Best Buy and The Campaign for Disability Employment Announce National Video Contest Winner

Flowood MS, October 26, 2009 – Today, Best Buy and the Campaign for Disability Employment, a newly-formed collaborative of leading disability organizations, announced the winner of the What Can YOU Do? Video Contest. The national competition, which attracted more than 130 videos promoting the talent and skills that people with disabilities bring to America’s workplaces and economy, was won by Mississippi native Blake Watson. Mr. Watson’s innovative video, “Meet Sue,” is showcased on the Campaign’s Web site (http://www.whatcanyoudocampaign.org) and was screened publicly for the first time at the U.S. Business Leadership Network (USBLN) Annual Conference and Career Fair held in Washington D.C. in September.

The Campaign for Disability Employment sponsored the What Can YOU DO? Video Contest as part of its national effort to increase the employment of people with disabilities. Their goal is to promote the hiring, retention and advancement of people with disabilities and dispel negative stereotypes about disability and employment. In that spirit, the video contest invited aspiring filmmakers to produce creative, fun and compelling 60-second videos that illustrate what people with disabilities can do at work when given the opportunity. An objective of the video contest was to help viewers re-think their assumptions about people with disabilities and employment.

The success of the What Can YOU Do? Video Contest was also due in large part to Best Buy, the nation’s largest consumer electronics retailer, who will be hosting Mr. Watson during an in-store celebration today at Best Buy Store number 938 in Flowood, Mississippi.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Campaign for Disability Employment in sponsoring the What Can YOU Do video contest,” said John Pershing, executive vice president, human capital, Best Buy. “We believe a diverse environment is critical to the success of our business. We value all of our employees for their individual talents, ideas and innovative approaches used to meet the needs of our customers every day.”

Mr. Watson, who will be awarded a $1,500 Best Buy gift card, is a 24 year old Web designer based in Central Mississippi. He has an undergraduate degree in information systems and masters in business administration, both from Mississippi State University. During his college career, Mr. Watson was the co-director of Students with Disabilities Affairs and served as president of United Students, an advocacy group for students with disabilities. He is also a writer who regularly blogs about disability issues.

In addition to Mr. Watson’s first place honor, the contest recognized several honorable mention entries. Tiffany Navarro and Ian Cinco were recognized for their animated video entitled, “Working Together,” and Isaac Taleno for his video, “Let’s Come Together.” All of the winning videos, along with the Campaign’s flagship public service announcement, “I Can,” are featured on the Campaign’s Web site, http://www.whatcanyoudocampaign.org. Visitors are encouraged to view and forward the videos to help advance the What Can YOU Do? outreach effort and spread the word that at work, it’s what people can do that matters.