One person. One idea. And a ripple effect that keeps growing.

That was the feeling we took away from our recent Seeds of Change gathering, where we celebrated the work of the inaugural recipients of the Dr. Davetrina Seles Gadson Health Equity Mini-Grants.

It was more than a presentation of three projects.  It was a powerful reminder that one person’s passion can inspire others to take action—and that the impact can continue long after that person’s lifetime.

 

A Legacy That Lives Through Action

Dr. Davetrina Seles Gadson was passionate about health equity, inclusion, and making sure people whose voices are often overlooked have opportunities to be heard.

Her work (read the ARTICLE) challenged us to think about who has access to care, who faces barriers, and what we can do to make things better.

When the National Aphasia Association established the Health Equity Mini-Grants in her honor, we wanted to do more than recognize her contributions.

We wanted to help carry her mission forward.   And that is exactly what we are beginning to see.

Small Grants. Growing Impact.

During the Seeds of Change webinar, we heard from our first three mini-grant recipients.

• Dr. Warren Brown talked about his new anthology, “To be Aphasian, Gifted, and Black“, which shares voices of Black Americans with aphasia and is now available for purchase.
• Taylor Magaw shared what the students at Xavier University of Louisiana are doing to disseminate information and resources about aphasia to their community
• Dr. Victoria Tilton-Bolowsky revealed that her research study examining disparities in aphasia outcomes related to race and lesion size replicated the findings of Dr. Seles.

IDEA + OPPORTUNITY + INSPIRATION  = Action related to Health Equity!

The projects are different, but they share an important purpose: making aphasia care, education, and opportunities more accessible and inclusive.

What started as one person’s vision is now inspiring the work of others.    And those efforts have the potential to inspire even more.

That’s the ripple effect.

From Awareness to Action

At the NAA, we talk often about the importance of aphasia awareness.  Awareness opens doors. It helps people understand aphasia, recognize barriers, and see opportunities for change.   But awareness is only the beginning.

We also need action!

Action can mean supporting a new idea, reaching an underserved community, including voices that have been missing, or giving someone the resources to take a first step.   The Health Equity Mini-Grants are one way the NAA is helping make that happen.

And our Seeds of Change gathering reminded us why this work matters.  We weren’t just hearing about projects.

We were seeing what happens when people are given the opportunity to turn their ideas into something meaningful.

The Ripples Continue

As we prepare for the 2027 Health Equity Mini-Grant application cycle, we are excited to imagine what comes next.

During the Seeds of Change webinar, we were able to share another legacy.  One of a powerful advocate who made waves across the country!  Wanda Crews was a stroke survivor who helped others along their aphasia journey.  Her daughter, Kimberley Goode, joined us for the event and pledged her support toward the next cycle of Mini-Grants!

More ideas. More opportunities. More people inspired to make a difference.

We may not know how far these ripples will reach, but we know where they began: with Dr. Seles’s belief that everyone deserves to be heard, included, and supported.

A legacy isn’t only what we remember about someone. It’s what we continue to do because of them.

Thank you Dr. Seles… we hope we are making you proud!