Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Nikki Diaz of Los Angeles

We recently had the chance to connect with Nikki Diaz and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Nikki, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
My first 90 minutes are most critical of my day. I start with a quick heartfelt good morning and sincere gratitude to the God of my faith followed by a meticulous routine with my caregivers to get ready for my day. It’s not impressive of what most would consider productive but critical to my daily challenges as a disabled person. The results of my morning routine will dictate the functionality of my day. For me, if I’m set up with precision then I have access to what I like to call ‘my person-centered goals’. Meaning any and all activities outside of the regular challenges I tackle to manage my physical disability. No task done for me nor done by me is small.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Nikki, Nikabilities is my brand – I am a Writer, Songwriter, Advocate for the disabled, and Model. I have a modest following on social media platforms Instagram and TikTok. My brand is about my life in all its abilities within my limitations. I am severely disabled with 2 neuromuscular diseases. I was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy and 14 months ago I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis. My goal is to be transparent with the world as I am either struggling through a setback or pursuing my goals. I have spent all my existence in a wheelchair and recently had a near death experience just 13 months ago leaving me temporarily bed ridden. There are easily 100 challenges I face every week and still within those extreme limits I pursue my hearts desires. Even apart from this last year’s experience, I’ve always been a person to seek out/chase my dreams. Whether it was riding in my power chair to sing at a gig or currently using my eye-tracking device to navigate my laptop so as I can get back to school and/or continue writing my books, my personality has always been ‘charge forward’ no matter what.

I love sharing that with the world around me. I believe what makes my brand unique is the proof of true strength of the human spirit. No matter the circumstances most people have it in them to battle all handicaps, whether it be emotional, physical, mental or just ‘self’, there’s really nothing we can’t do when we decide to move beyond our limitations. I pray the world is encouraged and motivated by what I share. My deep desire is for those that know me to come to a place where they realize their own limitations shouldn’t be the only definition to their story.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
What breaks the bonds between people is usually pride, in my humble opinion. More times than not pride is blinding and self-serving. We all have it, we all make snap judgements by it. Sometimes it’s brought on by pain from others and we believe sticking to our prideful conclusion protects us from more pain. If it’s pain we’ve caused ourselves then we usually hold onto pride because we’re too ashamed to reveal that it was our own faulty decision that caused us to behave in a hurtful way.

The restoring truth is forgiveness. It’s not as easy as accepting an apology or saying sorry to someone we’ve hurt. The painstaking factor is the work it takes to make something beautiful and long-lasting from something damaging. Each party should be transparent and honest and most importantly, provenly committed to change depending on the situation. Forgiveness takes work, self evaluation and self honesty. I know in my experiences with forgiveness I’ve been more rewarded when committing to my own growth which tremendously helped me take the focus off of the other person. When that happens results of freedom become our experience and the relationship either sores or the other party falls away naturally because they can’t exist in light, leaving you faultless. Life in God’s infinite ways can’t be changed when we commit to His equations.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
The one thing I wish I could go back to tell my younger Me is ‘you’re not invisible’. I grew up on the cusp of change when disabled children were being mainstreamed out of disabled only schools and into, what we called then, ‘normal’ public schools. It was a huge transition for me. There was no thought to accessible anything, we were pioneers and my parents made me aware that it would be that way. At that time the general public narrative was people who stared uncomfortably and/or had lots of questions in their eyes

Thankfully I grew up in a home where I was treated like I was normal. Basically if I could do it, then I should. When I became independent I think I expected the world to be like it was when I was young, uncertain of how to include me. Soon I realized that it was my fear they were taking from. I had to make myself available and be heard if I didn’t want to be invisible, and so I did.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
The project I’m most committed to is my creative works, I am a writer. I have several projects I’ve begun yet the one I’m most determined to complete is my story about the selective caregivers that carried me through a crisis I endured when I was losing my late husband to a medical condition.

I began my project in 2021 but I soon felt overwhelmed and misdirected. I turned to a friend, Shun Lee Fong, who had edited some smaller projects for me in the past and he geared me toward a writing group that his organization, Greenhouse Arts & Media, Inc, was hosting under the direction of Sheryl Anderson, known for writing Sweet Magnolias, Charmed. Here is where I found my determination. I was surrounded by accomplished writers who embraced me and encouraged me. I learned that my writing could be impactful and inspiring.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
That I lived a life practicing love out loud. I’m a Christian so a strong believer that our main order of business on this earth is relationship, relationship with God first then relationship to each other. Every decision we make good and bad leads us toward love or away from it, the power of God’s love is and always will be undeniable and unmistakable. I know this because the proof is in my life. My limitations are abundant. I need someone to feed me or brush my hair out of eyes along with everything in between. Yet I’ve found His love so much more abundant that I don’t feel the weight of my life as heavy as it should. That stirred love in me so I made a choice to live life sharing it, reaching for it, giving it. There may be very little that I can do physically for my life or for others but albeit family, friends, and employees I work hard at the connections I’ve been blessed with.

People are everything to me. Disability doesn’t mean isolation anymore, I’ve lived quite a full life, mistakes made and bad decisions included. But out of all the pain I’ve seen, nothing weighs heavier on my heart then the way we hurt each other, or even the way we hurt ourselves. What got me through dark times was always the love Christ sent me through another human. I’m sure many can testify that they needed another human being to get them through something they knew otherwise without their presence they may not have made it through that. That’s God’s love, natural and uninhabited and available. That’s the example I try to live by, that’s the story I hope they tell about me after I’m gone.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Photos by: Karman Kruschke

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Highlighter Series
What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?

Coffee? Workouts? Hitting the snooze button 14 times? Everyone has their morning ritual and we

Highlighter Series
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?

Our deepest wounds often shape us as much as our greatest joys. The pain we

Highlighter Series
Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?

Culture, economic circumstances, family traditions, local customs and more can often influence us more than