{"id":5458,"date":"2019-10-09T22:01:32","date_gmt":"2019-10-10T03:01:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=5458"},"modified":"2019-10-14T14:27:33","modified_gmt":"2019-10-14T19:27:33","slug":"way-of-the-servant-warrior-meet-professional-adventurer-joshua-the-jedi-loya-grappling-with-surfing-through-and-speaking-about-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=5458","title":{"rendered":"Way of the Servant Warrior: Meet Professional Adventurer Joshua \u201cThe Jedi\u201d Loya \u2013 Grappling with, Surfing through, and Speaking about Life"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--powerpress_player--><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_8189\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-5458-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"http:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/JoshuaTheJediLoya.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/JoshuaTheJediLoya.mp3\">http:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/JoshuaTheJediLoya.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?page_id=5486\">Full Transcript<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Show Summary:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Joshua \u201cThe Jedi\u201d Loya is a professional adventurer, martial artist, U.S. Visually Impaired Surfing Champion 2017 and 2019 and public speaker. He lost his eyesight due to a prior health condition and an accident with nunchucks when he was a sophomore in high school. Since that day in January of 1996, Joshua has pursued personal growth and new experiences, never using his disability as an excuse for not giving it his all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Joshua has gone surfing, rock climbing, sky diving, and jumped off of 850 foot buildings, all after losing his sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I was finalizing this podcast episode, I was chatting with Joshua and he was headed out to do Stand-Up comedy, so let\u2019s add comedian to his lengthy resume. Joshua competed in this year\u2019s U.S. Open Surfing competition and took home 2<sup>nd<\/sup>&nbsp;place in the Visually Impaired category. When Joshua is not catching waves, he is most likely teaching and\/or studying martial arts at various locations. Seems like every day is an adventure for \u201cThe Jedi\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Join Joshua \u201cThe Jedi\u201d Loya and Jeff Thompson from Blind Abilities and find out what Joshua is grappling with, surfing on, jumping off of, and how he manages life\u2019s journey through challenges, darkness and a huge dose of courage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You will learn about the variations of Martial Arts, Surfing, being an Aira Explorer and how today is the best time to be Blind.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can find Joshua \u201cThe Jedi\u201d Loya on Twitter&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ServantWarrior?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Eembeddedtimeline%7Ctwterm%5Eprofile%3Aservantwarrior&amp;ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fservantwarrior.me%2Fwho-is-joshua-loya%2F\">@ServantWarrior<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Follow Joshua on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/JoshuaTheJedi\/\">Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out his web site at&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.joshuathejedi.com\/\">www.JoshuaTheJedi.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thanks for Listening!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>*****<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contact Your State Services<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you reside in Minnesota, and you would like to know more about Transition Services from State Services contact Transition Coordinator Sheila Koenig by&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:Sheila.Koenig@state.mn.us\">email<\/a>&nbsp;or contact her via phone at 651-539-2361.<br>To find your State Services in your State you can go to&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.afb.org\/directory.aspx\">www.AFB.org<\/a>&nbsp;and search the directory for your agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Contact:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Thank you for listening!<br>You can follow us on Twitter&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/blindabilities\">@BlindAbilities<\/a><br>On the web at&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/\">www.BlindAbilities.com<\/a><br>Send us an&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:info@BlindAbilities.com\">email<\/a><br>Get the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/app\/blind-abilities\/id1085849859?l=es&amp;mt=8\">Free Blind Abilities App&nbsp;on the App Store<\/a>and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.blindabilities.android.blind&amp;hl=en_US\">Google Play Store<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/607027582712671\/\">Blind Abilities Community<\/a>on Facebook, the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BlindAbilities\/\">Blind Abilities Page<\/a>, the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/193468111470902\/\">Career Resources for the Blind and Visually Impaired<\/a>and the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/assistivetechnologyfortheblind\/\">Assistive Technology Community for the Blind and Visually Impaired<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<!--powerpress_player--><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_8191\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-5458-3\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"http:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/JoshuaTheJediLoya.mp3?_=3\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/JoshuaTheJediLoya.mp3\">http:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/JoshuaTheJediLoya.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><p>http:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/JoshuaTheJediLoya.mp3 Full Transcript Show Summary: Joshua \u201cThe Jedi\u201d Loya is a professional adventurer, martial artist, U.S. Visually Impaired Surfing Champion 2017 and 2019 and public speaker. He lost his eyesight due to a prior health condition and an accident with nunchucks when he was a sophomore in high school. Since that day in January of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[17,495,514],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5458","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bapresents","category-lifeenrichment","category-transcribed"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6rcRg-1q2","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2402,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=2402","url_meta":{"origin":5458,"position":0},"title":"Joshua Simmonds: A Psychologist and So Much More","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"February 26, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Blind Abilities presents their Canadian correspondent, Nick D\u2019Ambrosio as he interviews Joshua Simmonds. Josh is a Psychologist, a Dragon boat racer and a \u201cwise\u201d man with plenty to share about his childhood with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), his education and his work as a psychologist in Montreal. February is RP \u00a0\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9344,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=9344","url_meta":{"origin":5458,"position":1},"title":"From High School to Grad School: Winning Scholarships Without Going into Debt","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"January 26, 2026","format":"audio","excerpt":"Podcast Summary: Paying for college can feel overwhelming, but scholarships may be closer\u2014and more achievable\u2014than you think. In this Blind Abilities episode, Joshua Olukanni shares his journey from high school to graduate studies at Georgetown University, and how scholarships helped him pursue college with far less debt. Joshua explains what\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8320,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=8320","url_meta":{"origin":5458,"position":2},"title":"Internships are Making a Difference for These Four College Students, Joshua, Qi, Jackson, and Josh, During Their Transition from High School to College and the Workplace","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"July 17, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Full Transcript Podcast Summary: In this focus on student Internships, State Services for the Blind's Transition Work Opportunities Navigator, Randi Lasher, gives us an overview of student internships and how SSB works with the students to assist them in achieving their career goals. Listen in as Joshua, Qi, Jackson, and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Career&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Career","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=373"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3164,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=3164","url_meta":{"origin":5458,"position":3},"title":"Aira Presents Stephanie Hurd: Doing Ordinary Things Independently Every Day","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"December 11, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Aira Presents, Explorer Stories, a look into the extraordinary and often ordinary stories of Aira Explorers and how they use this technology in their daily lives. In this episode of Explorer Stories, Aira presents Stephanie Hurd. We hope you enjoy. For some in the blind community horseback riding, surfing, rock\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Aira Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Aira Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=485"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7737,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=7737","url_meta":{"origin":5458,"position":4},"title":"College101: 3 Unique Perspectives, 3 Unique Journeys, Sharing their Unique Experiences from Their College Success","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"December 6, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: Full Transcript Below Shane DeSantis, Transition Coordinator at State Services for the Blind, hosts the College101 Webinar with 3 unique college students giving their unique perspective on how they are succeeding and succeeded in their college journey.\u00a0 learn from their experiences and suggestions as they respond to questions\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1994,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=1994","url_meta":{"origin":5458,"position":5},"title":"CareerExpo2016: Bobby Binns  package Handler for FedEx","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"June 9, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Robert Binns Package Handler, Fed Ex Smart Post Robert was walking to a college class when he lost his sight in 2012. He fell into a depressed stage, believing that the only thing left for him was channel surfing and listening to television shows. 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