Reimagining Life Podcast: from Pain to Purpose

Ep. 22: Chronically Employed: Creating Accessible Employment Opportunities for All

In this episode, Tiffany Swift, CEO and co-founder of Chronically Employed, shares her personal journey of living with chronic illness and how it led her to build an organization dedicated to helping chronically ill and disabled people access meaningful, flexible employment. Living with ME/CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome), Tiffany experienced firsthand how rigid workplace structures often force talented individuals out of work entirely. Alongside her co-founder Katie Plumtree, who lives with endometriosis and fibromyalgia, Tiffany founded Chronically Employed to create safer pathways into remote and flexible work. What began as a small community space has grown into a thriving organization supporting over 1,300 members through training, confidence-building, recruitment, and employer education. This conversation explores the realities of chronic illness in the workplace, the myths around reliability and productivity, and how remote work can unlock an overlooked talent pool. This episode invites listeners to rethink what “work” can look like and how accessibility, flexibility, and trust benefit both individuals and organizations. For full transcript click here:https://tinyurl.com/7dm5mwv8

Ep. 21: The Disabled Journalists Association: Reimagining Journalism

In this episode of Reimagining Life: From Pain to Purpose, we hear from Cara Reedy, an award winning journalist and disability advocate whose career has spanned across CNN, The Guardian, and other major media organizations. As the Director of the Disabled Journalists Association, Carais a powerful force behind the movement to ensure equitableopportunities and representation in media. Through humor, honesty, and vulnerability, she opens up about the realities of working in newsrooms, the systemic ableism that silences disabled professionals, and the resilience that has shaped her success. This episode explores what it truly means to reimagine storytelling especially for those telling the stories themselves. Access the full transcript here: https://shorturl.at/14rOC

Ep. 20: Dance, Disability, and Determination with Marisa Hamamoto

In this inspiring episode, we’ll hear from Marisa Hamamoto- professional dancer, disability inclusion advocate, and founder of Infinite Flow Dance. Marisa shares her incredible journey of resilience, from surviving a spinal stroke to reimagining dance as the universal and inclusive art form that it was meant to be. Through her experiences as a late-diagnosed autistic and a stroke survivor, Marisa discusses the challenges she faced within the dance industry, her realization that dance belongs to everyone, and how she built an inclusive dance company that bridges gaps and fosters belonging. Marisa’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance, self-discovery, and the belief that inclusivity objectively makes the world a better place. As she continues the metaphorical dance between roles as a founder, artist and advocate, Marisa and Infinite Flow remain a beacon of what’s possible with determination and a drive towards change. Key Topics * Turning Pain into Purpose: Marisa shares how her spinal stroke, which initially left her paralyzed from the neck down, became a pivotal moment in her life. She later returned to dance with a renewed perspective and a mission to create an inclusive space. * Reimagining Dance & Disability Inclusion: Infinite Flow Dance challenges traditional notions of dance by featuring a diverse cast of disabled and nondisabled dancers. The company operates on the belief that dance is a universal language that belongs to everyone. * The Power of Representation & Self-Identity: Marisa highlights the importance of self-identification over medical diagnoses, recognizing that not everyone has access to an official diagnosis. Infinite Flow embraces dancers across a broad spectrum of disabilities, from mobility impairments to neurodivergence, chronic illness, and mental health conditions. * Overcoming Industry Biases: As an Asian-American dancer, Marisa faced systemic challenges within the professional dance world, including biases about body type and racial representation. These experiences fueled her commitment to creating a more inclusive and diverse dance community. * Lessons in Resilience & Leadership: Marisa shares her journey of building Infinite Flow from the ground upstarting without funding, strategy, or a blueprint but driven by passion and purpose. She reflects on how leadership, adaptability, and staying true to one’s mission are key to creating meaningful impact. For interviewee bio, references, and full transcript, click here: https://shorturl.at/G5ww6

Episode 19: Advocacy, Entrepreneurship, and Parenting with Purpose

In this episode of Reimagining Life: From Pain to Purpose, we hear from Cindy Liu, a disability advocate, entrepreneur, and parent to a child with Down Syndrome. Cindy shares her journey of advocacy, her innovative projects, and the lessons she has learned in reimagining accessibility and equity for the disability community. With humor and authenticity, Cindy sheds light on the challenges and joys of raising a preteen with a disability and how deeply rooted ableism affects individuals and families. As the first guest with a parent’s perspective, Cindy discusses a wide range of topics from systemic change to everyday parenting strategies. Cindy's perspective is both uplifting and thought-provoking.  Whether it is nepotism (as she jokes) or the desire to end ableism that drives her numerous efforts, Cindy is an inspirational powerhouse in this community who is working tirelessly to make the future brighter for people with disabilities and their loved ones. Key Topics: Parenting and Ableism: Cindy highlights examples of how her daughter’s challenges often stem from societal attitudes rather than her diagnosis and how this affects the entire family unit. Radical Customer Service: Cindy proposes a paradigm shift - approaching disability inclusion with the same anticipation and care seen in top-tier customer service. Advocacy and Policy: Cindy’s grassroots organization, We Belong, focuses on safety, education, and employment for individuals with disabilities. Recent successes include California's passage of AB447 and securing $2 million in California’s budget for an inclusive college coordinating center. Entrepreneurial Pursuits: Cindy founded LooHoo’s Enterprises, which includes: * A cooperative cafe project designed to create equitable employment opportunities for people with disabilities called, LooHoo’s Cafe. * A social impact media series, The Hidden Civil Rights Movement, spotlighting the disability rights movement and employing individuals from the disability community in the recording of the series. Parenting Strategies: Cindy shares personal insights on supporting her daughter’s learning and independence while balancing her role as a mom and advocate. Exclusive Opportunity Listeners of Reimagining Life Podcast have an exclusive opportunity to preview the trailer for Cindy's upcoming film, The Hidden Civil Rights Movement! Follow The Hidden Civil Rights Movement and contact Cindy by email or DM to get an Early Access link: Instagram: @HiddenCivilRights [https://www.instagram.com/HiddenCivilRights/] Facebook: HiddenCivilRightsMovement [https://www.facebook.com/HiddenCivilRightsMovement] Email: HiddenCivilRightsMovement@gmail.com [HiddenCivilRightsMovement@gmail.com] Connect with the Reimaginer Community! We would love to hear your feedback! If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review, and tell us so! It helps the community grow and it gives us inspiration and motivation. Feel free to check out our newsletter as well! Linktree: @reimagininglifepodcast [https://linktr.ee/reimagininglifepodcast] Instagram: @reimagininglifepodcast [https://www.instagram.com/reimagininglifepodcast/] Facebook: Reimagininglifepodcast [https://www.facebook.com/Reimagininglifepodcast] Substack: Reimagining Life Podcast Newsletter [https://reimagininglifepodcast.substack.com/] Email: reimagininglifepodcast@gmail.com [reimagininglifepodcast@gmail.com] For speaker bio, references and full transcript, click here [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fb12r-0hmrHi6rSdLZtLNhEcTp0NSn55/view?usp=sharing]

Episode 18: Transforming Pain into Power: The Journey of Miller McCoy

Summary:  In this episode, Miller McCoy shares his personal journey of navigating chronic pain and nausea, highlighting how resilience and creativity helped him learn from and work through significant physical challenges. From an early age, Miller battled persistent undiagnosed health issues that impacted his entire family. Growing up he learned to use his drive and entrepreneurial spirit to help him become an artist and start his business. He recounts pivotal moments, and how he learned that he was strong enough to handle any challenging situation life could throw at him. His chronic pain became his superpower. Key Topics Discussed: - The emotional and physical toll of chronic pain and undiagnosed health problems. - The importance of family support during health crises. - The journey through relentless doctor visits and the impact on mental health. - Transformation of pain into artistic and entrepreneurial expression through magic, graphic design, and fashion. This episode serves as a powerful testament to how accepting and transforming life's challenges can lead to personal growth and creative expression. Miller’s story inspires listeners to reimagine their own journeys and seek strength within adversity. For speaker bio and full transcript, click here [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_WqgjRx4zP_-w6iBj5XjWJWwsaf7bsE8/view?usp=sharing] https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_WqgjRx4zP_-w6iBj5XjWJWwsaf7bsE8/view?usp=sharing