Accessible Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging from a Disability Lens - Recognize. Respond. beResilient.
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Mission & Vision
Walking Spirit’s mission is to enhance the accessible diversity, equity, and inclusion of our communities through evaluation, education, and adaptation with a radical hospitality approach to emphasize and maintain focus on the dignity, respect, and resiliency of all people of all abilities.
Walking Spirit’s vision is a resilient world where people of all disabilities, across all other demographics can independently interact with their loved ones and community in all aspects of life including home, school, work, travel, lodging, dinning, entertainment, exercise, recreation, and faith.
Where I Specialize
Offering You Specialized Counsel
Accessible DEIB Consulting & Support
Let Walking Spirit be your partner to help your organization assess and prepare your operations to best meet the needs of today's Diverse Accessibility challenges; with a focus on hospitality to preserve the dignity of your internal and external guests, clients, and consumers. We offer a range of practical assessments based on the real-world needs of culturally Diverse individuals who face a myriad of Accessibility challenges that present barriers to Inclusion, Equity, and a sense of Belonging.
Inspirational Speaking; Quality of Life Adaptation & Advocacy Coaching
I’ve been an advocate for accessibility since 2005. If you've followed my personal journey, you will know that I am passionate about ensuring equality and accessibility is a right and not a privilege. I believe in sharing my story and unique personal and professional lived experience to ensure that we all live a resilient life.
Upcoming & Recent Events
Saturday, August 12th, 2023; 9am - 1pm; Indy Fuel Tank; 9022 E 126th St, Fishers, IN
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Team Exhibition: See RHI Adaptive Sports Program Team Demonstrations.
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Network & Experience: Try adaptive sports first-hand and enjoy other family friendly activities.
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Community Resources: Meet Vendors and Community Partners (including Walking Spirit & Spirit Therapies, LLC) serving those with physical disabilities.
International Disability Advocacy Webinar held on May 16th, 2023
For people with disabilities, navigating ableist insurance policies can be challenging. For those who persist, it can pay off, but it takes stamina and determination. And it is not just a local issue; it's global. A team of world disability advocates (including Walking Spirit's Founder & CEO, Jeremy Warriner) recently met to discuss these challenges and the possible solutions. This is a must-see for everyone because no one is exempt from needing to get insurance help. For more information about the World Disability Advocacy Group, write to Rotarydag@gmail.com
Virtual Network hosted by Walking Spirit
The May 25th, 2023 session of the Disabilities & Conditions of Aging Network, hosted by Walking Spirit and facilitated by our Founder & CEO, Jeremy Warriner. The network strives to connect organizations and individuals working in the Disability Community throughout central Indiana and beyond. Our goal is to create a regular opportunity for individuals and organizations that work within the community of People with Disabilities and Conditions of Aging to connect, coordinate, and celebrate together in an effort to better support the communities we serve. For an invitation to future network meetings or time on an upcoming agenda, please contact Jeremy Warriner at jeremy@walkingspirit.org
In the Press
Want to Know More?
Acquired Disability Inspires Purdue Hospitality Alumnus to Improve Accessibility Training in Hotels
August 3, 2022
After acquiring a disability, a Purdue Alumnus created his own consulting business to improve access for people with disabilities throughout the hospitality industry by offering Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion assessments and training from a Disability Lens.
More people with disabilities voting in this election nationwide
November 3, 2020
The presidential election has seen a high turnout for voters with disabilities, despite COVID-19 concerns. That’s according to a new survey from Easterseals.
Auto Industry Bankruptcies Leave Defect Victims Behind - CNN Interview
September 10, 2009
Jeremy Warriner is interviewed by CNN during the Congressional Judiciary Committee Hearings on the Auto Industry Bankruptcies, regarding the impact on pending lawsuits of people who had lost life and limb due to defects in vehicles.
Chrysler bankruptcy impacts consumer lawsuits, pension plans
June 1, 2009
Walking with hydraulic prosthetics, Jeremy Warriner can appreciate good engineering and design. He's on his third set of legs in three years. He lost his birth pair in a fiery crash in October 2005 and believes a highly flammable plastic brake fluid container in his Jeep Wrangler is to blame. Now he wants the right to face Chrysler in court.
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Acquiring a Disability
Jeremy Warriner is a consultant in accessibility, hospitality management, and outreach. Based in Indianapolis, he's a motivational speaker with a focus on Disability Awareness: Finding Strength in Traumatic Events.
Watch - Becoming Disabled - his story of before and after losing his legs in a car accident.
Clients & Connections
Building an Inclusive Community
Former Client of Walking Spirit's Outreach & Support Services:
Walking Spirit proudly provided Outreach and Support services for accessABILITY, Center for Independent Living as the organization adapted to the impact of Covid on our world. accessABILITY provides free or low-cost independent living services including Information & Referral, Peer Support, Self & Systems level Advocacy, Independent Living Skills Training (includes assistive technology), & Transition Support for any person who self-identifies as a Person with a Disability. accessABILITY also offers an Inclusive Employment Program and Visually Impaired & Blind Experience (VIBE) services for people who are blind or experiencing low-vision. They serve Marion, Hendricks, Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Shelby, Johnson, & Morgan Counties. You can reach accessABILITY at (317) 926-1660, or by email at info@abilityindiana.org.
Former Client of Walking Spirit's Outreach & Support Services:
Advocate's Personal Care provides Attendant Care services under the Aged & Disabled Medicaid Waiver. This service allows Advocates to employee the family and friends who are Caregivers for their Medicaid Waiver eligible loved ones. Ensuring that those who provide "non-skilled" services like meal planning & prep, assisting with transfers, medication organization & reminders, household chores & laundry, transportation to medical appointments and community events, etc. are compensated for their time and effort helps people with disabilities and conditions of aging maintain their independence and reinforces their sense of dignity and respect in their community. Walking Spirit was pleased to represent Advocates at resources fairs, in senior living communities, and to provide Outreach Consulting and Support as they expanded their service area to include many rural counties in Central and Northwest Indiana!
Community Connection of Walking Spirit's Quality of Life Consulting & Advocacy Services:
While Walking Spirit can help you improve your quality of life through setting goals and accommodating disabilities to meet those goals, Journey Well Coaching picks up where the proverbial ramp ends. Offering services such as:
Contact Stevie Cromer to schedule a discovery call with Journey Well at https://www.steviecromer.com/contact
Recent Client of Walking Spirit's Inspirational Speaking Service:
Walking Spirit happily developed and facilitated a presentation focused on talking with children about disabilities, for Child Care Answers. Your trusted source for all things child care. Since 1985, Child Care Answers has been a go-to resource for all things child care: an advisor, a collaborator, a guide, and—most importantly—a hand to hold. Their goal is to create seamless experiences for you, working together to minimize any unnecessary hoops. All of the services they provide to families, child care programs, employers, and community partners are completely free to anyone who lives or works in the counties they serve. Child Care Answers currently serves Marion, Hamilton, & Hendricks Counties and can be reached at (317) 636-5727, or by email at info@childcareanswers.org.
Walking Spirit's Presentation: Growing an Inclusive Society through Educating Children
Presentation Inspired Infographic by Child Care Answers: Talking with Children About Disabilities
Recent Client of Walking Spirit's Inspirational Speaking Service:
Walking Spirit was honored to develop a presentation for the May 2022 meeting of the Diversity Roundtable of Central Indiana. The 90-minute presentation, "Diversity Equity, & Inclusion from a Disability Lens", focused on five learning objectives:
Diversity of Disabilities
Language of the Disability Community
Connecting with People with Disabilities
How Disabilities Benefit our Society
Finding & Connecting with Resources
The Roundtable provides a forum for leaders, advocates, and supporters of organizational diversity, equity and inclusion efforts to network, enhance diversity competencies, and advocate for diversity inclusive policies and practices. Connect with them through their website: https://www.drtci.org.
Regular Client of Walking Spirit's Inspirational Speaking Service:
Walking Spirit proudly works to grow inclusive communities through educating the next generation to embrace the diversity of disabilities with compassionate inclusion and equity. The Kindergarten Teachers at School 91 host Walking Spirit on an annual basis to speak with their students about Disabilities, recovering from and adapting to trauma, and to demonstrate how prosthetics can accommodate limb loss. You can connect with School 91 through their website: https://myips.org/rousseaumcclellan/
Recent Client of Walking Spirit's Inspirational Speaking Service:
Walking Spirit proudly works to grow inclusive communities through educating the next generation to embrace the diversity of disabilities with compassionate inclusion and equity. The Principal at School 87 utilized the International Day for Persons with Disabilities (December 3rd) as a learning experience for the entire school by engaging Walking Spirit for presentations to grades K-3 and 4-8 including a Prosthetics Demonstration, Q&A, and a Lunch Visit with all grades. You can connect with School 87 through their website: https://myips.org/georgewashingtoncarver/
Recent Client of Walking Spirit's Inspirational Speaking Service:
Walking Spirit was honored to represent People with Disabilities on a panel discussion about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, & Belonging for Nexus' December Powerhouse Cohort session. The goal of the Cohort was to advance equity and inclusion on diverse boards in order to more effectively and efficiently get to root causes of social problems. Nexus Impact Center's mission and programs are focused on helping people embed sustainable social impact, their space and memberships are open to people of all walks of life looking for an economical space to work, meet and hold events, thereby contributing to social impact. You can connect with Nexus on their website, https://www.nexusimpactcenter.org.
Community Connection of Walking Spirit's Quality of Life Consulting & Advocacy Services:
Walking Spirit advocates for all people to maintain a healthy body, mind, and spirt. Anyone who experiences trauma knows that the injuries go deeper than just the physical, which is why Therapy is so important to processing, adapting to, and recovering from traumatic events. Jessica Troxel is a Trauma Therapist who works with ages 16 and older, including families and individuals in crisis, relational, developmental, and shock traumas. Jess strives to provide a safe and calm energy in the therapeutic space. Her mission is activating love and connection to dismantle toxic cultural conditions of inequity and isolation. She can be reached through this website: https://www.bloomingtoncenterforconnection.org/about-bcc/jessica-troxel/
Disability Desk (Cape Town, South Africa)
International Connection of Walking Spirit's Accessible DEIB Assessment & Support Services:
Walking Spirit is affiliated with Disability Desk through the Rotary Club of World Disability Advocates. Cape Town born Jeremy Opperman has been involved in disability equity, awareness and inclusion consulting for most of his career. Being himself visually impaired, Jeremy has a unique perspective of the needs of the sector and his professional engagements with the corporate world over many years have allowed him to develop imaginative and thought-provoking material. This Disability Desk website is a natural offshoot of Jeremy’s work and provides material and resources for those interested in diversity, inclusion and disability equity. Walking Spirit's founder, Jeremy Warriner, and Disability Desk's founder Jeremy Opperman co-host the occasional podcast "World Disability Matters".
Nilesh Singit Consultancy Services (Mumbai, India)
International Connection of Walking Spirit's Accessible DEIB Assessment & Support Services:
Walking Spirit is affiliated with Nilesh Singit through the Rotary Club of World Disability Advocates. Nilesh Singit Consultancy Services [NSCS] offers a full continuum of accessibility compliance services to assist business and public entities in compliance with local, state laws and regulations. Also offers training programs for empowering disabled persons, on Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, UNCRPD and specialized training programs for Architects, Designers, Govt. Officials, etc.
Walking Spirit Client Testimonials
"I've found Jeremy to be an outstanding inspirational speaker, he connects extremely well with audiences by sharing his own experiences and his passion and spirit are contagious".
"I've been impressed with Jeremy's knowledge of the hospitality industry from his previous career in hotel management, he would be an asset to any organization looking for a consultant or speaker to help improve their customer service and motivate their employees".
"Jeremy is a strong storyteller, inspired speaker and thoughtful listener. He is well organized and prepared. Jeremy can be counted on to do what he says he will do. He raises the conversation and focus of a group's discussion and work, and challenges others to expand beyond perceived limitations or practices. He helps others - individuals and organizations - reach for the best".
“I've had the good fortune of hearing Jeremy speak publicly. He has an inspiring story to share and is able to really engage and connect with his audiences. He is dedicated to improving independence for people with disabilities, and his story promotes this.”
"Jeremy Warriner is an awesome Inspirational Speaker! He was the Keynote Speaker at the Statewide Assistive Technology Conference, sponsored by the INDATA Project at Easter Seals Crossroads. He is an eloquent speaker with an inspirational story of his own. Jeremy inspires his audiences with truth, sincerity and a positive attitude about regaining independence. Jeremy has an infectious “can do” attitude that will spread through the audience, uplift and inspire all".
"Jeremy is an active advocate who makes no qualms about taking a leadership role to help our society grow more inclusive. His community service and advocacy work is matched by few. Jeremy is always one of the first to volunteer on projects to enhance accessibility. I highly recommend Jeremy as an Inspirational Speaker and community service provider".
"I have sat back and watched Jeremy captivate audiences of all ages, from children to seniors, using his amazing gift of storytelling. He delivers a powerful message and moves those who hear his message toward empowerment, no matter who they are".
"Jeremy is passionate about disability advocacy and uses his incredible communication skills to educate and persuade policy and law makers, and community leaders. He understands the importance of working with others who share his commitment to building a better community and is highly respected by his colleagues, including me. I enthusiastically recommend Jeremy; you can do no better".
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