Creating Opportunity for All: A Q&A With Julie Lewis

Our associates’ backgrounds, talents, and insights allow our firm to embrace ideas and perspectives that can lead to innovative outcomes. As part of T. Rowe Price’s global commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), we recognize National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) and International Day of Persons with Disabilities and commemorate the many contributions of people with disabilities to our global workplaces and economy.

Senior DEI Manager Julie Lewis is a passionate advocate for disability inclusion and leads the execution of our firm’s disability inclusion strategy. Her life has been shaped by having family members who are impacted by disability—two sons and a brother, each of whom has numerous gifts to offer the world. Julie shares her journey of creating access and opportunity for all.

As a core part of our firm’s global DEI strategy, we are committed to better supporting associates with and caregivers of individuals with chronic conditions. How does this differ around the world?

According to the World Health Organization, about 16% of the world’s population experiences significant disability. While disability transcends geography, there are nuances in terms of how different communities think about disability. There are also differences in how those with disabilities access support and accommodations or adjustments. What is often similar is that the possibilities and promise of these individuals are not always fully considered because of their disabilities. This is particularly true for my sons and brother.

At T. Rowe Price, associates with disabilities or chronic conditions can request workplace accommodations or adjustments that are intended to provide them with the access they need to effectively perform their role. For example, an adjustment or accommodation could include a technical intervention such as closed captioning or a screen reader. Alternatively, it might include something more practical like changing an associate’s seat or providing instructions in writing versus verbally.

We formed our disability-focused business resource group (BRG), THRIVE @ T. Rowe Price, globally in 2023. What did that process look like?

We formed a discovery group of interested and invested associates representing all three regions (APAC, EMEA, and North America). It was important to have associates who have disabilities as a part of this process. Over the course of about eight weeks, we mapped out the plan for this new BRG and drafted a charter. It was a collaborative process where we asked members to share their experiences and observations. It was not easy work, but this group was committed and approached the process in a thoughtful and intentional way. We also had to name our BRG. While there were many contenders, THRIVE was the standout. It’s a strong, evocative word that reflects what we hope the experience will be for our associates who have disabilities and chronic conditions. We hope T. Rowe Price will be a place where they can thrive in every sense.

When we think about inclusive language about the disability community, we often talk about person-first language. Can you talk about that? 

When it comes to person-first/identity-first language, there is no single right answer. It’s the difference between saying someone is an “autistic person” or a “person with autism. ”An autistic self-advocate I know explained the preference to me this way: Autism is a central part of who they are as a person; it is not something that can be separated from them. We can think about it in terms of other descriptors. If a person is six feet tall, we would not refer to them as a “person with great height.” We would simply call them tall. Height is a part of who they are, but it doesn’t define them.

Many self-advocates within the disability community prefer person-first language. Stigma and dehumanizing language have historically been used to describe members of this community. To push back against that history, there is generally a preference for person-first language, person with a disability.

Independent of individual preferences, we should start thinking of disability as part of the human experience. It’s often said that someone with Lupus “suffers from Lupus.” Lupus is no walk in the park, to be sure, but that person has a life that involves more than that “suffering.” The same is true of someone who uses a wheelchair for mobility. You can argue that rather than being “confined to a wheelchair,” a wheelchair provides them with access to the world around them. References that are limiting and negative are problematic.

What does allyship look like to this community?

The best answer would come from a member of the disability community. As an ally, I try to learn and listen. I don’t think you can really take effective actions without being knowledgeable about what is helpful and what is not.

But at our recent THRIVE signature event for NDEAM, our speaker Dr. Zosia Zaks shared his “Five C’s” for greater inclusion for disabled people. Dr. Zaks is himself an autistic self-advocate, so I think his perspective is helpful here. His five Cs are Care, Consideration, Comfort, Connection, and Challenge. Care is about really thinking about how to help an individual with a disability take care of themselves so they can do well in the workplace. Consideration connects to what things will help a person do their best. Comfort – what does this person need to feel comfortable, so they are ready to work. Connection – what is the best way for this person to communicate and be connected in the workplace. Finally, Challenge relates to how we can ensure we are being inclusive of this individual in our workplace. I think these are great steps to consider as allies.

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