Hello everyone and welcome to our User Spotlight’s! We created these posts to help inform and inspire our followers and users. The goal is to highlight people who are working on something special, fun or unique. We plan to do a post every Sunday, so if you are interested in being featured or want to nominate someone to be featured, please reach out to us at [email protected] with the subject line, “User Spotlight”.
Thanks and we hope you enjoy!
Tell us about yourself..
Jesi Stracham: My name is Jesi Stracham (pronounced: jes-EE straw-HAM) I will be 28 in June from Charlotte, North Carolina. I have a spinal cord injury and get around in a Box WCMX (Wheelchair Motocross) chair. I am the director of Wheel With Me Foundation, a non profit working to help SCI survivors achieve independence after injury. In early 2020, I released a fitness clothing line that includes a high-waisted legging line. I am planning to continue to expand my business. I am an ambassador of hope, encouraging people to Wheel With Me; using our obstacles to live life to the fullest.
What do your weekends consist of? Any hobbies?:
JS: I enjoy spending time with my friends. I spend a lot of my time completing my school work, in addition to building and developing my brand and non profit. My biggest goal is to help others live the life they want to live, achieving the healthier and happiest version of themselves. My hobbies revolve around my passion for helping others.
Favorite adventure so far? (Most accessible/Most memorable):
JS: Visiting the Grand Canyon National Park. I went with my local curling team, “Sticks and Stones Curling”. It was a group of four wheelchair users and one able-bodied person. One of my teammates had an Access Pass. It’s a pass that gets you into every national park across the country for free. So rather than paying the $30 fee, we just rolled in. The gift shop, information center and restrooms were very accessible, but the restroom did smell bad. The parking lot was a little away from the facilities. The park itself offered ramps to the ledges with the most breath taking views. 10 out of 10 recommend every American visits the Grand Canyon.
Worst adventure so far? (Issues with accessibility):
JS:When I was first injured, I traveled a lot to race. Once in the backwoods of Pennsylvania I stopped for gas. Due to the cement barrier in front of the pump, I couldn’t reach it. Someone offered to pump my gas for me and I went in to use the restroom. When I couldn’t get to the toilet in the woman’s room, I used the men’s. The issue was the door wouldn’t shut with my chair in the restroom so I had to Cath with the door open. Halfway through cathing, the man who pumped my gas came right to the door to let me know he was finished, thank goodness I had already lost modesty at the hospital.
What fuels your fire?:
JS: After 2 years of being a paraplegic, I was fed up with how un-constructive my lifestyle was to the person I envisioned myself to be. I started listening to inspiring content on Youtube, began working out and practicing mindfulness a few days a week. The more I practiced physical and mental strength, the easier living life as a paraplegic became. Within my practice was regular acknowledgement of what I had to be grateful for. This shows me how much I truly have in life, even when I am in a mental low.
Through these practices my need for growth increased. The need to be better than I was yesterday gets me out of bed each day. Continuing to achieve small tasks to the big goals keeps me hyper-focused on my tasks throughout my day. The need to help others and live the happiest, healthiest life I am able to live, fuels my fire.
Keep Up with Jesi
Instagram/YouTube/Twitter/Tiktok/Facebook: @jesistracham/@wheelwithme
www.jesistracham.com
www.wheelwithmefoundation.org
