JenTen Productions

Compelling Storytelling

virtual events

Focusing on Employers, Employment and Futures

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As usual, our Hearts of Glass events involved a variety of partners from across the nation including a school district in Washington State, a center for mental health and intellectual disabilities in Texas, and the largest employer in Minnesota.

For our event in Washington with the Washougal School District, our conversation focused on employment and futures. There was a similar focus to our lively conversation with a group of self-advocates in Texas who use services provided by the Transition Support Team at the Nueces Center for Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities.

The Mayo Clinic and its disability-focused employee resource group MaxAbility have an incredible commitment to disability inclusion. For their event, they rallied amazing partners — The Arc Minnesota, Region 10 Quality Council, Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce, and Workforce Development, Inc. It was exciting to have Dr. Anjali Bhagra, Director of Mayo Clinic’s Office of Equity, Inclusion and Diversity, on the panel.

Earth Day, Autism Acceptance and Bilingual Programming!

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April was a terrific month for many reasons:

  • We had the pleasure of working with one of the best University Centers of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities in the nation, The Nisonger Center at The Ohio State University. Dr. Marc Tassé, Director of the Nisonger Center, said “A great film and a thoughtful discussion.”
  • We held two Hearts of Glass virtual events in our home community — one in English and one in Spanish. This was our first Spanish language event! The programming attracted a wide range of participants from middle and high school students and their parents and teachers to parents and educators of younger children with disabilities. The events were free and open to the entire Teton County Wyoming and Idaho communities thanks to support from First Republic Bank.
  • We held our first Earth Day event. We worked with various groups at Wellesley College including Accessibility and Disability Resources, the Botanic Gardens, the Committee on Lectures and Cultural Events and the Frost Center for the Environment.

Finishing the Year Strong – Go, Michigan!

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We ended 2020 on a high note working with the staff of Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS) and the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons (BSBP). The turnout for the virtual event was amazing with almost 300 attending.

Bill Robinson, Director of the BSBP said, “The message I love about Hearts of Glass is summed up by ‘intentional.’ To create a workforce strategy involving partnership, collaboration, trust and community inclusion, you have to be intentional to begin with.” Tina Fullerton, Director of MRS, added “It demonstrates the work that we are all striving to do together — to create inclusive workforce strategies, strategic partnerships and community inclusion.”

A November to Remember — Both Coasts & Alaska

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Another busy month for virtual events! Our Alaska event was a terrific collaboration between five groups with the Mental Health Trust Authority and Vocational Rehabilitation leading the charge. Vertical Harvest’s Crocker Stickney, a relatively recent hire, was a featured panelist. Our west coast event was with USC’s Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab. We love doing events that engage the next generation of entrepreneurs. We did two east coast events — one with the Swearer Center at Brown University in Rhode Island and the other with the Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York. Carrie Burkin, Family Experience Coordinator at Strong and parent of a teen with a disability, shared this with us:

I am sometimes skeptical when I hear about documentaries that include people with disabilities. I get concerned that either abilities will be downplayed or played up as  inspiration. I found this film to be an honest portrayal of the struggles and successes of a startup business that is dedicated to being an authentic inclusive workplace. I walked away from the film having a greater understanding of running a business, a new collection of knowledge about hydroponics, a renewed belief that community support is vital, and a restored faith that it may take a village but true inclusive employment can be done.

Best Buddies Virtual Leadership Conference

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We were an integral part of Workplace Wednesday programming for the Best Buddies Leadership Conference, which went virtual this year. There was an exclusive online screening of Hearts of Glass and an inclusive employment panel with:

David Quilleon, Moderator; Senior Vice President of Global Mission, State Development, and Operations at Best Buddies International
Bob Friedman, Partner at Holland & Knight; Best Buddies Employer
Jada, MOD Pizza; Best Buddies Jobs Participant
Johnny Fifles, Senior Microgreen Associate, Vertical Harvest and Self-Advocate
Kai Hoffman, Senior Grower of Vining Crops at Vertical Harvest
Jennifer Tennican, Director and Producer of Hearts of Glass