When Kelsie Manner joined Oracle she had told very few people about that she, and two of her three daughters, are living with disabilities. So it was with a little trepidation that she felt herself being drawn to a budding new group at work: the Oracle Diverse Abilities Network (ODAN).

ODAN created the safe space for Kelsie that she didn’t know she’d been waiting for and she decided to tell her story.

”It was so powerful for me that we had this in common, this need and desire to connect and support each other, whether we’re living with a disability or supporting someone with a disability, or just supporting disability awareness, we can all lean on each other.”

Oracle Diversity and Inclusion Champion Jon has been a lifelong advocate for equal opportunities. When it came to light that his son had Asperger’s Syndrome, he realized there wasn’t enough being done to promote neurodiversity in the working world.

“Most organisations’ recruitment and performance review processes are geared towards neurotypical people—the 90%,” Jon explains.

This is what inspired Jon to launch the Oracle UK Neurodiversity Network. “It’s an untapped talent pool. We’re currently working with the Business Disability Forum to develop formal programs, advise on workplace accommodations, and promote cultural acceptance.”

At the age of 7, Mihir was diagnosed with Guillain Barré Syndrome, a rare disorder that took control of his entire nervous system. After being on a ventilator for more than 100 days, he began years of intense therapies and rehabilitation. “While other kids were learning at school and playing sports, I was re-learning the basics, like an infant: learning to move, talk, walk,” he recalls.

Fortunately, Mihir was able to recover 80% of his body functions and came to believe that when someone is lacking a specific ability, they are gifted with something more special. His experience overcoming limitations and interest in advanced technologies paved the way to his career in software engineering, and he’s passionate about helping others identify and nurture their unique skills.

Now on the Oracle NetSuite management team, Mihir advocates for how diverse teams is the greatest strength an organization can have and works to ensure an inclusive environment. Through the Oracle Diverse Abilities Network, he encourages others not to consider themselves as disabled but that they are differently abled—a perspective that changed his own life.

One of his top principles for career success is to not put yourself into a box due to other's opinions about you. “Help people to break their perceptions, welcome them as allies and turn them into your promotors. It creates a positive ripple effect.”

Working with remote, global teams that support a customer base around the world, Rachel Blake knows firsthand the importance of building diverse teams.

Her son’s Autism diagnosis (non-verbal) reaffirmed Rachel’s focus on building empowering and diverse organizations, “Fostering an inclusive workplace today while building a future full of opportunities for those with disabilities, like my son Christian, is extremely important to me and is a call to action for us.”

Her role with ODAN also helped provide a valuable support network during the difficult time of her son’s diagnosis, and she’s committed to paying this forward as the co-lead of the new group for Oracle parents/caregivers of those with disabilities.