Meet Cazoshay Marie | Speaker, Advocate, Artist, Writer & Content Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cazoshay Marie and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cazoshay, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
There have been several habits that have helped me to succeed. The first is not so much a habit, but more of a trait. It’s resilience! In May of 2017 I was struck by a car traveling 48mph while crossing the street in downtown Phoenix. I sustained numerous injuries, some of which have resulted in long-term disabilities and conditions such as a traumatic brain injury, nerve damage, chronic pain and vestibular and vision issues, to name a few. It can be extremely discouraging to live with the effects of my conditions and the ways that they limit what I am able to do. But had I not exercised the trait of resilience, I would not have become the speaker/advocate/content creator/artist/writer that I am today.

A more tangible habit that has helped me to succeed is writing everything down! Whether it’s a note in my phone or a physical note on paper-ideas, to-do lists, things I need to follow up on-a lot less gets forgotten when I’ve written it down. You don’t have to have a traumatic brain injury to benefit from this habit, being busy can affect your ability to remember the important things, so writing them down can be very beneficial in helping you succeed.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As a disabled person living with several conditions that affect every aspect of my life, it became extremely important to me to advocate for other individuals in similar situations. Prior to the accident I was in, I was a wellness professional, holding yoga and wellness classes and educating others on healthy lifestyle choices. All of that came to a halt after the accident. One of the things I am most proud of is how I was able to transition into becoming a speaker, spreading awareness about brain injury, advocating for inclusion and accessibility and sharing about resilience and how to pivot after big life changes. I have spoken at events such as The National Space Society’s International Space Development Conference, for National Concussion Awareness Day and at the American College of Emergency Physicians’ conference. I’ve been interviewed on numerous podcasts and outlets, including a recent feature on PBSNewsHour. I am also a member of the Brain Injury Association of America’s Advisory Council.

Getting to this point was not easy, especially because anything that I do or am involved with, has to be made accessible with my disabilities and the associated symptoms. One way that I work with this challenge is to be okay with making and asking for the accommodations that I need. I can’t say yes to everything I’d like to do, or every opportunity that I’m offered; and when I do say yes, sometimes that means scheduling meetings around the times of the day when I’m more likely to be feeling well enough to show up as my best possible self, or at times it means doing my speaking event, but not participating in the other activities at the conference where I’m speaking. It’s an ongoing struggle for me, but I’m learning that in sticking up for myself in my capacity as an advocate and speaker, I’m also sticking up for all disabled persons who may also need accommodations-accommodations that should already exist. What I want for the world to know about my story is that I consider myself to be the “Lorax” of the disability community. Instead of speaking for the trees, I’m speaking up for those in the disability community who feel like they’ve been ignored or that they have no voice. That’s not happening on my watch.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m a big foodie, so much of the trip would involve getting great food! I enjoy both fine dining and hole-in-the-wall international cuisine. We would have to visit Casa Filipina for amazing Filipino food, as well as PhoKC for the best pho I’ve had since moving to Arizona. Of course you can’t skip Latha for a flavor of contemporary pan-African. For fine dining, Maple and Ash and Steak 44 are great choices. Wrigley Mansion has upscale jazz nights in a gorgeous setting so that would be on the itinerary also. It’s a little tourist-y of an activity, but a road trip to see the Grand Canyon is always a good time. We would for sure hit up some thrift stores, there are so many amazing ones, many of which benefit local charities. We would also for sure have to visit the Midtown and/or Downtown Farmers’ Markets. There is so much amazing variety at the markets from fresh bread to pottery to local honey and everything in between. And don’t sleep on the arts scene here! We would definitely have to make time to see a play or symphony performance, and the downtown art museum is one of my favorite places. There’s always something going on here, often including amazing cultural festivals, so that would be on the itinerary as well.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My family deserves the hugest of shoutouts, credit and recognition in my story! They have been with me all along, helping me physically, financially, emotionally and constantly supporting everything that I do. My now college-aged son literally became a caregiver to me in the aftermath of the accident that I was in, making meals, doing extra chores, helping me remember important things…so much! My mom, dad, brother and son are always there to encourage me in my pursuits. I recently launched a virtual support group for parents living with brain injuries, they attend every meeting, even though none of them are actually parents living with brain injuries! They show up to support me. They are my biggest cheerleaders and I would not be where I am today without them.

Website: https://www.didwithcazoshay.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cazoshay_marie/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cazoshay/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DIDwithCazoshay/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Cazoshay_Marie

Other: https://bio.site/cazoshay_marie

Image Credits
Ivan Piedra, Jason at Shoott, Brain Injury Association of America