As a teenager, Rodney wasn’t excited about the idea of joining the United States Army, but he did it anyway. Now, many years later, he looks back and sees that the discipline and consistency it brought to his life were truly a blessing. After serving in the military, Rodney moved to Arizona. However, Indianapolis was his home, and he recently came back after decades across the country. He had the drive to find a career and housing, but needed a little extra help.

“I had heard of Easterseals, but I thought it mainly pertained to youth,” Rodney says. “I never knew they had a veteran department.”

Easterseals Crossroads Veteran Services had a huge impact on Rodney’s transition back to his home state. He’s been working with Troy Drake, Lead Career Coach, to get his feet on the ground. Troy helped Rodney secure a full-time security guard job.

“It was really his drive,” Troy says. “His work ethic, his eagerness to get settled in a new city. He came ready to go, focused, and we made a plan.”

Rodney’s aspirations go far beyond working a full-time job as a security guard. He is working to open his own barber shop and, even more importantly, wants to make a difference in his community.

“Hopefully, I can continue to work with Easterseals Crossroads and use the resources they provide to position myself where we all can come together as a community and make Indianapolis a lot better,” Rodney says.

Troy says Rodney is a true success story for Veteran Services.

“Rodney is one of the many blessings to come through the program,” Troy says. “Some people stress out when they move to a new city and don’t know how to access resources for veterans. Working with Rodney has been very fulfilling. He’s definitely a success story.”

At Easterseals Crossroads, we are honored to walk alongside individuals as they pursue their goals for independence, self-sufficiency, and meaningful work. One of those individuals is Semaj, whose journey showcases the power of perseverance, learning, and support.

Getting Started with Employment Services

Semaj first connected with Easterseals through our Vocational Rehabilitation Employment Services program. As a young man in his early twenties, he was eager to find work and become more self-sufficient. With the guidance of his Employment Consultant, Semaj began working at Crossroads Industrial Services (CIS).

At CIS, Semaj quickly excelled. He gained a wide range of transferable skills and learned the value of being open to training across different departments. These early experiences helped build his confidence and prepared him for the next step in his career journey.

Pathways to Opportunity

By 2022, Semaj was ready for new challenges. He enrolled in the Pathways to Opportunity Program, a grant-funded program at Easterseals that provides employment services and wraparound support to adults with disabilities.

Soon after, Semaj began working at Home Depot, earning higher wages than ever before. Beyond the paycheck, he gained valuable customer service experience, strengthened his confidence, and started envisioning bigger goals for himself.

One of those goals was obtaining a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). With support from the Pathways team, Semaj enrolled at 160 Driving Academy, completing the program while continuing to work part-time. Not long after earning his CDL, Semaj was hired by IndyGo as a full-time Coach Operator — a role where he now helps others get to where they need to go.

Lifelong Learning and Resilience

Semaj’s drive to keep learning extends far beyond the workplace. During the pandemic, he and his job coach used remote meetings to explore new skills. His coach delivered computer equipment and tools to his home, and Semaj quickly taught himself how to take apart and reassemble the computer. By their next meeting, he was confidently demonstrating his new technical skills.

His willingness to learn carried into his role at IndyGo, where he quickly mastered multiple driving routes across the city. Today, he continues to grow by practicing customer service and conflict management skills every day on the job.

Overcoming Barriers

Semaj’s journey hasn’t been without challenges. He and his family had understandable fears about how full-time employment might affect his SSI and Medicaid benefits. With guidance from Easterseals’ Benefits Counseling services, he gained the knowledge and confidence he needed to move forward without fear.

What once felt like a barrier became a stepping stone toward self-sufficiency. Today, Semaj is not only financially independent but also thriving in a career that matches his skills and ambitions.

Giving Back Through Volunteerism

While pursuing his own employment journey, Semaj also found ways to give back. He volunteered with Easterseals’ INDATA computer reuse program, refurbishing laptops for people with disabilities who applied for their own devices. His curiosity and skill made him a valued member of the team, and he earned glowing references that helped propel his career even further.

A Generous Spirit

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Semaj is known for his generous spirit. He has always cared deeply for his family and coworkers. What once felt like a major hurdle — relying on his grandmother for transportation — has now become a full-circle achievement: today, he is licensed and employed to provide transportation for countless others who depend on public transit.

A Path Toward Independence

From being unemployed and reliant on SSI benefits to thriving as a full-time Coach Operator, Semaj’s story is one of growth, resilience, and independence. He continues to meet with his Pathways team twice a month for budgeting support and ongoing guidance — always keeping his eyes on the next step forward.

Semaj’s journey reminds us that with the right support, opportunities, and determination, meaningful work and independence are possible. At Easterseals Crossroads, we are proud to celebrate his achievements and look forward to seeing where his drive takes him next.

Years before comedian, actor, and producer Nic Novicki was touring with comedian Nate Bargatze like he is now, he launched the Disability Film Challenge in 2013 in response to the under-representation of talent with disabilities both in front of and behind the camera. Novicki created the challenge to give aspiring filmmakers the opportunity to showcase their work and provide them with meaningful exposure. In 2017, Novicki joined forced with Easterseals to expand the event, now known as the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge.

On October 12, Novicki will be in Indianapolis for the screening of the finalists in the Film Challenge as a part of the Heartland Film Festival. He says he’s excited to be back in Indianapolis for the event.

“Every year it is such an honor to screen our finalist films at such a prestigious film festival alongside films that will end up being in the running for Oscars and Golden Globes consideration,” Novicki says. “This exposure helps provide opportunities for our Film Challenge participants and that has always been the mission and the reason I created the Disability Film Challenge.”

Novicki has an impressive resume, including several tours through Armed Forces Entertainment and performing for troops. His television credits include: Boardwalk Empire, The Good Doctor, Bad Thoughts, The Sopranos, Loudermilk, Alone Together, Gotham Comedy Live, Jack and Triumph, The Neighbors, Austin and Alley, Private Practice, and Drop Dead Diva. He has appeared in several movies including: Spiderman Across The Spider-Verse, L!fe Happens, Marry Me, November Rule, The Last 5 Years, Boston Girls, Breaking Wind, Dead Ant and the upcoming Hipsters, Gangsters, Aliens and Geeks. He is a board member of Easterseals Southern California.

The public is encouraged to attend the screening of the short films, which are anywhere from one to five minutes each. Films were created over a six-day period in April, and the cast and crew must be made up of volunteers. At least one cast or crew member should have a physical or cognitive disability. Each year has a different genre that the films must fall into, with this year’s being thriller and suspense.

Check out this year’s films at the Heartland Film Festival on October 12 at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. Tickets are free, but space is limited. Reserve your seat here.

The start of a new school year can bring a mix of excitement, anticipation, and nerves for every family. For families of children with disabilities, these emotions are often magnified. Beyond buying school supplies and picking out the first-day outfit, there are additional considerations that help ensure your child feels supported, included, and ready to thrive.

Build a Strong Connection with the School Team

One of the most important steps you can take is building a collaborative relationship with your child’s teachers, support staff, and administrators. Introduce yourself early, share insights about your child’s strengths and needs, and keep open communication lines. If your child has an IEP or 504 Plan, confirm that everyone involved is familiar with the accommodations and supports outlined.

Prepare Your Child for the Transition

Change can be overwhelming, so preparation goes a long way. If possible, visit the school before classes start to walk through the building, meet teachers, and practice routines like navigating hallways or lunch lines. Visual schedules, social stories, or role-playing can also help your child feel more comfortable with what to expect.

Advocate with Confidence and Compassion

You are your child’s best advocate. Don’t hesitate to ask questions, request clarity, or bring concerns forward, but approach conversations with a spirit of collaboration. Schools and families share the same goal, helping your child succeed. Approaching challenges as a team helps build trust and creates the best outcomes.

Focus on Social Connections

School isn’t only about academics. Friendships and peer interactions are vital to your child’s growth and confidence. Encourage teachers to support inclusion in group activities and consider ways your child can connect with peers outside of the classroom, such as clubs, sports, or community programs that welcome all abilities.

Celebrate the Wins

Every milestone matters, whether it’s mastering a new skill, making a new friend, or navigating a tough day with resilience. Take time to celebrate these achievements with your child. Recognizing progress, no matter how small, builds confidence and sets the tone for a positive school year.

Lean on Resources and Community

You don’t have to navigate this journey alone. Connect with other families, advocacy groups, and community organizations for resources and support. Organizations like Easterseals Crossroads can provide valuable guidance, services, and encouragement as you advocate for your child’s success.

Starting a new school year with a child with a disability may come with unique challenges, but it’s also filled with opportunities for growth and connection. With preparation, collaboration, and celebration along the way, you can help your child step into the school year feeling empowered, supported, and ready to shine.

By Brandon Scott | Easterseals Crossroads

Each year, we proudly celebrate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)—a landmark civil rights law that changed the lives of millions of Americans, including mine. Signed into law on July 26, 1990, the ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including employment, education, transportation, and access to public and private spaces. It was a game-changer—opening doors (literally and figuratively) that were previously shut.

At Easterseals Crossroads, the ADA isn’t just a law we reference; it’s a foundation we build on. It’s the reason so many of the individuals we support can go to work, school, and community spaces with greater dignity and independence. It’s the reason I’ve been able to thrive in a career I love, raise a family, and navigate a world that’s just a little more built for people like me.

But as we celebrate more than three decades of the ADA, it’s also important to acknowledge a simple truth: we still have work to do.

Why We Celebrate

We celebrate the ADA because it represents progress. Before the ADA, people with disabilities were routinely excluded from public life. Sidewalks didn’t have curb cuts. Buses didn’t have lifts. Employers didn’t have to accommodate workers with disabilities. Buildings, schools, and workplaces could be completely inaccessible, and there were no legal consequences.

The ADA changed that. It gave people with disabilities the right to be seen, heard, and included. It sparked conversations about inclusion, led to the development of accessible technology, and laid the groundwork for further disability rights advocacy.

Celebrating the ADA is about honoring the activists who fought for this law and recognizing how far we’ve come.

Why We Still Advocate

Even with the ADA in place, accessibility gaps persist in almost every area of life. Public transportation may technically be required to be accessible, but in practice, it often falls short. New buildings sometimes meet the minimum legal requirements, but ‘minimum’ isn’t the same as ‘inclusive’. Digital accessibility remains an overlooked issue in many workplaces and websites. And attitudinal barriers—people’s assumptions, biases, or lack of awareness—can be the hardest obstacle of all.

Many people with disabilities still face employment discrimination, inaccessible housing, limited healthcare options, and barriers in education. For those of us in the disability community, the ADA is a critical foundation—but not a finish line.

Moving Forward Together

True inclusion means going beyond compliance. It means designing environments, systems, and experiences that consider people of all abilities from the start. It means amplifying disabled voices, advocating for better policy enforcement, and continuing to ask hard questions about equity and access.

At Easterseals Crossroads, we live this mission every day. Whether we’re helping someone find a job, access technology, or attend a summer camp built for all abilities, we are continuing the work the ADA began—work that will only be complete when accessibility is not the exception, but the norm.

Yes, we celebrate. We celebrate the ADA’s anniversary with gratitude and pride. However, we also recommit ourselves to the work still ahead, because a more accessible and inclusive world benefits all of us.

Let’s honor the past by building a better future.

When we first introduced you to Karrise, she was boldly embracing the idea that “anything is possible.” Since then, her journey has grown even stronger, and now, she says with confidence: “Possibilities are limitless.”

Over the past year, Karrise has reached some incredible milestones, including being accepted into a Certified Medical Administrative Associate Cohort program through Dress for Success. This opportunity gave her a chance not just to build professional skills, but to rediscover herself academically and personally. “I set a major goal for myself that gave me the opportunity to ‘relearn myself’ in the education aspect,” she shared. “And I followed through.”

Today, Karrise balances a busy and rewarding life. She’s a full-time mother, working part-time, supporting her children in school and extracurriculars, managing her home, and preparing daily meals. It’s a full plate, but one she carries with purpose and pride.

Through it all, the team at Easterseals Crossroads has remained a trusted support system. She continues to work with her career navigator, Diane Brown, in the Pathways to Opportunity program. “Diane has been encouraging and dedicated to helping me get into the career field I want,” Karrise said. She also credits Scott Basore for helping her connect with potential employers and expanding her network through valuable business contacts.

For Karrise, success has come from staying committed to her goals, tapping into the right resources, and building meaningful relationships. “The most helpful tools for me have been making the right connections, social and professional, and sticking to the plan, no matter what life throws at me.”

Looking ahead, her goal is clear: find a flexible position in the medical administrative field that aligns with both her career ambitions and her responsibilities as a mother. She’s also committed to continuing her education as needed, so she can grow professionally and provide even more for her family.

When asked what advice she’d offer someone just starting a similar journey, Karrise didn’t hesitate:
“Stay focused, persistent, and be dedicated. Nothing comes easy, so you must put all your effort into making things work. Be your own advocate!”

Karrise’s story is far from over, but her message is clear—when you combine personal determination with the right support, the possibilities truly are limitless.