Amazing Anjali Forber-Pratt Continues to Amaze ... That's Doctor Anjali

Paralympic Champion Anjali Forber-Pratt became Dr. Anjali Forber-Pratt earning a Ph.D. in Human Resource Education with a concentration in Human Resource Development. The degree was completed within the College of Education at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.  "My story is powerful in that it shows the power of overcoming obstacles and that we all have potential to achieve ... even in the face of adversity," said Anjali Forber-Pratt, who is also preparing for the London 2012 Games as a member of Team USA and a world record holder in the 200m and ranked among the top three fastest T53 women athletes in the world.

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CHAMPAIGN, Ill., March 13, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Having been told more than once during her early high school career that she didn't belong in Honors classes because she'd never go to college, Paralympic athlete Anjali Forber-Pratt has proven those naysayers wrong on so many different levels. The World Champion in the 200m and a member of the 2011 USA Paralympic Team, Forber-Pratt is currently training and considered a strong "hopeful" for the 2012 London Paralympic Games. Forber-Pratt, an ambassador for the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), often races in 15K competitions, half-marathons and last fall competed and finished 4th in the Boston Marathon as part of her training. But this is only half the story --- Anjali Forber-Pratt is now Dr. Anjali Forber-Pratt, having earned a Ph.D. in Human Resource Education with a concentration in Human Resource Development. 

The Natick, MA native Forber-Pratt often speaks about the link between athletic excellence, academic performance and giving back.

"My story is powerful in that it shows the power of overcoming obstacles and that we all have potential to achieve ... even in the face of adversity," said Forber-Pratt. "My children's book is directed toward children with disabilities, but also those children without disabilities so that all can see what is possible if they just follow my motto: dream, drive and do."

Forber-Pratt presented an autoethnographic account that captured the vulnerable moments, emotions and critical incidents to produce an evocative story about becoming a role model. Applying the theoretical lens of cultural capital, broader implications are made about identity development, race, disability and discrimination.

"There are very few former Paralympians who have reached this milestone, and I believe I am in the minority of current Paralympians as well," Forber-Pratt explains.

Folks that have met Forber-Pratt along the journey are impressed, but not surprised with her achievement. One such individual is James M. Benson, Chief Executive Officer of Benson Botsford, LLC, a Boston-based private investment firm who has known of Anjali's accomplishments for a quite some time through his support of the University of Illinois, the Olympics and now the Paralympics.

"When I first heard of Anjali … I was very impressed. The quiet tenacity by which she has gone about achieving her athletic success comes out as well in her academic pursuits. Anjali is a terrific person. We've met up several times at events for the Paralympics. She's a well-rounded and very accomplished woman, one of many from the University of Illinois, which I have been fortunate to observe. Although I have been involved mostly with her athletic accomplishments and not directly with her academic efforts, just knowing all that she has combined as an athlete and as a successful pursuer of a doctorate is impressive in itself."

"Many times you hear that athletes aren't good students in school – disabled students sometimes achieve modest, if any, academic completion. To see someone like Anjali who is extraordinarily competitive in her athletic achievements and then goes on to earn a Ph.D. in education is terrific in my opinion."

Forber-Pratt is pleased with the connection between herself and James Benson.

"Jim Benson and I met at the Boston Marathon last fall and have spent time together at two major private donor events in California during the past year. Our paths rarely cross here on campus but I truly appreciate and feel his support of the Paralympic side of the USOC and am thrilled we have that bond."

Dr. Steven Aragon, Forber-Pratt's advisor and dissertation director, believes her to be at the pinnacle of her success as an academic.

"I've had the opportunity to graduate 17 doctoral students -- Anjali was my 18th.  I met her in 2007 and immediately knew I wanted to work with her because she had an empowering story inside her that needed to be shared with others," Aragon states.  "Anjali truly exemplifies the qualities every professor wants in a doctoral student -- commitment, attention to detail and creativity.  Without a doubt, she will rank among the most outstanding students I have worked with in my career." 

About Anjali Forber-Pratt's Dissertation

Dream. Drive. Do.: Becoming that 'Someone Like Me'  is a fusion between social science and screenplay that yields a compelling story where the effects of reality, vivid details, and human experience come together. This unique intersection relies on the power of dialogue as well as rich visual imagery and cinematic techniques to capture key moments and the emotions of certain critical incidents.

The overarching story pertains to a federal lawsuit and serves as the anchor point. By moving forward and backward in time from this main event, other pieces pertaining to race, adoption, disability, sport and family are weaved throughout. The result is a survivor's tale that encourages other's to empathize and reflect about his or her own tale and engage in moral and ethical conversations. The author wants others to feel motivated to take control over their own lives, to think differently about the notion of diversity and to feel empowered to become a role model to others. This dissertation gives a voice to the autoethnographic "I" through scenes and challenges hegemonic ways.

EXCERPT:

ACT I:

Dream It

"If you've been dreamin'
For all your life
This is your chance
Everybody is a star
It don't matter who you are, no
Keep on reachin' for your dreams

'Cuz it ain't as crazy as it seems"

-- Black Eyed Peas, Own It (Adams, 2010, track 12)

Characters:

Lawyer 1: Lawyer 1 is older and seasoned in his early sixties with a deep and boisterous voice.

Lawyer 2: Lawyer 2 is a younger hot-shot lawyer who is awestruck by the conversation. He struggles to wrap brain around the conversation and vocalizes his doubt.

Scene 1:

The pair is sitting in Lawyer 1's office discussing this case.

Production notes:

There is no visual picture on the screen as this dialogue occurs. There is a black screen and we hear the short conversation as a voice-over. Descriptions of the images or movements to appear on the screen are provided in parentheses.

LAWYER 1

The face of public education will never be the same. Did you know this is the first case of its kind?

LAWYER 2

That can't possibly be true.

LAWYER 1

It is.

LAWYER 2

But, how?

LAWYER 1

Well, first off, very few people have the persistence to see something like this all the way through, especially a kid.

LAWYER 2

A kid? (Hear shuffling of papers.) Hmm…

LAWYER 1

I've gone through all the case law, there's nothing else like it. Not these allegations, and the demands… If this sticks, (Pause.) wow…

LAWYER 2

That big huh?

LAWYER 1

Monumental. Think Brown v. Board (1954). I'm not sure how we're going to stop her.

LAWYER 2

So who is this kid anyway?

(On the screen we see a quick image of the straight-away of a 400m track.)

Photo 1.

Anjali's childhood house on the first day of high school.                

Caption on screen reads: 7:00AM, 1998

I was the type of kid who laid out my clothes out and packed my school bag the night before -- in fact, I still pre-plan my outfits and all the accessories, gadgets and things I will need for the various adventures of the day. For anyone, the first day of high school is a milestone. Finally, I've reached the big leagues. No more recess, no more naptime as part of the school day, this marks the real deal. There's no turning back from this milestone, it's a rite of passage.

END EXCERPT

About Anjali Forber-Pratt

Anjali Forber-Pratt was introduced to the world of disabled sports at the young age of 5. She quickly excelled and by the age of 9 she was competing at the national level in track and field.

Currently she is the world record holder in the 200m and ranked among the top three fastest T53 women in the world for her other events, the 100 meter and 400 meter events. She was named to the United States Paralympic Track and Field Team and selected to represent the United States at the ParaPan American Games in Rio de Janeiro—where she came home with two gold medals in the 100m and 200m and a bronze in the 400m.

Anjali's current focus is to prepare for London 2012. Anjali is a graduate teaching assistant for the University of Illinois College of Education.

Anjali enjoys traveling around the country for speaking engagements and volunteering with local organizations for kids with disabilities. She is in the midst of launching a Color, Learn and Play coloring book aimed at educating young aspiring Paralympians on the variety of sports they can play and to teach young children that disabled people can play sports too!

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