The roar of wheelchairs on polished concrete. New tech that solves old problems. Strangers who feel like friends in under five minutes. From the floor of Abilities Expo Dallas, we sit down with Kristina Rhoades—exhibitor liaison, long-time attendee, and lifelong wheelchair user—to explore how a single weekend can recharge purpose, expand access, and remind you you’re not alone.

We dig into what makes Abilities Expo a keystone for the disability community: forty-plus years of consistent presence, seven U.S. cities, and a living marketplace of adaptive gear, services, and ideas. Kristina shares her path from an injury at ten months old to building a life filled with love, work she cares about, and a tight-knit creative town in New Mexico. Her perspective cuts through pity narratives and lands on agency: happiness is a choice we make daily, even when the past keeps knocking.

We also trace our own journey—from a military-track car accident to a first Expo visit in 2018, then a leap of faith in 2021 to host a booth that grew our community from 8.8k to 90k. The throughline is simple: proximity accelerates progress. Being in the room—or the aisle—puts you in reach of mentors, better equipment, travel hacks, and friendships that lift your ceiling. We swap plans for Chicago and Long Beach, talk hometown dreams, and balance heavy truths with humor, because resilience is both muscle and music.

If you’re navigating disability, caregiving, or allyship, this conversation offers practical insight and emotional oxygen. You’ll hear why events like Abilities Expo aren’t just showcases; they’re engines of momentum where stories and solutions meet. Tap play, share it with someone who needs a boost, and leave a review so more people can find this show. And if you’re headed to a future Expo, come say hi—we’ll be the ones chasing connection and cheering for your next chapter.