Courtesy Capital Region Chamber
BY PETE BARDUNIAS
In some of the social circles I inhabit, “DEI” can be considered a bad word. This is unfortunate. If we can get past the political machinations, we might well find that 2025 is the year for a big DEI breakthrough in Saratoga County and the greater Capital Region. One of the reasons: Neurodiversity. A big word which means “individual differences in brain functioning regarded as normal variations within the human population,” according to Webster.
Consider these statistics. One out of every 36 children is estimated to be somewhere on the autism spectrum. One out of every 28 children has an incarcerated parent. One out of every 20 suffer from Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), a category which isn’t even considered an “official” disorder, and is totally preventable. One out of every four women (and one out of seven men) will endure some form of domestic violence in their lifetime, and 22 veterans commit suicide every day.
Better understanding of how both these biological and societal factors contribute to the emotional stability and mental health across our population can be beneficial. Just think of the statistics mentioned above, and what they might do to inhibit people from reaching their full workplace potential. Think of the impact it can have, if we could resolve them to any great degree. It would be the single biggest workforce development initiative the Capital Region has ever seen. A sensitivity to neurodiversity can help move us in the right direction. It is exciting to see some of this already in action.
For example, Assemblywoman Mary Beth Walsh promotes ThinkDIFFERENTLY, launched by then-Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro in 2015, which advocates consideration for people with sensory, hearing, mobility or visual issues. The Saratoga County Fair turns down the noise for a few hours on one of its days, to provide a more welcoming environment for sensory-impacted guests. At St. Christopher Fitness in the Clifton Park Center Mall, owners Jomilson and Theresa Alvarez provide a smaller space, different, often subdued, lighting, elements of mood, and sensory stimulation to help people with autism or other challenges get their exercise regimen in a comfortable setting. People who wouldn’t otherwise get to exercise have the chance to do it in a way that suits them.
Other, similar practices can help our workforce grow to its full potential. Many area businesses, both large and small, report that they are operating at about 85 percent capacity versus what they could be doing, simply because they can’t find enough employees. How many times have you been frustrated trying to get services taken care of because the call wait time is too long, or it takes weeks to get an appointment? The time is now to see how we might help alleviate this problem, and the growing emphasis on the trades, technology, and “STEAM” education coupled with dedicated efforts to increase the diversity, equity and inclusiveness of our business community could pay big dividends going forward. For those interested in finding out more about DEI programs and practices, please visit capitalregionchamber.com.
Incidentally, we are now five years into the affiliation between the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County and its Capital Region Chamber parent, so here’s a status report. In 2024, the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County was recognized for historic preservation and stewardship by the Town of Clifton Park, and I received the “Agriculture Promoter of the Year” award from The Saratoga County Agricultural Society (which would not have been possible without the chamber’s ability to promote and support farming in our county).
“Inside Clifton Park/Halfmoon”, “Inside Malta” and “Inside Milton & Galway” set an attendance record this year of 238, the largest audience for our southern Saratoga business event since the 2020 affiliation. We increased distribution of several key publications at The Clifton Park Visitor Center by 30 percent, we helped the Southern Saratoga County Chamber Angels set a record for holiday gift giving by supporting 487 children, and we held a ribbon cutting for Centrotherm Eco Systems in Waterford that never would have happened five years ago because all the organizations coordinating it were separate.
Thanks to the connection with the regional chamber, a giant powerhouse with 2,500 members serving over 160,000 employees, our ribbon cuttings and other important events were the subject of hundreds of articles on social and legacy media, radio, and TV. In fact, the Capital Region Chamber set a record of 136 ribbon cuttings in 2024. A large percentage of those took place throughout Saratoga County. Saratoga County businesses were also able to partake in regional events through the Chamber and its Center for Economic Growth affiliate. And this is just in one year. I’m confident that we achieved what we were hoping for when we agreed to combine. Let’s make this a great 2025, together!