This is an op/ed by Caleb Bunn, a peer mentor for Project Spark at TCI Works, based in Rocky Mount.
When I mentor someone with a disability who’s just starting their job search, I see a mix of expectation and hesitation. I’ve been there.
July marked the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a landmark law that pushed open doors for millions of people. It’s a moment to reflect on how far we’ve come, and how far we still need to go.
I’m a peer mentor at TCI Works for Project Spark, a pilot initiative under the NC Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Employment and Independence for People with Disabilities. Project Spark’s mission (and TCI’s) is simple but urgent: help people with I/DD by offering one-on-one guidance, services and tools to help them find a fulfilling job and thrive in their community.
The ADA made much of this possible. It banned discrimination. It made buildings, transit and public spaces more accessible. It gave people like me a legal footing — and hope.
But when it comes to employment, progress has been slower. A job is more than a paycheck. It’s stability, self-worth and community connection. When people with I/DD have meaningful work, they, and the surrounding communities, become stronger.
The law opened doors. But every individual still has to walk through them, and that journey can be tough.
I have a developmental disability. I thrived in school and studied pre-med biology and psychology in college. But in the workforce, I sometimes struggled with focus, organization, self-direction and emotional regulation. I needed more flexibility and understanding than some workplaces were ready to offer. I started to feel like a failure to launch.
Then I found TCI and Project Spark. For the first time, I felt truly seen and supported. Here, I’m not treated as ‘less.’ My coworkers help me develop organizational plans, offer constructive reminders and give me time to process or reset when I need it. They seek out my insights to work through whatever challenges our team may face. People with I/DDs know how to adapt, and that facility of thought is immensely useful in business. Every day, TCI shows me that difference doesn’t mean deficiency.
Now, as a peer mentor, I get to pay it forward.
One of my clients, a young woman who uses a walker, thought she had no place in the workforce — until she saw someone working at a pizza joint in a wheelchair. This revelation changed everything. Another client, a withdrawn young man with I/DD, wouldn’t even take my calls at first. But when he landed a job at a grocery store, something clicked. He started picking up phone calls on the first ring and cracking jokes.
As a peer mentor, I connect clients with community resources and help them advocate for themselves. I tap into my lived experience to guide them through challenges. Person by person, Project Spark is showing what’s possible when states invest in real inclusion.
Still, there’s room to grow. We need more partnerships with inclusive employers. More outreach into communities where people with disabilities might not know opportunities exist. And more support systems—like peer mentoring—to help people not just get jobs but thrive in them.
To employers: Don’t just open doors. Invite us in. Be flexible. Be patient. Inclusion isn’t charity—it’s smart business. People with an I/DD have had to think differently to overcome challenges, and that perspective can pay off for you.
To the public: Challenge your assumptions. Assume competence. Speak up for a workforce where everyone belongs.
I’m proud of the work I do. My family’s proud of me, too. And when people in the community learn about Project Spark, I don’t hear pity, I see lightbulbs go off. People get it.
The ADA gave us the right to be included. Now it’s up to all of us to make that promise real. Here’s to a future where seeing someone with an I/DD at work isn’t remarkable, it’s just normal.
Happy 35th anniversary to the ADA. We’re not done yet.
Tri County Industries was formed in Rocky Mount in 1974 as a public-private nonprofit to provide rehabilitation services for people who have disabilities or disadvantages.
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