COLLEAGUE SPOTLIGHT
them and keep being yourself.” Today, his perspective is generous; he says: “Every kid has a hard time growing up and it was no different for me.” Adults have been crass, too. A former employer called the wheelchair-using Bailey “Hot Rod,” so wildly inappropriate yet unfightable because he needed the job, he says. He’s faced other obstacles as well. Looking for a home to live on his own, he discovered many had steps or narrow doorways. Ultimately,
His journey to resilience began at a young age. As a child, he realized he had no choice but to move on and be adaptable, despite hardship. He was not held back. His loving parents provided a strong support system, and his father especially encouraged him to go to public school and live as “normal” as possible. “I was born with this condition,” he says. “It was in the cards I was dealt, so the only way was forward.” As a child, he “drove” himself by wheelchair to school a few blocks
I WAS BORN WITH THIS CONDITION.
IT WAS IN THE CARDS I WAS DEALT, SO THE ONLY WAY WAS FORWARD.
from home. As a teenager, if he wanted to go out with his friends, he had to figure out how to do so. His father helped him build adaptive equipment to fur- ther foster independence. They invented a multi-use tool that Bailey still uses to get dressed: a PVC pipe with attached planter hooks. Bailey has also taken up quite the novel hobby: par- ticipating yearly in “Wasteland Weekend.” Based on the Mad Max films, the immersive camping expe -
finding a workable residence and moving in were monumental accomplishments. Today, he focuses on his window’s sunny view and beams: “I can’t complain too much here!” One professional challenge was not so different from that faced by many, though possibly a bit more complex: how to monetize an education. He’d studied journalism at San Diego State University and wanted to become a TV reporter, but carrying
rience incorporates post-apocalyptic cos- tumes and comradery. He’s been trekking out to the Mojave Desert for the past decade for this five-day festival. His only concession was the use of a trailer for sleeping. Despite his positive outlook, he has en- countered cruelty over the years because of his condition. When confronted by mean children as a kid, he took his parents’ advice: “It’s not a reflection on you; it reflects the bullies; just ignore
a camera around and setting up shots wasn’t feasible. Then, he happily stumbled into proposal writing. Since March 2022, he’s worked as a full- time senior proposal writer for MMA’s West Region, which includes California, Alaska, Arizona, and Nevada. He and a fellow colleague write proposals to help the sales team win new clients. The job is fully remote, a way of operating that became much more prevalent after COVID-19 reared its ugly head.
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