Celebrating Xtraordinary Employees during National Disability Employment Awareness Month!

We are excited to celebrate those who are employed and living with Fragile X. Each year, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy selects a theme for National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The 2023 NDEAM theme is “Advancing Access and Equity” to honor the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

We hope you are as excited as we are to meet Xtraordinary Employee Nicole. She is an Employment Specialist, self-advocate, and host of the podcast Talk Fragile X. She helps individuals with disabilities transition from their last year of high school into adulthood by helping them find employment. She supports her clients with resume building, and interview prep, and helping them find jobs that are aligned with their skill set. Nicole shares, “A huge focus of mine every year during Disability Employment Awareness Month is advocating for my clients in helping employers in the community to understand the benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities.”

Nicole sees capability in all abilities. She enjoys helping them reach their full potential by encouraging them to have a growth mindset. Nicole harbors the philosophy that a person’s abilities aren’t innate but can be improved through effort, learning, and persistence.

National Disability Employment Month excites Nicole because she advocates for disability employment and inclusive workplace environments every day.

“I love what I do, and I hope to be an advocate in some way, shape, or form for the rest of my life. My family, including my cousin Nathan, who has Fragile X syndrome, is my motivation and inspiration every single day.”

Thank you, Nicole, for sharing your story with us!

Join us in celebrating National Disability Employment Month by celebrating Xtraordinary Employees featured in our weekly email and on social media, and watch our webinar, Employment Strategies and Successes.

about
Jaleesa Holden

Jaleesa Holden
Jaleesa joined the NFXF team in 2023. She has experience marketing to niche audiences with brands that are person-centered. She understands the power of advocacy and its impact, especially in underserved communities, such as people living with disabilities.

Jaleesa volunteers with the Georgia Champion Project, a non-profit organization that offers free or reduced-cost boxing lessons to at-risk youth. She is also a second-generation military veteran and first-generation college graduate. She is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force Reserve and earned a bachelor’s degree in integrative studies from Clayton State University.

Jaleesa’s son, Tiger, has Fragile X Syndrome and that is why she, in her words, “can see the magnificence in simple things.” In her free time, Jaleesa enjoys writing children’s books, biking on the Atlanta beltline, binging a good Netflix show, and exploring content related to African American studies.

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Happy National Disability Employment Awareness Month!

October is a time that draws the attention of the nation on critical issues related to disability employment, bringing awareness to a subject that we know has importance all year round. We know many individuals living with Fragile X want to work and though some do, not everyone who wants a job has found one that best fits their strengths and skillsets. We are determined to help you educate yourself on the supports that exist and how to best advocate for you or your loved ones needs in the workplace.