Natalia is a 37 year old first gen Dominican American, raised in the South Bronx, who attended Johnson and Wales to pursue culinary arts, with a specific interest in in culinary nutrition. However, at 22, Natalia had life changing car accident that rendered her a lifetime wheelchair user. Where most people would have given up, Nat found purpose in that chair (the story BLEW MY MIND!!) and currently uses her experiences to change - and save - the lives of others in similar situations.
Y’all know I believe in authenticity and Nat is about as authentic as they come so we talked about everything. EVERYTHING. The accident. The aftermath. Dating. Sex. Mental health. The best way to address someone in a wheelchair. Everything. We also spoke extensively about a resource program that she helps lead. If you or anyone you know could benefit from the resources they provide, please see below. In addition to the info below, Nat welcomes your questions:
Women on Wheels
We are Women On Wheels (W.O.W.), a unique sisterhood of women with spinal cord injuries (SCI) living life to its fullest. Choosing not to sit still waiting for things to happen, we actively take part in creating change; tackling daily obstacles and challenges with inner strength, backbone and determination. Empowered by our individual and shared life experiences, we continue to move forward.
Our support group meets weekly and consists of informative, lively discussions ranging from coping mechanisms, sex, relationships, body image, pain management, health, safety, education, activism and disability rights, as well as a variety of other current issues affecting women with SCI. We invite guest speakers to share their expertise and resources and have held presentations on such topics as mental health and well-being, fire safety, adaptive technology, gynecological care, and more.
Currently our group is held every Wednesday at 2:30pm EST via Zoom. Here’s the link:
https://zoom.us/j/97388065251?pwd=RUxRSXdRdGRiOHR0dk9ZVVg5bVRIQT09
Below is the link to our WOW website. Feel free to contact us with any questions.
https://womenonwheelsnyc.org/about-4/
Here’s the website to United Spinal NYC:
https://unitedspinal.org/chapter/new-york-city-chapter-of-united-spinal-association/