E124 - Living Bravely with Disability, Ambition, and Connection with Heather C Markham, Activist, Author, and Woman In Tech

“I hold onto loved… fiercely loved. I have had dark moments that I talk about in the book (and darker moments since then). It is knowing that I am loved that helps me hold on.”Meet one of my own brave role models, Heather Markham. We discuss her new book as well as how she “braves that bitch up” to live full of love and adventure, making powerful choices based on dreams, not limitations.Our entire conversation weaves between the professional and the personal, the inspirational and the messy, and more. I read an excerpt from her book Rough Waters, From Surviving to Thriving with a Progressive Muscular Dystrophy, and share how it impacted me.You will have the opportunity to experience moving your own body in relation to how Heather moves and controls her own. Additionally, you will also experience how I impacted Heather’s journey by saying the brave thing and how we continued our relationship afterward.Follow this episode by braving it up yourself: what five words describe you? What does each word mean to you? Share it at [email protected]   About HeatherHeather C. Markham is an engineer, assistive technology professional, public speaker, competitive Para Surfer, educator, ADA architectural barriers specialist, golfer, and award-winning international photographer.Her company, Making Waves for Good, launched in 2018 as an umbrella for a variety of ventures including publishing and photographic projects and to help companies solve disability access problems they didn't know they had—not just staying within ADA code but looking beyond it to make the world more accessible and usable for all.Heather currently lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with her super snuggly Maine coon cat. Related resources:Order Rough Waters, From Surviving to Thriving with a Progressive Muscular Dystrophy here: https://www.heathercmarkham.com/bookBook Heather as a speaker here:  https://www.makingwavesforgood.com/you-decide-movement-public-speakerConnect with Heather here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-c-markham-78270720/   American with Disabilities: https://www.ada.gov/Read more about Muscular Dystrophy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscular_dystrophyRead more about Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limb–girdle_muscular_dystrophyRelated episodes:Erica Tamburo, Creative in Tech and Art: https://celebratebrave.libsyn.com/erica-tamburo-creative-in-tech-and-art