From Wheelchair to World Changer: Jenna Udenberg’s Story

Diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis as a child, author and 2020 Bush Fellow Jenna Udenberg turned lifelong challenges into a mission: make accessibility the norm, not the exception. She shares how “Within My Spokes” captures resilience, why “committed over compliant” changes everything, and how her nonprofit Above & Beyond With U helps businesses and communities design with disabled people from the start. Expect practical truths on housing, travel, education, and what true inclusion really requires. Sponsored by Real Life Prosthetics Guest Bio:  Jenna Udenberg is an accessibility advocate, author of Within My Spokes: A Tapestry of Pain, Growth and Freedom, founder of the nonprofit Above & Beyond With U, and a 2020 Bush Fellow. A wheelchair user and bugler for veteran funerals, she consults with communities and organizations to go “above and beyond code,” centering lived experience to create spaces where everyone belongs. Main Topics: ·         Juvenile rheumatoid → idiopathic arthritis: what changed and why it matters. ·         Growing up disabled pre-ADA: school, IEP/504 gaps, and systemic ignorance. ·         “Committed vs. compliant” accessibility; housing and new-build failures. ·         Travel barriers (airlines breaking wheelchairs) and policy change needs. ·         Bush Fellowship: investing in leadership, learning from disability history hubs. ·         Adaptive movement, diabetes management, and aquatic training. ·         Above & Beyond With U: funding, rural access, and promoting accessible events. ·         The book Within My Spokes: writing trauma with care; audiobook in progress.  Resources mentioned: ·         Above & Beyond With U (nonprofit): aboveandbeyondwithu.org (said verbally as “dot org”) — donations and book sales support the org. ·         Book: Within My Spokes: A Tapestry of Pain, Growth and Freedom — by Jenna Udenberg. ·         Bush Foundation & Bush Fellowship (MN/ND/SD & tribal nations). ·         Disability history & docs: Ed Roberts; Judith Heumann; Crip Camp film; Section 504, IDEA, ADA. ·         Healthcare/Clinics: Mayo Clinic (diagnosis terminology shift). ·         Adaptive gear: Rio Mobility Firefly front-wheel e-assist; seat-elevate “see-me” power chairs. ·         Funding/Donations: GiveMN / Minnesota Give Day (referenced as state giving platform). ·         Community examples: DNR, state parks, Lions Club ramps. ·         Other: Accessible parking dimensions (van spot + 11’ access aisle); accessible forms/fonts. ·         Episode Sponsor & Supporter: Real Life Prosthetics·         Supporter: Full Circle Boards·         Supporter: Sincerely Sawyer Photography Send us Fan MailReal Life ProstheticsCutting-Edge Solutions. Restoring Ability Since 2001.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showRate & Review on Apple Podcasts Follow the Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast on Social Media:Facebook – Conversations with Rich Bennett Facebook Group (Join the conversation) – Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast group | FacebookTwitter – Conversations with Rich Bennett Instagram – @conversationswithrichbennettTikTok – CWRB (@conversationsrichbennett) | TikTokSponsors, Affiliates, and ways we pay the bills:Hosted on BuzzsproutSquadCastSubscribe by Email