ACCESSIBLE ZIPLINING IN COSTA RICA – Behind the scenes
I spent my 40th birthday with 5 incredible women in Costa Rica with Wheel the World global travel company and Il Viaggio local Costa Rica accessible travel company. It was bananas. I’m sure many of you have seen many of my posts.
When I decided to embark on an 11 zip line adventure in the middle of the rain forest and Arenal, Costa Rica off a volcano I didn’t really know what to expect. I could only find videos online of people actually ziplining, not behind the scenes of how you actually get a quadriplegic up a mountain and switch from zipline to zipline.
So, in true Ali fashion I have decided to make a series of videos over the coming months of different adventures behind the scene so all wheelchair users can get a better idea of what to expect if planning a trip.
A Profound Transformation – The Power of Moments
Something happened to me in Costa Rica. For the first time in 13 years since breaking my neck in 2010 I took a vacation for my 40th birthday with 6 incredible women who helped make this trip possible. I went on an adventure trip as I had become so accustomed to prior to my accident. I love the rain forest and I love the water. I found a beautiful accessible country with an incredible accessible travel agency to make my dreams come true.
It was an epic 16-day trip with ziplining to 11 different platforms, scuba diving for the first time in 14 years, narrowly escaping the heights of suspension bridges twisting and turning in the wind as I rolled my power wheelchair across, and so many other adventures. I was back. I felt like Ali again.
For the first 7 years after my accident, I pretty much lived in the hospital and traveled internationally for so many surgeries and secondary complications. Then I started figuring out how to navigate living my life with this disability. It took me a little longer than most.
read more…The Other Side of My “AUTHENTIC” Self – Behind the Scenes of being a C6 Quadriplegic
When most people work with me, professionally or in my advocacy life, they usually see a quadriplegic who is well dressed, makeup on, hair straightened, perfectly sitting upright in my wheelchair.
I work very hard and very long hours between my pro bono advocacy life and my professional corporate life. I absolutely love what I do in the world of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the disability space, but it can take a lot out of me. A normal day consists of between 12 to 13 hours of work. You see, I don’t get government benefits due to my income limits and so I have to work full time.
The challenge I run into as a C6 quadriplegic with chronic 24/7 nerve pain burning my entire body, chronic cervical neck pain due to multiple spinal surgeries, and hypersensitivity on my paralyzed hands (“paws” as I call them) is that while my mind is running on 100% most of the time, my body does not always follow suit.
This presents a bit of a challenge. Each day I wake up at 5 AM in the morning, but 9 hours later my body is crying out to me to be kind to it and please help it. Over the years I have finally come up with a routine that works for me. It’s rather unconventional, but it’s my version of disability inclusion in my own life.
read more…What’s More Paralyzing than Being Paralyzed?
It’s a really interesting question. One would think that paralysis alone is enough make life challenging, but, ironically, not walking is the least of my challenges. I’m not quite sure if I’m genetically wired like this, but I always do find the positive side of most situations even in the darkest of circumstances. However, I’m not infallible and I do struggle just like so many with significant disabilities.
I often read incredible stories folks overcoming seemingly insurmountable challenges, but I don’t frequently read about the day-to-day life of what it takes to overcome these obstacles. I’m a realist. I always have been. While I make the most out of, well, quite awful situations at times that does not mean I don’t feel as though I am Sisyphus rolling up the boulder of the mountain only to have it come toppling down on my head.
I’m not sure if I’m a glutton for punishment, but I keep pushing the boulder up the hill with the belief that the universe has an odd way of working out even when you can’t see the trees beyond the forest at times. Keep in mind though, I don’t just wait for things to happen. I am constantly iterating different approaches in my own life each day.
Back to Paralysis…
read more…Corporate Wellness and Preventative Care – Not Optional for Success
Before we can dive into Wellness and Preventative Care programs in the corporate world, we have to take a step back into dissecting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) with respect to the different elements of “DEI.”
It’s quite well-established now that DEI is a foundational component to the success of any business. There is solid evidence and research that has been conducted to make a strong business case for DEI to increase engagement, productivity, and return on investment.
When I think about DEI, the final element, “Inclusion,” really goes beneath the surface of who we are or the structures in which we exist. It’s all about what we do. Inclusion, in a word comes down to behaviors.
One could argue that inclusion truly is the linchpin of DEI. If you have an inclusive organization, you will naturally attract a more diverse workforce and foster more equitable practices. Inclusive behaviors can be defined as the “actions that make others feel valued, respected, seen, and heard.”
Belonging
What really brings DEI full circle with the concept of belonging. I have not reinvented the wheel with these ideas or concepts as there are many books written on this.
Belonging is that feeling that one’s authentic self is valued, respected, seen, and heard. It’s a very crux of inclusion and is consequently being added to many DEI acronyms today in the business world.
read more…A MAJOR VICTORY – CMS proposed to cover SEAT ELEVATION systems in power wheelchairs as a Medicare benefit !!!
February 15, 2023 UPDATE: Public Comments Needed Again to Lock in Decision: www.rise4Access.org by MARCH 17, 2023
CMS released its long-awaited proposed decision to offer Medicare coverage for seat elevation systems in power wheelchairs, for the first time ever. This is a MAJOR VICTORY for the disability community.
Over the last several years it has been such an honor to be part of the ITEM coalition with the most incredible advocates I have ever met. Everyone has worked tirelessly over the years and this is a tremendous step forward, but the work is not yet done. Thank you from the bottom of all of our hearts to all of the wheelchair users, providers, caregivers, advocates, and organizations who submitted comments during the first comment period – your voices clearly made an impact!
Though this proposal is a huge step forward, our work is not yet done. CMS is now accepting more public comments for the next 30 days to weigh in on their decision, and we need your help to make sure the agency finalizes this as soon as possible. We urge all interested parties to once again SHARE YOUR STORY (www.rise4Access.org ) with CMS and let them know they are making the right decision.
If you’ve any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to me!
WHAT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT?
I have been on a story collecting mission. What’s really behind a story? What makes a story successful, thought-provoking, empathetic, and above all passionate to move people in a way that they will not soon forget you!
One of my dreams is to become a Tedx/Ted Speaker and I’ve been soaking up so much information by reading, listening to podcasts, joining speaking associations, taking specific storytelling courses, and watching countless Ted talks. This is really just a life project of mine that I am so insanely and absolutely above the moon to the stars and back PASSIONATE ABOUT.
I’m sure it’s not too tricky to figure out if you know me that I’m passionate about disability inclusion in every aspect of our society, the human experience, the workplace, etc.
I’ve been collecting stories from other wheelchair users around the country. I’m preparing for a very targeted keynote speech and while I was preparing my presentation, I was getting bored just thinking about talking for an hour. I had too many facts and figures. An organization can hire me to work on strategic structures, processes, data, etc. However, when I am on stage, I need to inspire any audience to think about a change in perspective. This will then lead to intent, actions, and most importantly, outcomes!
read more…Forward with National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) PODCAST
Such an amazing podcast with Dr. Rebecca Corbin, NACCE Pres. & CEO. This podcast shares stories and lessons of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial leaders who uplift their communities. I was so honored to be featured on this amazing podcast to talk about a topic near and dear to my heart — Entrepreneurship.
We dive into so many topics on disability, equity, employment, and entrepreneurship.
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xNTg5ODE1LnJzcw
OR … Listen on any one of these sites
- Apple Podcasts: https://pod.link/1553969705.apple
- Spotify: https://pod.link/1553969705.spotify
Here are a few teaser clips for you!
North Carolina Medical Society Association Collaboration
I had the distinct pleasure to present to the Leadership College at the North Carolina Medical Association filled with doctors, legislators, and PA’s.
I spent an hour discussing my personal story, but more than that, talking about the need for disability inclusion as it relates to complex medical needs for those with significant, costly, and complicated medical diagnoses.
I was stunned to learn that most med students in school are not taught about complex diagnoses that require a multi-faceted solution’s for care.
To be fair, so many of our medical professionals are caught in the legal nightmare of malpractice suits and needlessly complicated health insurance policies.
I went through a very specific example where I underwent surgery for cervical cancer that led to a pulmonary embolism, hemorrhaging inside my body, weeks in the ICU doped up on morphine — AND, all because my medical team were not well-versed in spinal cord injury, nor did they talk to one another.
I had the top level neurosurgeons, pulmonologists, cardiologists, and gynecologists on my case, but I suffered. I suffered for nearly a month and almost died twice.
This cannot stand! We need advocates to work cohesively, inclusively, and strategically with top medical professionals in the field to humanize those of us who are the exception to the rule. It’s quite easy to treat high blood pressure or high cholesterol, but quite another to get to the root cause of so many challenging medical conditions.
One of my 2023 goals is to continue to speak to all audiences in the medical field from doctors, PAs, CFOs of hospitals, even folks in the medical reimbursement department to shed light on why they should care about the people behind the piece of paper.
We are human. We need help. We need to work together. Disability doesn’t discriminate and you will all join this club eventually if you have not already.
