"At nine years old, a vascular neoplasm was discovered in my neck... I lost my ability to speak, swallow, breathe, and function from the waist up. I spent countless hours in therapy redeveloping my strength, which I’m still working to improve. Transitioning back to normalcy was a great challenge. I had to learn to function, daily, without abilities that were once seamless. Throughout all, I achieved a 4.0+ GPA in high school and continue to thrive in college. Overall, becoming paralyzed has challenged me in all aspects of life, but with hard work and perseverance, I have learned to never give up."

Press play on the video to learn more about how Kayvan is rebranding disability through achievement!

"In the twenty-two years since my paralyzing injury, I have embraced my purpose through public speaking, competing in the Paralympic Games, building a sports and fitness retreat for female wheelchair users to increase confidence and self-esteem, authoring books about the disabled experience, championing a book club to celebrate disabled authors and characters, and host a networking group to spread the importance of including disability in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion conversation."

Press play on the video to learn more about how Tricia is rebranding disability through achievement!

​​"As blood began to flow out of my colon like a cracked Mason jar oozing molasses, my body was branded with a new name: “ulcerative colitis.” 
During my first hospitalization, I realized that we can use language as a means of processing how we struggle and endure and persevere. By articulating my experiences with an invisible disability and sharing my poems and stories, I hope not only to de-stigmatize chronic illness but also to extend to others the sense of community I have found through writing. I’m more than a chronic illness. I’m an individual who grows, learns, and evolves daily. I’m a warrior who recognizes, first-hand, the value of sharing my experiences and the lessons I’ve learned with others in the disability community, and beyond."

Press play on the video to learn more about how Divya is rebranding disability through achievement!

"After my freshman year in undergrad, I had a psychotic episode that caused me to lose sight of reality. I thought I could fly, and believed I had magical powers. After struggling through my undergrad academically without accommodation and not having someone to look up to, I have made it my mission to help students with mental health challenges. I am now getting my doctorate in public health focusing on wellness coaching and just finished my competencies, with my proposal defense happening this quarter."

Press play on the video to learn more about how Benjamin is rebranding disability through achievement!

"When I was 16, I moved from Japan, where I was raised, to America because of my dyslexia. It was the only way I could possibly graduate high school because, sadly, dyslexia was not recognized in Japan. My school there couldn't provide me with any help. After relocating to America, I finally received the digital accommodations I needed to succeed in school, which enabled me to graduate from both high school and college. Now, I am a UX product designer, building my career so that one day I can design assistive technology tools."
 

Press play on the video to learn more about how Evelyn is rebranding disability through achievement!

"Growing up in India, I was told that I couldn’t study STEM-based classes due to my disability. However, I challenged the central board of education in the country and became India’s first blind student to pursue STEM. Later, when India’s top tech schools denied me the permission to take the entrance exams to pursue engineering, I decided to continue making progress towards my dream of becoming a computer scientist, and was fortunate to be accepted to Stanford where I graduated with a bachelors and masters in computer science. I launched I-Stem to change attitudes in India, convince tech schools to allow blind students (over 15 blind students have since graduated) and develop technology to convert inaccessible content into accessible and usable formats especially for STEM-based technical classes which is currently being used by over 5,000 users."

Press play on the video to learn more about how Kartik is rebranding disability through achievement!

"At fourteen years old, I was diagnosed with scoliosis. Once a fashion enthusiast, I was disheartened when my clothes began to hang irregularly on my uneven shoulders. Once a dancer, I winced when I felt the lasting aches caused by my crooked spine. When I was prescribed a plastic brace, I felt like I had lost my identity due to my disability. Six years later as a Stanford student, I have turned my challenges with scoliosis and chronic pain into academic passions. After starting a blog to promote share my story, I have become enthralled by the intersection of social media and medicine. Through coursework, internships, and volunteering, I am constantly learning about how to use social media to increase patient advocacy among the disabled."

Press play on the video to learn more about how Tatum is rebranding disability through achievement!