Today we’d like to introduce you to Steffi G.
Hi Steffi, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
Hi! I’m Steffi, born in Colombia & raised in Miami, FL. I have now called Jacksonville home for the past 4 years. I was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (brittle bones) Type II (this type rarely makes it past birth) and I was given 24 hours to live when I was born.
At 13 years old, I was in a school bus accident and fractured my C4 (the 4th bone of the neck) and was instantly paralyzed from the neck down. Miraculously, after emergency surgery by the top neurosurgeon in South Florida, I woke up and had regained feeling in my entire body. After being hospitalized for 2 months, 9 months with a metal halo, a year without sitting up in bed, and 8 months with a neck brace I made a full recovery.
At 26, I began losing my hearing, I was in denial and waited until I was 28 to see an audiologist. The audiologist sat down with me in the hearing test booth and told me she could not believe I was going on about life with such significant loss and that’s when I realized it was time to help myself. In 2019, I was implanted with a bone anchor hearing aid (BAHA) and my life improved significantly, I had lost so much of myself, I had missed out on so much, and I all because I refused to acknowledge my new reality.
It was so freeing to do so, now I can’t stop educating people about my implant, I like to pick my hair up just so that the implant is visible and people could potentially ask me about it, it is my pride and joy! Then at 28, I was diagnosed with a rare (benign) but growing tumor on my jaw, I had my first surgery last year, it was a very tough surgery and an even tougher recovery. it has taken me over a year to see improvement, to eat somewhat solid foods.
Jaw surgery really is a difficult journey that can severely affect one’s mental health aside from the physical aspect of it. I’ve got one or two more surgeries to go because due to my brittle bones, the bone can’t be 100% scraped to eradicate the tumor in one shot, there’ll be a huge risk of my bone literally disintegrating. Since this surgery, I have changed the way I perceive food, I truly never understood the privilege it was to bite into a juicy burger, to bite into a crisp apple, or even bite down on a grape.
Although I can’t do these things anymore, life is about adapting, so now I pretend I am bougie and use a fork and knife for my burgers! However, none of the above have ever stopped me from living my best life and that’s not changing anytime soon! I always find the positive in every situation, it might not be right away but I always stop to reflect on how situations can positively impact me and those around me.
Today, at 32 years old, I can proudly say, I’ve been happily married to the most amazing human for over 5 years and our home is filled with love and dogs (4) and I’d like to think I’m thriving WITH my disability! Within the past 2 years, I have found my passion in content creation.
Now I’m a full-time inclusive model, body image activist, accessibility/travel city ambassador, and proud disabled content creator. In my social channels, you’ll find that I focus my content on inclusive beauty, disability lifestyle, and body positivity.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
For me, life has never been “easy”, I have faced a variety of challenges, from heath to my personal life, the workplace, the dating scene, and navigating adulthood.
One of my biggest struggles has been acknowledging my disability. Accepting it was never an issue for me, but as I grew up I noticed I wasn’t exactly comfortable acknowledging it, asking for accommodations, or voicing my boundaries. It was easier for me to try to “fit in” and I did a great job at it, but it was taking a huge toll on me and one day I said no more.
Ever since I have become an advocate for the disabled community, I want people to know it’s okay to live in our own space without needing to shrink our existence because we think we are an inconvenience. Now I am more than comfortable demanding accommodations, voicing my opinion regarding lack of accessibility, and making my boundaries very clear.
Health has been my other big struggle all throughout my life. I have learned that because of my disability and chronic illnesses I will always experience ups and downs. The best I can do is live my best life in the ups and connect with my inner warrior in the downs. Through the good and the bad, I have the most amazing support system and for every health scare, I’ve had a thousand days of pure joy.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am an animal lover, Disney enthusiast and I’m often called the life of the party. I am an introvert but love to meet new people and educate whoever will listen on all things disability. I get my confidence from my upbringing, my mother always told me I deserved a space, and if I ever felt like there wasn’t want then it was my duty to make that space for myself. I was taught to never feel like I didn’t belong, and if I did, I was definitely in the wrong room with people who didn’t deserve my presence.
Professionally I am a fierce advocate, influencer and model with a disability on a quest to redefine inclusion and dissolve stereotypes on what being disabled is. I am recognized as an ambassador for adaptive fashion, inclusive beauty, body positivity and accessibility. I use my platforms to amplify the voices of the disabled community and ultimately make inclusion the new normal.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
I have learned that the world was being very cruel and dismissive to the disabled community regarding employment. Denying remote work opportunities just because “it wasn’t possible” until it became a global need.
Now there are thousands of remote work opportunities, some have even become permanent. As it turns out, many positions could have been done remotely and now they are, but so many members of the disabled community were turned away as a result of the lack of accommodations.
I have also learned that many people have found their true passion, just like I did. The creator in many of us has been awakened and the results have been amazing. Three years ago, the disabled community did not have such a strong presence online, in the media, fashion, beauty, etc.
But now, as a result of so many of us becoming advocates, activists, and content creators we have raised our voices and made our presence known.
Contact Info:
- Email: officialsteffig@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealsteffig/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SteffiDoll/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC72mksVxythMC4KuU7h_SuA
Image Credits
Kari Hartley, Carissa Kauffman, Steffi G., Victoria Annita Sanchez, Roche, Lory Body, Sinem Ugur Bilgin of Good Vibes Photo Studio, and James Allan Clifford of Thru The Lens Photography
