From Hearing Loss to the Deaf Queen Boss: Be Empowered with Kellina Powell

Because this life is meant to be lived.

And this podcast is meant to inspire you to do it.

What's happening?

Welcome to the podcast.

My name is Kevin Lowe, the host of The Blowdown with Kevin Lowe.

And you're joining me today for episode number 91.

Today, I'm chilling out in the studio with the Deaf Queen Boss.

That's right, we are talking all things from hearing loss to how she became known as the Deaf Queen Boss.

In actuality, her name is Kalina Powell.

And Kalina, to be honest, is just a pure ray of sunshine.

She lost her hearing as a child.

But she is a beautiful example that life is not over, even in the midst of life's most difficult times.

Because Kalina has thrived in life.

And now today she's helping others do the same.

Because Kalina has never been slowed down, even though she lost her hearing.

No, she has definitely not been slowed down.

Matter of fact, Kalina has gone on to gain her college degrees, is working as a life coach, and at the time of this podcast release, is now a published author.

You're gonna hear in the interview that was recorded a little while back us talking about her book that's to be coming out in the future.

Well, timing is everything, and this podcast is being released approximately a week after her book was officially released.

That book is called Every Day I Am Just Deaf.

And I encourage you, after you finish the episode, to check out the episode show notes where a link will be provided where you can get a copy of her book and just dive deeper into the amazing inspiration that is today's guest.

Now, if you're digging all this inspiration motivation, I encourage you to also check out the episode show notes where I have left a link to my self-empowering visualization exercise, a truly immersive audio experience that I created to help you eliminate any self-doubt and help you choose the right direction in your life.

Again, that link is also in the show notes.

With all of that being said, I think it's time that I introduce you to Colina Powell, the Deaf Queen Boss.

SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much for having me.

I'm super nice to be here.

SPEAKER_02: Oh, well, I'm super thrilled to have you here today.

And where are you joining us from?

SPEAKER_01: I started from Canada, Toronto.

SPEAKER_02: Okay, okay.

Wow.

So are you originally from Toronto?

SPEAKER_01: Yes, I am.

SPEAKER_02: Okay, awesome, awesome.

Well, very cool.

Very cool.

So, Kalina, I I heard a little bit about your story, and I was super excited to have a chance to have you on today for the things that you're doing in your life now.

But before we get to all that you're doing right now, I would love to get a little bit of your backstory because I know that you actually lost your hearing at an early age in life.

SPEAKER_01: Yes, I did at the age of four.

SPEAKER_02: Wow.

How did that happen?

SPEAKER_01: It all happened due to an infection, and I had a it dropped description.

So my family doctor said the specific instruction that it would need to be followed.

And at the time, I was done at daycare, and my mom told the daycare what to do, and they did not follow instruction.

And that same day, they did not follow instruction.

I went home, I became deaf.

So who knows what would happen that once in five minutes of leaving the daycare to go home.

SPEAKER_02: Wow, wow, wow.

So now, so when that happened, did you lose all of your hearing or just part of it?

Wow, wow, wow, wow.

And so obviously you were very young back then, so I imagine you'd probably don't have a lot of memory of that.

SPEAKER_01: I have a very few memories of what happened.

Like I remember that same day I went home when I was sitting in the public TV, the TV was loud.

My mom tapped my shoulder.

She calls me.

I didn't know she was calling me from far distance.

And, you know, she tapped my shoulder.

I jumped.

And then that's when I looked at my mom.

And I noticed I couldn't hear at all.

And I said to my mom, I can't hear you.

And she freaks out.

She's like, Oh my God, what are you talking about?

And you know, she calls my grandma.

And my grandma went home from the hospital.

She did some assessment with me from the hospital.

And, you know, I was so clueless.

I was so lost at what's happening because I couldn't hear.

I'm four years old.

I don't speak English, like English, English, right?

You're still a kid.

Yeah.

And it was very difficult.

And then that next day, I went to my family doctor to figure out what was going on.

And then that's my family doctor said it's too late.

Clean it's actually deaf.

SPEAKER_02: Wow.

That, oh my gosh.

I that had to be so hard on not only you as a child, but on your mom as well.

SPEAKER_01: Oh yes.

Oh yes, definitely.

Like it's really tough.

Especially my mom, because she was a young mom too, right?

So and she was in college.

So it was a lot of pressure on her to make sure that everything was in place.

SPEAKER_02: Wow.

Wow.

Wow.

Wow.

So how did then I you know, I don't know, I'll be honest.

I'm blind.

I know a lot about the stuff with the eyes and eyes that don't work, but I don't know a lot about people who are deaf.

And so how does it work?

I mean, because obviously you you hear me now, well now did you get some type of implant or so what happened is my hearing aids, it's actually a Bluetooth.

SPEAKER_01: So yeah, so it's connects, it's like an airpod.

It connects to my cell phone.

I hear everything directly inside my hearing, which goes inside my ears, which is kind of fascinating, really cool.

I don't have to put the phone up to my ears or up to my hearing so I can hear.

Or instead of not doing that, I can just literally just put Bluetooth on my iPhone or even whatever phone you have.

You just put on Bluetooth and it connects to your hearing instead of you putting the phone physically on your ears.

SPEAKER_02: Oh, that's super cool.

So now let me ask you this.

What is because I've hear of the term of some people having something called like a cochlear implant.

What is that?

And how is that different than like a hearing aid?

SPEAKER_01: Okay, so that's a really good question.

I get that question all the time.

So cochlear implant is basically where you go surgery.

So you go in for surgery, they're putting a microphone in your ears to put microphones for you to hear.

So you have option of I don't know how to explain it, but it's like you go in a surgery, you have like a microphone in your ears.

So they do surgery back of your head.

Or beh back of your head with ears, depending on the level of your hearing aid.

And and then with the hearing aids, you don't do surgery.

You just have equipment that goes inside your ears.

Where coca implants, there's a magnet.

So where the tools of a coca implant, they have a magnet in your in your head.

So it's a really long, like I can't explain it through like like this, but I have to explain it like in a diagram to understand it a lot more.

But because uh coca implants, it helps a lot for those who have a very, very, very low hearing loss.

Like for example, for me, mine is severe hearing loss, mine's not the bottom of the gram.

But because now I'm getting older, my hearing loss drop and dropping, dropping now.

And my audiologist would recommend me to do coca implants, but I said no, because it's too risky, especially now I'm getting older.

And you know, I I just I don't like surgery.

I hate surgery so much.

And um, that's why a lot of people tend to get coca implants when they're younger instead of when they're older.

SPEAKER_02: Okay, okay.

Interesting.

Very, very interesting.

So now you have these basically super high-tech ear pods that you're wearing, and and that will say for your hearing aids.

And so when you take those out, what is it like?

SPEAKER_01: When I take it out, I can't hear at all.

Like I'm completely like deaf.

SPEAKER_02: Okay.

Wow.

Well, so now as a child then, did you did you learn sign language?

SPEAKER_01: I actually went to a deaf school up to but I would say grade, so kindergarten to grade one or grade three.

During that time frame, I actually went to a deaf school and then I went to a hair school in the afternoon.

So the deaf school, they would actually teach me a lot of sign language.

But unfortunately, because my family didn't catch up with sign language, so they didn't bother learning how to do sign language.

So I eventually when I stopped going to the deaf school, I actually stopped learning sign language when I went to the hearing school because no one, in the hearing school knew sign language, they were rely heavily on verbally.

SPEAKER_02: Yeah, of course, of course.

But I would assume now with these hearing aids, you really don't need to to use sign language, correct?

SPEAKER_01: For some people, yes, for some other people no.

But for me, I don't really do sign language anymore because I'm because I've been grown out of it a lot, especially at the age of what, seven.

That's when I stopped like learning sign language.

So it's been years now.

SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, of course, of course.

So so did you at that time, I mean, did you immediately basically get some type of hearing aids?

SPEAKER_01: Obviously not as cool as the ones you have now, but the hairnaid that I have before, it was like, I don't who is that?

It's like a headphone, you know those headphones that's without the wires, but you put it on like a stamp done headphone.

I don't know, I don't know how to explain it.

Yeah, it's just like that.

That's the type of hairnight I had when I was younger.

And it's very easy to come out sometime because there's no tube that you can connect all over your ears.

So that was kind of different.

SPEAKER_02: Yes.

Okay, okay.

Interesting, interesting.

Well, well, you will probably find this very funny is that me as somebody who is blind, you would probably not believe that one of the most common questions I'm asked when somebody meets me is, oh my goodness, you're blind.

Do you know sign language?

And that's the most common question I get is if I know sign language.

And I immediately always laugh and I say, Okay, I think you're mistaken.

I think you're thinking of deaf people use sign language, blind people typically you think of knowing braille.

And so, but that is literally the most common question.

And I've literally had some people sit there and be like, Well, I don't understand why you wouldn't know sign language.

Right, why would I know sign language?

SPEAKER_01: Exactly.

I mean, that's really that's really strange.

I never heard of that before.

SPEAKER_02: Okay, okay.

Well, people are strange, let me tell you.

The the questions people ask, you you just never know.

So yeah.

SPEAKER_01: Wow.

SPEAKER_02: Yes, yes.

So so now you you go on with with school.

Now talk to me about, you know, kind of, you know, where you're at today and and what you've been doing.

I assume that you do a lot from what I've seen, a lot with kind of I don't even know what the correct word would be about, but like kind of like spreading like awareness of like the deaf community and stuff.

Because I I love like your email and stuff.

It's like deaf queen, and you know, like you seem like you really uh kind of embrace it and kind of making it super cool.

SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much.

I mean, yeah, so I'm my brand literally is like deaf queen boss.

So I didn't really think I didn't really think it would kick off that well.

Yeah, so what I do is so I'm so many things.

You are Chris.

And so I am international speaker, I speak on about self-awareness and mental health, self-love and dating, what it's like to be dating and disability community uh hedgewell.

I have a book coming out May 28th, which I'm super exciting.

And also too, I am a mental health coach for people who have disability.

And my door is also open for other people who don't have a disability hedgewall.

My whole purpose of this is really change the reputation among the disability community.

I my goal is always to try to have or advocate for disability community to be out there more and trying to allow them that, show them basically that if I can do it, you can do it.

There's nobody, nobody should be stopping you.

You know, especially if you have a big golden dream, you know, and no dream of gold is too small to achieve.

SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I love that.

Oh my goodness, you get it, Def Queen boss.

Woo, baby.

All over.

No, I love it.

And and so tell me about the kind of content you cover.

Like, because I I know you're on Instagram, I know you got your YouTube channel.

So, what kind of videos and stuff can people expect on like your YouTube channel?

SPEAKER_01: I'm replacing my YouTube channel if I'm gonna be really honest.

I know a lot of people are like, Clean, I got back right now.

I'm really trying, but it's really hard to keep up with, especially on my Instagram.

So, my content for my Instagram is more funny and um I make it more fun.

So it's like, what can we do?

Improve better, present community.

I talk about my life story and for my YouTube channel, it's a it's more of my life story as well, but more of like what I do day to day, what it's like to actually be deaf.

So that would I be talking about my YouTube channel.

SPEAKER_02: Yeah, okay, okay.

Well, cool, cool, cool deal.

Well, that's awesome.

So now, in addition to all this crazy stuff, I mean, but you're also a college student.

What is the degree that you are are seeking?

SPEAKER_01: So a degree I just graduated from it uh last year.

SPEAKER_02: Oh, okay.

Excuse me.

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: Okay.

I graduated last year from psychology degree.

And now I'm just finishing up my mental health and addiction diploma.

SPEAKER_02: Woo, whoo, man, she's killing it.

So so I'm curious to know, you know, how was it for you in through grade school and then, you know, on to college and and all that you've done?

I mean, being deaf, have you had to have many different, like made uh special arrangements made for you to be able to do everything that's needed in class?

SPEAKER_01: Yeah, there's a lot of things.

I actually did want to tell a story because so in university, I did have a lot of challenges when I started it because one professor, it was a music class, and he was very hard to accommodate me.

I do not know why.

And because of music class, I thought you learned about music and you don't really listen to music for tests.

And so I said to him, and I actually read the outline at the beginning of the course semester to make sure that I'm able to take this course.

And I always read my first outline because you want to make sure that you can be successful uh at the end of the course.

And so I told him and I said, Hey, like, you know, I am a deaf person.

I know that on the outline, based on the test and exam, you have to listen to music.

Where I can't do that because of the echo and the classroom is like a movie theater.

I might miss a few things.

And so, and it's very hard for me because it's like I have to work ten times harder to listen to music.

So fast forward, he didn't bother accommodating me when the test came.

And I was like, why am I still here?

I thought I would get a test and uh and uh test-in room for people who have learning disability or disability students as well, and he did not do that.

So I ended up going to my disability counselor and said, Hey, like I need help, like this is not fair, and I'm getting difficulty, you know, getting it on my accommodation.

And she was like, What are you talking about?

And then I explained that situation to her and I told her I did show her my accommodation for him to know that I am a deaf person, I'm not lying.

And guess what?

In the end of the course, I ended up failing it because of that one she didn't want to accommodate me, even though I had support system and DC, yeah, it was very unfortunate.

And I was like, Are you what?

And it's that's because how the students, you know, went to school, it's expensive, right?

You have to pay these schools to the government gives you money for it, but anyway, but it's like it's just ridiculous.

And that was my challenge I actually faced in university, was that teachers were not willing to accommodate me a lot of time because I felt like I'm taking advantage of my accommodation.

I guess because it's university, it's post-secondary, so professors think that students try to take advantage of it.

And it's just like, no, we're not taking advantage of it.

So it's very unfortunate.

And the way how I overcome it, literally, I just said, you know what, I'm gonna prove them wrong.

At the end of the day, I know that I I did what I can do best for myself.

And, you know, in fact, right now, during my last year of university, I actually met up my one of my professors, actually deaf.

He actually went hair in a paused the lecture to change his hair in a body.

And I said, Wait, did you just pause the lecture to change your hairnaid body?

And it was so crazy.

And no one knew he was deaf because his hairnaids were invisible, like you couldn't see it.

SPEAKER_02: Yes.

SPEAKER_01: And I was like, oh my god.

And I I was the only one that actually clapped.

And everybody said, Why are you clapping?

I'm like, because I'm deaf key.

You never see a deaf professor before.

I never have.

And I had a conversation with him and I said that and I told him how that first semester professor feels mentioned.

He's like, What?

And I was like, Yeah, and then he's like, see you, and he's like, You have to keep pressing because you never know who's washing.

Just like the way you came to me right now and said you're deaf, I wouldn't know.

So that that always keeps in my mind forever is that you just never know who's washing you, who needs your voice.

So that was that was something I learned a lot in university.

So I did have difficulty time at university, but it did not stop me to continue.

And I tell people, yes, they're gonna be challenges, yes, they're gonna be professors that's not willing to accommodate you, but but more what are you gonna do about it?

Are you gonna allow mom to take advantage of you or are you gonna fight for it?

SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.

Oh my goodness.

Wow.

Such a powerful story.

So now, like when you're in a college class and you're in lecture, is it hard for you, you know, in in a big, you know, I'm thinking a big classroom, a big lecture hall, to hear the teacher?

SPEAKER_01: Yes, it is.

Yes, it is.

That's why um some college, depending on what their services are for people who are deaf or who have different disabilities.

Like for me, I had a note taker.

So I was able to take my own notes and also have a note taker provided for me in case I missed something because mid lecture is very hard to hear all the time.

SPEAKER_02: Yes.

Yeah, definitely, definitely.

Wow.

Wow, well, well, that's right.

So now, what was your experience like at the university as far as with the help that they would provide?

Like when you you talk about having a note taker there.

Were they good, reliable?

SPEAKER_01: They were 100% reliable.

Some of them not so much, because they would just take notes.

Well, I expect them to take a little bit more notes for me.

Um sometimes you can't have high expectations because some people may do enough for free for volunteer screen, right?

So I tell people you have to respect their time.

I don't expect a lot of people to go out the way, but I know a lot of note takers.

If you communicate with them and say, hey, your notes are really great, but I am a deaf person, I really need a little bit more notes.

If you can, if you can't, that's okay.

And I tell people, your note-takers are your best friend.

So if you need something and you figure it and you know, it's always go to them.

So I say I had an amazing experience with all my note-takers because they're doing things out of their own time that they shouldn't be doing it, right?

And some people don't get paid for it, which I didn't know because I thought they do.

But my note taker, who'd actually now my editor for everything I do for my business, for my book, and I hire her to actually be my editor just because of university.

SPEAKER_02: Wow.

Wow, well, that's phenomenal.

That's so good.

I'm so glad to know that you had such a great, like, positive experience and stuff with that.

That's just really, really awesome.

So I know that I had when when I attempted college, which I wasn't a big fan of school to begin with.

And so, so then when I went blind, you know, in my junior year of high school, you know, I really wasn't sure what was gonna happen.

And anyways, the assistance that I got both in in my senior year of high school as well as then when when I went into did some classes at my community college, the assistance that I got, they weren't so great.

And so I had one lady who helped me as my note taker who would fall asleep in class and would be snoring.

Oh my god.

It was the most embarrassing thing in the world.

I was just like mortified.

And then, like in in college, the note takers who I had in college, they most of the time they wouldn't show up, or if they would show up.

They would be like participating in class or they would be goofing off.

It was oh my god, it was a horrible experience.

So I'm so happy to hear that you had a good experience with that.

So yeah.

SPEAKER_01: I'm actually it's so true because some snow take, and I think that's why some of the note take that I had with the same thing.

I feel like they were falling asleep so they were just making a bunch of random notes because the lecture is boring.

SPEAKER_02: Yes, yes.

Oh my goodness.

So what caused you to go the direction, like with your education and your career field that you went?

SPEAKER_01: I would say I was working at a park, I kind of just went around, and that was before I started university.

Oh, actually, remember my first summer.

Yeah, so it was my first summer, and a little boy pushed me, my hairname was in a ponytail, and I thought he was lost because it's a big kid's park.

And he's like, No, like I just want to show you my hairmates.

Oh my god.

I just I was like, oh my god.

And we had a small talk, his mom came to me.

I thought the mom was gonna yell at me, like, why are you talking to my son?

SPEAKER_00: Right?

So I was like, oh, the son came to me, right?

SPEAKER_01: And I was getting nervous.

And me and the mom had a small talk, and she was just saying, Yeah, Lori is the first person that my son seen publicly and in a hair community, because I always tell my son she can do a lot of things.

And I was like, What?

And then it's so true because when I was growing up, I never met someone that would step in a hand community.

And it's very sad, and then I said, you know what, let me make a difference in the deaf community.

Maybe I can change the reputation of that.

And that's when I chose to go into that field.

And because of that little boy, it made me push me even farther.

And I thought the second story is when I was growing up, I always looked for death counselor, death therapists to watch these because I did not want to go to a normal hand therapist.

I feel like they won't understand where I'm coming from and they won't understand what are the tools I need.

I feel like they may have the resources I need, but not what I actually need, if that's gonna make sense.

And so that's why I should take my feelings because for example, if you actually go online right now and you literally type in death gossip, death surface, you won't see a lot of them pop up.

And it's very sad.

It's like why?

But again, because there's so many slack of accommodating schools and slack of support for people who have a discipline going into school, and that's why a lot of people won't be able to graduate a lot of time, right?

And there's a lot of pressure, it's a lot of work, and that's not people to work, it's not easy, tasks, right?

So and that's why that's why I showed this field to really help those to get their boards heard, especially in the disability community.

SPEAKER_02: Yeah, well, I love that.

I totally love that, and and I admire you about that, and and I can tell you that I love the story about about the little boy at the park because I can tell you that from for myself, it's the little kids that that for me that mean to most.

Like I go almost every year, of course, with with the whole coronavirus and all that, that kind of put a damper on a couple of years.

But for the most part, I was going every year to a local elementary school and speaking to little like kindergartners and first graders, and then some like third and and fifth grade classes.

And I'll tell you what, talking with the kids is just so it's so like such like a breath of fresh air, you know?

And it especially because like it's just kind of like, I don't know, they give you like a renewed sense of like hope in society in the world.

And especially when you can like teach them and show them about your life, and so that then when they grow up and they come into situations where they meet somebody who's quote unquote different, well, they realize, hey, wait, like I I met a guy who was blind and he was just super cool.

He talked to my class, you know what I mean?

And so, so I love that story about about you meeting that little boy and and the impact he made because I can tell you that the the kids that I have gotten to speak to have totally impacted my life.

And so I just love that.

SPEAKER_01: That's very true.

It's very true.

I feel like why should the next generation suffer?

You know, like that's not fair for them.

And they never act to be born this way.

No one ever did.

SPEAKER_02: No, exactly, exactly.

I love it, I love it.

So, what are your plans moving forward?

So, well, I guess a big part of that is this book.

Tell me about this book that you have coming out.

SPEAKER_01: It's just big.

Um, it's big.

SPEAKER_02: Oh, it's big.

Kalina's like, whoa, whoa, whoa, can we just set the stage by saying, we got something big coming out?

SPEAKER_01: So something big coming up.

It's big.

So deaf.

I do have a book coming out.

It's gonna be released May 28th, and it's called Every Day I Am Just Duff.

With this book, it's about me being duff in a hand community.

It's mixed with poetry and biography.

It's very short, 95 pages.

Very nice, short, small, simple book.

It's not anything heavy, it's very nice and flow.

And you and everybody will get an idea of what it's like to be duff in terms of dating, recovery, advocating, and educational.

SPEAKER_02: Okay, okay.

I love this.

So now, where are we going to be able to find this book at?

SPEAKER_01: You guys were able to find this book on my Instagram and on Amazon, because I know a lot of people own it on Amazon.

So I said, why not just put on Amazon?

And then moving forward, I probably put on chapter, Walmart.

So yeah, so that's where we can find it.

SPEAKER_02: Well, that is phenomenal.

Now tell me the title of the book one more time.

SPEAKER_01: Every day I am just deaf.

SPEAKER_02: Every day I am just deaf.

I love it.

I can't wait.

Yes, that's so exciting.

Now, is that something that you've been working on for a while?

SPEAKER_01: Yes, for a good year now.

SPEAKER_02: Okay, okay.

That's uh now what what made you decide to write a book?

SPEAKER_01: Well, simple.

Had anybody ever read a deaf author, an author, a deaf author?

A lot of people tell me no, and that's why I'm doing it.

SPEAKER_02: All right, all right.

I love this.

I love this deaf queen boss.

I'm I'm picking up I'm I'm picking up a theme with you.

You like to do the stuff that people ain't doing, so I like it.

SPEAKER_00: Thank you.

SPEAKER_02: Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

That's so awesome.

So now, and then you said you're also a coach as well.

SPEAKER_01: Yes, I am.

SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so so who do you work with as a coach?

Like who are who who's who's your uh your your ideal person to to coach?

SPEAKER_01: My ideal person to coach is definitely someone with disability from age between age 15 to 35 years old.

So I do work with job professionals.

And I work with those specializing in anxiety, depression, so and social anxiety as well.

And I also as well help those who, especially for young adults, find the path.

Like where do they want to go in terms because I know a lot of times when we come out of high school or post secondary, we have a hard time finding our path.

So I do want to be that coaching to help them guide them to the direction that they need to go.

SPEAKER_02: Yeah, okay.

Well, I love that.

And and again, if anybody's interested, they want to learn more, is the best place just your Instagram?

SPEAKER_01: Instagram, yes.

Everybody can follow my Instagram.

So yeah, everybody can follow me in DevQueenBox.

I do have Twitter.

Uh it's cute Kalena.

I don't really use Twitter, I just go on there because a lot of people were talking about Twitter space.

So I was like, Oh, let me talk to Twitter space.

So, yeah, you guys can find me on there, and then most importantly, my website where you can book your session.com.

SPEAKER_02: Woo-hoo, love it.

Kalina Empowerment.com, correct?

Yes.

Yes, that is correct.

Okay, wonderful, wonderful.

Well, Kalena, such a joy to have a chance to meet you and and to get to just share your story, you know, with with my audience.

But I mean, more so, I guess I'm just excited that I got a chance to meet you and hear your story for myself and just get to to meet you.

You're full of so much life and spunk and energy, and uh I love it.

SPEAKER_01: Yes, yes, thank you so much.

I get that a lot, but you know, it's always a bunch of fun to positive vibes.

SPEAKER_02: Yeah, absolutely, absolutely.

Well, well, before we go, any last words that you would like to share with anybody listening?

SPEAKER_01: I just wanted to tell everybody who is listening that it's okay to not be okay.

So some days you're gonna have bad days, some days you're gonna have good days, but that doesn't mean that you should stop chasing your dreams.

SPEAKER_02: I love it, absolutely love it.

Kalina, an absolute pleasure to have you on the podcast today.

So thank you.

SPEAKER_01: My pleasure.

I hope everybody have an amazing day.

SPEAKER_02: Wonderful, wonderful.

And for you listening, I hope that you have enjoyed meeting Kalina Powell as much as I have.

Maybe you're smiling as big as I am because Kalina's just one of those people who you can't help but smile when you talk to her.

I think she's also just a reminder to us all that you know what, recognize the little things in life.

The little things and how much they mean to us, and even the things that we don't think about, like our senses, our our sight, our hearing, things that we we take for granted.

Let her story just be a reminder that whether you have all your senses or you don't, it doesn't mean that you can have to stop living.

Because she has certainly not.

And matter of fact, I think she's a really beautiful example of how much more living there is to be done, no matter what senses we do or do not have.

And that's the lowdown with Evan Low.

I hope today's episode inspired you, motivated you, and excited you to get out and enjoy life, no matter what obstacles may be standing in the way.