If you were to ask me five years ago where I envisioned myself in terms of my personal and educational goals, my answer would have been completely different from what it is today. After a life-altering injury in the summer of 2020, I had given up on the idea that I could do and be whatever I set out to be. My dreams and aspirations began to feel out of reach. However, two years ago, something changed for me. I no longer wanted to let life slip by. It was time to become a part of the change the world so desperately needs.

Waking up with a spinal cord injury, you quickly realize that the world was no longer made for you, subtle barriers that once had gone unnoticed now became everyday challenges. We often take for granted the ease with which we navigate the world when it’s designed for us, and how that privilege disappears the moment a person’s abilities change.

Although I’m still navigating to what degree I want my work to surround my personal experiences and disability I do know this. I aspire to create a world where every individual can travel and exist without fear of navigating inaccessible spaces. This vision involves developing new structures and restoring historical sites globally, ensuring accessibility without compromising their unique characteristics. I envision my work as embracing something greater than myself and contributing to a transformative narrative that has an impact across generations.