Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] Speaker A: Welcome to a special be revolutionary episode.
[00:00:03] Speaker B: Of Spark by Revolutionaire.
[00:00:05] Speaker A: I'm Jessa.
[00:00:06] Speaker B: And I'm Nia. And we're the co founders of revolutionary and co hosts of Be revolutionary. And today we'll be speaking about accessibility with Taylor, Lindsey Noel and the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.
[00:00:18] Speaker C: Hi.
[00:00:18] Speaker A: We're here with Taylor today in the Holland Bloorview rehabilitation room, and so excited for this conversation.
[00:00:24] Speaker B: Yes, Taylor, it is so great to see you. How have you been? How are things going with the new cup of tea cafe?
[00:00:29] Speaker D: I am very excited to be here and that you guys are here at Hallam. Dorothy. This place is so amazing, and things with the cafe have been very, very hectic and new, but also really exciting. I'm excited about this new venture and seeing where it takes me.
[00:00:44] Speaker B: That's so exciting. Congratulations again.
[00:00:45] Speaker D: Thank you so much, Taylor.
[00:00:47] Speaker A: I'd love to start off by talking about where we are and why this place is so special to you.
[00:00:52] Speaker D: So, 14 or just about 15 years ago now, when I had my gymnastics accident, this was actually the first place I came to after being in sickkids. I was here for 19 months of my life, and this is where I did rehab. This is where I started transitioning back to school and really tried to come to grips and get to know the new me. After being a gymnast for so many years and training and thinking I'd be an Olympian and having that taken away from me kind of was lost in life and had to redefine who I was because I was always known as Taylor the gymnast. And when that was gone, I had to realize who Taylor was on her own, and that was a very difficult but ultimately rewarding journey.
[00:01:46] Speaker B: Yeah. And Taylor, your story is so powerful, and I'd love to dive deeper into what you described about going from Taylor the gymnast, now emerging as Taylor Lindsay, now incredible, multifaceted, leader, advocate, activist, entrepreneur.
I feel like sometimes in life we get so focused on our dreams and our goals that we can lose our sense of self. What has your journey been like? Going from dreaming of becoming an Olympic gymnast to establishing new dreams for yourself, a new sense of purpose, and a renewed sense of self.
[00:02:18] Speaker D: Well, I started gymnastics when I was five years old, so before, that's pretty much my first core memory is being in a gym, and it was everything that I loved. I thought that it was the coolest sport in the world. I still think it's one of the coolest sports in the world. And I really had my heart set from a very young age that I would be an olympian. And as I progressed through the sport over the next nine to ten years, that dream became pretty clear. It was very evident from a young age that I had a knack for gymnastics, and I was driven to make my dreams come true.
But as the story goes, when I was 14, I went to a very regular day of training, and my coach, who had been my coach for years, approached me to do something I had never heard of. And I expressed my concerns.
And although I felt deep down in my pit, something didn't feel right. He gaslit me to no end and told me that the skill had been done many times by many different people around the world. And ultimately, after an hour of going back and forth, I decided to try it. And the second attempt, I landed headfirst and broke my neck and severed my spinal cord. And that's why I am in a wheelchair today. So all of that happening at such a young age was really devastating and a time when you are becoming a teenager and trying to figure out your life. Anyway, having that kind of identity crisis was really scary, but it kind of forced me to look within and really redefine how I wanted to present to the world, and I wanted to be authentically me. And I'm glad to be able to step into that truth and be living that right now.
[00:04:12] Speaker B: Absolutely. And, Taylor, it feels like you're living in your purpose on purpose. And that's something that one of our favorite people, Tinde, always says, and it's so powerful, but so true. And I feel like you embody that.
[00:04:23] Speaker D: I love that quote, by the way.
[00:04:25] Speaker A: And I love take credit for it.
[00:04:26] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:04:27] Speaker D: And I love her, too. And I really appreciate you saying that. Cause I feel like I've come into my own, especially over the last three, three years or so. And I had a lot of questions for the universe and God when my accident first happened, like, why me, and why would this happen to me? But now I realize that I've been put in this position to use my platform or in any area that I'm working in to try to help others and make a really positive change and break some glass ceilings one way.
[00:04:59] Speaker A: And no matter what space you're in, you maintain this champion mindset. And I remember you saying that you approached rehabilitation like how an athlete approaches training. What was it like to do your rehab right here in this very space?
[00:05:12] Speaker D: Well, from a young age, there was this big sign in my gym that said, in the pursuit of excellence, and I think having that mindset of you can achieve and overcome and be excellent in everything you do applied to gymnastics, applied to my schoolwork, and then eventually applied to rehab. I took all of my years of training and being a gymnast and applied that gymnastics mindset to rehab. And I think that's why I soared and also enjoyed the process of challenging my body, because I had to get used to a body that is now paralyzed. And for a lot of people, not that it wasn't hard, it was extremely difficult, but for a lot of people, it would defeat them. But for me, I really weirdly like a challenge. And so this became my new challenge to figure out how am I going to make this body work for me?
[00:06:10] Speaker B: And just diving deeper into that point about approaching this as an athlete and from that lens, as athletes, navigating the change from spending 100% of our time, putting 100% of our efforts into a specific career, to then being injured. I know it can be daunting and overwhelming and also weigh on our mental health. What was your experience like here, not only with your physical rehabilitation, but also with your mental health along your journey?
[00:06:34] Speaker D: Well, the first thing that hits you is the physical, obviously. And then as the months went by and I started to understand what a spinal cord injury really meant and what paralysis meant for my life, the mental hardship started sinking in. And luckily for me, they have really gay social workers here, they have incredible medical teams here. And I really leaned on that when I was getting confused with why I was constantly feeling sad. And even beyond that, having the school here as well and really getting used to doing some creative writing allowed me to express myself in a way that I could write out all of the frustrations and fears that I had in a constructive way, and then be able to apply it, understand it and move forward.
[00:07:25] Speaker A: And Taylor, you've been very open about your mental health journey. And also, it's incredible to see your commitment to mental health organizations in this city through allocating proceeds from cup of tea sales. And it just speaks to your broader nature honestly in terms of how you support the individuals, communities and organizations who have supported you, whether it's through now being a board member, the Holland Floor View foundation, or helping to raise over $500,000 at the recent evenings of possibilities gala. You embody advocacy, and I know we talked about this a little bit earlier, but I'd love to hear more. Why is it important for you to be an advocate, and what does that look like for you?
[00:08:02] Speaker D: It's extremely important. And thank you for all of your kind words. It's extremely important to me because when my injury happened, I was immediately supported not only by my friends and families, but by strangers. The way that Toronto, Ontario, Canada really just came behind me and really tried to uplift me was really humbling and also a reminder that there's a lot of really good people out there, and there's still a lot of good people doing incredible things. And so when I was, you know, through the. Got through the thick of it and was able to really evaluate what I wanted to do with my life, I realized that in any area of my life, I need to give back. It's not even. It's not even just something. It's not for ship. It really is something that comes from a genuine place. I love being able to help someone in some way. And now being a board member, it's just a really full circle moment for me. And I remember when I was asked if I want to be a part of the board, it was one of the easiest yeses I've had in a really long time, because I love this place so much, and I've seen what it can do for families during the hardest times of their life. It's incredible. And justice.
[00:09:18] Speaker B: I love that you raised that because, Taylor, what inspires me most among all the incredible things that you do is how you give back to these communities and organizations that support you. And when we spoke earlier, I told you that you reminded me of the symbol of the ancient Ghana Sankofa bird that is proudly facing forward to represent moving towards our future. But its head is turned back to reflect on our past. And the organizations and communities have supported us to get to where we are. What inspired you to build community through access byte?
[00:09:47] Speaker D: Well, access by Tay was something that I feel like came out of a need.
My friends and I would always find ourselves going out to places and not having accurate information about accessibility. And even just in my life and experiences navigating the world around me, people just don't know. And unless somebody knows, they can do better and be better. And so having lived my life both being able bodied and now having a disability, I feel like I have a little bit of empathy for both sides of people's perspectives and lead, and can have and start conversations without coming from a negative place and coming from a place of understanding that this might not be your reality, but this could be your reality one day. So it's better to make our world more accepting and understanding and be proactive instead of reactive to making the world accessible for all.
[00:10:45] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:10:46] Speaker A: So critical. I mean, we love following access by table.
[00:10:49] Speaker B: Yes, I love it.
[00:10:50] Speaker A: Reasons from your very informative accessibility reviews to your splendid restaurant reviews.
[00:10:57] Speaker B: Yes, we love that.
[00:10:58] Speaker D: So good.
[00:10:59] Speaker A: But I think, above all, your videos are such a powerful reminder of the work that remains to make our world more inclusive. And, of course, Holland Blurb, you plays an essential role in that work. So, Taylor, how can others support Holland Blurby's quest for social justice for children and youth with disabilities?
[00:11:16] Speaker D: There's many ways that you can get involved. Some of the big ones, obviously, are donating to this incredible place. You don't think that your donation goes anywhere, but it goes to so many different facets that make this place run and be accessible for the children who really need it and the families as well. You can come out to some of our events that we have. We host a lot of really great events and fundraisers that are so fun, like the gala that we had a couple of weeks ago. Oh, my gosh. It was such a fun night. And you get to meet all the ambassadors you can give back by. If you learn something here, you can advocate in the community around you. If you see something that doesn't make the world accessible for all, say something. If you see something, say something. It rings true for this as well. And there's so many opportunities to speak up and advocate for others. And also, just being more, I think, empathetic towards people with disabilities goes a really long way, and it's something that you learn here, and you can see it in the examples of the quotes on the walls around here that it really brings true.
[00:12:27] Speaker B: Yes. And, Taylor, this has been so inspiring, speaking with you, your energy, your power. We're just honored to be in your presence. What is your message for others who want to be revolutionary?
[00:12:39] Speaker D: My message would be to. I know it sounds cliche, but honestly, be yourself. There are so many billions of people in this world, but the thing that makes us different is that nobody has your story. And as much as there are people around the world who have spinal cord injuries, nobody has my exact story. And so using your story to help inspire, uplift, and help other people is the best thing you can do to be revolutionary, because in a world of being the first, there will never be another you. And so you're the first version of you that will ever exist. And so, in itself, by being authentically yourself, you are a revolutionary. Wow.
[00:13:23] Speaker A: So beautiful. Thank you, Taylor.
[00:13:25] Speaker D: Yes.
[00:13:26] Speaker B: Thank you so much, Taylor.
[00:13:27] Speaker D: No problem. Thank you guys so much for having me.
[00:13:29] Speaker A: We are so excited to be sitting down with Sandra Hawken, president of the Holland Bloorbee Foundation.
[00:13:35] Speaker B: Sandra, it is so nice to meet you. Could you tell us about your role here at Holland Blairview.
[00:13:38] Speaker C: It's so nice to meet you both too. I am incredibly grateful to be part of the Holland Blairview community. We are Canada's largest pediatric rehabilitation hospital, working with kids with disabilities and developmental differences. And soon we'll have the highest concentration of childhood disability research anywhere in the world. It's a truly special place.
[00:13:58] Speaker A: I mean, it's a special place that has 124 years of history. I can't think of many organizations in this country that have that type of impact and legacy. What impact are you most proud of?
[00:14:09] Speaker C: There are so many, it's hard to name just one. When I think of the families and the kids whose lives have been impacted and who have impacted us, the awards that our clinical team and research team team have won in our work for care, and importantly, the ongoing conversation and advocacy that we're doing to ensure that the world is a more inclusive place for kids and adults with disabilities.
[00:14:36] Speaker B: Holland Blairview has such an inspiring record of impact and we just spoke with Taylor, who spoke about the impact that Harlem Voorview has had on her life. What impact has Taylor had on Holland Borvview?
[00:14:47] Speaker C: We are so extraordinary, extraordinarily lucky to have Taylor's enthusiasm, passion, intelligence and leadership. As part of Hollenborough, she recently joined our foundation board of directors in that leadership role. She has been a passionate advocate, an extraordinary public speaker. In fact, just recently helped us raise half a million dollars at our annual gala. She is an influencer on social media that helps really generate accessible conversations in every sense of the word. And her company, cup of Te, has been such a valued partner of ours with their new possibility to help raise funds and awareness for creating a world of possibility at Holland Blairview. She really is a tour de force and we're really grateful to partner with her.
[00:15:34] Speaker A: Yes, a tour de force, a wonderful way to get it. And let's talk about a world of possibility, because one of the things we spoke with Taylor about is just how much more work there is to do. So in a world of possibility. Sandra, what does a more inclusive world.
[00:15:46] Speaker D: Look like at home?
[00:15:48] Speaker C: Blurview we believe that every person deserves to live a full and meaningful life and that disability is an inseparable part of diversity. And the world is better when everyone is included, whether that's in spaces, in policy, or even in who we look at in the community. To be our friend, our romantic partner, our boss, our next leader of our country. And you know, Taylor is an extraordinary example of somebody whose life is so full and so impactful and we wish that for every kid and youth that comes through our doors.
[00:16:27] Speaker B: Yes. And that really resonates with us, because at revolutionnaire, inclusivity and dreams are pillars of our movement. And we always say dreams fuel revolutions. So what does the power of dreams mean to Holland Borvio?
[00:16:39] Speaker C: The power of dreams at Holland blur view means that we can, whether it's through science or through reducing stigma for people with disabilities, can really imagine a better world, a more hopeful world, a future where everyone is included and where the full participation of people with disabilities in our community only makes our community stronger. And when we think about the intersectionality of the identities of the kids and youth and families that are part of Holland Blairview, we just believe so strongly that inclusion is powerful. And we're grateful to be partnering with Taylor and so many others to move that forward.
[00:17:18] Speaker A: Couldn't agree more. And in the spirit and making these dreams a reality, how can others support Holland Bloorview?
[00:17:23] Speaker C: My favorite question there are so many ways that people can get involved if they go to our website, homeblorview, cA. There's everything from volunteering to hosting an event in support of home Blur view to if you're a company, signing our Imagine everybody campaign and play, pledging to include disability in the picture of your advertising. Or we have this great initiative that we run every spring called Capes for Kids, where you can wear a superhero cape for a week and join the courses with the kids and clinicians at Home Blur View to help create conversation and raise funds for kids with disabilities.
[00:17:58] Speaker B: Incredible. Sandra, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us today. We are so inspired by the incredible work that is being done here at Holland Bloorview and honored to be able to speak with you.
[00:18:08] Speaker C: Thank you both.
[00:18:09] Speaker D: Hey y'all, make sure that y'all stay tuned for more episodes for sparked by revolutionaire and follow us on TikTok and Instagram at Revolutionnaire Co. See you later.
