Special Olympics: Empowerment through Inclusion and Accessibility

My connection with the Special Olympics dates back to 1989 when I was a lifeguard in high school. There was a young teen athlete that was training at the pool where I worked. Just seeing her sheer will and determination as she trained for her swimming events at that years Special Olympics Games – and then celebrating her success afterwards – left a lasting impact on me.  

Earlier this month, I attended the 2022 games in Orlando, FL. Walking into the games with these athletes, cheering them on as they hit the fields, courts, tracks and pools – I once again felt that same sense of inspiration. One of those athletes is my colleague, Carl Williams, a Bank of America employee and rockstar tennis player. Carl finished out the week strong by taking home the bronze medal!!

But this week brings with it another privilege aside from the on-the-ground experience – the opportunity to support individuals living with intellectual disabilities. Bank of America has been a global partner of Special Olympics since 2003, and we’ve collaborated with the organization for nearly 40 years. Throughout my time at the bank, I’ve been incredibly proud to see the growth of initiatives supporting disability inclusion. This inclusion is critical for our workforce, our products and services, our advocacy and our communities.

The Role of Accessibility in an Inclusive Community

One of the most important components of a truly inclusive society is accessibility. That means designing spaces, creating products and developing services that everyone can use and benefit from. Over the years, I’ve learned that accessibility doesn’t happen automatically. Instead, it’s something that we must prioritize—which is why we’re focused on educating ourselves and our communities about how to be better advocates for disability inclusion.

An Accessible Customer Experience

In my role, a huge part of my job is thinking about our clients’ experiences with the bank − every interaction they have with us. And that means every client. My goal is to make it easy and enjoyable for everyone to pursue financial wellness. That means thinking about accessibility every step of the way to ensure it’s ever-present in our digital and retail experiences.

Prioritizing accessibility in banking includes installing talking ATMs at every retail location and offering ADA (American with Disabilities Act)-compliant banking services from anywhere through our iPhone mobile app and online banking chat.

We’ve also opened ADA specialty Financial Centers in Brockton, MA, and Washington, D.C. near schools, hospitals, and neighborhoods with larger populations of people with disabilities. The centers have new tools and services that include accessible content from Better Money Habits®, hearing induction loops – a sound system used by people with hearing aids – installed in all offices and client service areas, and employees that are specially trained in American Sign Language – many of whom self-identify as having a disability.

When we make our financial services accessible, we are making the global economy, homeownership, small business ownership, and financial security accessible for all. While these are all great reasons to remain steadfast in our commitment to accessibility and inclusion, there’s one leading reason to keep fighting: because it’s the right thing to do.

Looking back on my time in Orlando, I’m left with so many amazing memories. One that I know will stay with me is the time I spent in the crowd cheering on all of the athletes with their friends and family – their positive attitudes, can-do spirit, and pure enjoyment of competing was inspiring and something I won’t soon forget.