Life on Wheels

In this episode, host Toby Al-Trabulsi talks to John Beer and Kristen Gooch, who talk about ways they have developed resilience while pursuing their passions in life as wheelchair users and share their stories, “Is There a Doctor in The House?” and “I Was Meant to Shine.” John Beer takes us along his adventurous experience of trying to stay stocked up on staples during the covid era, and Kristen Gooch gives listeners insight into her experience as a disabled actress, following her dreams. The guests in this episode share their creativity, adaptability, and wisdom in their responses to the barriers that they encounter throughout their lives.   
You can find this episode, and many more, by subscribing to the True Tales by Disability Advocates Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Podcasts or your favorite platform.

Click here to listen with a full transcript.

Host: Toby Al-Trabulsi
Toby Al-Trabulsi is an actor, writer and creative access advocate for performers with disabilities based out of Austin, TX. Toby is a member of TILT performance group and ScriptWorks and is currently pursuing podcasting through the Art Spark podcasting workshop. True Tales by Disability Advocates. He is eager to see where this journey takes him.
Follow Toby on Twitter or Instagram
Twitter: @Tobias_Zane
Instagram: @Tobias_Zane

Storytellers

John Beer
John Beer profiles the people with disabilities and volunteers who enforce accessible parking for all in the upcoming issue of New Mobility magazine. You can also find him on TheMighty.com – and he's wheelie excited about being on the team creating Art Spark Texas' new podcast, True Tales by Disability Advocates.
Keep up with John Beer on his blog:
Wheelieoutthere.blogspot.com
Follow John on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/wheelieoutthere/ 

Kristen Gooch
Kristen Gooch is an Actress, Poet, and Advocate from Austin, Tx with Cerebral Palsy and uses a wheelchair for mobility.  She hopes to broaden her horizons and branch out into film and television someday.  She currently facilitates a peer support group called Adapting Sheros for women with mobility disabilities through Imagineart.  She is a company member of the TILT performance group and Paradox Players.

#Acting #Theatre #Auditions #Ableism #Discrimination #Job #Career #CP #CerebralPalsy #Wheelie #Wheelchair #Covid #Pacman #Barriers #Podcast #Disability #Disabilities #StructuralAbleism #Courage #Gutsy #Humor #Comedy #Adventure #Imagination #Actress #Texas #DisabilityAdvocate #DisabilityAdvocates #DisabilityTwitter #Disabled #Unstoppable #Creative #Artistic #RepresentationMatters #RoleModel #WindowIntoMyWorld #SliceOfLife #Pandemic #Shopping #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs #MobilityAide #AmbulatoryDisabilities 

Click here to listen with the full transcript.

For more details about our programs go to Art Spark Texas, True Tales Podcast Page.

Segments of this podcast were read by an automated voice. Inconsistencies in pronunciation and tone may occur.

Episode Transcript

Kamand (00:12):
Welcome to The True Tales by Disability Advocates,
authentic voices of people.
thriving with disabilities.
Where individuals use the art ofstorytelling to change the
world.
The True Tales by DisabilityAdvocates Podcast is produced by
Art Spark Texas, SpeakingAdvocates Program.

(00:35):
Keep listening to hear how liveschallenges can spark a desire to
speak out and advocate foryourselves and others.

MsBoye (00:45):
Welcome to The True Tales by Disability Advocates
podcast produced by Art SparkTexas.
A team of disability advocatescreates The True Tales to give
voice to the personal storiesand lived experience of disabled
storytellers.
We offer our unique and oftenunderrepresented perspective to

(01:07):
the growing community of podcastlisteners worldwide.
Your host for episode two isToby Al-Trabulsi, actor writer
and creative access advocate forperformers with disabilities,
based out of Austin, Texas.
The storytellers in this episodeare John Beer and Kristin Gooch,

(01:28):
who talk about pursuing theirpassions and the importance of
having a fun, passionate life asa wheelchair user.
John Beer takes us along on hisgrocery store adventure, in his
tale,"Is There a Doctor in theHouse?" Our second story,"I was
Meant to Shine" by Kristin Goochgives listeners an insight into

(01:50):
the highs and lows of followingher dreams as a disabled
actress.

Toby (02:03):
Welcome to the podcast where we change the world one
story at a time.
I'm Toby Al-Trabulsi and I'myour host for this episode.
Our first guest John Beer tellshis story"Is there a doctor in
the house?" About facing thechallenges of the COVID era and
learning to shop for stapleswhile in a wheelchair.

(02:23):
Welcome John, great to have you.
Would you tell our listenerswhat led you to the Speaking
Advocates Program?

John (02:32):
Yeah.
Hi! In the shutdown of 2021, Iwanted to connect with others
and I saw that Art Spark wasoffering their first ever
Virtual Speaking AdvocatesProgram.
So I signed up and it was, itwas all about access.

Toby (02:46):
Thanks, John, and now John will tell his tale.
Let's have a listen.

John (02:59):
Thank you, my name's John and this is,"Is There a Doctor
in the House?
We're here to open minds bysharing our experiences.
So now I want to do just that.
I want you to see things throughmy eyes, but first I'm gonna
need your help.
If you'll look behind my ear,there's a little latch.

(03:20):
I'm quadriplegic and, I can'tget it myself, I can't reach it.
So could you get that for me?
Thanks! This pops right up andthe whole top flips off, like
so! Now you can climb right intothe captain's chair, right
behind my eyes.
Go on to have a seat.
There! Flip it back closed, Allright! You'll see there's

(03:42):
emergency exits to your left andto the right and strap yourself
in because it could be a bumpyride.
We've been quarantiningreligiously, but today's a
special mission because we'reout of staples here at the
house.
But even more importantly, mywife Maryanne is out of Dr.
Pepper, and caregivers andlovers cannot exist by bread

(04:06):
alone.
So it's Diet DP STAT! I mean,you haven't seen Maryanne
without Diet Dr.
Pepper.
Arrrgh! We'd better hurry.
You ready to go?
Let's get out of here.
Okay.
So we push through the frontdoor and already she's got the
wheelchair lift lowered.
So let's back out to thewheelchair lift.

(04:26):
Then we go up into the van, butwe have to back into the back of
the van and make sure there'sroom on all four sides for the
tiedowns.
While, she's doing that, kick onthe jams and we go on our way.
Now, rules of the road.
These country roads can bebumpy, so you have to hold
tight.
So I want all of you to dosomething with me right now.

(04:48):
Now, tighten up your stomachmuscles.
Right?
and pull in your belly button toyour spine and push your elbows
into the arm rests.
Can you feel how tight yourbelly is right now?
Good because brace yourself herecome the railroad tracks! Arrgh!
It's rough riding with me, butjust hang in there Kiddo, it's
just getting started..
I promise.
I'll try to warn you when theother potholes come, all right?

(05:12):
We turn out onto the statehighway.
Brace yourself so...POTHOLE!(Makes sound effects) Phew
Eye-ey-yi Eye-ey-yi So we drivepast the old woodmill.
There's homesteads.
There's a few ranches andthere's an old family cemetery
we go by.
Seven miles into town, NewWaverly, Texas, population 1142.

(05:34):
There's not lot of money forroads and everybody drives big
trucks.
So, brace yourself, so POTHOLE!(Makes sound effects)(Makes
sound effects) Eye-ey-yi! I toldyou it could be a rough ride
with me, right?
There's more of those, but I'lltry to warn you.
Like the one coming up, pullinginto the Dollar Store, parking
lot.
BRACE YOURSELF!!(Sound effect) Iwarned you.

(05:56):
Now, if you keep being a goodsport though, I'll try to get
you a little candy bar inside.
How's that?
Now let's mask up and get on inthere.
Okay, now it's time to play agame.
Remember Pac-Man the classicarcade game?
Everybody knows that game.
Well this will be like Pac-Manin 3D.
You and I are going to navigatethe maze of aisles looking for

(06:20):
our treasures.
Which today are going to benoodles, fruit, and protein
bars.
All the time we have to dodgethe obstacles and especially the
"Blue Meanies" the people whorefuse to wear masks.
Which, in real life, I got a lotmore direct term that I use for
them, but that's a whole otherspeech.

(06:43):
The clock will be ticking, so wegotta be quick.
Cause when we don't, we couldcontract COVID that will be game
over.
Meanwhile, Mab will be workingon her own list and then we'll
meet up afterwards and get onout of there.
So if you're ready, Player One,begin! We go down the first
aisle.
Waka waka waka waka waka That'sa noise I like to make behind my

(07:07):
mask.
It's from the old Pac-Man game,remember that?
You should see the stares I getwhen people see me go by...
"What the?" Waka waka waka wakawaka wocca! I can't have too
good of a time, I have to keepmy eyes on the road, because
otherwise I crash into stuff andthen it's..."Man down on Aisle
One!"(laughs) But already wefound our first item and that is

(07:30):
Pad Thai Noodles.
Of course I can't reach them andI can't write it down, so I
remember P for Pad Thai Noodlesand now we'll go to the next
aisle.
Waka waka waka waka waka! AisleTwo there's a pallet in the
middle of the aisle.
Skip! Go to the next section.
All right, now we're in produce,apricots look good.

(07:51):
Okay, A is for apricots So nowwe have P and we've got A.
But we've also got like a familyreunion here on the left and on
the right a blue-meanieincoming.
No mask! Think fast! Backup outof there.
Waka waka waka waka waka waka!Next ailse.
We got three quarters of the waydown and there's a waka waka

(08:14):
waka waka! All the way back.
Waka waka waka waka waka waka!!Next aisle looking, coast is
clear, coast is clear! The clearlet's go, go, go, go down the
aisle.
Arrrgh! It's housewares nothinggood to eat here.
Next aisle, ahhh, look, it's ourfinal treasure.
It is protein bars, actuallythey're called Lara Bars.

(08:37):
L is for Lara.
So we have P, we got, A, we gotL, P-A-L PAL.
So let's go find Marianne andwe'll track down pal.
Waka waka waka waka waka! Andthen of course, she secured the
prime directive, which is thegrocery cart full of Diet D P.
Which is liquid gold.
Mission accomplished! So let'spay up and get out of here.

(09:00):
Waka waka waka waka waka waka!All right back in the van, we're
free to go home safe and sound.
And since you were such a goodsport, I got you that candy bar
I promised.
It's a Twix bar, so I hope youlike to share, because remember
I know where the potholes are!LAUGHS!

Toby (09:19):
john Laughs) Welcome.
Back.
I'm here with John.
Thanks for sharing your piecewith us today.
So, John, what did you take awayfrom your experience?

John (09:42):
Yeah, hi Toby, as I was writing this up, Toby, I
realized that, that, despite allthe extra challenges that I
might have to deal with justdoing a normal shopping trip, I
realized too that you also gotto have fun because this is your
life.
Right?
And I realized that I kind ofturned things into a game, that
I've been playing Pac-Man ingrocery stores for the last 20

(10:05):
years.

Toby (10:08):
Love that! And, uh, here's a harder one.
How do you feel that yourexperience changes the world?

John (10:15):
Well, it's just a slice of a wheelchair life, but you can't
really judge a man, they sayuntil you walk a mile in his
shoes.
Well, here, I suppose you can'tjudge a man until you drive a
mile in his wheelchair.

Toby (10:28):
(John Laughs) Wow.
Well, thanks so much for sharingyour story with us.
That trip to the store soundsaction packed(John Laughs).

John (10:38):
every week!

Toby (10:40):
We'd love for you to come back and share more stories with
us in the future John.

John (10:45):
Thank you.

Toby (10:47):
If, if people wanted to connect with you, what would be
the best way for them to reachyou and hear more work?

John (10:54):
I blog at wheelieoutthere.Blogspot.com.
Wheelie is W H E E L I E.
And I also Instagram at, atwheelieoutthere.

Toby (11:06):
Perfect.
We'll put those links in theshow notes and feel free to come
back anytime, John.
Thanks.

John (11:13):
Thanks a lot.
Toby's.

Toby (11:15):
Stay with us for our next storyteller, Kristin Gooch, to
hear her story about pursuingacting, stay tuned.

(11:37):
Our next guest, Kristen Goochshares her story, I Was Meant to
Shine," about pursuing her dreamof acting while having Cerebral
Palsy and using a wheelchair formobility.
Welcome Kristen.
So, before you share your storywith us today, tell us what led
you to the Speaking AdvocatesProgram?

Kristen (11:58):
Well, I've known about the Speaking Advocates Program
when it was originally calledOpening Minds, Opening Doors
several years ago, but I neverreally had a chance to,
participate in it, I never hadthe time.
Then COVID happened and likemillions of other people, my

(12:20):
world was turned upside down.
And I was trying to figure outwhat was next for me and I
discovered that Art Spark wasdoing the Speaking Advocates
Program virtual for the firsttime.
I just knew that I had to signup and share my story.

Toby (12:39):
Fantastic.
Thank you, Kristen.
And now, Kristen will share herstory with us.
Let's listen.

Kristen (12:51):
My name is Kristen Gooch and this is my story.
I was Meant to Shine.
Performing is my passion.
I'm an actress with cerebralpalsy and I use a wheelchair for
mobility.
Sure, my wheelchair has made ithard for me to just blend in.

(13:14):
As a teenager, I used to resentthis, but then I realized
blending in is so overrated.
I was meant to shine.
Nearly seven years ago I joinedTILT performance Group, a
theater company for actors withdisabilities.
That's how I rediscovered mypassion for performing.

(13:38):
I love the rush.
I can't explain it, there's justsomething magical about being on
stage and connecting, not onlywith my cast mates, but with the
audience as well.
I can take words on a script andbring these characters to life,
give them a voice, make theaudience adore them or love to

(14:01):
hate them and tell theirstories.
Not many people can say that.
I am a proud member of TILT.
As much as I love being anactress, it's an extremely
difficult job.
There's taking classes,memorizing lines, blocking,
going to a lot of rehearsals anddon't get me started on the

(14:24):
torturous Tech week.
Then there's the relationshipswith my fellow actors that are
not always easy.
If I want to keep working, Imust go through the audition
process.
This can be daunting.
Cold reading is challenging forthose of us with dyslexia.

(14:47):
I've learned to ask for a copyof my slides, so I can spend
days practicing for a fiveminute audition.
Even if I feel really good aboutmy audition, the Director still
might say,"Sorry, we're going ina different direction."...
which means, you didn't get therole.

(15:08):
It's disappointing, but I justkeep going, being an actor
requires resilience.
I find that I actually get therole only one out of 12
auditions.
Despite all of this, I'vedecided to broaden my horizons
by performing with other theatercompanies, film and television.

(15:34):
Acting is very competitive.
There are far more talentedactors than there are roles.
It takes a lot of time and a lotof energy to find an opportunity
to perform.
Occasionally I can't help, butwonder if ableism plays a part
in the fact that I didn't getcast.

(15:56):
Other times, I don't have towonder.
I auditioned for a local theatercompany known for its
inclusiveness.
I felt proud of my work, butbefore I left, the Director said
to me, I don't know what to dowith a wheelchair on stage." As
if that was a totally reasonablething to say to me! My heart

(16:21):
dropped into my stomach, like afreight elevator.
I assured him, I didn't need anyspecial treatment and I could
pull my own weight hoping thathe might reconsider, but he
didn't.
Moments like this sometimesreally make me wanna give up,
but I can't, quitting's not inmy D.N.A..

(16:43):
How can I complain about lack ofrepresentation of actors with
disabilities, if I don't keepputting myself out there?
And besides if I want to be arole model for other women and
girls in wheelchairs then Ican't give up.
I'm happy to say that things arechanging in the theater.

(17:06):
For instance, a Director of amainstream production was
looking for a girl with CerebralPalsy in a wheelchair to play
this part.
I almost turned it down, butthis was my chance to let people
know that actresses inwheelchairs exist.
When I'm on stage or in front ofthe camera it is my chance to

(17:32):
open minds.
I'm going to do everything in mypower to help people see that
when it comes to acting talentis talent, disability is
irrelevant.

Toby (17:51):
Wow, Kristen, that's really moving.
Thank you for sharing your storywith us today.

Kristen (17:57):
Well thank you for having me.

Toby (18:00):
Of course.
So Kristen, tell us what did youtakeaway from your experience
from writing your advocacystory?

Kristen (18:08):
Having my advocacy story in writing helped me
realize that my voice matters.

Toby (18:17):
That's great.
Now, how do you feel that yourstory changes...
or helps to change the world.

Kristen (18:25):
My experience as an actress is really no different
than any other actress.
The only thing is occasionally Iencounter ableism.
I really hope after hearing mystory, that anyone in a similar
situation as me, that it mighthelp them in pursuing their

(18:48):
dreams, despite all the ableismthat might be out there.

Toby (18:55):
That's wonderful.
Kristen, thank you so much forjoining us today and giving us a
look into the disabledexperience of an actress,
pursuing her dreams.
We look forward to seeing yourstory unfold and seeing you in
future projects.

Kristen (19:13):
I will certainly keep you posted.

MsBoye (19:24):
Thanks for listening to "Life on Wheels." Our show was
hosted by Toby Al-Trabulsi andproduced by Joey Gidseg.
Edited a mixed by me Ms.Boye.
Special thanks to John Beer andKristin Gooch for being our
storytellers.
The script and production teamalso includes Jennifer Howell
and Kamand Alaghehband is thevoice of the program intro and

(19:47):
outro.
I'm Msboye coordinator of TheSpeaking Advocates Program, Art
Spark, Texas, sparking thecreative in everyone.
This has been episode two ofTrue Tales by Disability
Advocates.
If you have enjoyed the show,please share it with your
friends and your allies.
And if you're feeling inspired,you could even leave us a

(20:09):
review.
And of course, don't forget tofollow us on Facebook,
Instagram, Tik-Tok and Twitterfor details of future episodes.

Kamand (20:25):
All episodes of The True Tales by Disability Advocates
for free on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, and anywhere you get
your podcasts.
The program is funded in part bya grant from the Texas state
Independent Living Council, theAdministration for Community
Living and individuals like you.
To learn about the SpeakingAdvocates Program sign up for

(20:48):
our newsletter at Art SparkTexas dot org.
That's A R T S P A R K T X.org.
This free virtual training isopen to people of all
disabilities, no matter whereyou live.