Empowering Change and Championing Inclusivity with Miss Wheelchair Ohio Gabby Kozinski | Episode 124
Apr 28, 2024Season 3Episode 124
Founder of Voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes
Empowering Change and Championing Inclusivity with Miss Wheelchair Ohio Gabby Kozinski | Episode 124
Chapter Markers 0:00 Empowering Disability Awareness Through Education 7:49 Miss Wheelchair Ohio 2024 Interview
When Gabby Kozinski rolls into a room, she brings more than her title as Miss Wheelchair Ohio 2024; she brings a revolution. On our latest episode, we're honored to host this powerhouse of advocacy, who not only shares her journey to the crown but also champions the "Knowledge is Power" initiative. With an infectious spirit, Gabby is on a mission to enlighten our youth on disability etiquette, fostering an environment where empathy and inclusivity are as natural as breathing. Her stories and insights invite us to see the world through a wider lens, reminding us that understanding and respect for the diverse experiences within the disability community are essential for societal growth.
Our conversation with Gabby transcends the usual narrative, revealing a woman who wears resilience as effortlessly as her sparkling tiara. As she prepares for the Miss Wheelchair America stage, Gabby gives us a backstage pass to her life, from cheerleading with the Special Olympics squad to standing up against the demeaning "baby talk" often directed at individuals with disabilities. Her advocacy extends beyond the spotlight, as she embodies the change she wishes to see in the world. Gabby's blend of humor, particularly her light-hearted banter about Zac Efron, and her unwavering dedication to her cause, leaves us not just entertained but empowered to join her in the quest for a world where everyone is valued and included.
Voices for Voices is the #1 ranked podcast where people turn to for expert mental health, recovery and career advancement intelligence.
Our Voices for Voices podcast is all about teaching you insanely actionable techniques to help you prosper, grow yourself worth and personal brand.
So, if you are a high achiever or someone who wants more out of life, whether mentally, physically or spiritually, make sure you subscribe to our podcast right now!
As you can see, the Voices for Voices podcast publishes episodes that focus on case studies, real life examples, actionable tips and "in the trenches" reports and interviews from subscribers like you.
If that sounds like something that could help you grow personally or professionally, then make sure to join me by subscribing! — Thanks for listening!
Empowering Change and Championing Inclusivity with Miss Wheelchair Ohio Gabby Kozinski | Episode 124
Chapter Markers 0:00 Empowering Disability Awareness Through Education 7:49 Miss Wheelchair Ohio 2024 Interview
When Gabby Kozinski rolls into a room, she brings more than her title as Miss Wheelchair Ohio 2024; she brings a revolution. On our latest episode, we're honored to host this powerhouse of advocacy, who not only shares her journey to the crown but also champions the "Knowledge is Power" initiative. With an infectious spirit, Gabby is on a mission to enlighten our youth on disability etiquette, fostering an environment where empathy and inclusivity are as natural as breathing. Her stories and insights invite us to see the world through a wider lens, reminding us that understanding and respect for the diverse experiences within the disability community are essential for societal growth.
Our conversation with Gabby transcends the usual narrative, revealing a woman who wears resilience as effortlessly as her sparkling tiara. As she prepares for the Miss Wheelchair America stage, Gabby gives us a backstage pass to her life, from cheerleading with the Special Olympics squad to standing up against the demeaning "baby talk" often directed at individuals with disabilities. Her advocacy extends beyond the spotlight, as she embodies the change she wishes to see in the world. Gabby's blend of humor, particularly her light-hearted banter about Zac Efron, and her unwavering dedication to her cause, leaves us not just entertained but empowered to join her in the quest for a world where everyone is valued and included.
Voices for Voices is the #1 ranked podcast where people turn to for expert mental health, recovery and career advancement intelligence.
Our Voices for Voices podcast is all about teaching you insanely actionable techniques to help you prosper, grow yourself worth and personal brand.
So, if you are a high achiever or someone who wants more out of life, whether mentally, physically or spiritually, make sure you subscribe to our podcast right now!
As you can see, the Voices for Voices podcast publishes episodes that focus on case studies, real life examples, actionable tips and "in the trenches" reports and interviews from subscribers like you.
If that sounds like something that could help you grow personally or professionally, then make sure to join me by subscribing! — Thanks for listening!
Welcome to the Voices for Voices TV show and podcast. I am your host, justin Allen Hayes, founder and executive director of Voices for Voices. Voices for Voices is the number one ranked podcast and TV show where people turn to for expert mental health recovery and career advancement intelligence. Mental health recovery and career advancement intelligence. Our Voices for Voices TV show and podcast is all about teaching you insanely actionable techniques to help you prosper, grow yourself, your self-worth and your personal brand. So if you are a high achiever or someone who wants more out of life, whether mentally, physically or spiritually, make sure to subscribe to our TV show and podcast right now, every Wednesday that focus on case studies, real life examples, actionable tips and in the trenches reports and interviews from subscribers just like you. So that sounds like something that could help you grow personally or professionally. Then make sure to join me by subscribing. And again, we are trying to help 3 billion people over the course of my lifetime and beyond. So, if you're able to, it doesn't cost anything Like subscribe share. We greatly appreciate it. Today we are super grateful to have our guest with us joining us.
Speaker 1:
From Visariso, ohio, she is the new Miss Wheelchair, ohio. She is really, when you think of. She's the real Miss Unstoppable, like Sia's song Unstoppable. She is a go-getter, she loves helping, she loves teaching. She is a current Special Olympics cheerleader and, as noted, she earned the Miss Unstoppable title in a local pageant as a teen. She loves teaching teaching children, especially Spending time with her family and friends and talking about her platform Knowledge is Power, with a heavy focus on educating children about disability etiquette to promote awareness, empathy and inclusivity. So why don't you join us in welcoming our guest, miss Wheelchair Ohio, gabrielle Gabby Kaczynski? Thank you for joining us.
Speaker 2:
Thank you for having me Once again. I'm Gabby Kaczynski and I am the newly crowned Wheelchair Ohio 2024 as of earlier in March.
Speaker 1:
That's so amazing. How did you learn about the pageant?
Speaker 2:
No, we don't refer to it as a pageant.
Speaker 1:
Oh, I'm sorry.
Speaker 2:
We refer to it as a competition, but I actually learned about it a couple years ago when I was competing in the local pageant, because one of the judges and mentors for Sykes was Ms Wheelchair, ohio 2020, and she told me about it and she really encouraged me. But once I turned the age for the competition and I got in, so then I competed in Mount Vernon of earlier in March the first weekend in March.
Speaker 1:
Awesome. So how does it feel to be crowned, miss Wheelchair Ohio?
Speaker 2:
I was in disbelief and, honestly, if I would have remembered, I would have brought my crowd and stats so same on me. But I was really happy.
Speaker 1:
Everyone has been really supportive and I've just been making my appearances yeah, we greatly appreciate your time to spend with us and to share and have a lot of our followers and individuals watching and listening to learn more about you. Can you speak a little bit about your platform? The Knowledge is Power your platform.
Speaker 2:
The knowledge is power, absolutely so. Knowledge is power, which emphasizes teaching everyone the most important we children how to interact with other individuals with disabilities, because not everyone that has a disability or accused to be in a wheelchair has the same physical challenges or mental challenges. So, like for me, I am physically, my body is not, I can't walk and I can only use my right arm, but mentally I am fully capable of anyone else, and that's not always the case with other individuals. Some have it the other way around, or some have it, um, both, not at all, or somehow that more severe, both ways.
Speaker 1:
And yeah, and I think that's that's important. You're sharing that, because I think there are misnomers, uh, about disabilities in general, uh, knowing that it's not a catch-all that everybody with a certain disability has. You know these three or these two things that they're working through that there are different levels of that and I think sharing that and educating others, especially children, at an early age, helps them. So, as they're growing older and then they become mentors and teaching others, I think that's a great platform to have.
Speaker 2:
And why I chose children was because, for one, I've always wanted to work with children, but two, as we see in today's society, unfortunately, a lot of grown people treat individuals with disabilities like a child or a baby and they bend down and do the baby voice, which I don't like. You don't need to do that. But if they know at an early, if they're exposed at an early age to other individuals with disabilities, they'll be more likely to approach individuals with disabilities properly, as opposed to children that are not exposed to individuals with disabilities.
Speaker 1:
Wow, thank you for that. When you were interviewed at the competition with the WMFD TV's talk show, sitting down with Kelby King host, how was that? I guess was that your first interview.
Speaker 2:
No, I have not gotten an interview officially with her yet. I have reached out to her, but she did cover the competition.
Speaker 1:
Okay. Do you get nervous when you're in an interview or are you a?
Speaker 2:
natural. No, I'm a natural.
Speaker 1:
Great yeah.
Speaker 2:
I have to answer a couple on-stage interview questions by the panel of judges.
Speaker 1:
Oh, could you share those questions?
Speaker 2:
Oh, could you share those questions. What would you do to better the community if he were to win this wheelchair hire 2024? Or another one was you mentioned that you have struggled with your mental health in the past. You have struggled with your mental health in the past. How would you help someone that also struggles with that? How would you help?
Speaker 1:
them work through that. Wow, did you know those questions ahead of time or did you just find out? No, no, no, that had to be. I can imagine if I was in that position I'd be really nervous, especially not knowing the question and the answer. How did you answer? Is that where your platform came from?
Speaker 2:
My platform came from my experience of how people that don't necessarily know me have approached me and me knowing that I don't like it when someone does the baby talk and when I mean baby talk I mean the high pitch, oh, and then you turn around and use your normal voice to someone else that, or like also people bending down to talk to me that don't know me on a daily basis, because people that know me know they better not do that or it's going to irritate.
Speaker 1:
And I'm glad you're able to share that so transparently with us, because that's something that I didn't know about. It makes me obviously think much differently of how approaching any individual that you may.
Speaker 2:
Yes, I tell people that I'm fully capable of holding a conversation with you, like standing up. It doesn't bother me to look up and I don't like the baby voice, the high pitch. You get what I'm trying to say.
Speaker 1:
I yeah I do, yeah, and I I mean I'm even thinking with, uh, with my five-year-old daughter, how I've even done that over the time. She's growing up and that makes me now think differently, that I should maybe rethink that approach, that she maybe does not want that or does not like that, and that it's very important to learn that.
Speaker 2:
Thank you for sharing or does not like that, and that it's very important to learn that. Thank you for sharing Well, also because even when I was a teenager or a grown adult, people were doing that to me, thinking I'm a little kid and I'm not like I'm fully capable of holding an adult conversation at your normal voice that you would use on a day-to-day basis.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, and so the Special Olympics. How did you get involved with that organization?
Speaker 2:
So the Special Olympics in Crawford County. I've been around for a while now, but a couple years ago I've always wanted to be a cheerleader throughout my school career. I graduated in 2020. Unfortunately, that was when the pandemic, yeah. So my stepmom spoke to someone and they finally created a cheer squad and we did a game back in 2020 of ours and it's 2019-2020. But over the years the cheerleading team has gotten very more popular, so it's more normalized. So now we cheer at all the Special Olympics basketball home games. So I've been a part of that for a couple of years.
Speaker 1:
Congratulations. That sounds like a big accomplishment to do that.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, hill reading is one of my passions.
Speaker 1:
And I also. Through the research for this, I also learned that you love anything, Zac Efron.
Speaker 2:
Yes, I do. Are you aware of who that is?
Speaker 1:
I believe, I think he's an actor he is he is.
Speaker 2:
So if your daughter ever watches High School Musical or the Greatest Showman, she's in those. Okay and a lot of other movies, but those are the family ones.
Speaker 1:
How did you learn about him?
Speaker 2:
So I've liked Zac Efron since I was very little. I actually watched High School Musical the night it premiered all those years ago, and that's what started my love of Zac Efron, wow.
Speaker 1:
Does it make you nervous to be a spokesperson, a leader, after being crowned, to know that there are a lot of people that are looking to you as a role model?
Speaker 2:
No, because I've always been an outgoing person and a bubbly person and like to be around people. I'm definitely a people person, especially around kids, and I've always wanted to work with kids, despite what other people may try to help me, and with this title, it's given me the opportunity to do so.
Speaker 1:
Right and Miss Wheelchair 2023,. Have you kept in contact with her?
Speaker 2:
Yes, kept in contact with her. Yes, she's actually one of the main people that I try to reach out to with any questions I may have, as well as the state coordinator for sex, oh, who happens to be Miss Wheelchair, ohio 2020.
Speaker 1:
Oh, okay, and so I also see, by winning the competition for Miss Wheelchair Ohio, that there is another competition coming up.
Speaker 2:
Yes, yes, in August I will go to Grand Rapids, michigan, for the national competition where all state title holders of all 50 states will go there to compete for the title of Miss Wheelchair America. Not to be confused with this Wheelchair USA, it is strictly two different things and it is strictly Wheelchair America. I actually have a couple fundraisers opened, one being a t-shirt link that will be closing May 12th and I will be having a raffle another Thursday weekend on Facebook. If anyone wants tickets, that will help contribute to my piece of the national competition.
Speaker 1:
And your Facebook profile is your first name and last name, or is it Miss Wheelchair Ohio?
Speaker 2:
Miss Wheelchair Ohio 2024, Gabby Kaczynski.
Speaker 1:
Okay, great. Yeah, we want to definitely recommend our viewers or listeners. We will air this episode prior to May 12th so we can get this information in front of as many people as we can from our side. So thank you for sharing that information information.
Speaker 2:
What else would you like us to make sure we share and cover? So since being crowned Miss Wheelchair Ohio back in early March, I have been busy all throughout, not only this past month but already this month, with making appearances. I have gone to schools, met with my local mayor, talked on podcasts like this one. I actually just went to a meeting called with one of the community groups here in town to talk about my friends, but not only my community, but throughout the whole state and eventually America.
Speaker 1:
Oh my gosh, You're such an inspiration having such big goals. I can relate of wanting to have it at the beginning of our communication that John Butchko, who is also a member of our Voices for Voices Board of Directors we were having a discussion a couple weeks ago about potential guests potential guests and yours was the top. Your name and your information was the top one that came to mind, so I'm very thankful that he was able to share the information and that you had the availability with as many appearances, trying to schedule those as you're getting ready for the August competition.
Speaker 2:
I will ask before we go off air at some point can I please take a screenshot of us on the phone, that way I can post it to my professional Facebook page?
Speaker 1:
Oh, you absolutely can, and I was going to ask you if we could do it here in the studio too, so you could see the inner workings of where the cameras are and how that.
Speaker 2:
You could please just send it to me, so I can have it.
Speaker 1:
Oh, absolutely yeah, that's something Meg, whose voice you heard. That's something I tend to bug her about after we finish filming is to kind of have the proof, because we do sometimes have a couple weeks between when we film the episodes and when they air that we like to share with the community, our guests that are coming up, so they can keep their eye out and ears out for that. How can people learn more about the Miss wheelchair Ohio competition, like if they're looking?
Speaker 2:
for a website called this wheelchair Ohio dot org. Okay, and you can also go to my professional Facebook page, the Miss wheelchair Ohio, 244, gabby Kaczynski. Or you can go to my email when I emailed you from Okay, yeah, so let me share.
Speaker 1:
I'll share that with everybody. So, yeah, the email address that Gabby's referring to is Miss Wheelchair, ohio 2020, and that is the email address that Gabby is referring to is miss wheelchair, ohio, 2020. And that is M S wheelchair W H E E L C H A I R O H 2020, at outlook. O U T L O O, kcom. And how to spell Gabby's last name, that is.
Speaker 2:
K-2024. Oh 2024.
Speaker 1:
I'm sorry, okay, and you can spell.
Speaker 2:
K-O-Z-I-N-S-K-I Yep.
Speaker 1:
And that's K-O-Z-I-N-S-K-I, in case we haven't shared that before. So anything else that you want to make sure that we get across.
Speaker 2:
Cut crossed. Also, if anyone wants me to make any appearances, you can get a hold of me at that email. Once again, that's MissWiltshireOhio2024, gabriellekaczynski at gmailcom, and I will look forward to hearing from you guys Once again. Also, my target audience is children. I'm open to any and all appearances for the year.
Speaker 1:
Okay, and we'll make sure, when we air the episode, that we because there's different settings we'll make sure that it's available to children, that it's a children-friendly episode that we're able to share. Well, miss Wheelchair, ohio, gabby Kaczynski, thank you so much for joining us, oh my goodness, thank you. You're welcome. So if you hang tight, I'll close out the episode and then we'll get some photos and then I will send those over to you. Sounds good?
Speaker 2:
and then I will send those over to you. Sounds good.
Speaker 1:
And we want to thank you also, our viewers, our listeners, those that are reading this transcript. This episode was awesome. We had a celebrity, miss Wheelchair, ohio, joining us, from Visucyrus, ohio. She was able to share her platform. Knowledge is Power. Open to appearances targeting children, anybody, all ages, are welcome to to reach out to her and learn more about the competition and about helping her fundraise for her expenses, for what was.
Speaker 1:
What was that? I'm sorry. And my platform and Gabby's platform, so please check that information out. We greatly appreciate, obviously, helping others, and I can't think of a better way to help others than to help cover the expenses of the trip. So she can compete at the national level, which is very exciting. So until next time, I am Justin Allen Hayes, founder and Executive Director of Voices for Voices, and you can find us on all platforms audio, video and also on Hudson Community Television. So until next time, we hope that you are a voice for you or somebody in need. Take care.