also have the opportunity to improve the care of the health care for women.
Claire Gill: under their inclusiveness X in their healthcare systems and in their disability X so that's why we're addressing in here today, although menopause is not ability isn't normal part of life.
Claire Gill: And a normal stage of life for women, it is something that needs to be addressed, for when we need accommodations for some of the symptoms of menopause.
Claire Gill: So that's why we're here talking to you today, I like to take a brief moment introduce our panel, I know you have access to our our bios through the system, but I would like to just take a moment introduce everyone.
Claire Gill: And we'll all be able to kind of answer some questions that we hear all the time and talk about what's happening in the US and Canada, when it comes to us so First, let me start with Dr may seibel.
Claire Gill: he's a leading menopause expert who helps women get the information they need to feel better and more control of their life.
Claire Gill: He is been a long time practicing physician i'm part of the Harvard medical faculty and he's the author of several books on the topic of women's health.
Claire Gill: Including the estrogen window the estrogen fix and his most recent is working through menopause the impact on women, business and the bottom line, which has been very appropriate for today's topic.
Claire Gill: he's also published hundreds of scientific articles on the topic of women's health and also an author of several books related to the scientific topics of patient education, research, etc.
Claire Gill: i'm also delighted to welcome Janet co she is co founder of the menopause foundation of Canada and national advocacy organization created to raise awareness about the impact of menopause on women and society.
Claire Gill: She has held numerous senior leadership positions in the pharmaceutical industry global life sciences and the senior living sector.
Claire Gill: she's an award winning creator of innovative communications campaign and has launched thought leadership programs focus on raising awareness of ageism and fostering intergenerational learning.
Claire Gill: She is a passionate about helping women thrive, through their menopausal years so we're happy to have you here Janet.
Claire Gill: and her other Co founder is trish barbato she's also from the menopause foundation of Canada and is passionate about women's health and their ability to be their best self.
Claire Gill: She currently serves as a president and C E O of the arthritis society, and she has held executive roles in the hospital retirement and long term care mental health and Community sexual sectors she's a published author and an international speaker so thank you all for joining me today.
Trish Barbato: here.
Claire Gill: great to have you here, so I again I want to talk a little bit about what inspired me first to found the national menopause foundation in the United States i've been working in.
Claire Gill: women's health for a number of years and the bone health osteoporosis sector and it came to my attention that there was no patient advocacy or.
Claire Gill: You know nonprofit dedicated solely to women at menopause in the United States and I found this incredibly hard to believe.
Claire Gill: there's a lot of clinical organizations, there are organizations that are sort of hybrid nonprofit for profit, but I wanted something strictly nonprofit that focused on education and empowerment for women at menopause.
Claire Gill: And one of the first things we started working on was in the advocacy area I met with all of the women's health offices at all the national federal agencies here in the US.
Claire Gill: Talking about what their focus on women's health was and how could we possibly increase the priority of menopause.
Claire Gill: And so, as I was doing all of this work, I was actually contacted by my colleagues in Canada, who were looking to do some of the same things and.
Claire Gill: we've had some great discussions about where the focus is for women's health and menopause in our respective countries where there are similarities where their differences.
Claire Gill: And likewise I met Dr seibel at another conference, where we were talking about menopause and women's health.
Claire Gill: And the big issue coming to topic here in the US is about the workforce and how do we address menopause in the workforce so obviously Dr cycles most recent book was a particular interest so let's dive into asking them about.
Claire Gill: Their areas of expertise and where are we headed in the US and in Canada, when it comes to doing more for women's health at menopause so Dr seibel i'll start with you, if that's okay.
Claire Gill: um can you give me a little bit of brief background about you know what inspired you to get into this area in particular, of women tell.
Mache Seibel, MD: Well it's very straightforward it's very personal in my particular situation, I was at the time, a very leading expert in the area of infertility, I did some of the first in vitro fertilizations in the United States.
Mache Seibel, MD: And then the women's health initiative came out the so called whi.
Mache Seibel, MD: Which suggested incorrectly that hormones could increase the risk of breast cancer and heart disease and other things that has subsequently been proven to be inaccurate and matter of fact, in my book, the estrogen fix I have.
Mache Seibel, MD: made that very clear what what the issues are that made it come that way, but what happened was just six months after the women's health initiative my wife had surgery the tour into early menopause.
Mache Seibel, MD: And when that happened, none of the doctors wanted to really offer her hormone therapy, she was a young woman and.
Mache Seibel, MD: I feel like I had to figure it out so she wouldn't have to tough it out, and so what I did was to transition myself and trying to come up with a real clear understanding of where things went wrong so that's how I got started.
Claire Gill: Well we're very glad that you've dedicated this part of your career to it so i'm jenna interest, let me ask you both let's talk a little bit about how you two came together, first of all, and then what inspired you to create the menopause foundation of Canada.
Trish Barbato: yeah I can start so Jane and I had previously worked together, but we both have our own personal journey with menopause in particular being executive.
Trish Barbato: executives in the workforce and menopause having a huge impact on our own personal career journey.
Trish Barbato: And when we like you Claire when we looked around we realized wow there is no advocacy organization and Canada there's no one who is solely here to create awareness, to remove the stigma and the taboos.
Trish Barbato: that are associated with menopause and really to ensure that that women's health is supported in the healthcare system in government and in business and women's careers, so that is why we've created an apostle foundation of Canada and we're just working on getting the word out.
Claire Gill: that's wonderful and we have really again really important, and we need to let women know that these words resources are now available so.
Claire Gill: that's really interesting so we're talking about in the heat of the moment and we are talking about a little bit of where we're seeing things going in in our respective countries.
Claire Gill: And so, as I mentioned, you know the hot topic here in the US is workforce and people are talking about Oh, we need to make some accommodations for women.
Claire Gill: And we need to advocate for this and as i've shared with all of you, our panelists and now sharing with the audience there's a lot of data on what companies lose in revenue.
Claire Gill: When women at midlife are experiencing menopausal symptoms and what that's costing the businesses but there's not a lot of attention paid to what do women bring to businesses at midlife.
Claire Gill: What you all have our years of experience what to all of our decision making powers our creativity.
Claire Gill: bring to the business side, so I really want to make sure, as we talk through some of the things in the United States about accommodation or things that need to be addressed, for women.
Claire Gill: At menopause and there are many that we're also making sure that we provide a lot of resources and information about what value.
Claire Gill: Women bring to menopause at menopause to the workforce so Dr site, but let's talk a little bit about your book what what inspired you and you did this book with your wife, as I understand and.
Claire Gill: What inspired you to both write this particular book and why this topic about the workforce working through menopause.
Mache Seibel, MD: Well it's really an extension of what happened with the women's health initiative in my earlier books, the estrogen window on the estrogen fix because what happened was in 2002 when the women's health initiative.
Mache Seibel, MD: reported incorrectly about the damaging effects of estrogen millions of women threw away their hormones.
Mache Seibel, MD: And at that time estrogen was the number one prescribed medication in the United States, it was one of the most prescribed medicines in the world.
Mache Seibel, MD: But women stop taking it all at once, and so, as a result of that many of the women will really miserable what happened about that same time.
Mache Seibel, MD: was the fact that the American.
Mache Seibel, MD: training systems, decided that the doctors that were in training the residents were working too many hours, it might have an injurious effect on patient care so they cut back the number of hours on the on how how much training.
Mache Seibel, MD: Ob gyn is could get, and so they figured well menopause would be a very good thing to eliminate because you know.
Mache Seibel, MD: what's the problem and so as a result, less than 20% of residency training programs today actually offer training in in menopause and even many fewer in primary care, whereas in contrast.
Mache Seibel, MD: They have programs for urology a urine gynecology for fertility for obstetrics for cancer, but all women will not get those things, but every woman is going to go through menopause if she lives long enough.
Mache Seibel, MD: And so it's really a shame not to incorporate it.
Mache Seibel, MD: I also know that so many women that I was saying we're concerned because menopause was such a problem for them.
Mache Seibel, MD: And I might say in the United States menopause is not a disability it's considered a natural event, therefore, if it's natural can't be problematic, on the other hand.
Mache Seibel, MD: If recent court case tends to set the status for the future it's been determined that if a woman has had surgery that throws her into early menopause.
Mache Seibel, MD: That is a disability, because it was inflicted upon her and so it's kind of a hybrid of where it is right now, but basically it's taboo to talk about.
Mache Seibel, MD: The the issue of menopause and women don't want to talk about it it's first of all it's caught up in ageism they're concerned about being viewed as older.
Mache Seibel, MD: they're already concerned about trying to get through the glass ceiling, and then they are concerned, even further about the worry about getting through what I would call.
Mache Seibel, MD: The estrogen ceiling because they've got to go through challenged by all of the things that menopause brings with it, and without hormones as a more common tart source of treatment What happened was.
Mache Seibel, MD: The number of women in being treated went from the majority to less than 10% today and then because women also the women's movement and everything was simultaneously moving forward.
Mache Seibel, MD: Women began to feel that they had to tough it out, because they wanted to be strong, so instead of figuring it out and saying that okay you don't want hormones, you can take something else, the majority of women are getting nothing.
Mache Seibel, MD: they're not getting any treatment for their symptoms so they're just suffering, then you go in the workplace and not allowed to talk about it, there are no.
Mache Seibel, MD: programs in place for it and and they're in a situation where 10 a third of women are now considering leaving work because of menopause in the United States.
Mache Seibel, MD: and two thirds feel that what's happening is they're having three or more symptoms that they know or feel very strongly are impacting the quality of their work.
Mache Seibel, MD: And I kept seeing this and hearing this and i'm looking in the United States, yet 1% or less of businesses and companies have any support for women, they great up through.
Mache Seibel, MD: pregnancy and childbearing but what happens is those young women who finally got the childbearing support you know that generation is now entering menopause.
Mache Seibel, MD: And the women who were the the millennials who are who have just don't know any better that they assume everybody's covered, for all their personal things.
Mache Seibel, MD: are just hitting 40 which throws them into early amanda paws are into perimenopause, and so we have this confluence of need that's tremendous and there's nothing happening.
Mache Seibel, MD: So.
Mache Seibel, MD: Trying to make noise.
Claire Gill: Right that's what we're here to fix and certainly with your your book talking about this important topic, I think that'll.
Claire Gill: that'll definitely help raise awareness about it here in the US, and I know we'll continue to partner on things that we can do in the US that.
Claire Gill: That brings it to the forefront, and makes it something of an extension, as you said, to some of the programs that were finally established in the US about addressing women's needs at.
Claire Gill: childbearing years and moving into the workforce so Janet trish you had been really kind and some of your and honest and some of our conversations, where you talk about.
Claire Gill: You know, Canada is not the United States and that we are actually I think I described as a very prudish society which is true, things are not talked about here.
Claire Gill: They way they are, in some of these other countries, so now that you've established the menopause foundation of Canada, what are some of your priorities, what are you seeing in Canada, that are kind of bubbling up to the top of those concerns from women.
Janet Ko: Well, I think, like in the United States and in other places around the world.
Janet Ko: Unfortunately, we all have to start at the very beginning, which is related to awareness, the silence the stigma the misinformation.
Janet Ko: This is hugely damaging for women and for society, so when Dr siegel talks about you know the glass ceiling tricia and I have had many conversations, where we actually believe.
Janet Ko: That menopause is like that missing link that doesn't get talked about you know for women and Claire you talked about framing this about women's contribution.
Janet Ko: Most women enter menopause when they're at the height of their careers so they're making this kind of maximum contribution.
Janet Ko: And all of a sudden, you can be perimenopausal and then men puzzle, and you don't understand what is actually happening in your own body.
Janet Ko: So if you can't understand what is happening to you, you will not connect the dots and you will not be able to get help which will allow you to kind of push through and have more of.
Janet Ko: An uplifting experience which menopause should be so our biggest priority in Canada is around that foundational element of menopause.
Janet Ko: Breaking the stigma breaking the taboo having the open conversation, making sure that women are armed with the information to advocate for themselves as a starting point.
Janet Ko: And I think it's you know, women who are going to be the ones who are going to demand the change in the workforce.
Janet Ko: But if we have progressive and smart organizations, they will care because you will be losing and are losing top talent at this time of.
Janet Ko: You know, a woman's maximum peak contribution to any employer so everybody should be looking at this as a way to stop that great resignation, to make sure that they've got their talented people supported as much as they can.
Claire Gill: that's a really good point, and you know, as you said, it's the need is so great and American companies, particularly now right we're in a completely different world.
Claire Gill: postcode where there was people of all ages, but particularly older workers resigning, and so they are losing that brain trust you know I actually we talked in the US, a lot about.
Claire Gill: The the programs that are happening in the UK and so anybody who's listening is probably if you're if you're interested in this topic you've heard about some of the advancements that they made.
Claire Gill: That really came about because of the loss of the workforce that they were experiencing.
Claire Gill: They were actually looking to keep women in midlife in the workforce longer because they needed it population wise they needed it.
Claire Gill: And so I know that's a little bit different in the US it's a little bit different in Canada, but there is still that need for top talent and so we do have to.
Claire Gill: begin by raising awareness and breaking this taboo and demystifying it i'm shocked by how many women have no idea.
Claire Gill: what's coming for them or what's a what happens to them during this stage of life.
Claire Gill: And, and part of it obviously because there's been complete lack of education as we've talked about you know we learn about puberty in school.
Claire Gill: there's tons of parenting and childbirth classes and prepare you for that stage of life, and then there is systematically nothing in place to prepare us for what is.
Claire Gill: A very big transitional period and Dr seibel, as you said that that's compounded by the fact that clinicians don't know.
Claire Gill: How to identify sometimes women who are experiencing these things, or what to tell them about how to address those symptoms, so what are you seeing in the clinical.
Claire Gill: World I mean I know we have we have leaps and bounds to go, but what do you think it's most important that that we do to kind of bridge that clinical education gap in the US.
Mache Seibel, MD: I think there has to be a lot more.
Mache Seibel, MD: Education for the physicians and the people, the nurses, as well as the consumers, because it may be, just like the.
Mache Seibel, MD: The companies will advertise to women are two individuals to try and get them to take action with their doctors about a certain condition on TV you see commercials I think we're going to have to put something out for that.
Mache Seibel, MD: The average person goes to two or three doctors, the average woman those two to three doctors when she started transitioning into menopause she has palpitations she thinks it's her heart she's foggy she thinks she may be having some kind of early alzheimer's.
Mache Seibel, MD: which I hear all the time that's really scary to women everybody's got an aunt or grandmother or somebody that had all sizer I old timers and then you have the.
Mache Seibel, MD: Changes in libido so they think they have a sex problem there's all these things that are happening that's pretty scary and then.
Mache Seibel, MD: It gets treated one thing at a time and everybody gets an antidepressant and so they're not considering what I say the some of the person and and they just looking at some of the person.
Mache Seibel, MD: The other thing is is from the business point of view is think the way we can get companies involved is to put it into financial terms.
Mache Seibel, MD: If we just look at hot flashes alone hot flashes in the United States is costing on average about $14 billion 14 billion in hot flashes from lost productivity and from the opportunity to really absenteeism.
Mache Seibel, MD: Women lose about an hour 1.2 hours a day of productivity if they're having very symptomatic menopause globally menopause is an 810 billion dollar issue for the workforce that's a lot of money.
Mache Seibel, MD: And if we can't get people to do the right thing this tell them that you will lose money or do you want to retain money, and if you need someone, that is, that woman's position and she's not.
Mache Seibel, MD: going to stay at work, because it's not an environment that's supporting her, she may take a lesser requirement job and drop out and that causes the company to have to replace her all that intellectual capital all that institutional knowledge all the things that that person has.
Mache Seibel, MD: are gone, and this is happening over and over and over again and it's really important to educate the workplace educate the healthcare providers and educate the women themselves, I think all these things have to be a multi pronged effect you're right you're right.
Claire Gill: And I love the idea that we're not looking at it holistically, not only in our own health looking at holistically but looking at these these problems.
Claire Gill: or problems or issues holistically as well because there's opportunities within the the this it's time to it's an opportunity for us to talk more about this to raise awareness about it, as you said, to bring about better care.
Claire Gill: But there's more that we can be done so agenda and interest i'd also like to ask you guys about a little bit.
Claire Gill: Obviously, a little different system in Canada, where you don't have to worry as much about healthcare getting health care coverage, as we do in the US, but when we're when we're talking about accommodations in the workforce, as I see it, here in the US and.
Claire Gill: So I believe back this up as well part of that is that a lot of the things that women need in the US, we do not have coverage for within.
Claire Gill: Our health systems and so that that's an issue here, but when it comes to accommodation for workforce issues.
Claire Gill: in Canada if that's taken care of through your health care system, first of all, is it right, you get the care that you need and then what's the next big thing what's one of the accommodations you'd like to see businesses put into place in Canada.
Trish Barbato: yeah I mean, I think that, while Canada has a universal health system.
Trish Barbato: That does not mean that all drugs that women need for menopause are paid for each of our provinces, will have a different list and so there's certainly advocacy that is required.
Trish Barbato: In order to expand the qualifying drugs that people who cannot afford, but they are eligible to get those drugs.
Trish Barbato: I would say that extends to benefit companies and benefit plans, where we also don't have like the full optionality of what women need access to, and I think that that's a barrier.
Trish Barbato: As Dr seibel mentioned, we have a lot of clinicians who frankly do not have a clue on what to do.
Trish Barbato: In terms of what would be the best approach and again, not their fault, they they don't have the education, this is not just true general practitioners, but also, as you mentioned the.
Trish Barbato: gynecologist and Ob gyn so there's a lot of work to do, notwithstanding that we have a universal health care system.
Trish Barbato: I think in the area, we are very similar to the US in the area of getting accommodation it's some sort of on an individual basis and.
Trish Barbato: You know you, I think that there is still stigma though attributed to that I I, personally, I have been going through horrendous them dumps for about eight years.
Trish Barbato: And in my last roll I had to ask for accommodation from the CEO this was like a huge global company, and it was probably the it was horrendous I mean I didn't want to do it, I had to do it.
Trish Barbato: And one example of what I needed was, I could not come to work early I like I just couldn't because i'm so sleep deprived but.
Trish Barbato: I just need more time in the morning to sort of pull myself together.
Trish Barbato: And the analogy, I would have is, I very much feel like a person who has a chronic disease like i'm managing a chronic disease, so I have to think about my medication, I have to think about.
Trish Barbato: What is happening that week and that day, I have to sort out when I have peak energy, if I have something in the evening I can't do that much during the day, and so a lot of my time and energy goes around.
Trish Barbato: You know my work like like managing managing my menopause symptoms, in order to be able to work.
Trish Barbato: And I think that you know, one of the areas that I care a lot about is this trajectory of women becoming CEOs and we have, as you know, such a pay gap.
Trish Barbato: In senior executives and also in those power and senior executive positions, and I would say again for me personally, my trajectory was to become the CEO of a public company that was where I was going I was offered that role, I couldn't take it.
Trish Barbato: There was no way how I can't possibly travel and and I couldn't do it, and so, while I think we have women's trajectory, in particular the 20% of women who do have.
Trish Barbato: Very significant and serious symptoms that impact their day to day life, their career trajectory goes down and we need to find ways for workplaces to.
Trish Barbato: Just be educated about that just understand it for people to be able to say i'm having a hot flash I have to leave this meeting for a minute and.
Trish Barbato: Just regroup i'll be right back and that's not a big deal it's not completely you know taboo to say something like that.
Trish Barbato: And then I think into a lot to support that for women and to also be able to talk about it, I think that just for managers to even know what menopause is and what those symptoms are people don't women don't know.
Trish Barbato: So certainly men are probably not going to know the heart palpitations the.
Trish Barbato: Brain fog the anxiety, you know i've never had anxiety my life something have.
Trish Barbato: All this anxiety that is related again to those to those symptoms, so I think there's a lot in workplace that we can do to make it just a little bit or comedy generally and then having that specific accommodation as needed.
Claire Gill: got jenna anything to add.
Janet Ko: yeah I just might add, you know for us in Canada we're looking to create menopause friendly workplaces.
Janet Ko: and part of that is making sure that there's education and awareness so you know my own personal story of being a corporate executive is that it took.
Janet Ko: Probably six years to actually figure out what was happening to me and then as Dr siegel said I went to three or four different doctors until I actually.
Janet Ko: was offered and told not just about the risks, but about the benefits of menopause hormone therapy and I think this is the big thing that organizations need to understand.
Janet Ko: it's not just about keeping your women employed, because you want our talent and all that we have to contribute, through our menopausal years.
Janet Ko: But it's also about if you just want to go to pure bottom line, you know thinking about the long term health of your employees, because menopause, as we have come to learn did not know this in my 40s, but it is.
Janet Ko: The beginning of longer term health issues like heart disease bone disease euro genital issues impact on your brain women don't know this employers don't know this.
Janet Ko: So if we can have that opportunity in the workforce to support the conversation and the education, as we do with.
Janet Ko: pregnancy and not every woman will get pregnant, but every woman will go through menopause so companies need to consider.
Janet Ko: Not just retaining employees, but making sure that they understand the potential impact of their bottom line if an employee ends up sick because they have menopause related issues, whether that's you know bone heart, etc.
Claire Gill: that's right yeah very good point, this is not, you know menopause is is is a flash really well.
Claire Gill: no pun intended, but you know of time within the woman's lifespan but, as you said, it's what comes after that that can have a greater impact.
Claire Gill: On the health care system in general and and so that is really important to look at and we also talked about it, you know the the opportunity for women.
Claire Gill: leaders to talk about it and to put things into place and companies is really important, but you know so many of our companies are headed by men.
Claire Gill: But it's also an issue that impacts men, because their partners their family members, you know their their mothers their their you know, everybody are going through this change of life so, the more they know about it and can improve.
Claire Gill: Their education about it that'll be better for their employees and that'll be better in their own family lives i've heard from many men who stop and say to me oh my God.
Claire Gill: I understand now what my wife's going through you know this is incredible.
Claire Gill: Most of the time they whisper that so i've got to get to the point where people stop whispering.
Claire Gill: When they talk to be about menopause, but you can you can actually say it in full voice it's not it's not a bad word let's talk about it.
Claire Gill: And and talk about where we can get help for both you managing you know how to accommodate what's going on in your home life and also for your for your workers.
Claire Gill: And so, Dr siva what can we do as advocacy organizations to help advance bringing back some of that education time for clinicians on menopause, what do you get Are there things that advocacy organizations can do in partnership with some of the medical societies.
Mache Seibel, MD: Well, I think we can try and direct people to those organizations, where there are at least seminars and things on the topic unfortunately right now.
Mache Seibel, MD: The the explosion of information is so great that the residency programs are very difficult to talk into giving even additional one lecture on menopause because they.
Mache Seibel, MD: have to learn about genetics and they have to learn about disabilities and they have to learn about many other kinds of things to consider.
Mache Seibel, MD: And it isn't all their fault but there needs to be looked at alternative ways to consider it and I think we have to reframe menopause.
Mache Seibel, MD: In terms of how it affects the the whole woman, I mean one of the things that would that Janet pointed out, is that you know if you're a healthy 50 year old woman and you.
Mache Seibel, MD: Are 50 years old, your risk of dying from complication of osteoporosis is almost exactly the same as your risk of dying of breast cancer, but people aren't aware that, and you lose a lot of bone around the time.
Mache Seibel, MD: Of menopause us up to you know 30% of bone loss is happening over a relatively benign.
Mache Seibel, MD: narrow window of time and heart diseases was broke all of these things can be prevented and many other conditions, so if we couch it again, perhaps in terms of.
Mache Seibel, MD: taking care of the whole person and looking at the long range of the cost to society and the cost to healthcare, because it seems like people respond to dollars and cents versus common sense.
Claire Gill: yeah that's that's very true so that brings me to.
Claire Gill: Policy, you know, common sense versus some other things, but you know I think here in the US to some of the policy changes need to be made to.
Claire Gill: Both inspire and require that businesses, take a look at menopause and included as part of their diverse package of benefits that are our setup to accommodate here and the US.
Claire Gill: You know jenna and interest, do you think is that the same in in Canada, or is it really business lead there for you.
Trish Barbato: I think it's similar, I think that the other areas just around thinking about.
Trish Barbato: it's an economic issue so thinking about how we look at it as an economic issue with some of the statistics that you heard earlier, we also talk about gender pay gaps we talked about women in leadership roles and I thought the but the menopause part of it does not come into those.
Trish Barbato: Parts of the conversation that are already on governance, so how can we.
Trish Barbato: overlay the conversation of menopause with some of these existing areas, health and wellbeing.
Trish Barbato: You know the pay equity diversity inclusion, all of these kinds of other things, and I think as Janet said, we need to raise awareness it's it's kind of like the starting point if people don't even know.
Trish Barbato: As Janet was talking about someone she spoke to who asked well what was it, and so this is a person with a whole lot of people that.
Trish Barbato: Are in his division and did not know what it was so again we aren't educated on it, we need to be educated, we need to be more aware and I think that's just a really basic building block.
Mache Seibel, MD: Can I say one thing quickly.
Mache Seibel, MD: back when fertility was brand new as a treatment, you know IDF and so forth, because I was involved very greatly in the beginning of IDF.
Mache Seibel, MD: We fought three years and finally got benefits for fertility.
Mache Seibel, MD: As part of what covered what was covered in time off and in coverage and so forth.
Mache Seibel, MD: And women would choose offices and companies that were interested in supporting fertility, particularly younger women who were trying to get their children and their time.
Mache Seibel, MD: To be pregnant, I think that it's possible that, as we fight to get more coverage and more appreciation of menopause it's possible that.
Mache Seibel, MD: Women will seek the companies that support them at this phase of life, and they will be happier employees and more productive employees and the companies will be happy to know.
Janet Ko: I think that's such a good point and it's also important for everybody to remember, because we, when we think about menopause you think about.
Janet Ko: A woman who is older and there's this ages i'm around mid life and the reality is women at this stage of life.
Janet Ko: Are vibrant and want to live life to the fullest but it's important to know that one in 100 women will go through menopause under the age of 40 and one in 1000 under the age of 30.
Janet Ko: So this is not just something that happens at midlife there's a huge number of women that enter menopause at a much earlier stage.
Janet Ko: The other thing I would just add to what we've been saying on the policy side is that this is really a gender equity issue.
Janet Ko: There are supports in place for women when you're trying not to get pregnant and then, when you're trying to get pregnant and then, when you're trying to keep pregnant women coming back to the workplace.
Janet Ko: it's like your your health journey as a woman, and at that point, so we are really have to frame this around gender equity around women's health.
Janet Ko: and progressive companies need to really embrace this as an opportunity to lead.
Janet Ko: and to make sure that the women in your organizations are given the support it's not a disability, it is a life stage but, as with many life stages.
Janet Ko: You get accommodation and you get support to help you through that, and you know with menopause another myth, there is no other side right your symptoms may stick with you like they say seven to 14 years but.
Janet Ko: You know trisha his mom has hot flashes and she's in her 80s and there are many women much older who continue to have symptoms but it's those other long term health issues.
Janet Ko: That we should be aware of and working to make sure women understand them, and are taking action that is supported by government by healthcare and by business, we all have a role to play.
Claire Gill: yeah absolutely agree, I think that's a great a great point Janet and a great.
Claire Gill: Time to pause for a second I do want to leave i'm i've been conscious of our time as we're doing this, I do want to leave a couple of minutes in case there's any questions from the audience.
Claire Gill: i'm curious to hear from participants, particularly those of you who are in the HR area and are working on again for this particular you know.
Claire Gill: This topic of disability and and action items, you know where do you see this issue falling within your practices within your area of expertise and businesses and what can organizations like.
Claire Gill: The national menopause foundation in the US and the menopause foundation in Canada do to support that So if you do have any questions kind of quickly enter them into the chat and and we'll bring that will bring those up and and answer those as best we can.
Nadine Vogel: And Well, this is new to you, while we're waiting for that question did come in, which was a little earlier, where you guys were talking, do you have any thoughts on menopause and diabetes.
Nadine Vogel: This make this attendees matriarchal lineage type two diabetes is set off with menopause every woman down the line, sets off and 50 like anniversary.
Nadine Vogel: So I don't know if anybody has any comments on that.
Mache Seibel, MD: was a copy which.
Claire Gill: is definitely good but yeah I was gonna say waking is something we all deal with that menopause and it's a big.
Claire Gill: important issue so diabetes, can be a bigger issue but Dr seibel you want to take that one, please.
Mache Seibel, MD: yeah I mean there are certainly things that happened at midlife body changes and other things that happen that increase the likelihood of type two diabetes, I will say, though, that women who are in hormone therapy.
Mache Seibel, MD: have less diabetes and women who are not estrogen increases the impact of insulins ability to put sugar into the cells.
Mache Seibel, MD: And is, and then there are differences in the type of estrogen that are beneficial for women who have diabetes, so there are things to know about diabetes, in particular, if a woman does get it.
Mache Seibel, MD: And she is less likely to get it, and if she's on a hormone therapy.
Mache Seibel, MD: will say to about the age thing you know there's an increasing number of women who are going into menopause early because of.
Mache Seibel, MD: surgery to prevent cancers pre buyers who are having their ovaries out to lower their risk of breast ovarian cancer millions of these women.
Mache Seibel, MD: And they have been told incorrectly that they can't take estrogen because estrogen causes breast cancer, but the risk is no greater than the genetic disease that underlies it doesn't increase that risk, and this is another misconception for women.
Claire Gill: yeah it's too bad actually, as you said that that you know the when the studies come out and there are often one we need way more.
Claire Gill: Scientific studies about women and women's health and women at midlife and women postmenopausal That is something that I think we all do need to address an advocate for as well.
Claire Gill: But then when their studies come out and there's those big headline grabbing you know attention grabbing portions of it, as there was with the women's health initiative.
Claire Gill: Then, when the further studies come out with that, as you said, Dr site will disprove some of the things that happened originally there's not nearly the attention to it.
Claire Gill: And you know they don't do the same focus on getting out the new information as they did on the headlining you know.
Claire Gill: So we found there's a lot of clinicians who will not treat women with hormone therapy, because they still are using the original women's health initiative information and so.
Claire Gill: that's that's particularly scary where you know we we haven't done a good job of updating that and.
Claire Gill: i've spent some time talking with hhs and NIH about how do we go about making sure that the latest information, the new information gets as much attention as we did when that initial study came out.
Claire Gill: Of course, no one has a quick or easy answer to that, so I think we just have to continue to work at it and I have a question for you, through all.
Claire Gill: What would be one thing that you think women can do again from the empowerment and education matters standpoint to advocate for themselves better at midlife.
Claire Gill: So interest in gen and i'm thinking you know from your personal experiences and what you've seen with with the women you've spoken with and then Dr psycho from a clinical standpoint, what do you recommend women do so trish i'll start with you.
Trish Barbato: I think janice taking this on our behalf.
Claire Gill: Oh okay.
Janet Ko: um yeah I think I think for women, unfortunately this and this It makes me very sad that.
Janet Ko: We do not have the information we need to make good decisions, so you know, it is true, and you go to your everything is fear based there's a lot of myths you go to your doctor and your doctor says.
Janet Ko: have an Anti diaper antidepressant and you'll feel better and i'm sorry just push through it's this suffer in silence.
Janet Ko: And I think women, the one thing that they can do for themselves the biggest thing they can do is be your own personal advocate.
Janet Ko: educate yourself don't accept suffering in silence, do not accept that you will just be able to somehow push through if you're not feeling well if your health is suffering.
Janet Ko: Make sure you get the information there's lots of credible organizations now you know Claire your your organization.
Janet Ko: Our organization in Canada there's books, such as Dr seagulls new book so, unfortunately, women have to do the hard work, because I think they're going to be the ones to push this forward.
Janet Ko: So make sure that you don't just accept what your doctor says if you're not feeling well say no, I want to see a specialist and not just any Ob gyn.
Janet Ko: You need to see a menopause specialist one learning for us to is that not all all Ob gyn understand menopause you know we just think well you're an Ob gyn of course you'd understand menopause.
Janet Ko: not true, you need to make sure you get a menopause specialist and then just don't accept when you're not feeling well I know it's so basic and it's kind of sad that we're we're still there on this journey, but that is the starting point for all of this is.
Claire Gill: Dr Simon.
Mache Seibel, MD: I would just I would underscore widget just said and.
Mache Seibel, MD: You know, up to 10% of women go into menopause before age 45 so in the symptoms of perimenopause the.
Mache Seibel, MD: Transition leading into it can start up to 10 years before that.
Mache Seibel, MD: So I would just say if you're a woman in your late 30s early 40s and suddenly you feel different it could be changes in the way you think changes and symptoms or use a sexual arm.
Mache Seibel, MD: or a urinary or anything that doesn't feel exactly right, you have to raise the question be curious, I wonder if this could be menopause.
Mache Seibel, MD: Because most women have the talk with their mom about their first period, but they don't have to talk about their last period.
Mache Seibel, MD: So it's important to go in to the doctor and ask questions if the doctor doesn't feel comfortable about the questions you ask, and there are no stupid questions, and there are none that are two basic.
Mache Seibel, MD: They simply asked him they refer you to someone who's more aware of menopause and who would you recommend I see, I still want to see you, for whatever, but I want to go get some help on this particular thing and get help.
Mache Seibel, MD: And there is help available you just have to ask and direct yourself, and I think he couldn't be more accurate than what Janet said, and that is, you will have to be your own.
Mache Seibel, MD: advocate and always take a paper and pencil with you, with your questions that you want to ask, so you don't forget them if you're having brain fog and you don't have something written down, you may forget before you walk out.
Mache Seibel, MD: And then to write things down and it's okay to bring a friend with you for an extra pair of ears to make sure you got it right.
Mache Seibel, MD: So make the interviews that you go to as important as it would, if you were taking your dog to the vet.
Mache Seibel, MD: and trying to make sure that everything they do every year is covered, I mean women and people in general are more concerned about their pets in their cars which they get inspected regularly.
Mache Seibel, MD: than they are about themselves and women who are the keepers for the entire family they do 85% of all healthcare decisions.
Mache Seibel, MD: aren't getting the help they need, and remember put the oxygen mask on yourself first and you'll be much better capable to do the things that are naturally coming to you.
Claire Gill: that's a great great point to say, well, thank you right, we have to take care of ourselves to take care of everyone that we're responsible for, so I think that's it we're out of time again, thank you to.
Claire Gill: trish bravado and Janet co and Dr seibel for their participation in this important session, thank you to springboard for having us and we look forward to the rest of the conference.
Mache Seibel, MD: Thanks to you, Claire appreciate your home.
My pleasure.
ILopez 2 vFairs Team: That was pretty amazing alright guys Thank you Claire Thank you trish Thank you Janet Thank you me.
ILopez 2 vFairs Team: And up.
ILopez 2 vFairs Team: and up to our stage is the session accessible media and joining us as moderator co chief executive officer sign one news sign one studios Karen Graham she's also joined by panelists.
ILopez 2 vFairs Team: The co founder and co Chief Executive of sign one news jabari Butler news anchor sign one news gatekeeper sod and our asl interpreter Carmel to chiro come to the stage.
ILopez 2 vFairs Team: All right, I see Carmel.
ILopez 2 vFairs Team: I know the karen's trying to start her video she should get a prompt.
ILopez 2 vFairs Team: and
ILopez 2 vFairs Team: hey Karen can I hear you.
ILopez 2 vFairs Team: know.
Karen Graham Sign1News: You may hear me.
ILopez 2 vFairs Team: There you go I don't see jabari.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Yes, he's trying to get in now, he may come in as sign one news i'm not sure.
Karen Graham Sign1News: The auditorium he's in the room.
ILopez 2 vFairs Team: All right, we'll give them a SEC to join.
ILopez 2 vFairs Team: should be coming over now.
ILopez 2 vFairs Team: hey jabari can you hear us.
ILopez 2 vFairs Team: There you go, we just need you to unmute you are beautiful okay so i've got everybody on screen, we can hear everyone so it's all yours.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: Thank you.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: Okay Gary let's go.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Alright, great Well, first of all I have to think before we do anything I have to thank meeting um she is my sister from another Mister.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And when we first met last year we we clicked instantly and I just want to say to you, ladies and to your entire team event Gretchen and all of your team that you, you have not only.
Karen Graham Sign1News: move the Needle, if you will, on Disability Advocacy you have literally shifted the atmosphere globally, and so we are team is beyond honored.
Karen Graham Sign1News: To be a part of this virtual panel and to be a part of this platform to share our vision, you know and to add our voice to this, and so I would have been remiss if I had just jumped into our session and did not take up cause for the cause.
Karen Graham Sign1News: and say thank you so here is our team of course i'm Karen Graham co CEO of sign one news.
Karen Graham Sign1News: i'm sure event gave a brief introduction, but i've been in television, I was in television for 20 years before I left to launch this network.
Karen Graham Sign1News: I have a couple of emmys under my belt and I don't say that to brag at all, although i'm very proud of it, I say that simply to say that.
Karen Graham Sign1News: storytelling is really my passion, and so this platform has allowed me to do that in cahoots with jabari my co CEO and amazing talents.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Like a tree persona who is our one of our newest members to the company and so guys before we get started in the conversation, can you just do a we'll just brief introduction of yourself before we get started.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: Sure Hello everyone I am jabari Butler co founder and co CEO also signed when news and i'm just thankful to be here got a couple of decades in technology and some experience doing international business and i've been in along this road, for many years, with Karen and she and I.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: With her award winning production background and my technology and forbes tech background we're just delighted to be able to be of service to to Community so that's me.
don't gator.
Karen Graham Sign1News: gator.
Interpreter | Carmelle: Hello everyone, my name is gayatri and i'm a news anchor would sign my news, and I joined the team in October and so i've been working with everyone, since I wear multiple hats i'm an actor as well.
Interpreter | Carmelle: And the owner of phoenix of fire specifically for theatre for deaf artists and to provide accessible theater as well, so thank you for inviting me to join this panel.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Wonderful alright so we're going to go ahead and get started, because we know 45 minutes is going to go by very, very fast.
Karen Graham Sign1News: we've enjoyed all of the panelists today, and so we hope that we're able to wrap it up in a pretty both today our our our theme for our panel discussion is accessible media.
Karen Graham Sign1News: With the subtitle of intentional inclusion.
Karen Graham Sign1News: So let me break down very quickly what we mean by intentional inclusion.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And a very, very simply means that if you are a corporation or a nonprofit.
Karen Graham Sign1News: church fundraiser high school play.
Karen Graham Sign1News: If your goal is to touch the disability community in any form, or fashion, it is imperative and they do and I heard you say this earlier today and i'm so glad because you're echoing what what we're saying today.
Karen Graham Sign1News: That, if your goal is to touch the disability community in any way the planning for that inclusion.
Karen Graham Sign1News: has to begin in the genesis form of your vision at seed form.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Or it just won't work.
Karen Graham Sign1News: we've seen it happen 1000 times that's before the contract is signed before you by, or at least a building before you cast for your play or your movie.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Before you pick the first board member intentional inclusion has to start way back before the mission statement before your vision.
Karen Graham Sign1News: It has to be the foundation and the baseline for what you are going to do again if you're touching the disability community, and I want to ask just go ahead and bring in gayatri.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And jabari and and your thoughts on that and that we've seen a lot of people try and and I applaud the effort of trying, but what was missing was that intentional inclusion before the conversation even started i'd love to hear your thoughts on that.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: Absolutely Karen I totally agree as a matter of fact, as we get started, just as an example i'm not sure what layout that you see right now, but if you are able to you might be able to see a wave for you to see.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: gayatri and myself and we're all on screen together we don't move the interpreter to the side off to the corner or somewhere in the background or something like that you know.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: because they are part of the full conversation, and one of the things that I like what Karen said is is the intentionality of being intentional, not an afterthought.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: Not an afterthought.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: oftentimes it's an afterthought.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: And many times that's when we were brought in to provide another way for something to happen, and when you start.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: With the solid foundation on being intentional being inclusive, then that means the planning phase, the inclusion happens there.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: oftentimes we get Brian on the afterthought after it's done after the planning after it's produced after it's created after it's finished Oh, how can we do this for deaf or hard of hearing a population, and so we we we do that, but again, we really like to come in on the beginning.
Karen Graham Sign1News: engage me your thoughts I love to hear your thoughts on that and your experience.
Interpreter | Carmelle: Yes.
Interpreter | Carmelle: You really also have to accommodate the deaf and hard of hearing needs for the interpreters accessibility, you know you always think about to say space.
Interpreter | Carmelle: and accommodation what the accessibility needs are and equity, but you know as a deaf person you focus on access.
Interpreter | Carmelle: And what you think about access for everyone that's different and people's needs are very different.
Interpreter | Carmelle: Some folks can hear better than others, some are hard of hearing some are fully deaf some use sign language to communicate some or oral depth so really.
Interpreter | Carmelle: You have to keep in mind that you're trying to accommodate a multiple individuals would sign my news it's great because there's captions are signing there's everything there and it's accessible to more than just one specific group of persons people.
Karen Graham Sign1News: i'm glad you said that gator that's a really good point because five years ago it's been five years for you business owners out there, time does fly.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And you feel every day of it.
Karen Graham Sign1News: way yes yeah five years was five years.
Karen Graham Sign1News: When we first started.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And in even to this day.
Karen Graham Sign1News: We were the blueprint, no one had ever done what we are doing and no one still is not doing what we're doing there, there are some who are coming close.
Karen Graham Sign1News: But the level of network connections that we have we are a CNN affiliate and I explained to people all the time, that means we are get our content from seeing it.
Karen Graham Sign1News: we're not we're not seeing in, but we can definitely have access to hundreds and thousands of video assets to be able to provide a newscast for our audience, but when we came along, five years ago we literally had no one to look to to figure out how to do this.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Right is 11 board but we knew early on that, if we did not include the deaf community in this conversation.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Again, as I said before, we signed the lease for our studio before we hired the first person we had already done months and months and months and months.
Karen Graham Sign1News: of research and focus groups and studies and we'll talk about that a little bit later we actually i'm like the documentarian i'm an.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Unofficial photographer I take pictures of everything, I will be taking a picture of this screen at some point.
Karen Graham Sign1News: But so we've documented some of those things that we did along the way, before we got here and we'd love to show you our history and our genesis there.
Karen Graham Sign1News: But before we show you that we have a video to show you because in those five years by laying the foundation early.
Karen Graham Sign1News: We were able to make history in so many ways, and so many different arenas that we blew our own lives and So here we are the small 10 people 10 people that's all we are and in five years we've been able in 40 seconds i'm going to show you what we've been able to do okay jabari.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Alright, thank you, I didn't have any audio but that's it's just a little music that we had on there, but that's okay um and so.
Karen Graham Sign1News: All of that happened, from the beginning, and that we were able to, and thank you so much for the comments everybody Thank you so much, and if you I mean it went by really fast.
Karen Graham Sign1News: But you saw nascar you saw we were standing next to the governor here in Georgia, you saw that we were sitting next to Tom Brady.
Karen Graham Sign1News: When Atlanta hosted the super bowl we were we made history in every single one of those arenas seamlessly meaning we didn't have to fight and claw our way.
Karen Graham Sign1News: into those arenas again because we had already laid the foundation, we used i'm gonna yeah use my 20 years of connections to get us into a lot of those places here in the city of Atlanta, but our team our anchor team was so prepared because we created a soft landing space for them.
Karen Graham Sign1News: All our anchors have to do, and I think he can attest to this is show up and show us what you can do.
Karen Graham Sign1News: There was never any who who's going to be able to talk to me who's going to be able to communicate with me who's going to be able to show me literally the language part.
Karen Graham Sign1News: taking care of you didn't have to worry someone will be signing and I had one of our editors who was deaf say to me, for the first time in her life, she had a boss, who could sign.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And Jabbar is learning sign language i'm proud of US you've already he's learning sign language and i've learned again from a lot of our staff and a lot of people in the deaf community.
Karen Graham Sign1News: you're trying the fact that you're trying to sign to me means so much um and so from our beginning and you're born you mean I know you're showing the screen here, this is already I don't even see NASA my missing NASA I mean we've.
Karen Graham Sign1News: we've had some.
Karen Graham Sign1News: People that we've lost track, but if you just go ahead and talk about who where we started 10 people with an idea and a dream and where we are today right.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: yeah, this is a this is who we are, today, as you see some of the people, this is not all the organization work with like you said NASA and.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: Some other organizations that are not on there, but you know, this is just a snapshot of the quality and caliber of people who care.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: They you know these organizations care about accessibility, but again that's not where we started this is we're at today, but where we started was quite different.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: As Karen mentioned.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: looks like a deer sorry about that too far now hold on.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: Okay, so.
Karen Graham Sign1News: We went way too far down.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: yeah we wait for it now give me a second here.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: Okay, so.
Karen Graham Sign1News: hi Pam who, by the way, learn to sign an elementary school, this is something we should bring back yet, by the way, a lot of people I I learned to sign it elementary school and i'm not sure if they still do that i'd love to know it, but that's where the seed was planted for me.
Karen Graham Sign1News: It was an elementary school in the beginning was when I was in elementary school but i'm sorry go ahead, I stopped and I had to because.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: You know, essentially in the beginning.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: This is, this was a shot of us.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: right next to the apple store and we were thinking about what was going to look like, and so, if you were to take a look at those all those icons you saw earlier.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: There was zero.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: And the closest we got the apple was an iPad and i'm not sure we bought it at that time I think we're just checking it out that day.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: So, all we had was an idea, a dream, a vision of what it would look like you know what What could it look like.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: And one of the things that we wanted to be sure that we did was want to be sure that we did not speak for the disability community we didn't speak for the deaf or hard of hearing Community all we want to do is be sure to provide a platform to provide a place where.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: The Community can can thrive and have a voice, if you will, and it starts with it starts with the Community going forward, not with oh i've got this idea of what I want to do.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: but rather what needs to be done, and so we asked that question know what needs to be done and what are the needs out there, what are the desires, with the hopes, what are the dreams of people who, unfortunately, have been cut off overlook.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: There are many who are prosper done quite well and many more who have not.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: How can we bridge the gap and, and so I like to to share some of that one of the one thing I remember, was when we we hired our first first anchor at the time and.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: It was amazing because I think we're thinking like Okay, this is the first person to see the conversation right before that was who we're going to hire we're gonna hire who who who does this wait a minute okay we're gonna have to create that person.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: So you know from going from the first person being hired and then back tracking to we're going to have to create an anchor that does this because there's not one that does this, and so.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: That was the story of our lives, from that point to today, and so I think that, looking back on that it, it was a scary road, it was a challenge in a row, we face a lot of criticism, I could some people when I say this magic number zero there's zero that is a it's a big number for us.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: And it means lots of things.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: But one thing that it meant was it never we never missed a broadcast ever from from the moment we started to this day, not ever.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: haven't missed the broadcast and the other thing I thought about zero is that we started with zero people in zero views and zero likes and zero shares and zero everything so.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: So just but lots of criticism lots of criticism lots of of naysayers, but we also had a core group of people who began rising up different parts.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: Of the country and so i'm a click to the next couple of slides So you can see that, as we were just designing this thing in parallel we had advocates we realized that we have any like that, and so they showed up so.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: This is a I have no idea what she got.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Okay, as I mentioned before, I am the official documentarian of sign one news I document everything.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And literally that was us.
Karen Graham Sign1News: intentionally deciding what this was going to look like we read you literally drew out the workflow from uc CNN at the top, how we were going to go live.
Karen Graham Sign1News: How we were going to position ourselves on the street street screen how it was going to get to our viewers, we were so intentional about that because we realized we couldn't get it wrong.
Karen Graham Sign1News: We didn't have we didn't have the luxury of getting this wrong, and so, if you go to the next slide and and I want you to talk about this because I don't think people realize how important this was we went we didn't even have a name.
Karen Graham Sign1News: yeah we had a name, we knew it was going to be signed one.
Karen Graham Sign1News: News, but we did not publish that until we asked the entire country, what is our sign name.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And we couldn't give ourselves assigning and I want gate you to explain.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Culturally why a hearing person cannot give themselves a signing and the importance of what assign name means so gay tree, can you just kind of explain the importance of why a deaf person has to give you a sign make.
Interpreter | Carmelle: sure.
Interpreter | Carmelle: yeah hearing folks can make the decision because they're not deaf they're not in the deaf community and deaf culture, they didn't grow up in the deaf world.
Interpreter | Carmelle: A deaf person must give it because they were born into this world, and they have the culture ingrained in them the language of the values.
Interpreter | Carmelle: Signing is very much valued in our Community, and we all have signing accents but the way we sign as visual the way we communicate is visual and so you have to really think of the.
Interpreter | Carmelle: meaning, so this is the sign you're receiving news from somewhere in the great beyond, and then you are sharing it you're giving the story to folks.
Interpreter | Carmelle: In the language that they understand in a visual way so that's where the sign name came from a hearing person cannot understand where that connection is because they're not born into it.
Interpreter | Carmelle: It really has to do with body language facial expression, the signs themselves how you're delivering the sign.
Interpreter | Carmelle: And just those little minute movements, like the eyebrow raised so the shoulder raise it adds meaning overall to to the message, and so it is just not something that is allowed a deaf person must be the one to grant the signing.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And we were so honored we were so honored to have the deaf Community decide what our name was going to be what our sign name was going to be.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And so Jabbar if you go to the next slide Okay, we have a name now Okay, and so now we actually have to broadcast, and so I will tell you this as a 20 year journalist.
Karen Graham Sign1News: I came in with.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Right bells and whistles red background screaming banners on the bottom psp and style flashing of things flying on the screen.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And we are now we that's where we started, thank you, if Atlanta area school for the Deaf is watching they oh my gosh we we owe them a charter membership, because they allowed us to cut our teeth, if you will, to make our mistakes and to learn in their studio.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And so, as you see all the pretty reds and the banners and the metals and all the desk and we were so excited to show our our test audience and they looked at us and said no.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Why why.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And they helped me to understand engage you, you can explain this as well.
Karen Graham Sign1News: uh for a deaf I that's noisy that is very noisy that's just too much stuff on the screen and the eyes just or it's just too much, and so we learn quickly from the deaf Community get rid all that.
Karen Graham Sign1News: gear just give us a plane background, give us something that's just not going to pull on our eyes, because we just want to focus on and sign language.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And so jabari if you go to the next slide we worked with their production team he worked with their technicians, to make sure that we were able to provide a smooth.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Transition whenever we broadcast that it was smooth and it was seamless they told us, as I said, what to put in what to take out next slide they also showed us um let's see what we have here Oh, of course.
Karen Graham Sign1News: The focus group.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Can you talk about that tomorrow.
Karen Graham Sign1News: That was a focus group.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: Sure, and so you see clearly there's more than five or six people in this focus group for the my analytics statisticians out there.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: Yes, five or six is an ideal amount by over we went a little further, given the special occasion, and we had a fairly large number of people to weigh in because this was something that never happened before, and to have.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: To have a name in this case the scene in brand.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: The content that we're getting to have an emmy award winning.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: You know producer who just said walk you know walked out on her career and just told you know the world that she's going to go do this thing and then to have me come on board.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: We realized that.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: inclusion was a non negotiable had to happen and I learned about focus groups doing.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: Other types of work, electronic health records adoption work and learning how people adopt new technologies and new behaviors and new innovations.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: And so, this was definitely an innovative manager and currently is and we realized that the only way to continue down this pathway was to innovate, that means that you're introducing this concept of.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: converting this level of quality news into something that people can understand, but at the same time not lose the integrity of journalism.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: not lose the not tarnish the brand name was nene in or anyone else will work with you know, make sure that that's together.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: To honor the legacy that Karen had to also speak to the technology technology audience that I was currently am in front of how do you do all that and it's the first time you do it, so the focus groups gave us a chance to really listen and really hear organically.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: What we're on the tops of their mind.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: And so focus groups are effective and doing this night courage anyone anyone launching a new product service anything like that server is a good.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: Focus groups are good it just depends on your objectives for us it was very important for us to not only hear the information, but it was also important for us to see their their.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: Their their mannerism now what was their body language like what was the conversation amongst themselves like.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: In all these things were critical factors in in in walking and walking side by side with the new why the same time, forging ahead for other companies because again Karen Karen mentioned, there was literally no blueprint yeah there were people doing news before us, there were people doing.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: All types of sign language before us, but it was just this type of channel this this type of mixture, if you will have a factors that were unprecedented and so we had to just create the blueprint, and we just started on paper we started with conversations we started with focus groups.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: And we continue to use that method to this.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And I noticed the time so we're going to i'm going to speed up just a little bit so.
Karen Graham Sign1News: The next slide basically it's just a couple of we don't have room to show you everything that we've done, but we, I mean from what that piece of paper that you saw I mean we we had a reporter in Ukraine.
Karen Graham Sign1News: We literally report it from Ukraine, we have, we have a correspondent in France right now.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Who provides international sign language for us, so that we're also providing news and information to the rest of the world who may not be fluent asl but.
Karen Graham Sign1News: They can connect with our newscast as well, we had a very fun live virtual Oscars red carpet pajama party that's what we do those every year.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And we basically take the CNN feed of the red carpet for any event the Oscars the emmys the grant whatever and gayatri and our other anchor Martha.
Karen Graham Sign1News: just sat there in their pajamas eating cheetos and soda and just talked about the red carpet gay three I mean, can you just share real quickly, how much fun, you had with this event.
Interpreter | Carmelle: Oh, it was just I enjoyed it so much, and I was comfortable because I was in my pjs, of course, and just sitting there and having that conversation, you know and.
Interpreter | Carmelle: Talking about what the viewers are experiencing people folks that were on the red carpet and the words just being able to to express that and talk about it.
Interpreter | Carmelle: It was a really amazing experience it was fun and to kind of go through that whole experience you know def audiences don't really have access to these types of things until they they viewed it through sign when news, so I thought it was such a great experience to have.
Karen Graham Sign1News: I agree i'm gonna brag on gayatri and my other anchor Martha and she said there at actors and so that was home base for them to be able to look at Hollywood.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And just you know that's their wheelhouse, if you will, their strength and, as you can see, they all they both did live sports coverage, we did a complete tournament.
Karen Graham Sign1News: In American sign language, it was a death Basketball Championship and I want to again to plug gayatri because she was the one who said it all up.
Karen Graham Sign1News: On her own gayatri set up this, we were not we could have done this without her So when I say an enterprising journalist.
Karen Graham Sign1News: that's what she did thought it up created it and we just showed up and followed her lead.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And the friends experience of course if you're a big friends fan and you're ever in Atlanta, you have to experience that, but we were able to do it as well, through a different lens and it was so much fun.
Karen Graham Sign1News: So we've also been able to bring music, as far as hip hop we we did an hour long hip hop session and you see the title of it was death plus music equals.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And so again.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Just basically showing the world that.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Death doesn't mean you don't enjoy music.
Karen Graham Sign1News: There are several hip hop artists and and performers, who are doing music right now and we were able to provide that platform as well again laid the foundation five years early and this part was easy really, really easy.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Next slide very quickly, because I do want to show a lot of gay trees work as well because.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: She yeah i'm interrupting.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: Rule breaker I want to say something about this part, but the music right that it's yes deaf people love music.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: I just want to get that get that out.
So.
Interpreter | Carmelle: immediately.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: gauge your my.
Interpreter | Carmelle: My correct one I love music.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: I love my see you so, is it may be loud, but you know but it's.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: So I didn't want to put that out there that that's not a.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: real thing so okay.
Karen Graham Sign1News: that's a myth that you can just forget about.
Karen Graham Sign1News: So, yes.
Karen Graham Sign1News: So next slide very quickly um so you've seen lately looking at how many movies have come out just in the past two years.
Karen Graham Sign1News: go before two years ago and it was a desert, it was a desert of disability movies, you just did not see them at this level at the studio network level.
Karen Graham Sign1News: From sound of metal you know of course kota winning the Oscars historic i'm just so many projects that are going on right now, because I think.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Hollywood.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Is figuring it out, you.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: asked her, I think, someone.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: was asked her that was that was a gentleman asked her I think Hollywood is figuring it out somebody.
Karen Graham Sign1News: figured it out, because there is a and I don't want to call any names, but there is an image on this screen from a particular animated series I won't say the name.
Karen Graham Sign1News: He actually tried to introduce a deaf character to Sunday two three Sundays ago and it did not go over well.
Karen Graham Sign1News: You know, in the deaf community and for us, I don't know the specifics of the conversation at that writers table, but for jabari and I we instantly realized somebody did not intentionally include.
Karen Graham Sign1News: This storyline in the genesis of this series, not just for one series, this would have had to have started years ago for them to successfully incorporate.
Karen Graham Sign1News: A disability into their storyline I applaud them for the effort, but it was obvious that this was very let's let's follow up on kota possibly or let's you know, whatever and let's try to do something as well.
Karen Graham Sign1News: The producer said it follow up uncoated they.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: want to do right we want, we want people to innovate want people to take chances, you know and and I think that.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: I don't know I mean, I think that being an entrepreneur gives me a little bit of.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: Of of perspective when it comes to people trying something out, yes, what I would encourage is that OK, so this didn't work didn't work right.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: But when quiet place came up before that was a real there was a issue that the company had not quiet please put the other company has worked with them.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: And then, when a quiet please came out, it was a hit so i'm looking forward to another hit for anyone you.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: If you get if you never go out there and try it you won't know the mistakes, you want know and sometimes you get it wrong.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: I think we live so much in a perfect world, we try to live in the perfect world, but it's not perfect, but it's about being being excellent.
Jabari Butler Sign1News: And I would say that if you happen try it again and learn okay find out what happened right 10 things that we could do better get the Community in there, so I just want to be sure that's echoed as well.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And a tree.
Interpreter | Carmelle: Yes, I just wanted to you know, seeing all those images of the movies, and the films and i've worn many hats and of course I mentioned, I was an actor, but i'm involved in blue's blue's clues as well.
Interpreter | Carmelle: And you know, and my character is Camilla well, who is a deaf librarian on the show and signs with blue's clues and josh, who is the host of the show.
Interpreter | Carmelle: And so we work together and I sign and it shows deaf children out there, what is possible and that we value their language that we value deaf folks.
Interpreter | Carmelle: You know, when we have people who are a lot of people assume like that deaf people can't do anything, but this is showing that it's accessible and that there is possibility.
Interpreter | Carmelle: i've worked with different actors and so many different realms and as a deaf person, there are a lot of access accessibility requirements.
Interpreter | Carmelle: You know I like to have my own interpreter working with me, side by side, and then we have another interpreter that works as a sorry another person who works as an asl coach does a different role.
Interpreter | Carmelle: And a lot of folks maybe haven't heard that term, but the asl coach basically is is the defies the producers don't have those defies they're hearing folks, but you have a cell coaches.
Interpreter | Carmelle: That are there to kind of keep an eye on the language use how its presented if there are any if there's any feedback to give.
Interpreter | Carmelle: To the deaf performer for myself, in this case, you know how to be more expressive or use different signs.
Interpreter | Carmelle: And you know we have to make sure that we have access in the same way that hearing actors have and, of course, going through music it goes through so fast, so we have to keep our timing in sync.
Interpreter | Carmelle: You know, sometimes i'm too early, sometimes i'm too late, and so that takes a lot of rehearsal as well to try and keep in line with that, but.
Interpreter | Carmelle: You know i'm so blessed to have that team, everyone is so patient and so open minded throughout the whole process but i'm proud and i'm part of it.
Interpreter | Carmelle: But I see on the bottom here with the 70s dress I you see that i'm got a partner there on stage, working with courage and this play.
Interpreter | Carmelle: is looking at colonialism racism oppression as deaf actors, you know we we were involved in the deaf theatre festival called sound off.
Interpreter | Carmelle: and basically it's an invitation to all deaf artists around Canada.
Interpreter | Carmelle: To show their stuff to show their skills, what they've created a lot of projects we have accessibility through interpreters throughout the whole process with rehearsals and shows, and everything the other image, where you see me leaning on my hands like this.
Interpreter | Carmelle: You know i'm just really proud and honored to be part of sign my news, it allows us as deaf folks.
Interpreter | Carmelle: You know to be in the front line to show our beautiful language and show what accessibility can look like and around the world, we we do like you mentioned us international sign as well.
Interpreter | Carmelle: You know a lot of the times you see news that people on news shows, and then everything's caption but it's too much to keep track of it's a lot to read in one point.
Interpreter | Carmelle: You know, having it accessible in sign language is just so important and to be inclusive and to share that with the Community so i'm just so proud of the work that i've been fortunate to be a part of Oh, and also to add to talking about.
Interpreter | Carmelle: You know, with the different backgrounds, having the visual explosion well you know it's too distracting.
Interpreter | Carmelle: visually you want to keep things, Nice and subtle, so that people can focus on the signing and not be distracted about what's behind them.
Interpreter | Carmelle: You notice here that I have my lovely name, and you know and Simon news I do not use these so just let putting that out there.
Interpreter | Carmelle: You know i'd had this I need this for my other job that i'm currently involved in right now i'm doing some filming with some musicians and signed poetry.
Interpreter | Carmelle: But when i'm on the on the job for sign when news I don't wear these because it is too bright it's to visually distracting when i'm signing it's really hard to focus on what i'm actually saying.
Interpreter | Carmelle: it's covering my face, and you know, so this is an example of visual noise that we that we don't do.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And I know we're running out of time, so we're going to wrap real quickly and let you guys know that gateway is a wonderful example of.
Karen Graham Sign1News: by us, laying the foundation for sign one news and for anyone who may be considering it either in your corporation or in your organization's when you lay the foundation for accessibility intentionally what that allows you to do at that point is find the best talent.
Karen Graham Sign1News: period disability or otherwise gayatri is an amazing artist and so granted our audience is deaf and so we have to hire.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Deaf anchors we prefer to hire def anchors for our for our network, she was hired based on her talent.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And in the real world, we wish that is the way it could always be that you just focus on how good she is.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And so, this is just our closing advice for companies who are thinking again about touching disability.
Karen Graham Sign1News: lay that foundation first involve the Community first get input feedback first test fail first privately before you go out there and subari said, make the effort.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And then, what that will allow is what we what I like to call a soft landing place for the person that you're hiring possibly with a disability to just come in.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And do what they do best whatever they're gifted to do and so we're going to close with the video actually from one of our anchors who's not here today.
Karen Graham Sign1News: She speaks to that she had an experience recently that speaks specifically we didn't plan this it just literally happened.
Karen Graham Sign1News: That speak specifically to what i'm talking about now there's voicing on it, you may not be able to hear it, but there i've also added captioning, just in case the voicing doesn't come through.
Karen Graham Sign1News: But, really, really listen and listen, not just to what she's saying, but the feeling that she's expressing based on intentional inclusively okay good morning.
Why disability matters.
I want to share with you a real life experience that I had i'm a filmmaker and actor pretty much a jack of all trades.
All of my 36 years of living, I always expect.
Full hearing domination in the world.
I have to work really hard to show my work ethic my abilities to help people see me and not my disability I want them to see my talent my contribution and my work ethic.
For many years i've been involved in movie and TV projects, both in front of and behind the camera and usually i'm the only deaf person there and I expect that i'm always ready with a pen and paper and a phone just to communicate with the crew or the cast.
And i'm always working there really is no time to have fun and socialize I really have to focus on my work ethic, and my abilities and that's really exhausting.
i'm fine with that.
Because I grew up with a I can do it all attitude.
And as for accessibility, I really don't expect much.
it's a hearing dominated world.
Until recently, I had an experience that completely changed my perspective, it changed my life i'm talking 36 years here.
This past weekend I got a full time gig with a big studio.
I can't tell you the name but it's a big studio Of course I expected to be the only deaf person there you know, I was ready to communicate through my phone and hand gestures, or whatever.
And I got there, I met everyone.
And let me tell you my jaw hit the floor when I realized everybody was signing they had learned sign language to communicate and I found out that it was intentional inclusion.
I felt wow it's not what I expected, but I felt so good, I was smiling the whole time I had never been so happy and I just never thought in my lifetime I would experience something like that everyone the cast the crew everyone was signing on the set.
It was the best experience i've ever had.
And the reason why disability matters is accessibility.
Try to just look at our talent and our abilities, not our disabilities.
We are human just like you.
Again I can't speak for everyone in the deaf community, but in my 36 years of living, I have never experienced anything like that, and it was the best, and I really hope that it changes things and becomes the new norm.
Karen Graham Sign1News: And while that still gets me gayatri I think it's appropriate that you close this out, maybe comment on Martha and.
Karen Graham Sign1News: You close out this session for us about accessibility accessibility take it away.
Interpreter | Carmelle: Yes, you know.
Interpreter | Carmelle: Looking at our deafness and focusing on the disability is just not appropriate focus on our skills and what we can do look at what I mean what I accomplished with blue's clues and it's just it's doable.
Interpreter | Carmelle: You know, keep an open mind, you can, if you keep an open mind that it will work, then it will.
Interpreter | Carmelle: So you know, working together, it will make a difference.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Thank you and Thank you everyone, and if there are any questions um I see a lot of you already knew Martha.
Karen Graham Sign1News: Lady met Martha I think last year last year in a panel discussion, she is simply amazing our entire team is amazing i'm very blessed and fortunate to have a great group to work with and so Hello my sister from another Mister good to see you again.
Nadine Vogel: and
Thank you.
Nadine Vogel: Thank you, thank you, thank all of you, I what a way to close out this this incredible day and I think I think you hit it right on the head, that the theme really should be intentional inclusion.
Nadine Vogel: And, and you know to close out asking the question do disabilities matter.
Nadine Vogel: Absolutely, they do, which is why that is the name of this conference disability does matter, I want to thank each and every one of you who participated today who presented.
Nadine Vogel: you're probably all leaving with very full heads, but hopefully just as full hearts.
Nadine Vogel: We ask that you go home rest relax but try to start processing some of the things that you heard today, think about the relevancy to you, to your business to your daily work life, and we will see you all back tomorrow at 10am Eastern.
Nadine Vogel: Again, to our last panel sun one news we love you guys absolutely love you guys so that I will turn it back to you.
ILopez 2 vFairs Team: Sign one is an amazing team.
ILopez 2 vFairs Team: Thank you Karen Thank you.
ILopez 2 vFairs Team: Thank you gail Thank you Carmel like I said stupendous awesome amazing session so as we close out day one, thank you for attending the.
ILopez 2 vFairs Team: Disability matters North America conference in awards live stream and we will continue tomorrow, so we will see you again at 10am Eastern check your local times the show you're here don't miss out we'll see you then goodbye.
Everybody.