The Santa Clarita Mayor’s Committee hosted its “Opportunity in the Workplace” breakfast Thursday morning at College of the Canyons in Valencia. About 100 people attended, including local business and nonprofit leaders.  Santa Clarita Mayor Bill Miranda opened the event with remarks about t he population of the city of Santa Clarita, making it the 97th largest city in the United States, the 17th largest city in the state of California and the third largest city in Los Angeles County.  “What are we lacking?” he asked the group of people in the room. “Infrastructure. We need more infrastructure. Why? Because we’ve only been a city since 1987.”  He spoke about some infrastructure projects the city is working on, adding that inclusivity, which is being addressed in the renovation of Old Orchard Park on Lyons Avenue in Newhall, is something he as mayor will make sure is a priority going forward. Creating an inclusive workforce is also important to him, he said.  On behalf of the city, Miranda was proud to announce the work they’re doing in collaboration with local nonprofits to explore new ways to raise awareness and create more employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.   “Beyond employment,” Miranda said, “the city is dedicated to making Santa Clarita a place where everyone can live, work and play without barriers.”  Golden Valley High School’s Grizzlies Cafecito student Saki Korbel pours a cup of orange juice during the Mayor’s Committee Celebration for Individuals with Disabilities event held at the College of the Canyons University Center on March 27, 2025. Katherine Quezada/The Signal Also speaking at the event was Tony Pennay, senior vice president of strategic growth of the nonprofit New Horizons and co-chair of the Mayor’s Committee, which is a group that seeks to empower employers to hire individuals with disabilities. Pennay said that one of the big reasons for the breakfast on Thursday was to share a proclamation from the city stating that March marks Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.  He asked those in the room to consider the importance that people put on the work that they do for a living. This, he said, goes with those who have disabilities.  “Oftentimes, when you meet someone new, they’ll ask you, ‘What is it that you do?’” Pennay said. “And usually, they’re talking about work. And sometimes, with the population that we serve, people don’t think about what they can do first. They think about what they can’t do. And so, during this month, we think it’s really important to recognize and to celebrate the things they can do.”  Several guests spoke during the breakfast, sharing the work that’s being done in the community to promote inclusion in the workforce and to show off some of the accomplishments and diverse contributions individuals with developmental disabilities bring to the community.  Alyssa Webb, an adult transition program teacher at Golden Valley High School, and Sarah Caduff of the William S. Hart Union High School District’s Career Visions Department, spoke about Golden Valley High School’s Grizzlies Cafecito. It’s part of the campus’s Adult Transition Program, which works with special needs students aged 18 to 22.  Golden Valley High School’s Grizzlies Cafecitio teachers Sarah Caduff and Alyssa Webb speak at the Mayor’s Committee Celebration for Individuals with Disabilities held at College of the Canyons University Center on March 27, 2025. Katherine Quezada/The Signal They talked about the history of the program, how the idea was to provide additional opportunities for students to work on their soft skills. According to Webb, many students were just not yet ready for a work experience in the community. Grizzlies Cafecito provides that opportunity.  Webb and Caduff played a TV news segment about the program. They also pointed out that it was the Grizzlies Cafecito that was serving the food at the Mayor’s Committee breakfast on Thursday. Those participating in the work were high-fiving each other when they saw themselves and their friends on the news segment.  Golden Valley High School’s Grizzlies Cafecito General Manager Maddie Winegar (center) hands off a warm drink to SCV Econimic Development Corporation Vice President Natalie Vowell during the Mayor’s Committee Celebration for Individuals with Disabilities event held at the College of the Canyons University Center on March 27, 2025. Katherine Quezada/The Signal Mark Crear, director of the Employee Training Institute at College of the Canyons, spoke about two workforce programs that serve students with disabilities at COC, including Uniquely Abled Academy, which gives individuals with high functioning autism a chance to earn a living and learn the skills to be CNC (computer numerically controlled) machinists, and Ready to Work Academy, which is a program that works with Carousel Ranch, the Santa Clarita equestrian therapy program, and others to provide students real-world job experiences.  Director of College of the Canyons’ Employee Training Institute Mark Crear speaks at the Mayor’s Committee Celebration for Individuals with Disabilities held at College of the Canyons University Center on March 27, 2025. Katherine Quezada/The Signal Crear offered a story from his past about a student who had an unusual skill that came in handy. This student was with an instructor who was interviewing in an air traffic control center. During the interview, everyone in the room noticed an “irritating tapping sound.” The instructor thought the tapping was coming from his student and he whispered to the student to be quiet.   All of a sudden, Crear said, the student jumped up and ran out the door. He returned about 10 minutes later. When the instructor asked what was going on, the student replied that he’d gotten hired.  “Then the manager came out and said, ‘Well, did you hear that tapping sound?’” Crear said. “He said, ‘Yeah, I’m sorry. My student —” He said, ‘No, that was air traffic Morse code. And it said if you want this job, come through the door.’ Any air traffic controller should know Morse code.”  This student knew Morse code. And while the student didn’t get an air traffic controller job, Crear said the student got a job.  Denise Redmond, co-founder and executive director emeritus of Carousel Ranch, introduced the next speaker at Thursday’s breakfast: Katie Whelan, who grew up in the Carousel Ranch equestrian therapy program, which she began when she was 5 years old, was always interested in how things are made and how they work.  Carousel Ranch Assistant Director and Co Founder Denise Redmond speaks at the Mayor’s Committee Celebration for Individuals with Disabilities held at College of the Canyons University Center on March 27, 2025. Katherine Quezada/The Signal According to Redmond, Whelan’s journey wasn’t easy, and it took time and perseverance. In fact, Whelan, Redmond added, feared public speaking. But Whelan came up on Thursday and shared her story with the crowd.  Whelan’s interest in how things are made and how they work drove her to get into California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where she received her bachelor’s degree in materials engineering. She’d struggle with working on soft skills toward the end of college due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but she went on to work at Six Flags Magic Mountain, which helped her then get an internship at Classic Wire in Valencia, a medical device contract manufacturing company. That would eventually turn into a job there.  “After years of jumping between temporary positions and building toward a goal that just kept getting delayed, it’s strange to be at the place I wanted to be,” Whalen said. “A good strange, I must emphasize.”  Carousel Ranch recipient Katie Whelan shares her story to guests of the Mayor’s Committee Celebration for Individuals with Disabilities held at College of the Canyons University Center on March 27, 2025. Katherine Quezada/The Signal Speaking last at the breakfast was Joe Harris, recreation and services supervisor for the city. He introduced Ben Kawasawa, who has multiple special needs, and shared his story about how he went from a sport attendant in the recreation program who kept score for basketball games to becoming a recreation leader, which allowed him to work additional shifts in the gym for youth sports.  Harris said Kawasawa has a passion and energy that’s unmatched that led him to some big tasks and opportunities. Kawasawa always rose to the challenges.  “I wish we had more staff to have those similar traits,” Harris said. “So, thank you, Ben. You’re awesome.”  To cap off the breakfast, Kawasawa and the other speakers received certificates from the city and from the office of Sen. Suzette Martinez Valladares, R-Acton, for their work and commitment to what they do.  Ben Kawasawa (left) receives recognition from Tanya Mikhail from the office of Sen. Suzette Martinez Valladares, R-Acton, and Santa Clarita Mayor Bill Miranda (right) in Valencia, Thursday, March 27, 2025. Michael Picarella/The Signal The post Mayor’s Committee breakfast addresses inclusion in the workplace appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal. ...read more read less