I’m honored to be supporting KultureCity’s mission of inclusion for a 4th NYC Marathon.  Although neither of my children have autism or sensory disabilities by supporting Kulture City’s mission for inclusion, I can help children and adults with sensory disabilities have the same opportunities to experience the world the same way my kids can.  This is the true meaning of inclusion.

Jack Knight is my inspiration to raise funds and awareness for KultureCity. He is the epitome of making the nevers possible! ❤️🤙🏽💪🏽

This will be my 5th time to run the NYC marathon on behalf of KultureCity KC FIt and every time has been magical, because of the amazing people on our team and the amazing families we run this for.  All the funds raised for this take us one step closer to a world where all those with invisible disabilities are included and accepted in venues everywhere. The families we run this race for face no easy path.  It is our goal to choose to run this hard race in order to make their life path a bit easier.   We are here for you.

Life is pretty different than I imagined. The last 18 years couldn’t be further removed than how I thought life would go. And if I look at life through that lens, it would be quite easy to feel defeated, and feel life isn’t fair. But if there is one lesson we can all learn from the past few years, it’s that none of us know what’s going to happen next in our lives. Our whole world can be turned upside down in an instant, and still we find a way to adapt. We just do.

Autism has meant life has been incredibly challenging at times. For Carson, and for me. On top of that there’s been typical life challenges. Missing out on things to meet his current needs has been challenging, isolating. Missing friends and family, and missing out on social events in order to meet your child’s needs, is one of the most challenging things for autism parents. You can’t ‘just’ go to the park, to a party, to a restaurant, on a vacation, be around other kids, or go to the zoo. Even the simplest things like waiting can be incredibly stressful. It’s easy to become more and more isolated from a community we need. We are hardwired for social interaction and relationships, we have a need to connect. When that starts to fade away, it can be incredibly difficult.

This is why I run. Why I am running my 27th (Akron) and 28th (New York City) marathon for KutureCity. Why I care so deeply about this organization and the mission, to create a more inclusive world for those with sensory, communication and behavioral needs. With the right adaptions and accommodations, there are so many experiences that are possible. So many experiences our kids don’t have to miss out on. We want their world to be bigger, but also a happy one. I couldn’t be more hopeful for more community spaces with inclusive spaces, learning about our children’s needs, and welcoming to all. That maybe one day our lives won’t have to be quite so hard and isolating.

I can say these two marathons will be my biggest challenge yet, and my most rewarding after the past few months. My goal is to raise $5000 for KultureCity. Every step, every mile, every dollar means a bigger and better and more patient world for Carson and for others like him. Parenthood is about celebrating and accepting the child you have, not what you thought they would be. I believe the best days are ahead of us. Thank you for caring about us, supporting us, and loving us. ❤️

I am running my 3rd Marathon for KultureCity with the goal of making the world a more inclusive place for people of ALL abilities.

My Aunt Merle was in a car accident that left her with a small chance of surviving over 40 years ago (!!) and has been advocating for disability rights ever since. In her career in Pittsfield, MA, she founded the first fully inclusive run-oar-roll triathalon, fundraised to build the first fully inclusive playground, has petitioned for numerous law changes and additional benefits and continues to inspire the community on a day-to-day basis. AKA she is a fkng LEGEND!

My mom is a speech-language pathologist who dedicated her life to working with elementary aged students who communicated and learned differently.

My dad, who was born to parents who survived the holocaust, immigrated to America from Poland & Israel at the age of 8 with his family (shoutout to my Aunt Marilyn!)– he did not speak English and had no money. He worked tirelessly to own Avignone – the #1 health & beauty aid pharmacy in NYC!

My wife, who is in her eighth year of medical training, just started her cardiology fellowship at NYU (moDRel Icon!).

26.2 miles pales in comparison to their accomplishments. So lets raise $$$ and make the world MORE INCLUSIVE for everyone!!

LFG!! Rock On & Stay Epic!

Let’s run it back!!

I am so excited to be running the 2023 NYC Marathon with Kulture City.

At KultureCity, their mission is to “make the nevers possible”. For families with children who have a sensory disability,  routine occasions like going out to dinner, setting up playdates, seeing their favorite sports team, etc. can seem impossibly hard. So much so, that families often leave these experiences exhausted, disheartened, and thinking that they could “never do that again” because they were unable to properly address their child’s sensory overload in the public setting. KultureCity’s mission is to “make the nevers possible” so that people with sensory disabilities can experience the same joys as other families and ensure that they feel comfortable and supported while doing so.

Please join me in furthering this wonderful organizations mission by donating to my fundraiser for KultureCity! You can learn more about KultureCity at https://www.kulturecity.org/. Thank you for your support and I hope to see you on the streets of NYC this November

I am proud to announce that I am running the NYC marathon for KultureCity on November 5th 2023!  This will be my second year running for sensory inclusion with hopefully many more years to come.

Being diagnosed as autistic at 2 years old, the only thing in life guaranteed for me was difficulty.  As I grew up I resented being autistic and hated who I was.  Like most of the world at the time I viewed autism as strictly a hinderance.  A disease.  Something wrong with me that would define who I am and limit who I can become.

KultureCity was the first organization to approach me and show me that I could love who I am.  That I could accomplish so much by embracing who I am.  That I can inspire others to create a more inclusive world for all.

As of today I am a 5 year board member of KultureCity.  I have had the honor of sharing my story with people from around the world.  I have been blessed with the opportunity to educate and train industries and organizations such as sports teams/arenas, zoos/aquariums, emergency services, restaurant groups, school systems, and so much more.

But my biggest pride is having the chance to inspire others to share their stories.  To see those with disabilities convey their feelings and emotions healthily for the first time and to show family members that a better world is coming for their loved ones.

But this is where I need your help!

If you can, please donate to my fundraiser so you help myself as well as all of the other hard working team members of KultureCity continue our work.  This ensures that we can healthily grow into an organization that can ensure sensory inclusion globally for years to come.  You can learn more at https://www.kulturecity.org.

Learn more by visiting their website at https://www.kulturecity.org

I am SO excited to share that I will be running my FIRST New York City Marathon with my older brother Sean Culkin for KultureCity!! KultureCity is the nation’s leading nonprofit on sensory accessibility and acceptance. 1 in 6 Americans have sensory needs which means they struggle to cope with external environments that overwhelm their senses. KultureCity works with first responders, major event spaces, and other public forums to ensure staff are properly trained and venues have appropriate access to the tools needed to help someone through a sensory event. This encompasses everything from training first responders on how to spot the signs of a sensory event and help individuals through it to building sensory rooms in NFL stadiums so that families have a place to go if the crowd becomes overwhelming. They strive to make the world a better, more inclusive place for all, every single day. I am thrilled to help further such an incredible mission and continue to make the nevers possible for families like mine!!

Running the NYC Marathon has always been a dream of mine but running for KultureCity and Sean makes the experience so much more impactful. Sean is an autism self-advocate on the board of KultureCity, a phenomenal public speaker, extremely devoted friend, an inspiration to everyone he meets, and most importantly a phenomenal older brother. KultureCity has given Sean an incredible platform to speak about the challenges he faced growing up as he navigated different social settings with a form of autism known as Aspergers. By telling his story, Sean has empowered other members of the community and beyond to dream big and not accept societies limitations while continuing to strive for their goals. As a board member at KultureCity, Sean has also been instrumental in helping spread awareness and fundraising so that the KultureCity team can continue to do the incredible work that they do.

At KultureCity, their mission is to “make the nevers possible”. For families with children who have a sensory disability, like ours, routine occasions like going out to dinner, setting up playdates, seeing their favorite sports team, etc. can seem impossibly hard. So much so, that families often leave these experiences exhausted, disheartened, and thinking that they could “never do that again” because they were unable to properly address their child’s sensory overload in the public setting. KultureCity’s mission is to “make the nevers possible” so that people with sensory disabilities can experience the same joys as other families and ensure that they feel comfortable and supported while doing so.

Please join me in furthering this wonderful organizations mission by donating to my fundraiser for KultureCity! You can learn more about KultureCity at https://www.kulturecity.org/. Thank you for your support and I hope to see you at the finish line 🙂

My name is Mike Sorensen and I am an educator from Utah.  I am excited to raise money for Kulture City and their mission to create inclusion for individuals with sensory needs, individuals like my 10 year old nephew Asher. As much as I love being an educator, family is the #1 priority in my life. Asher is the oldest son of my brother Curt.  I have looked up to my brother for the past 40 years and would do anything for him.  He ran the NYC marathon in 2021 to raise money for kids like Asher and families like his but is unable to run this year. I want to run in his place and help as many kids like Asher experience life to the fullest. Help Asher and other families like my brothers and donate to Kulture City!  Thank you!

I am running my first marathon this November. What better place to do it than in my little home town of New York City? And what better cause to run for than KultureCity, which helps provide access and inclusion to people with sensory issues? People like my daughter Fiona who is on the autism spectrum. I fully support KC’s mission of inclusion, and I am honored to be running on their marathon team.

Running a marathon is something I’ve thought about since I was a teenager, so it’s a thrill that some 40 years later I’m going to make that dream come true. To do it in honor of Fiona makes it all the more meaningful.

This race is a fundraiser for me, so please donate what you can. My ambitious goal is to raise $15,000. Together my friends and family raised more than half of that last year for a 1/2 marathon. This time let’s go really big. Every bit counts, even one dollar donations matter.

See you in Central Park. I’ll be the one out of breath.

This year, I will be running my first New York City Marathon with KultureCity, an organization that supports individuals with disabilities by creating sensory accessibility and inclusion for all. I am thrilled to be running my first NYC Marathon, but even more excited to support inclusion for individuals with disabilities in the process. 

As a special education teacher, I see the impact that KultureCity has by creating sensory friendly events and opportunities for all individuals to participate in. Many individuals have sensory needs or invisible disabilities, including PTSD, autism, and TBI’s. Many public events may not be conducive for all, and unfortunately some individuals may withdraw from participating. KultureCity works towards ensuring that events are accommodating to all sensory needs by organizing sensory friendly events, training staff on how to make accommodations to events, and educating first responders on how to meet the needs of all. The nonprofit organization builds sensory friendly rooms, sends out mobile sensory friendly rooms for events, and provides sensory kits to individuals in need. By making small changes to events, KultureCity makes big strides towards inclusion for all. It is exciting to see events become more inclusive for all, so that students like mine can be included in all events. 

Please join me as I train for the 2023 New York City Marathon by donating to my fundraiser for KultureCity! You can learn more at https://www.kulturecity.org/. Thank you for your support and I hope to see you at the finish line!

This year I will be running the NYC Marathon with KultureCity, a fantastic organization that helps both kids and adults with sensory accessibility and acceptance.

KultureCity has made a big difference in the way my family interacts with our community.  I feel so fortunate to have access to one of their trailers at all of our town events, allowing me to bring my 5 year old son Sam out to experience new things from morning street fairs to night time parades and their free sensory bag now come with us every new place we visit.

Because of KultureCity my family is able to participate so much more in our community, knowing we can comfortably expose Sam to new experiences while having some support, just in case.  I have a goal of raising $5,000 to help other people like Sam get the same sort of support in their communities.  Thank you so much for considering a donation, I really appreciate it!

This year, Lift 4 Autism and KultureCity are designating funds raised for autism families struggling in the face of financial difficulties. Last year we raised nearly $135,000, and we are so excited to see how the romance reading community rallies around families during these extraordinary times.

I am the proud mom of two beautiful boys, Ethan and Owen. In 2021 Ethan was diagnosed with Autism and so began the process of learning, understanding, and adapting to life with a child whose needs are different from his peers. For sometime, Ethan had struggled in social situations–we’d mostly noted that he was shy, but his shyness was at times paralyzing. It hurt to watch him not be able to enjoy events and places that other children navigated with ease and joy. The impact of this was pervasive; no person in our family was unaffected. If Ethan got anxious or uncomfortable, so did we. Oftentimes we would make changes (bringing two cars to parties, leaving playgrounds early if Ethan was overwhelmed) that directly impacted Owen’s experience and that caused him to miss opportunities that he’d otherwise enjoy. In these moments, it felt like choosing sides–picking one child’s needs and  preferences over the others. The guilt of making these decisions was crushing and cruel. 

One day I bought a family membership to a local zoo. As we entered I saw a sign indicating that the zoo was sensory friendly and made note to read more about the organization designated on the sign–KultureCity. As I began to scroll through the website I was awestruck. I downloaded the app and we used it that week, over spring break. I shared the social stories found on the app with both boys as we visited several places that were KC certified. Both children liked looking at the pictures and knowing what was to be expected, I felt less anxious because I knew we were prepared. More importantly, there were spaces and tools for us to use if needed; we could do things differently, rather than being denied. 

I had been an avid runner for a while before kids, before an Autism diagnosis, before I knew about KultureCity. I have turned to running as an outlet for stress many times in my life and I’m grateful for all that running has given me (health, friendship, and sense of accomplishment).  In 2020 I decided that I’d begin working towards running a marathon in all 50 states. While it is a long term goal, I am happy to partner with KCfit along the way. This year I will be running the Chicago Marathon, Antelope Canyon 50 Miler (my first 50), The Flying Pig Marathon and finally New York City 26.2. My goal is to not only fundraise for sensory acceptance and adaptive programs but to share my experience in hopes of helping others. Purpose is powerful and I am excited to run for an organization that I feel deeply connected to.

Hey there, Friends and Family!

I will be competing in the Chattanooga Full Ironman race on September 25th in support of KultureCity – an organization that creates possibilities through sensory accessibility, acceptance and inclusion for those with invisible disabilities.

While I am excited to swim 2.4 miles, bike 116 and run 26.2 I am more inspired to support an organization that works tirelessly for acceptance and a better future for children with autism, veterans with PTSD, those with strokes, down syndrome and more.

The KultureCity mission and community has inspired me to my core. After completeing several Ironman half distance races, my fitness journey has led me to a new challenge. In my heart, I knew the hundreds of hours of training and planning must equate to something more important than a bucket list accomplishment. Your support means the world to myself and KultureCity. I can’t wait to keep you up to date throughout my training! Learn more about this amazing organization, here: https://www.kulturecity.org

Drew Magid