Medicaid Fuels Disability Employment, Why Are So Few Talking About It?
At John’s Crazy Socks, more than half our colleagues have a disability and they depend on Medicaid for their jobs. I am not referring simply to medical insurance – which everyone needs – but to the services funded by Medicaid that make work possible for so many. Yet Medicaid’s role in making work possible for […]
Alzheimer’s and Down Syndrome: A Crisis We Can’t Ignore
Alzheimer’s and Down Syndrome: A Crisis We Can’t Ignore As the parent of a son with Down syndrome, I’ve lived through the challenges, the joys, and the moments of deep concern that come with this journey. One concern has become especially urgent and not enough people are talking about it. Over 90% of people with […]
Every Voice Counts: The Imperative of Accessible Voting for People with Differing Abilities
By Mark X. Cronin | May 20, 2025 Elections have consequences and those who don’t vote, don’t get a say. But if we exclude people from voting, especially those with differing abilities, then we undermine the foundation of our democracy. To truly reflect the will of the people, we must ensure that every citizen can […]
More Than a Job: How We Celebrate Every New Employee
At John’s Crazy Socks, we don’t just hire people — we honor their achievements. For many of our colleagues, this is their very first job. That matters. And we believe every first deserves a celebration. Welcoming New Hires with Heart Starting a new job should feel like a victory — especially when it’s your first. […]
How Well Does Your Company Welcome and Support a Neurodiverse Workforce?
Hiring people with differing abilities including those who are neurodivergent is not altruism. It’s good business. At John’s Crazy Socks and now through Abilities Rising, we’ve seen this firsthand. Diverse teams perform better, build stronger cultures, and unlock talent that’s too often overlooked by traditional hiring pipelines. The old adage says, “You measure what you […]
Inclusive Hiring Isn’t Radical, It’s Good Business
Let’s start with a simple truth: every business wants to hire the best possible employees for the salaries they can afford to pay. But if you’re excluding an entire group of people, whether intentionally or not, you can no longer claim to be hiring the best. And that’s not just a moral failure. It’s a […]
Speaking with the Healthfirst HEART Connections: A Day of Inspiration and Connection
John and I had the privilege of speaking with the Disability Employee Resource Group (ERG) at Healthfirst, a managed care organization that serves the New York area. It turned into one of those moments that remind me why we do what we do.
Autism and the Value of a Life: A Response to Secretary Kennedy
Last week, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of Health and Human Services, issued a series of statements about autism that have sparked a national dialogue.
This essay is not just a critique; it is a vision for how we can think better, act better, and lead better. At its core, it is a call to replace fear with understanding and to reaffirm the dignity of every human life.
Everyone in Washington Says They Are Pro-Family, but Current SSI Policy is Anti-Family
Thank you Newsday for publishing this op-ed article. We hear from politicians of all stripes how much they love and support families. Let’s do a reality check and look at SSI. Current policy punishes people who want to work and, even worse, undermines marriage and families. SSI Limits To qualify for SSI a person must […]
Spreading Ideas, Sparking Dreams: Judging the Adelphi University Business Plan Competition for the Third Year
John and I had the honor of returning to Adelphi University for the third consecutive year to serve as judges for the annual Business Plan Competition, a Shark Tank-style event that gives student entrepreneurs the chance to pitch their ideas, win startup funding, and take real steps toward building a better world. And once again, […]
