Physical Activity

Special Olympics

In 2014, the concept of Solution to Health Inclusion began through Tia's partnership with Special Olympics. Special Olympics provides year round athletics for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, creating a supportive community that allows athletes to improve their physical fitness, develop friendships, obtain a sense of accomplishment, and more. It was the incredible athletes and the impact that Special Olympics had that helped ignite the movement that would later become her platform, Solution to Health Inclusion.

San Diego State University (SDSU) is a leader in adaptive athletics and inclusive health for athletes with physical disabilities in California. The Adapted Athletics program was the first competitive, collegiate level adapted athletics program in the state. Athletes train in Wheelchair Tennis, Track and Field, and weight lifting. The program has ambitions to expand to Wheelchair Basketball, Para-Beach Volleyball, and other adapted sports. 

Aztec Adaptive Sports (AAS), now a recognized student organization at SDSU, was instrumental in the creation of the Adapted Athletics program beginning in 2016. Through hard work of student leaders in AAS and faculty at SDSU, the Adapted Athletics program was built from the ground up. Many years later, AAS continues to support the Adapted Athletics program while also educating the SDSU and San Diego community, providing volunteer opportunities to students, and creating future inclusive healthcare professionals.

Tia served as the President of Aztec Adaptive Sports and worked with the Adapted Athletics Strategic Planning Committee. She previously served as the Events Coordinator for AAS and has been involved with the student organization since 2020. During her time on the executive board, she helped put on a campus wide Sitting Volleyball Clinic coached by a USA sitting volleyball player to expose students to an adapted sport. AAS continues to hold bi-weekly sitting volleyball practices open to all students. Tia and AAS encourage students to volunteer and learn about adaptive sports by providing community service opportunities through strong connections in San Diego. Tia and fellow AAS members continue to volunteer with the Challenged Athletes Foundation, Ivy Ranch Equestrian Therapy, the Wheelchair Dancers Organization, and more. 

Why music therapy?

Music is powerful. Regardless of differences, music brings people together. NMTS helps every person find their connection to music while improving physical, mental, and emotional health. Music therapy is proven to improve skills that translate into daily life including confidence, communication, processing and expression of emotions, social skills, physical abilities, and more.  NMTS changes lives by bringing music to all people of any ability and aims to make music accessible and inclusive. One of their values is Health for All, a perfect pairing with Solution to Health Inclusion's mission. 

Solution to Health Inclusion's Influence:

Starting in 2014, Tia was a volunteer for NMTS and dedicated her time to helping teach dance classes as well as being a camp counselor for the Teen Beat Camp. This hands on aspect of Solution to Health Inclusion allows active change in health to occur, individual lives to be touched by music, and change to be made through an organization that shares the values of Solution to Health Inclusion. The dancers at NMTS have performed at events throughout the Reno/Sparks area and were even part of the Nutcracker at Tia's own dance studio. Tia continued to attend weekly virtual dance classes that allowed for the improvement of physical, mental, and emotional health through music and movement.  She now looks forward to attending NMTS events whenever she visits Nevada and seeing some of her favorite people!