E59: Disabilities Serve as Inspiration for Inclusion with Matthew Walzer

In Episode 59 of UNSUGARCOATED with Aalia, Disability Advocate and Public Speaker, Matthew Walzer shares his journey from childhood to being at the center of one of the biggest milestones for Disability Inclusion in the history of everyday clothing and streetwear. Walzer, who collaborated with shoe designer Tobie Hatfield to design the Lebron Zoom Soldier 8 FlyEase, Nike’s first FlyEase shoe and the first commercial basketball shoe designed for those who are unable to tie their own shoes. Walzer discusses why he considers his diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy to be his greatest gift (7:03) and how a single open letter of his (11:03) got the ball rolling to not only meeting Nike Designer Tobie Hatfield and NBA Superstar LeBron James but to what would become a landmark project for both Nike and Walzer: the Nike FlyEase Line. Talking about what he sees as the next steps in disability inclusion around the world (18:24), and how the TV and Film industries (22:42) could impact and influence people to join the support for disability inclusion and disability rights. Walzer discusses the importance of fighting for small milestones for one's own community (23:53) and his own history of realizing how important these small milestones and inclusion are.


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Connect with Matthew:

IG: @matthewwalzer

matthewwalzer.com