Mahadeo Sukhai, the first congenitally blind geneticist, is co-lead of  IDEA’s Incubator Hub on Inclusive Environmental Design and the Chief Operating Officer at IDEA-STEM. In this video Journey, Mahadeo shares his career journey and some of his learnings and reflections. A leader in the work disability space, he has a wealth of experience, including: 25 years as an academic researcher and educator; 15 years as a leader in equity, diversity, and inclusion in STEM; 10 years as a research strategist and administrator; and 6 years as a non-profit executive. 

Mahadeo jokes that he is older than he looks and younger than he sounds to highlight that even when functioning, our senses don’t tell us everything about our world. 

“Our lived experiences, intersecting social identities, whether we’re born with disabilities, acquire them later in life, or identify as living with multiple disabilities, all of those play a substantial role in shaping how we interact with the world and how the world interacts with us. Systems can fail, though well intentioned, because of a lack of understanding of those interactions.”

Mahadeo shared that the employment rate of persons who are blind or partially sighted with a PhD is 55%. Though we often think that education begets employment, this is only true to a certain point. Upon his graduation, Mahadeo claimed the identity of the first blind geneticist, which was not something that he planned. That title came with a price. The price came in the form of misunderstandings, disbelief in his capabilities, a high cognitive load, mental health drain, and not having role models, sponsors or community on his path. It was isolating, which is why Mahadeo has chosen to dedicate himself to mentorship, sponsorship, and capacity building.

Mahadeo did not have systems of support throughout his education and career journey—this allowed him to discover possibilities and make choices outside the bounds of a restrictive system. 

“Within a lack of systemic or personal support came an opportunity. The opportunity to try. And to succeed or not. Without anyone biasing my parents or myself one way or the other. I don't wish growing up with a lack of support on anybody. But I do wonder how to capture that opportunity to try within a support system that can be unintentionally restrictive.”

Mahadeo said that biases and attitudes need to be countered and removed to achieve inclusion and accessibility. The extra work that people with disabilities do to advocate and educate adds another, unwanted dimension to each day. He believes that collectively addressing policies, practices, systems, co-worker, and manager attitudes and biases, as well as internalized ableism, will ensure a truly inclusive workplace for us all. 

Mandy Penny, an Employment Equity Officer at Memorial University of Newfoundland, is a passionate advocate for accessibility and inclusion with a strong background in social enterprise and disability advocacy. Mandy has extensive experience in training, development, facilitation, and accessible design - helping businesses and organizations improve their disability confidence and inclusive practices. As an active community member, she also serves on the board of the Disabled Women's Network of Canada, DAWN, and has led initiatives supporting employment and entrepreneurship for people with disabilities. Mandy's work is driven by her commitment to creating equitable workplaces and fostering inclusive communities. She has an MBA in Social Enterprise and Entrepreneurship from Memorial University of Newfoundland

Mandy shares her journey from higher education to her role as an Employment Equity Officer at Memorial University. She discusses her work fostering inclusive workplaces, the challenges faced by persons with disabilities in employment, and strategies to promote accessibility and equity. The conversation also explores Mandy’s contributions to community projects, including her work with Inclusion NL and the Disabled Women’s Network of Canada (DAWN), and her perspective on the evolving landscape of equity and inclusion in the workplace.