October 2021

T E X A R K A N A M A G A Z I N E

D isability activist Robert Hensel, who holds the Guinness World Record for a six-mile wheelie in his wheelchair, has said, “There is no greater disability in society, than the inability to see a person as more.” While it has been seen and proven that people with disabilities bring success, diversity and increased motivation to any workplace, they sadly are still fighting against decades of stigma and discrimination. More companies are slowly coming around and seeing the benefits of fully inclusive hiring, but there is still a great deal of work to be done! Jennifer Lewis, who has been Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Texarkana Resources for the Disabled, Inc. since August 2016, fiercely and passionately faces this challenge head on every single day, showing companies in our area that individuals with

BY TERRI GRAVITT PHOTOS BY MATT CORNEL IUS

In 2016, Jennifer Lewis accepted the Chief Executive Officer position at Texarkana Resources for Disabled, Inc. The center is the outgrowth of a program established over 50 years ago and has been helping individuals with disabilities learn to help themselves in the Texarkana area since 1968.

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