Anjali Forber-Pratt, a Paralympian and Assistant Research Professor at the Beach Center on Disability at the University of Kansas, will deliver the keynote address at an event being held by ARISE in April.
ARISE, a non-profit organization that provides services to people who have disabilities, is hosting the third annual Celebrating Inclusion & Achieving Independence Dinner and award ceremony on Wednesday, April 20, at the Oncenter in Syracuse.
Anjali was born in Calcutta, India and was adopted by a family in Massachusetts. At the age of two months, soon after coming to the United States, she contracted an illness that affected her spinal cord and left her paralyzed from the waist down. Anjali’s fighting spirit prevailed and she has never allowed herself to be limited.
She became involved in adaptive sports at the age of five and became interested in track. By the age of nine, she was competing at the national level. At the age of thirteen, Anjali was injured in a road race crash and broke both of her wrists; but she didn’t let that stop her. Anjali took a break from wheelchair racing and focused her attention on adaptive skiing, at which she became adept. After several skiing accomplishments, she went back to wheelchair racing and became a Paralympic medalist.
In addition to excelling at sports, Anjali also focused on her education. Despite challenges and doubts she faced from other people, she has her bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and her doctoral degree. Today Anjali is an Assistant Research Professor at the Beach Center on Disability at the University of Kansas. Her dissertation earned recognition from the American Educational Research Association.
“We are so excited to have Anjali Forber-Pratt deliver our keynote address,” said Tom McKeown, ARISE Executive Director. “Her accomplishments demonstrate her many abilities, rather than any perceived disabilities. We are impressed not only by her athletic and academic achievements, but also by her work to help everyone reach their full potential.”
The dinner is organized by the ARISE Foundation and proceeds from the event will help ensure the future of ARISE services for generations to come. There is still time to purchase tickets for the dinner event by visiting ariseinc.org/dinner or contacting Cynda Penfield at (315) 671-2909 or cpenfield@ariseinc.org.
The ARISE Foundation will honor Nienke Dosa,MD and Leola Rodgers, MPH, at the Celebrating Inclusion & Achieving Independence Dinner, which is being chaired by Michael A. Bottar of Bottar Leone PLLC.