Meet Kenny Salvini

We recently connected with Kenny Salvini and have shared our conversation below.

Kenny, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?

By embracing it. Rolling into a room in a wheelchair operated by head controls automatically buys me an audience. The simple fact that I’ve made it two full decades since the 2004 snow skiing accident that left me paralyzed from the neck down despite a laundry list of struggles and setbacks makes me a subject matter expert with a unique perspective. And since I had no frame of reference for life with a disability prior to my injury, I see it as a tremendous opportunity to give people a window into a world they may have never been exposed to either.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am the Founder and Executive Director of The Here and Now Project (H&NP), a Washington state-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to connect and empower the mobility disability community in the Pacific Northwest. We provide social support to individuals with spinal cord injuries and other diagnoses and their families through direct outreach to area hospitals and a slew of virtual and in-person events.

I have joked for years that I throw parties with wheelchair users, but there is a special spark that happens when people in similar circumstances get the opportunity to meet. After my accident, I spent many years trying to find my way out of a deep and dark hole of depression and chronic medical issues that come with spinal cord injuries. It wasn’t until years later that a string of pivotal chance encounters fundamentally changed the way I looked at my disability and sparked the idea for H&NP.

Our first event back in 2014 brought together 28 individuals with spinal cord injuries under one roof with 355 years of combined lived experience with their disabilities. That’s over 3 ½ centuries of obstacles overcome and hard lessons learned, which translates into a special blend of strength and hope for a newcomer to see that they don’t have to move through the world on their own.

Since that first gathering, our programming has expanded to include a rotating calendar of local meetings throughout Western Washington, quarterly educational forums, multiple seasonal activities including a picnic, adaptive bowling event, and resource expo, and the delivery of care packs for the newly injured/diagnosed that are filled with resources and useful swag to help ease their transition into their new life.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Humility –In the early years after my injury, I would come across other individuals in wheelchairs but tended to focus only on the differences between us. That all changed when I met a guy that knew something I needed to know. Now I recognize that every new person I meet may have information that could prove game changing for myself or someone else in our community.

Gratitude – It’s easy to get caught up in negative feedback loops when you bump up against some of life’s challenges. By taking a step back and recognizing what you have to be grateful for – even if it’s just clean water, a roof over your head, and relatively good health – you can reframe almost any situation.

Cultivated Fearlessness – There’s a great quote from Joseph Campbell that says, “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” It was sometime around 2012 that I made an informal pact with myself to say yes to anything that scares me. Whether it was a public speaking opportunity, advisory board position, or dancing at my wedding, every time I was asked to do something that felt outside my comfort zone, I had to give it a shot. By doing so, I was able to discover new sides of myself and incrementally develop new skills. Cultivating fearlessness is not about a lack of fear, but experiencing fear and still choosing to move forward anyway.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

My parents fought for me until I could fight for myself. When doctors told them that people with catastrophic injuries like mine didn’t go home, they didn’t flinch with their response: “Watch us.” It wasn’t easy, and they didn’t do it perfectly, but it gave me a critical buffer of time to figure things out. That taught me that showing up is half the battle most times, and it’s why we try to pay it forward for others with The Here and Now Project.

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