Accessibility isn’t a courtesy — it’s a civil right.

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Kristy Durso—accessible travel advocate, travel agent, wheelchair user, and co-founder of Spectrum of Accessibility—to unpack what public accessibility really looks like and why travel remains one of the most exclusionary experiences for disabled people.

Kristy shares her life before becoming a full-time wheelchair user, the emotional and identity shifts that followed, and the moment she realized the world itself—not her disability—would be one of her biggest barriers. From “technically accessible” spaces that fail in practice to travel nightmares that put safety and dignity at risk, this conversation pulls back the curtain on what most people never see.

We also explore where accessibility is done right around the world, where it falls painfully short, and how education within the hospitality industry can be a true game-changer. Through her work with Spectrum of Accessibility, Kristy is helping hotels, airlines, and venues move beyond checklists toward lived-experience inclusion that benefits everyone—disabled travelers, aging populations, families, and businesses alike.

This episode is equal parts truth, accountability, and hope—and a clear call to action for both disabled and nondisabled listeners.

If you travel, work in hospitality, or care about inclusion, this is a conversation you need to hear.

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This is one of those episodes that stays with you long after the microphones are turned off.

This conversation goes where disability conversations often don’t—into the quiet, heavy places. We talk about depression. Anxiety. The mental and emotional toll of disability that so often gets overlooked once the hospital stays end and the equipment is delivered.

Our guest is Mike Kent, a Disability Life Coach and the founder of Empowering Disability, a global community of more than 9,000 members who are navigating life after injury, trauma, or diagnosis.

Mike’s work goes far beyond motivation. Through Empowering Disability and MPower Coaching, he helps people confront anxiety, rebuild confidence, and rediscover their sense of worth—especially in the aftermath of life-changing events. He understands that the hardest battles aren’t always physical.

But this conversation doesn’t stop in the darkness.

Mike challenges us to look deeper—not at what was taken, but at how we respond to the cards we’re dealt. He reminds us that while disability may change the path, it does not erase purpose, value, or the ability to build a meaningful life.

His message is clear and powerful: Disability is not the end of life. It’s an invitation to reclaim life—on our own terms.

This is an episode about honesty, resilience, and the strength it takes to keep showing up when the world feels smaller than it used to. If you or someone you love has ever struggled with the mental weight of disability, this conversation is for you.

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Facebook Support Group: Empowering Disability

⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of gun violence, physical assault, and traumatic injury. Listener discretion is advised.

Joseph Huerta’s story is one of brilliance, hardship, survival, and hard-earned faith. A top graduate in his class, Joseph’s life took an unexpected turn after family separation led him into homelessness, living in a tent city and navigating daily survival. What began as an act of kindness—being offered a place to stay by someone he trusted—quickly turned into a dangerous and life-altering situation.

Joseph is a survivor of a violent home invasion. He was beaten and assaulted, and while running for the door to escape, he was shot in the back with a .40 caliber bullet. The impact shattered his spine at T11, leaving him paralyzed. In a moment that still echoes today, Joseph begged for his life as his attackers held a gun to his head.

In this episode, Joseph speaks candidly about his early days in rehab, where he believed a back brace might allow him to walk again, and how the reality of paralysis set in. He shares how fellow patients—more than the clinical team—became his greatest teachers, helping him understand life in a wheelchair and how to truly adapt.

After rehab, Joseph returned to California to live with his father, where new challenges emerged: ongoing battles with insurance, medical discrimination, and the harsh reality of managing a Stage 4 pressure wound that he has lived with for over three years. Rather than staying silent, Joseph turned his pain into purpose.

Motivated by those who supported him in rehab, Joseph created his YouTube channel “Quick Tips,” where he answers real-world questions about activities of daily living for wheelchair users. He also launched his own clothing line, using creativity as another outlet for resilience and expression.

Joseph opens up about how anger initially fueled his drive—but ultimately caused more harm than healing. At his lowest point, he turned to his faith, crying out to God for a sign—one that unmistakably came true and was captured on video.

This episode also dives into honest, practical conversations around sex and intimacy after paralysis, wheelchair cushions, pressure relief techniques, and living with dignity despite constant obstacles. Raw, emotional, and deeply human, this is a powerful conversation about survival, accountability, faith, and finding meaning after everything changes.

This is Joseph Huerta’s journey—and it’s one you won’t forget.

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