Alejandro Bocija is Spanish, lives in New York and works as an investor. And, in recent years, he has also become a content creator on social media. His videos mix humor, education, and his unique way of gaming: playing video games with devices that he can use with his mouth.
In this interview for Disability Month, back in July, he speaks openly about what it means to him, life after his accident, and why accessibility remains a challenge we all need to face together.
What’s the mission behind your content?
A: I don’t really know what my mission is. What I do know is that I post lots of educational videos, funny ones, and plenty of videos of me playing video games with my mouth.
What I like the most is being able to help. Feeling that people not only laugh at my content, but also learn something they can take into their daily lives.
What does Disability Pride Month mean to you?
A: For me, it means not being afraid of who you are, not feeling ashamed, and understanding that you’re simply one of the crowd.
I remember when I first had my accident, I always felt like I was at the center of attention. Going into a restaurant, I felt people staring. In a park, I felt the same. I just felt different.
After 15 years of walking, suddenly you have an accident, you’re in a wheelchair, and you don’t know how to adapt quickly.
Today, almost 12 or 13 years later, there isn’t a day when I even think about being in a wheelchair. I’m just another human being like everyone else. That’s what it’s about, isn’t it? Not being more special or less than anyone around you.
How do you see the future of accessibility in Spain?
A: I’m a big advocate for global accessibility. I’ve been working for a long time to make airplanes accessible, collecting signatures and pushing for change. But I believe that until we can travel in a wheelchair to any country, we also won’t be able to welcome people from abroad to Spain and get feedback from them on how accessible our country really is.
We have a lot to learn from one another. Too often we live in our own bubble and don’t realize how much we could offer to people from outside, or how much they could offer us in return.
I hope that little by little, tech companies in Spain keep encouraging the creation of new products, learning from companies abroad, also teaching them, and moving things forward. MouthX with Aurax can set an example for other companies so that technology in Spain for people like us continues to grow.
In what kinds of situations do you think MouthX can make a real difference?
A: When you talk to someone with a spinal cord injury, sometimes they can’t move their fingers. In more extreme cases, you can’t move your hands or arms at all. So anything that helps us do what we’d normally do with our fingers makes a huge difference.
I work a lot with the computer and I also play many video games on it. Honestly, I often feel slow using a phone or a normal keyboard, and I feel like I don’t finish what I need to in time.
"Having MouthX means I can do everything much faster. I can combine it with the keyboard, with phone apps, and it makes me feel like a ‘super tetraplegic.’"
At any time, especially when you want to get things done discreetly, I prefer using a device like MouthX that’s hidden, rather than the big equipment that exists today, these bulky stands in front of your mouth that aren’t aesthetic, practical, or ideal.
What role do startups like Aurax play in driving change?
A: Companies like Aurax are extremely important in the lives of people with tetraplegia, because there really aren’t many new products being created for our community.
We’re a minority, and many companies are only focused on making money. So it means a lot when young teams like Aurax dedicate themselves to making life easier for people with disabilities, especially conditions as complex as tetraplegia.
A product that lets you control all your tech devices, including your wheelchair, through your mouth, hidden inside and in a dignified way... is something that until now didn’t exist, and it’s so necessary. I just wish there were more companies innovating like Aurax.
Watch the full interview
You can watch the interview in two parts here:
