Body Technology: Disability and Technology Part 2 with Paralympian Ezra Frech

In this series, we talk about adaptive technologies and physical disability. In this episode of the series, Paralympian Ezra Frech joins us to discuss the disability community at the intersection of technology. We discuss disability in the space of intersectionality, the significance of sports for the disability community, and why designing for a diversity of bodies, with equity and empathy, makes a difference. Ezra Frech is an American Paralympian Athlete who competes in high jump, long jump, and sprinting events in international level events. Ezra was born with congenital limb differences, missing his left knee, left shin bone, and fingers on his left hand, and has used a running blade since he was 4 years old.  In 2019 Ezra made the US Paralympic Track and Field Team and, as the youngest athlete on the team at 14 year’s old, competed in three international events, including the Junior World Para-Para-Athletics Championships, where he won three medals, the Parapan American Games where he won two silver medals, and the World Para-Athletics Championships, where he placed in the top 8 in all three of his events and was the youngest athlete out of 1,400 competitors. He’s slated to compete for Team USA in the upcoming 2021 Tokyo Paralympic Games. He is an advocate for disability rights, and the inspiration behind and co-founder of Angel City Sports, a high-growth, high-impact non-profit organization dedicated to providing the joy of sports to children and adults with physical disabilities.  Episode produced by Matt Perry and Ana Marsh.