Roughly 0.01% of the world’s population will cross the finish line for a marathon, but for those living with disability that either run or use a wheelchair to propel themselves the distance, the probability is much smaller. I am living with autism spectrum disorder and type 1 diabetes and to date I have a PhD and ran the 2025 Boston Marathon/2023 New York City Marathon. I am not here to convince you to do a marathon like me, but to recognize the bigger problem: Individuals living with different lifelong disabilities have a disadvantage compared to their non-disabled peers.
I experienced many challenges growing up. My parents didn’t think I would be able graduate high school much less be a college graduate as I am a first-generation student. I was not able to tie my shoes until 3rd grade or ride a bike until age 13. I never participated team sports or attended my high school dances due to regular bullying. I didn’t start exercising until 10 years ago, but since then I pursued a PhD out of state, attend the ACSM Annual meeting for the first time on my own, and I received a triple manuscript rejection letter in one day. Although this list may be small and anecdotal, it can help to demonstrate that people with disabilities need to overcome many daily obstacles compared to their peers, whether they are physical, mental, or emotional. Moreover, individuals with disabilities can be directly or indirectly excluded as scientists, from being research participants, or struggle to successfully establish a reputation in their careers.
Attending an ACSM Annual Meeting with a disability can be a frightening or overstimulating experience whether a student or even an early career professional. When I first joined ACSM as a member, I did not have a sense of direction at the Annual Meeting apart from calling my master’s advisor from a far. I also was not provided accommodations and I had to learn everything on my own. The formula I discovered to have a successful Annual Meeting was to attend sessions, present, network, collaborate, develop leadership skills from a far, and learn from leading experts; and now I want the use my experience to empower others.
Based upon the foundation of the Leadership Diversity Training Program, I am initiating the efforts to create a new program for ACSM members and first-time Annual Meeting attendees living with a disability called Growing United in Disability Empowerment (GUIDE).
The purpose of the GUIDE program is to assign scholars with a matched mentor outside of their university to identify and learn the necessary skills in collaboration, mentorship, and leadership. These initiatives will not only identify the number of ACSM members with a lifelong disability (examples can include intellectual/developmental disabilities, mobility/musculoskeletal/neurological disabilities, blindness, deaf, and many more) but also increase visibility and opportunity to enhance their disability awareness across the college.
Before creating a 2026 inaugural class, we will be holding a formal session at the 2025 ACSM Annual Meeting on Thursday May 29 to get member feedback and suggestions of how to improve the program’s foundation. The goal of this session is to empower individuals with disabilities of all walks feel accommodated and to make the Annual Meeting accessible to the future scholars that will ultimately lead the college from a different perspective.
GUIDE (Growing United in Disability Empowerment) Program Ideation Session
Thursday, May 29
2-3:30 p.m. Signia by Hilton Atlanta, room Magnificent 1
Author: Benjamin D. Boudreaux, PhD, is a Physical Activity and Epidemiology Postdoctoral Fellow in the Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health at Columbia University Irving Medical Center
