Thanks to Dori Tempio and Able SC, a free Community Leadership Academy class was offered to friends of the Aphasia Lab including participants with aphasia and caregivers. On the day of course graduation, students of the course gave a presentation detailing their intentions for future involvement opportunities in the community. Michael Wellman, a long-time Aphasia Lab participant and student in the Leadership class, engaged the audience by telling us about his journey since having a stroke. Before his stroke, Mr. Wellman dedicated 25 years working as a diversity recruiter and strategy consultant for a large corporation in New York. After his stroke, he moved to Columbia and has been involved in the Aphasia Lab for 8 years. Mr. Wellman addressed an important issue in his presentation: that aphasia does not affect intellect and that he still has the knowledge and skills that he has obtained throughout his career that he would like to apply to opportunities in the future. He hopes to become involved in recruitment for organizations that rely on volunteers (such as Red Cross or Habitat for Humanity). Additionally, Mr. Wellman values inclusivity and hopes that by becoming involved in these organizations, he can help them be more accessible to individuals with disabilities, especially on their websites and in literature. With his background knowledge on diversity recruitment and first-hand experiences with having aphasia, he would be a unique and valuable addition to these organizations! Thank you to Mr. Wellman for sharing his inspiring story!
