Blog, Success Stories, United Spinal Updates

Playing and Working at the Miami Abilities Expo

“How do you feel about flying to Miami to work our booth at the Abilities Expo,” asked my boss. It was a chilly autumn day here in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where I work from home. Hmm, let’s see. On the one hand, Miami has warm sunshine, warmer people, and the best coffee in the universe. On the other hand, wait. There is no other hand. Yes, sign me up!!

Better yet, our CEO Vincenzo “Enzo” Piscopo, was also going. So, I knew it’d be a fun trip.

Time to Set Up the Booth

Two White women, one using a power chair
One of the best parts of working the expo was getting to see our members in person. Here I am at our booth with Ali Ingersoll.

I arrived early on Thursday to pull our booth together, get the lay of the land and see what trouble I could get into on my own. On my way toward the convention center, I see a large, skinny cat skittering up the street. But cats don’t skitter. I look again and realize it’s an iguana. Woah! It turns out they’re everywhere.

“They’re like our squirrels,” I tell my youngest, Antonio. Florida squirrels. Even though he’s 17, he’s my baby. By the end of the Expo, I’ve sent him photos of Gloria Estefan’s star on Little Havana’s Calle Ocho, palm trees, and a crisp Cuban-style linen black shirt with silver stitching that will look great on him, “muy guapo.”

“Muy guapo” is a phrase I picked up from Tony’s aunt and namesake, Antonia, that means “very handsome.” I’m sure I’m mispronouncing it.

Despite my Spanish classes in school, I can’t even say simple words like “cortadito” correctly. This turns out to be a never-ending source of amusement to folks who actually speak Spanish. A cortadito is a smooth, super-strong, sweet coffee drink. All Cuban coffee is excellent, but this one is my current favorite.

Spanish is to South Florida like French is to Quebec, Canada: Most people speak it, and fortunately, many also speak English. But not everyone is bilingual.

Sí, United Spinal Habla Espanol

Young Hispanic woman wheelchair user
The Rollettes’ Edna Serrano stopped by the booth to say hola.

Florida is the southernmost tip of the United States and Miami is home to a vibrant Cuban diaspora that undertook tremendous risks to escape communism. There are large populations of other Spanish speakers too. When they come to our booth, I’m desperate to interact with them as well as I do with the English speakers. But only knowing one language puts me at a disadvantage.

Fortunately, Enzo, a wheelchair user originally from Venezuela, is fluent in Spanish. He talks with these wheelchair users and their families about our membership organization and the programs we offer.

Piscopo makes the point that authentic representation matters. “Not only because it’s the right thing to do, but because when you can talk to people in the same language, you can ‘get them,'” he says. “And when we get each other, we can make changes to our own lives and society in general.”

I’m proud that United is for everyone affected by a mobility-related disability. Seeing the relief on these families’ faces when they realize they can communicate with us — well, with Enzo — drives home what makes us unique. And that is, inclusivity is not just a goal for us. It’s who we are.

Our whole team is passionate about serving our members. A few weeks ago, a member I’m Facebook friends with from Puerto Rico saw a United wristband on my page. She’s been having a rough time and asked if I could send her one. Of course!

I asked our behind-the-scenes guy, Robert Zhune, if he would mind mailing it and a few other pieces of swag. “Absolutely,” said Zhune, whose first language is Spanish. He thought of a few other items we offer that could help her out. “Can you send me her email address so I can explain to her in Spanish what she’s getting?”

We Don’t Turn Anyone Away

A Black man and Hispanic man, both wheelchair users
SCISG Miami Chapter President Anson James (left) and United Spinal CEO Vincenzo Piscopo (right)

As wheelchair users roll up to our booth, I prepare to deliver my spiel about United.

“We’re a nationwide membership organization for people with mobility-related disabilities with almost 60,000 members and nearly 50 chapters,” I start. “Most of our members have spinal cord injuries, but many also have MS, CP, spina bifida. …”

“Oh, I get that magazine,” often the person finishes, pointing to the stacks of New Mobility on our table. They’ve been a member for five or 10 or over 20 years, and sometimes they say we’re their second family, and I never get tired of hearing that.

One of our Florida chapters, Spinal Cord Injury Support Group, has a booth catty-corner to ours. Looking at their offerings drives home how deep our reach is, collectively. On the national level, we run programs designed to sustain and improve the quality of life of all our members and, really, all people with disabilities. But the most vital relationships are often formed on the local level, where our members live.

“We don’t turn anyone away,” SCISG’s rep, a wheelchair user, tells a man standing in front of him who recently had a stroke. “Everyone is welcome.”

Most of our members have spinal cord injuries or related disorders. But our collective know-how and experience benefit everyone affected by any mobility-related disability, and I’d argue any disability.

The Abilities Expo is Our Own Carnival

This is the Abilities Expo’s first time in Miami, and the carnival atmosphere is palpable.

There are gold spoked Spinergy wheels and a new, fast Zeen walker. People are test-driving iBots, Whills, Jazzy Scooters, Jack Drives and more. Families are exploring spacious, lift-equipped camper vans, and mini-vans. Take a nap in the complimentary hyperbaric chamber! See how soft this scent-free lotion makes your hands! Enjoy a free massage at e-pulse! Enjoy another free massage at e-pulse! Restrain from attempting to get more free massages at e-pulse!

Learn travel strategies with Sylvia Longmire and health care advocacy from Ali Ingersoll! Catch a Rollettes performance! Sign up to sail with Shake-a-Leg!

On Saturday morning, after freshening up our booth, like the little kid I am at heart, I practically skipped over to the climbing wall to take my turn.

I am overweight, and my hand grip can be iffy because of multiple sclerosis, and my left leg sporadically is significantly weaker than my right. And I really don’t think I’d make it further than, maybe, three feet.

Mark Wellman and Josie Byzek
That’s me! With Mark Wellman!!

Mike at the No Limits Adaptive Climbing Wall says I’ll be fine. Trust him. I did, and I was. I climbed that wall all the way to the top.

And, wow, my sense of accomplishment was only matched by my huge grin. Isn’t it thrilling doing things we don’t think we can, even if we look awkward in the attempt?

Bonus, I finally met Mark Wellman in person. He’s the first paraplegic to climb El Capitan and Half Dome. Wellman is why adaptive rock climbing is a thing, as well as many other adaptive rec activities. He could have kept his rock-climbing trade secrets to himself. Instead, he shared his knowledge and experience to strengthen our community. Mad props to Wellman and all our community builders.

I left my purse at that booth. I didn’t realize it was missing until hours later.

The Case of the Missing Purse

At lunchtime, I reach under the booth for my purse, which isn’t there. OK, Josie, think. Where would it be? The adaptive rock climbing wall! But they say they haven’t seen it. It’s a bustling area full of equipment and gear, and my purse gets overlooked.

Next, I head to Jiminez, the hole-in-the-wall that sells all the cortaditos I’ve been chugging for days. Did you know you’re supposed to share those and only drink small creamer-sized portions at a time? Anyway, my purse isn’t there. It’s not in my room or the restaurant, and when I alert them, security says it’s also not been tossed or found anywhere.

Now I’m panicking. My ID is in my wallet, which is in my purse. How will I get through TSA to get home? Oh no.

Enzo calms me down. Something similar happened to him. Just go early, and TSA will work with me; I’ll be fine. My partner reloads my Apple pay, and I relax a little.

Sadly, I left the Expo early on Sunday to make my way through the airport without a photo ID or credit cards.

Happy (Eventually) Coincidence

Two young women climb the No Limits adaptive rock wall.
Climbing that wall is even more fun than it looks in this photo.

Right before it’s time to board, my phone rings with an unknown number from my area code, and I answer even though it’s probably a scam. But it’s not. It’s Cathie Rosado from the climbing wall. “Are you still at the Expo? I have your purse,” she says. Relief washes over me, but I inform her that, unfortunately,  I’m about to get on the plane. No problem. She lives in Lancaster, a small city close to my home in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and she offers to bring my purse to me.

Also, she tells me the adaptive climbing wall lives in Lancaster and Mike, the guy who coached me up the wall, lives even closer.

No way!

We meet at the local Center for Independent Living on Monday morning so Rosado can chat with the CIL’s director, Janetta Green, who is passionate about strengthening adaptive sports in our area. The CIL-sponsored wheelchair rugby team for adults and basketball team for kids practice at a sports complex called Spooky Nook, known for its climbing walls.

The CIL wants Spooky Nook to embrace adaptive sports beyond renting practice space. And Rosado’s group wants its next local adaptive recreation Expo to reach more people. By the end of the conversation, phone numbers are exchanged, and a new adaptive rec committee is born.

And I have my purse back.

How lucky I lost it at the right place and got it back at the right time for some Abilities Expo networking magic to happen. Hopefully, this means I’ll get to climb that wall again.

This article was written by Josie Byzek, director of digital experience and content for United Spinal Association. The photo at the top of the article is of Wheelie One Locks founder Robert Howell. Find and follow him on your favorite social media platforms. For more information about all of United Spinal’s chapters and programs, please contact our Community Supports team. Join our community by signing up for a free membership. To support our mission, donate here.