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My least favorite thing is someone telling me that I can’t do something because I use a wheelchair. It’s going to be ten times harder, or maybe even 100 times, but it’s possible. I've been using a powered wheelchair since I was four years old, so in a way, it's the only life I've ever known. I don't necessarily see myself as someone with a disability, even if the world often does. This means I'm constantly having to prove what I can do. When I was graduating from college, I had an experience that really crystallized this dichotomy. I was so excited I finally got an interview with a marketing company in Pittsburgh, but the minute I rolled into the hiring manager’s office, I could see that he only saw my wheelchair. The first words out of his mouth were that the job involved travel, and I wasn't a good fit. Around that time, I was planning a graduation trip to Australia and realized how little information was available online for wheelchair users wanting to travel. These two events happening in the same week—the job rejection and the lack of travel resources—motivated me to start Curb Free with Cory Lee, a travel blog where I share my experiences as a wheelchair user and hopefully inspire others to explore the world. My mom played a big role in all of this. She raised me as a single mom and was a strong advocate, always fighting for me to have the same rights as everyone else in school. Her positive mindset and advocacy taught me to just go for it. And that’s exactly what I’ve done. Ten years later, I've been fortunate enough to travel to over 50 countries, and I became the first person to visit all seven continents in a powered wheelchair. My disease, spinal muscular atrophy, is degenerative, so it’s a significant motivator for me to travel now while I’m more able. My favorite thing in the world is adaptive adventures, so activities that are modified for people with physical disabilities: I’ve gone paragliding in the Swiss Alps, hot air ballooning in Catalonia, and ziplining in Florida. |
Georgia
How an Accessibility-Focused Travel Blogger is Breaking Barriers and Expanding His Impact with Gemini
An Interview with Cory Lee, a Georgia-based content creator and the blogger behind Curb Free With Cory Lee, a travel blog featuring wheelchair-accessible travel guides.
Cory Lee, content creator and blogger
It’s difficult for me to actually type on a computer since I don’t have dexterity in my fingers, so it’s incredibly helpful that Gemini in Gmail will draft full emails. I can just click it and then customize it a bit, and it does a really great job. It allows me to do so much more work and send so many more emails.
Cory Lee, content creator and blogger
It really allows me to focus on creating content. For the past few years, I published about one blog post a month; now I can publish one every week or two, and I’m creating social media content almost every day now that I can use Gemini to help me quickly come up with clever captions.
What started as a resource for wheelchair users has grown into so much more. I published a children's book, "Let's Explore with Cor Cor," about a kid in a wheelchair who travels the world, and I promote accessibility through speaking engagements in places like my home state, Georgia, and partnering with destinations. A few years ago, I also started a nonprofit foundation, the Curb Free Foundation, which provides travel grants to other wheelchair users.
To travel as a wheelchair user, you need to be mentally strong and prepared for obstacles. I really just want to create a safe place where wheelchair users can realize what's out there in the world waiting for them and feel confident about going to experience it. By sharing my experiences, advocating for accessibility and empowering others, I hope to make a lasting impact and contribute to a more inclusive and accessible world.