Achievement While Challenged

By James Warnken

A STORY OF ACCOMPLISHMENT FOLLOWING A PROGRESSIVE VISUAL DISABILITY DIAGNOSIS

My name is James Warnken, and I have lived with a visual disability for fifteen years. At 9 years old, my life changed, not for good and not for worse. I was diagnosed with a progressive visual disability called “genetic retinal dystrophy.” I vividly remember sitting in the eye doctor’s office when they told my mom I was losing my vision at a fast rate. Now that I am 24, soon to be 25, I realize she was not solely upset by what she was told. She was upset because she knew what was in store for me as I grew up, the challenges, the questions, the frustration, and the fact that I would be viewed as different. Despite having to move schools to get the right accommodations, testing in a separate classroom, and having papers twice the size of everyone else, my spirit never shook nor broke.

As I got older, I began to hide my disability to try and fit in and seem like all of my peers. Looking back, that was a terrible decision that led to me losing touch with who I was as a person, a student, and a professional. I started to realize that everyone faces challenges, barriers, and conflicts in their day-to-day lives, and they each require unique solutions based on what works best for them. The tough part among people with disabilities is that one solution that works for someone may not work for others with the same disability.

A proactive mindset and determination go a long way. Through my own experiences, I have gone against the grain to show the world what I am capable of regardless of my vision. I skateboard, play basketball, draw, and work as a digital marketing and accessibility specialist in the tech space. Nearly everything I do has been advised against by eye doctors, especially skateboarding. While I do not consider myself the most adventurous and rebellious, I give 110% to everything I do. If I had advice for anyone, regardless of ability, it would be to set goals and chase them no matter what. If you believe it can be achieved, then you have the potential to make it a reality.

Since graduating college, my entire perspective around disabilities has changed. This is primarily due to mentorship from some incredible individuals in Mike Calvo, Natalie Hadley, Mike Hess, Cara Khan, Laurie Moline, and the entire Apex Communications Network team. Today, I am shifting slightly away from the marketing world by adding digital accessibility to my skill set in an effort to do my part in making the world more accessible to people with disabilities. Being someone with a tech background, a permanent disability, and a ton of energy, I will make an impact.

James has had a visual disability for 15 years. He specializes in search engine optimization and data analytics in the marketing and online accessibility space. James currently holds the position of chief technology officer of Apex Communications Network. Apex is a family of scrappy innovators dedicated to driving revenue growth for businesses by leveraging unparalleled storytelling, cutting-edge technologies, and design thinking psychology.