Friday, December 01, 2006
About Paul Sanchez

Paul Sanchez, age 30, has suffered from dyslexia and ADD his entire life. In second grade, he tested positively for a learning disability but results were not strong enough to be placed in a special learning faciltity. Therefore, he was put in a regular schooling, where he “suffered through nearly 18 years at California public schools.

After attending numerous city colleges, Paul finally tested positive for dyslexia and ADD at Santa Barbara City College. Under a program that provided much needed assistance, Paul was able to earn his Associates Degree from the College in 2004 at age 28.

Following graduation, he set out on his mission to create a documentary about dyslexia and learning differences and the struggles of children around the country. From July 7, 2004 to February 2, 2005, Paul completed a 10,000 mile bike ride around the perimeter of the country. During this trip, he met 13 children with dyslexia or learning differences in 13 different major cities. He is now living in Santa Barbara, CA working to promote and raise funding for his documentary, Soloride, through the 8 Wishes initiative.

The Team
Steve Noh, Paul's right hand man
Chase Kidd, we'll call him the creative inspiration
Kristen Forbriger, PR and editor
Shaun Sanders, Design, Marketing, Creative Director, Guru King Nerd of the Universe
Nate Ajello, Partner and fellow 10,000-miler
posted by Kristen @ 8:10 PM  
20 Comments:
  • At 7:17 PM, Blogger loveisaturtle said…

    Paul You Rock
    my husband, now deceased, had dyslexia but managed to persevere and become a wall street vp - even though his HS guidance counselor told him to set his sights on being a shoe store manager. two of our 3 kids have learning disabilities and add.
    Did you know that Albert Einstein was dyslexic?
    Saw you on DivX and will say a big prayer for you! suzanne in schuylerville, ny

     
  • At 8:37 AM, Blogger Life Peaceful said…

    Dear Paul:
    My Name Is Chris, I just wanted to thank you for what your doing and to ask you how can I be apart of the movement. Let me start by telling you my story. My education was typical by the standards of the NYC education system, but there was something different about me. In the 4th grade he was diagnosed with Dyslexia by the NYC special education burial. Instead of going into the Special Education system (where students are usually bound for failure and ridiculed for being different) my mother got me into an alternative school in Westchester New York called Karafin (This is a great school for people like us you should look into it). There I learned that I was not cursed with a disability, but blessed with the ability to seeing the world in two different formats.
    I was recruited to play football in my second year of high school at Karafin by Canarsie high school. In my senior year I graduated a semester early with an average of 92.6 and received the scholar athlete award at from my team. I started at Long Island University through the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) in 2004.
    After making the deans list, being published, and publicly admired for my mind on numerous occasions I began to embrace my dyslexia and started using it to my advantage. Soon I started seeing myself as “Dyslexic Jenius.” I don’t mean genius in the typical concept of the word. I think of myself as a Jenius in that I do not think in the same format as most of the world. I had to train myself to think as the world does and it has come to a point where my brain sees the world in two different stratus. The fact that I was able to do that gave me the confidence to do anything including change the world, as we know it. I feel almost super human at this point lol. Like I can see and do things that normal people cant.
    I began to admires people like Albert Einstein, Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Edison, John Lennon, and John F. Kennedy, and of course Huey P. Newton, who all had dyslexia and whose minds changed the world. I truly believe that I will be the next name on this list to leave a profound impact on the world.
    I have worked feverishly to change the NYC department of education, stop police brutality, decrease the over representation of Black males in the prison system and increase the number of black males in the education system. I am building a name for myself in this city through my deeds. I am a star at my school for the things that I’ve done and I was recently nominated to student body president. I hope to be able to help you in anyway possible. Thank you for your time. Peace and love.

     
  • At 8:42 AM, Blogger Life Peaceful said…

    Hey if you can contact me at Youngchris365@aol.com Thanks.

     
  • At 8:22 AM, Blogger Barbara Carder said…

    Paul ~~ I could see you pedaling down the Erie Canal bike trail near where I live on the U-Tube video. I work in a NYS public school and know that your inspiration lifts all of us in our daily work to help everyone . . . everyone. ~~ It matters what we all do and it matters that we help each other. All good things for you -- Barbara C, Hilton, New York

     
  • At 4:18 AM, Blogger Vicky said…

    Dear Paul,
    My name is Vicky and I have a 19 yr old. It was established early that he had a learning difference. I was able to get help for him throughout the years. Because of a fire situation in 2003, I moved to Alabama early 2004. I found that schools down here require an exit exam in order for the child to graduate. When my son failed the exit exam, I was talked into having my son try for an occupational (or IEP) diploma. He would have to work also 270 hrs for this diploma. When I registered him for college after he graduated, I found out that in order for him to go, he would have to get his GED. I was highly upset because why should after he went through 12 yrs of school that he needs to get this, and as most people no that a GED represents people who have dropped out of school. I also found out after the fact that he has until he is 21 to take the exit exam. I was to through because I would have chosen for him to get the extra help needed for him to pass the exit exam. My son is a great young man because he had good grades, he doesn't get into trouble, he's respectful and deserves better than this. I feel the school owes my son and should accomodate him to have him picked up and brought to the school for him to take the exit exam until he can pass it. Please get the word before a parent makes a decision based on what the school says that they should ask more questions and find out other options, because there are always more than 1. The school system portrays as if there is only one way and there is not. If I had known this information @ the time we first moved here I would have made sure then that he would have gotten the extra help and graduated with a regular diploma and he would have been finishing his first yr of college instead of working on his GED.

     
  • At 1:44 PM, Blogger Keith Anderson said…

    This comment has been removed by the author.

     
  • At 1:47 PM, Blogger Keith Anderson said…

    Hey. my name is keith i have you video on my myspace page to show every one how nuts you are... your doing a grate job and i love that your trying to help kid's man your nuts lol i culd never do that thats why i love ya for that... beautiful your video made me cry so manny time's cus you rach out to help kids in need it is realy beautiful i was one of thim kids..i have a hard time spelling i droped out of school cus i culd not read and when i had to read in front of every one i was scared agin ty for helping the kid's me and a lot of my friends pray for you and your time we love you guy's im crying now.. thanks agin..
    im sorry your nuts lol...ty.
    p.s. if you ever go on anuthe crazy stunt like that agin let me no i wanna join ya on the ride on..

     
  • At 3:43 AM, Blogger Dominic Took said…

    Hi Paul,

    Good to see another dyslexic battling against the poor opinions of what appear to be the majority.

    I've also suffered from dyslexia since a very early age and was diagnosed at the age of seven.

    However i've continued to drive myself to suceed and i am just about to publish a book in the next month called "The Storms of Acias" its a dark fantasy novel, though with regards to its plot, even though not a childrens book. You could say it was akin to Pans Labarinyth the film.

    I also run my own company in the UK called Transient Innovations Ltd and we are developing an online game to hopefully change the way people play online games.

    I think its great that there is so many websites today that are advocates for dyslexia. Yet i still see people slagging us off, or accusing us of using dyslexia for our own means. Great to see this.

    If anyone wishes to look at my book i have a website at www.dominictook.com.

     
  • At 10:06 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hey Paul,
    I just got your Myspace page from another Lodi girl and was so happy to see what you're doing!! I wanted to say hello, good luck, and I'm proud of you!

    Anna Baugh

     
  • At 4:08 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hi Paul, I have a 24 year old daughter who has dyslexia. the education system in Australia is only now beginning to improve. It took much extra effort on her behalf and mine to help her through her schooling...She passed with mostly A's. Enrolled her in 2 dance shcools where both teachers were aware of her dyslexia..She always managed to excell and won many medals and trophys..hard work and perserverance! How lucky are the future recipients of the scholarships!!!! Good luck to you and all that you are doing...May God continue to belss you!
    heather ..adelaide..australia

     
  • At 11:17 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Paul, My 10 year old daughter is dyslexic. There is little to no support in the state of Arizona and it has been hard. Knowing there are people like you gives hope to families like ours. Thank you! Please know that you are making a difference.

     
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