March 2023

Written by St. Cloud State student, Taylor Mulcahy, B.A. in Psychology “I learned to fully embrace my disability and once I did, it became easier to advocate for myself and for others.” Four years ago, Andrés Gallegos participated in the Pikes Peak Challenge in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He rolled up Pikes Peak Mountain in his […]

by Crystal Vaughan-Gagnon, student at St. Cloud State University “I want to leave a legacy, and this is how I do it.” “Plane,” was Ron Pettit’s second word. When he was little, he would go over to his grandmother’s house and watch the airplanes from the nearby airport. He loved that he could hear and

Omar Harrinanan has a keen interest in anything tech-related. He spends a significant amount of time seeking out knowledge that relates to his two passions, information technology and gaming. Many hours are spent learning from his favourite YouTube channel, Linus Tech Tips, and one of the things he really hopes to do one day is

By Shana Jones From the first Alinker deliveries to ecstatic customers, people previously marginalized by society have been re-imagining and re-purposing their lives. She says she’s not an activist, but I respectfully disagree. She has built schools in Afghanistan and taught carpentry to deaf children in Kenya. She challenges the refuge of comfort we tuck

Meeting Cole Sibus for the first time, it will be immediately evident that he is an extrovert. His effervescent personality cascades throughout a conversation, humour seamlessly interwoven, eliciting frequent bouts of laughter from conversation partners. Witty, charming, fun-loving, daring, eager to try new things, compassionate and quite the conversationalist, Cole is a son, brother, athlete

At 20 years old, a car accident resulted in Marcela Marañon being confined to a wheelchair, paralyzed from the waist down. Fast forward to today. The adult Marcela enjoys a very influential spot in the social media space. Her Instagram account, @thejourneyofabravewoman, which she started in 2017 “reflects my life,” Marcela said. “I feel really brave

Avi is a stroke and aphasia survivor. He was an New York City paramedic and about to start medical school when he had a stroke. Prior to his stroke, he loved many outdoor sports like horseback riding, kayaking, sailing, bicycle riding, snowboarding, etc. Now, post-stroke he has aphasia (difficulty communicating) and can’t use one arm,

by Alexandra Nava-Baltimore [ This interview has been edited for length and clarity. ] Spanning a powerful 30 year career, Katy Neas, the Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (United States Department of Education), works tirelessly as she continues her plan to create a clear and strong support system

Support entrepreneurs with disabilities Margaux Wosk (they/them) is an autistic self-taught artist and designer as well as an activist and advocate for people with disabilities. They fight really hard for those who own their own business so that these entrepreneurs are able to have the same rights and benefits that are available through organizations that

Brooke & Elena gives us a peek into their world Brooke Pagé and Elena Pauly of Vancouver, BC, started the Wives and Girlfriends of Spinal Cord Injury (WAGS of SCI) group after becoming caregivers for their partners, both of whom are quadriplegic. In 2014, Evan, Brooke’s boyfriend at the time, got injured at work when