Meet Amber: A No Barriers Warrior

Meet Amber: A No Barriers Warrior

Amber Kulesza, No Barriers WarriorWe recently talked with Air Force Veteran, Amber Kulesza, a former crew chief who worked on F-16s and A-10s. Amber participated in our Warriors Program this year, which included spending time at our Mountain Campus in August.

Learn about Amber’s
No Barriers experience:

NB: What inspired you to apply for the No Barriers Warriors Program?

Amber: I almost didn’t apply because I thought I didn’t meet the qualifications. A good friend of mine reminded me not to self-select out. I liked No Barriers because it is different from other programs; it is not just the trip and then it’s over. The experience gave me a wider range of tools. Having Phase 1 [virtual programming] before the trip made me more comfortable to meet people in person.

NB: How has your life been impacted by your No Barriers experience?

Amber: I think it reminds me to challenge myself more to the fact that I can do more than I think I can at times. For example, the big hike that we did…if I were to do that hike by myself I probably would have stopped because my knee was hurting. I’m always trying to calculate how much pain am I going to be in and is it worth it. Having the team made me feel like it was okay to stop and pause. I felt I could take my time and not feel rushed, and that was a big thing and super helpful.

Amber Kulesza, No Barriers Warrior, hikingNB: Has your work with No Barriers helped you overcome challenges?

Amber: I think the physical stuff was definitely the biggest mental hit I took – feeling like I wasn’t strong enough to do the things that I enjoy. It makes me feel isolated and not want to sign up.

By working with No Barriers, I got that reminder to at least have that conversation to try things I want to try and to be more open to ask questions, instead of saying ‘this is going to be too much.’

NB: What is your favorite story to tell about your No Barriers experience?

Amber: I think it was really just such a cool space to be able to come together with people who I felt understood me, and there was no judgment. I could be authentically me and not feel like I had to hold back on what I was thinking or feeling.

NB: Which of the No Barriers 7 Life Elements is particularly powerful for you? Why?

Amber: “Rope Team” [connect with and build a strong community].
I am used to being the one that people rely on. For me it is so helpful to know that I can set that aside and let people know that I am struggling (or having a good day). It is nice to have a community I can lean into, and having that rope team that I can talk to, no matter what I am going through or dealing with (good or bad), and that they will authentically be there.

NB: What key lessons and/or experiences will you take with you, and how do you see yourself applying them to support you in everyday life?

Amber: I think pausing in the lessons I’ve learned and not just going to the next thing (my to-do list). I want to make sure that I am leaning into the tools that I use to build upon and that I can revisit those things when I need to.

The experience that really stood out was the cairn activity – just building it and seeing where it shifts. To know that what I build today might not be my priorities in the future and that’s ok; I can shift without feeling like I failed. I can try things just to try them, without an objective – I can try things for the fun of it!

NB: In your opinion, what is No Barriers’ most important work?

Amber: Allowing veterans to see that they have different choices post-service. They are not defined by what they did or what happened to them.  They have a choice going forward.

One of the things that really stuck out to me was ‘you’re not the things that happened to you; it can be a part of you, but it is not the whole of you – you don’t have to stay stuck there.’

NB: If you were asked by a friend, family member or colleague to share one thing about your experience, what would you say?

Amber: I would probably say that you’ll be more surprised at what you’ll learn about yourself in just 4 days!

Amber K, No Barriers Warrior, lakefront

In addition to practicing living a no barriers life, Amber enjoys scuba diving, legos and traveling.

Thank you, Amber, for sharing your No Barriers experience. We hope you will always remember: what’s within you is stronger than what’s in your way

Want to help other Veterans learn how to live a No Barriers life? You can by donating today.

Learn more about No Barriers Warriors Programs.

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MORIAH (MO) LEUTHAUSER

Program Manager

 

Moriah (Mo) Leuthauser grew up in a small town in Western Colorado. There she spent time outside with her family- skiing, backpacking, climbing and camping. She was introduced to adaptive recreation through an internship with a nonprofit organization that offered recumbent cycling tours from Telluride to Moab for disabled veterans. She was inspired to get involved with adaptive recreation after seeing the joy and healing that she had witnessed it bringing.  She attended Grand Canyon University, where she worked as a guide in the outdoor recreation program and received her Wilderness First Responder certification. Then, she worked at the National Ability Center as an adaptive ski instructor and as an adaptive raft guide for multi day rafting trips. During this time, she earned her PSIA Adaptive Level 1 cert and her Swift Water Rescue Level 4 cert. She now works for No Barriers as the Warriors Program Coordinator, but most enjoys opportunities to be in the field. In her free time, she enjoys mountain biking, rock climbing, skiing, board games and gardening. She hopes for a future where outdoor recreation is more accessible for all people and she plans to devote her career to this cause.