Introduction

By Cary Griffin, Director of Training, The Rural Institute

The Cree tribe earned the name People Who Own Themselves because they refused to accept treaties and the reservation systems being put into place by the United States and Canadian governments at the close of the nineteenth century.

Today, we think of people who are self-employed as also “owning themselves.” They are forsaking the wage employment environs that have not always been welcoming to individuals with disabilities and are forging new lives based on the principles of self-determination, personal control, and interdependence. This monograph presents some of these pioneers and provides information for those who want to follow their lead or to help others carve out their piece of the economic pie.

We are grateful to the many contributors who took time to add to the growing literature base on self-employment and people with disabilities. It is our sincere belief that presenting examples and retelling real-life experiences supports others as they break free of the prejudices against work, and especially self-employment, faced by individuals with significant disabilities.

We have also added a few articles on staff development and retention. Since many people with disabilities rely on professional staff, it is critical that we keep good people in the ranks. We need them to stay in the field long enough to learn how to gently support people without controlling or manipulating them. Further, we need to conserve the valuable resources lost when staff leave.

The common theme in staff retention and self-employment is personal power. People stay in jobs where they are challenged and appreciated; where they make a difference; and where they are respected for their work. Business literature provides compelling arguments that while wages are a factor in turnover, personal power, respect, and successful completion of assignments is more motivating to workers. So too is personal power the crux of self-employment: standing one’s ground and making the case for autonomy in the marketplace. The world, it seems, is full of folks who wish to own themselves.

Happy reading!