Today we’d like to introduce you to Cara Yar Khan .
Cara, before we jump into specific questions about your work, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Born in India and raised in Canada, I knew from a very young age that I wanted to work for the United Nations (UN) humanitarian agencies because I felt compelled to dedicate my life to helping children in need. There was nothing more important I could do. Early in my schooling I inquired what would make me a competitive candidate to join the UN: languages, international experience and volunteer work. So I dedicated all my energies in school to social justice, human rights and international development issues through projects, volunteer work and extra curricular events and conferences. For my undergraduate degree I attended the University of Guelph (in Ontario, Canada) which boasted to have the best International Development program in the country and offered international year-abroad opportunities. My fourth year, I went to Ecuador to live with a host-family, become fluent in Spanish (my 3rd language after English and French) and take a deep dive to what life would be life living far from home, in a foreign place, all with the hope of helping children. I LOVED it and could not wait to graduate from college to go back to “the field”. After an intense year of applying to over 50 international internships with various development and aid organizations, I was offered a paid internship, funded by the United Nations Association of Canada, with the World Food Programme (WFP) in Ecuador, the food aid agency of the UN. In 2001 my first day at WFP Ecuador, peering up at the UN flag I was elated to reached my first major life goal – to work for the UN in the field. After two exhilarating years in Ecuador I took a massive leap of faith, somewhat of a dare to myself, and accepted a corporate job as a senior manager with DELL Inc in Panama.
In early 2007 I joined the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Angola as a Fundraising Officer who specialized in working with the Extractive Industries. My experience with multi-million corporate partnerships led to a year with UNICEF China to support the Sichuan Earthquake Emergency Response, followed by UNICEF assignments in Madagascar, Mozambique, Thailand and finally Haiti where I served as the Resource Mobilization Specialist and Disability Focal Point for two years after the devastating 2010 Earthquake. In December 2013 I moved to the USA as a UNICEF Child Protection Specialist spending most of my time as a spokesperson and international program advisor to UNICEF USA. In my ten years working around the world with UNICEF, I was the first person with a severe physical impairment to serve in an Emergency Operation when stationed in Haiti for two years after the devastating 2010 earthquake that killed more than 500,000 people and displaced 1.3 million Haitians. My work as a Disability Focal Point with the Haitian Secretary of State was so groundbreaking that the Women’s Refugee Commission featured Cara as a Women leader and role model for disability inclusion in humanitarian action in their May 2016 publication, “Working to Improve Our Own Futures”.
Porsche North America and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, awarded me the 2015 Driving Force Award which recognizes women who exemplify the spirit of activism and community engagement at the local and/ or global level. The Canadian Consulate General in Atlanta has named me Canada’s Champion of Diversity, Inclusion and Empowerment of Women & Girls for embodying the Government of Canada’s commitment to female empowerment and reducing barriers and increasing opportunities for people with disabilities to ensure their full participation in society. In 2018, I was recognized by Atlanta Magazine, as a 2018 Women Making a Mark Honoree for her contributions to making a difference in the community and by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as an Outstanding Voice in Diversity & Inclusion.
In between UNICEF assignments I pursued a Masters in International Public Policy (MIPP) from John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Bologna, Italy. I am also accomplished in languages, fluent in Spanish, with working knowledge of French and Portuguese and basic Mandarin Chinese.
In my late 20s I began to experience a series of inexplicable falls. A few years later, I was diagnosed with a recessive, genetic condition called Hereditary Inclusion Body Myopathy, or HIBM. It’s a progressive muscle wasting disease that affects all my muscles from head to toe. HIBM is very rare — in the United States, there are fewer than 200 people diagnosed. To date there is no approved treatment or cure and within 10-15 years of its onset, HIBM typically leads to quadriplegia, which is why I now use a wheelchair.
When I moved to the USA, even though the disease had progressed significantly and I needed leg braces and canes to walk, I still longed for adventure, so I planned a 12-day expedition to explore the Grand Canyon. Only thing is it is not accessible so decided I would learn to ride a horse. Did you know that for every 5 million people who visit the rim, only 1% go down to the canyon’s base? I wanted to be a part of that 1%. Only thing is that the Grand Canyon is not exactly accessible. I was going to need some assistance to make it down the steep 5,000 foot descent of loose vertical terrain. Now, when I encounter obstacles, fear doesn’t necessarily immediately set in because I assume that, one way or another, I’ll figure them out. In this case, my thought was, “Well, If I can’t walk down, I could learn to ride a horse.” So that’s what I did. And with that fateful decision began a four-year commitment, tossing back and forth between courage and fear, to undertake a 12 day expedition: 4 days riding a horse to cross the Grand Canyon from rim to rim and then 8 days rafting, 150 miles of the Colorado river, all with a film crew in tow. Spoiler alert: We made it. But not without showing me how even my deepest fear can somehow manifest a mirror response of equal courage. At present I am searching for like-minded investors for the post-production who feel the same sense of urgency to get this film made, as my condition quickly worsens.
In December 2019 I had the honor of speaking at TED Women in Palm Springs, California, where I shared my story and featured a 3- minute clip of the expedition. My TED talk which has been viewed more than 1.5 million times since it was released 2.5 months ago, can be seen here: http://go.ted.com/caraeyarkhan
After a year as the Director of Operations for the International Human Trafficking Institute at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights I decided that in 2020 I would devote all of my time to public speaking, producing my documentary film, HIBM: Her Inescapable Brave Mission and writing my first book. I am lucky to be represented by The Speaker Agency, specifically by Seth Dechtman, the Managing Director.
I got to where I am today because my father has always believed in me and encouraged me to pursue my massive ambitions. My sisterhood of friends have been the sounding board of female girl power that has lifted me up when times were tough. My beloved step-mother is the glue of love that keeps everything in harmony. My husband is my comfort when the hustle sucker punches me. While I am not where I thought I would be at this age, I am reassured that I have remained true to my calling of being of service to others, using my platform to be a force for good, and sharing my voice with those who might otherwise not listen.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Easy? Absolutely not, but why would I want it any other way? Perseverance, courage and triumph come from struggle, fear and tragedy. I have hustled, slogged and pushed myself to go above and beyond the expectations set before me my entire life. Growing up with an alcoholic mother who committed suicide when I was 17 years old, taught me young what I had to do to survive and excel. In being surround by chaos I became laser focused on my goals. And my approach of strategically weighing risks to over come barriers has served me well in navigating this progressive disease that impacts every facet of my life, especially when it was a new way of living after 30 years of ignorance about chronic illness. The constant change of moving from country to country has brought endless joy but a necessity to find security and stability from within myself.
Please tell us about your work.
In my line of work, public speaking, I get a lot of feedback. People have told me they admire that I walk the talk and I do what I say I am going to do. My speciality is storytelling, conveying the five senses to my audience so they too can experience the journey. My business is about educating people on disability equality, diversity and inclusion, child rights and women’s power in an effort to change attitudes and ultimately behaviors. I am most proud that my work always been focused on helping people, building bridges and breaking down barriers. I think what sets me apart is that I am real, raw and on a moving mission.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Finding the balance between fear and courage while consistently moving forward towards my goals and ambitions. Being honest about what I do know and what I need help with, then surrounding myself with experts who can take the lead in the areas that are not my forte. Taking care of the people in my life, demonstrating my appreciation for all they contribute. Being determined to do what I say I will do, and being persistent. Expressing compassion and empathy for others, their struggles and triumphs. Sharing my platform to lift up other women, while learning to recognize how much power I have. I never downplay how intelligent, smart or bold I am, especially when expectations of me are so low. Being authentic and honest with as much humility as possible, especially about my privileged life even as a women living with a chronic illness and severe physical impairments.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://carayarkhan.com/
- Phone: + (404) 821-2280
- Email: cyarkhan@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carayarkhan/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cara.e.khan
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/carayarkhan
- Other: https://www.thespeakeragency.com/speaker/cara-e-yar-khan/
Image Credit:
John Masters/ Dec. 2019
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