Welcome to The Spark, where we showcase some of the more inspiring stories in the disability communities. Have you seen any stories worth highlighting? Drop us a line!  So let’s get to it…

• Just in time for Halloween, check out this story on LifeHacker about how to find the perfect Halloween costume for kids with disabilities. In addition to its costume suggestions and general advice on Halloween safety, the piece highlights the terrific work of Magic Wheelchair, a company that designs wheelchair costumes at no cost to parents. The article has tons of links to examples of Halloween costumes, as well as tips on how to trick or treat most effectively for kids on the autism spectrum.
• Check out this adorable costume of Brantley Morse in Ohio, who’s dressing up as Carl from the movie “Up.” Unsurprisingly, his pictures have gone viral and brought a lot of attention to Brantley and the wonderful work of Akron Children’s Hospital, where Brantley spent the first six months of his life after being born prematurely. It’s Brantley first Halloween in costume. Way to go Brantley!

• Elsewhere, legendary investor Charles Schwab opens up about his struggles with dyslexia and how one in seven children has some aspect of it. Schwab, whose son is dyslexic as well, is speaking out to raise awareness and reduce the stigma sometimes attached to dyslexia. Check out the video.
• An online learning company has partnered with Cornell University to offer a free online course to tout the benefits of diversity inclusion in the workplace and the competitive advantages it offers. The course is available 24/7.
• The Washington Post profiles some of the programming options on YouTube that cater to the disabled community, covering vloggers and others who have built significant followings with their content. It’s a fascinating piece that discusses why some YouTubers have been so well received and showcases the opportunities YouTube has afforded them offline due to their channel success. Check it out for links and suggestions on who to watch next.

That’s it for today. If you think there’s something we should highlight in The Spark or on Glimmer, we’d love to hear about it.

Also, head over to Glimmer to discuss this and anything else with fellow Glimmer members.

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— Geoff Anderson
Co-founder of Glimmer