View From the Chair

By Mary Bailey Autism Advocate; Speaker; Co-founder Chase Yur Dreams Foundation; and Chase 'N Yur Face Media As the subject of disability inclusion in the workforce becomes more prevalent, I wanted to take a closer look at some of the myths surrounding the hiring of people with disabilities, and to seek the insights of someone on the front lines of this movement.   As the Head of Disability Inclusion at JPMorgan Chase & Co., and a C5-C6 quadriplegic, Jim Sinocchi’s knowledge and experience with this topic is unparalleled. Sinocchi thinks and speaks in terms that challenge and change how people with disabilities see and present themselves in the workforce; as well as how employers and colleagues perceive, interact with, and assimilate people with disabilities into their corporate cultures. Through an emphasis on professionalism, partnership, equalizing the playing field, enhancing performance, and opportunities for promotions, Sinocchi dispels the myths about hiring people wi

Disability comes in many different flavors. As an 11 year-old child it was a mental disability due to a tragedy in my family.  As an adult, it was a physical disability due to a surfing accident. Let me explain. It has been 51 years since my father was shot and killed in New York City, in the borough of Manhattan. He was killed in October 1966 at the age of 28. At the time, I was living in a South Bronx project development called the "Moore Houses," adjacent to St. Mary's Park. We lived on the 19th floor, apartment 19L, at 525 Jackson Avenue. We had a great view of the East River and could see LaGuardia Airport from our bedroom windows. My sisters, Lisa and Debbie, were ages four and two respectively, and shared a room at the rear of the apartment. My younger brother Victor and I shared a room, as well as memories we would never forget. Although we were on the 19th floor, we could hear the sounds and chatter on the street. The sounds of music, people talking and s

Déjà Vu: This column was originally published in the Journal-News, a newspaper distributed in Rockland County, New York, January 6, 1992. Jim Sinocchi I'm re-publishing this column as part of my online blog. I still believe the message is appropriate today and is an example of the activities many of us with disabilities can enjoy in the United States, and perhaps around the world. Photos may be added to this posting from my collection or the web. Some of the organization names may have changed or no longer exist in New York State as of this writing. I hope you find this column helpful and informative. If you are disabled and trying to get into or stay in the workplace, the local VESID ( Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities), may be able to help you. Unlike several state or federal agencies I've dealt with, the experiences I've had with VESID and its predecessor organization, the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, were positive.

 For Jim Sinocchi, Head of Disability Inclusion, Business is Personal By Mary Bailey Autism Advocate; Speaker; Co-founder Chase Yur Dreams Foundation; and Chase 'N Yur Face Media In matters of disability, diversity, and inclusion there’s no one better qualified to address and conquer obstacles than Jim Sinocchi. He’s the ambitious and accomplished Head of Disability Inclusion at JPMorgan Chase & Co., who’s also a C5-C6 quadriplegic. And his solution-oriented, no-beating-around-the-bush or pulling-any-punches approach makes him the perfect champion for working people with disabilities. “There are qualified people with disabilities working right now –contributing to the bottom line,” declares Sinocchi. “People with disabilities are in the workforce with the right qualifications and competing for the same jobs that able-bodied people are doing. We shouldn’t be just a diversity metric. We have the skills to build professional careers and want to be part of a thriving busines

Déjà Vu: This column was originally published in the Journal-News, a newspaper distributed in Rockland County, New York, December 9, 1991. Jim Sinocchi I'm re-publishing this column as part of my online blog. I still believe the message is appropriate today and is an example of the activities many of us with disabilities can enjoy in the United States, and perhaps around the world. Photos may be added to this posting from my collection or the web. Some of the organization names may have changed or no longer exist in New York State as of this writing. I hope you find this column helpful and informative. "If I became disabled, I could never handle it," is a comment I hear sometimes from people considering my disability. Coping with a disability is not easy. But there are many strengths, qualities and experiences that help people handle the hardships a disability brings on. One quality I've admired in some friends who are disabled is their ability to forget

  Déjà Vu: This column was originally published in the Journal-News, a newspaper distributed in Rockland County, New York, February 17, 1992. I'm re-publishing this column as part of my online blog. I still believe the message is appropriate today and is an example of the activities many of us with disabilities can enjoy in the United States, and perhaps around the world. Photos may be added to this posting from my collection or the web. Some of the organization names may have changed or no longer exist in New York State as of this writing. I hope you find this column helpful and informative. Change tends to creep up on you. Before you know what has occurred -- what was in is now out -- and what used to be out appears in at an antique shop in Nyack, New York . For example, I turned on my stereo the other day at the request of my two-year-old son Jimmy, who wanted to dance. As Jimmy "hopped" around the living room, I took an inventory of my stereo equipment: one rece

Déjà Vu: This column was originally published in the  Journal-News, a newspaper distributed in Rockland County, New York, March 16,1992.   I'm re-publishing this column as part of my online blog. I still believe the message is appropriate today and is an example of the activities many of us with disabilities can enjoy in the United States, and perhaps around the world. Photos may be added to this posting from my collection or the web. Some of the organization names may have changed or no longer exist in New York State as of this writing. I hope you find this column helpful and informative. Visiting relatives and friends in hospitals and nursing homes is difficult for many people. It's tough for me because I know what it's like living in an institution. But I also know how important visits can be to patients. I spent almost eight months at New York University's Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation , and I've been in and out of hospitals over the last 10 years since

Over the years I've been called many things, but after six decades on this planet I'm especially proud to be called "Dad" and "Papa."  Dad, because that's what my children, "D," my daughter, and  Jimmy, my son, call me; and "Papa" because that's what my grand kids call me.                                I have been paralyzed for more than 35 years and never thought I'd live this long or experience life in full color, ranging from the darkest of storms to the richness of a rainbow.  After a storm, if you look for it, you' ll find a rainbow of new perspectives. I never thought I'd have children, let alone grandchildren. Both are a joy to have, but the experiences are different. With our own children, my wife Maggie and I felt the sense of excitement and joy, but also the deep sense of responsibility.  We also had new responsibilities other than ourselves as there were two other members of our household tha

  Stem Cell Treatment Comes to Life (Caution: This particular blog describes a wound on my hip, not an uncommon occurrence for folks paralyzed and without sensation on their bodies. Photos of the wound may be too graphic for some readers). I knew the prospect of surgery was possible, as Dr. Gibbons asked that I have a consultation with Dr. Helm several months earlier during my traditional treatment for this wound. At the time, Dr. Helm basically told me that in some cases, skin is used from another part of the body, the buttocks for example, and used to close the wound in question. Dr. Laurence Helm The drawbacks are obvious, as you now have two wounds that have to heal. In my case, I'd be bed-ridden for the majority of the time because I'm paralyzed. And, it could take months for both wounds to heal, if they do heal. To me, it seemed risky, and debilitating. Frankly it scared me. With that as background, in October of 2015 during a weekly Dr. Gibbons checkup