Inclusion Is a Mindset, and Most Organizations Still Get It Wrong
Almost every organization today claims to value inclusion, even in a day and age when some have tried to eradicate the term DEI. They have statements. Committees. Posters. Training modules.And yet very little actually changes. That’s because inclusion is not a program. It is not a benefit. It is not a box to check. Inclusion […]
The R-Word Isn’t “Back.” It Never Left the People It Hurts.
The New York Times recently published a troubling article titled “The ‘R-Word’ Returns, Dismaying Those Who Fought to Oust It.” The piece documents what many of us already know firsthand: a slur long understood to demean people with intellectual disabilities is being used again – openly, publicly, and deliberately – by people with enormous power […]
What HR Indiana Learned When 1,000 HR Leaders Leaned In
When nearly 1,000 HR professionals gathered at a state conference for the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), they’ve heard it all: frameworks, toolkits, compliance updates, and the latest buzzwords. When John and I were invited to deliver the opening keynote at the HR Indiana State Conference, we knew the bar was high. What happened […]
Everything We Do Is a Hypothesis: Why Humility and Curiosity Matter in Business and Life
When we launched the warehouse store at John’s Crazy Socks, it wasn’t a guaranteed success. Sure, we had a good idea. We hoped it would attract more customers, help us deliver personal service, and generate additional revenue. But we didn’t know. We couldn’t say with any certainty. That’s because every initiative, every project, every next […]
Resilience Is a Way of Life: What Families of People with Differing Abilities Already Knew
A few years ago, I found myself at one of John’s Special Olympics soccer practices. It was during the early days of the pandemic, and like so many others, we parents were standing on the sidelines, trading stories about how our families and businesses were getting through the chaos of COVID. That’s when one of […]
John Cronin Named to Forbes 30 Under 30 — A Milestone for Disability Leadership and Inclusive Entrepreneurship
When we started our journey, we weren’t trying to build a movement. We were trying to build a life for a young man with Down syndrome who had a dream, and a father determined to help him make it a reality. Today, that journey reached a milestone none of us could have predicted. John Cronin, […]
Speakers in Demand: John and Mark X. Cronin’s Unstoppable Speaking Tour
From coast to coast and across Zoom screens nationwide, John and Mark X. Cronin have been on a mission: to inspire audiences, spark inclusion, and show what’s possible when you lead with purpose. Over the past four months alone, this father-son duo behind John’s Crazy Socks and Abilities Rising has brought their message to 15 […]
Mr. President, Please Stop Calling People Retarded
We have a mission at John’s Crazy Socks and Abilities Rising to spread happiness. Part of that mission is to show what people with differing abilities can do. We stand up for the rights of people with differing abilities, speaking on issues, meeting with elected officials. We engage politically, but do not take partisan sides. […]
Despite Progress, We’re Still Leaving Too Many Behind – It’s Time to Support Entrepreneurs with Disabilities
By Mark X. CroninCo-founder, John’s Crazy Socks & Abilities Rising This week, New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli released a report with some encouraging news: labor force participation among people with disabilities is rising. But as someone who works every day to build inclusive employment opportunities, I can tell you, the headline is only part […]
Building Opportunity Together: Our Visit with Assemblyman Kwani O’Pharrow
Today, we had the pleasure of welcoming New York Assemblyman Kwani O’Pharrow to John’s Crazy Socks for a tour, a meeting with our Sock Wranglers, and a conversation about expanding employment opportunities for people with differing abilities. John gave Assemblyman O’Pharrow a tour of our operations, stopping to introduce him to our Sock Wranglers, showing […]
