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Vanessa Osman

@vanessaosman

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Voice-Over Artist | Actor | Speaker 🇪🇬 🇮🇪 🇺🇸
📖 for Limitless @accessabilitiesexpo
🎬 in ANY ONE OF US @hbo
🏷️ of @adapts_team

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A very special full-circle moment from Dubai.

I’m deeply honored to be featured on the cover of the August issue of LIMITLESS, published by @accessabilitiestexpo Dubai, alongside its cover story celebrating the extraordinary legacy of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and his vision for the empowerment of People of Determination.

My first column, “Accessibility is Not a Luxury,” begins with a girl growing up in Dubai dreaming of Hollywood, takes a rather unexpected detour through @keepitrealacting and an unforgettable encounter with @losangelesfiredepartment, and comes back to something I believe deeply:

Accessibility goes far beyond ramps and elevators. It is about dignity, independence, empathy, and having the opportunity to fully participate in life.

To have this story published in Dubai, the city where my own story began, is both an honor and incredibly meaningful to me.

Thank you @accessabilitiestexpo and the LIMITLESS team for giving me a place to share it. 🤍 Link in bio!

لحظة مميزة تحملني إلى البدايات في دبي. ❤️

يشرفني ويسعدني أن أظهر على غلاف عدد أغسطس من مجلة LIMITLESS، الصادرة عن معرض AccessAbilities Expo دبي، إلى جانب موضوع الغلاف الذي يحتفي بالإرث الاستثنائي لصاحب السمو الشيخ محمد بن راشد آل مكتوم ورؤيته في تمكين أصحاب الهمم.

يحمل عمودي الأول عنوان «إمكانية الوصول ليست رفاهية»، وتبدأ قصته بفتاة نشأت في دبي وهي تحلم بهوليوود، ثم تأخذها الحياة في مسار غير متوقع، لتعود إلى حقيقة أؤمن بها بعمق:

إمكانية الوصول تتجاوز بكثير المنحدرات والمصاعد. إنها تعني الكرامة والاستقلالية والتعاطف، وإتاحة الفرصة للجميع للمشاركة الكاملة في الحياة.

أن تُنشر هذه القصة في دبي، المدينة التي بدأت فيها قصتي، هو شرف كبير ويحمل بالنسبة لي معنى خاصاً جداً.

شكراً لـ @accessabilitiestexpo وفريق LIMITLESS لمنحي هذه المساحة لمشاركة قصتي. ❤️

#AccessAbilitiesExpo #PeopleOfDetermination #AAE2026 #AccessibilityForAll #Dubai taken in Dubai, United Arab Emirates by @vanessaosman

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2 months ago

29 days of spinal cord injury awareness and I think we’ve established I contain multitudes. 😂
Soft. Loud. Spiritual. Sarcastic. Grateful. Complicated. Creative. Unapologetically powerful.
None of those things require an inspirational ending.
Neither does this photo.
Day 29 of 30. ♿️

#SCIAwarenessMonth #DisabilityVisibility #SpinalCordInjury #PeopleOfDetermination #VanessaOsman

29 يومًا من التوعية بإصابات الحبل الشوكي، وأعتقد أننا أثبتنا أنني أحتوي على عوالم كثيرة بداخلي. 😂t
ناعمة. صاخبة. روحانية. ساخرة. ممتنة. معقدة. مبدعة. قوية بلا اعتذار.
لا يحتاج أي جانب من هذه الجوانب إلى نهاية ملهمة.
ولا هذه الصورة أيضًا.
اليوم 29 من 30. ♿️ taken in Voelker Studio by @vanessaosman

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18 days ago

Imagine sustaining a spinal cord injury in 2004 versus 2026. I don’t have to imagine it. When I was newly injured, information existed, but finding the RIGHT information and other people actually living with SCI was a very different experience.
There were things about my own body I didn’t understand for years. Things that could actually be dangerous, yet somehow I was navigating this new life without fully understanding them.
Today is the UN’s International Day for Universal Access to Information, and it made me think about just how much has changed.
In 2026, someone newly injured can pick up a phone and find SCI organizations, research, adaptive equipment, peer communities, caregiver education and people around the world sharing what living with SCI actually looks like. That is HUGE.
Maybe access to information really is this black and white: you either know an opportunity exists or you don’t. I learned I could apply for a smart home program through an SCI focused foundation. That led to Google Home, a Nest thermostat, Ring doorbell and camera, and a touchpad lock I can operate myself, like I’m doing in this photo. Individually, they’re gadgets. Together, they gave me more control over my environment and the confidence to be alone in my own home.
But more information doesn’t automatically mean better information. The internet can educate you and scare the hell out of you in the same five minutes. 😂 The challenge now is knowing what’s credible, what applies to your injury and when you need an actual SCI specialist (physiatrist) rather than Dr. Internet.
And access still isn’t equal. People with SCI around the world still face gaps in specialized healthcare, rehabilitation, assistive technology and reliable information.
I would have given anything in 2004 for some of what “fits in my pocket” today. Information can help you understand your body, connect you to someone who’s been there, increase your independence and sometimes keep you safe.
Day 28 of 30. ♿️

#SCIAwarenessMonth #AssistiveTechnology #SpinalCordInjury #PeopleOfDetermination #VanessaOsman by @vanessaosman

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19 days ago

I almost didn’t post today. I don’t really have anything profound to say.
But then I looked at this photo.
My head tipped back, sun on my face. Probably my happiest place on earth.
There’s something that happens to me in the sun that I can’t quite explain. Everything gets quiet. I feel present. Connected. Like whatever I’ve been carrying loosens its grip for a minute.
Connected to what? I don’t know that I need to define it.
Maybe God. Maybe nature. Maybe energy. Maybe simply myself.
There are some things we spend too much time trying to put into words when maybe we’re just supposed to feel them.
This is one of mine.
Day 27 of 30. ♿️

#SCIAwarenessMonth #Mindfulness #SpinalCordInjury #PeopleOfDetermination #VanessaOsman

كدت ألا أنشر اليوم. ليس لدي حقًا أي شيء عميق لأقوله.
لكن بعد ذلك نظرت إلى هذه الصورة.
رأسي مائل إلى الخلف، والشمس على وجهي. ربما هذا هو أسعد مكان لي على وجه الأرض.
هناك شيء يحدث لي تحت أشعة الشمس لا أستطيع تفسيره تمامًا. كل شيء يصبح هادئًا. أشعر بأنني حاضرة. متصلة. وكأن كل ما كنت أحمله يخفف قبضته عني للحظة.
متصلة بماذا؟ لا أعتقد أنني بحاجة إلى تعريف ذلك.
ربما بالله. ربما بالطبيعة. ربما بالطاقة. وربما ببساطة بنفسي.
هناك أشياء نقضي وقتًا طويلًا جدًا في محاولة وضعها في كلمات، بينما ربما يُفترض بنا فقط أن نشعر بها.
وهذا واحد منها بالنسبة لي.
اليوم السابع والعشرون من 30. ♿️ by @vanessaosman

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20 days ago

Freedom has a speed setting.
I’ve been a lot of places in this chair over the last 22 years. But these days, going places is even better with Lil Bit by my side.
One of the easiest things to do when life gets hard is isolate. Stay home. Cancel. Tell yourself it’s too complicated. With a spinal cord injury, sometimes it actually IS complicated. Getting out the door can require planning, help, accessible transportation and a whole lot more energy than anyone sees.
But I’ve learned that I have to get into action anyway.
There’s a line Johann Hari made famous in his TED Talk: “The opposite of addiction is connection.” I think about that idea beyond addiction too. We need connection. Other people. Animals. Nature. Purpose. Something outside the four walls and outside our own heads.
Sometimes I don’t need another breakthrough; I just need to get out of the bloody house.
Preferably at full speed with this one beside me.
Day 26 of 30. ♿️

#SCIAwarenessMonth #DisabilityVisibility #SpinalCordInjury #LilBit #VanessaOsman

للحرية إعداد للسرعة.
ذهبت إلى أماكن كثيرة بهذا الكرسي خلال الـ22 عامًا الماضية. لكن في هذه الأيام، أصبح الذهاب إلى الأماكن أجمل بوجود Lil Bit بجانبي.
من أسهل الأشياء التي يمكن فعلها عندما تصبح الحياة صعبة هو الانعزال. البقاء في المنزل. إلغاء الخطط. إقناع نفسك بأن الأمر معقد جدًا. ومع إصابة في الحبل الشوكي، أحيانًا يكون الأمر معقدًا فعلًا. مجرد الخروج من المنزل قد يتطلب تخطيطًا، ومساعدة، ووسيلة نقل مهيأة، وطاقة أكبر بكثير مما يراه أي شخص.
لكنني تعلمت أن عليّ أن أتحرك وأفعل شيئًا على أي حال.
هناك عبارة اشتهرت بفضل Johann Hari في محاضرته على TED: «عكس الإدمان هو التواصل.» وأفكر في هذه الفكرة بما يتجاوز الإدمان أيضًا. نحن بحاجة إلى التواصل. إلى أش� taken in Napa, California by @vanessaosman

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21 days ago

I forgot Day 24. In my defense, I was busy having a birthday. 🤣
I went out to dinner, celebrated another trip around the sun, ate well, laughed, had #LilBit by my side and somewhere along the way completely forgot I was supposed to post about living with a spinal cord injury.
And actually, that’s good for me. Because I usually give myself a hard time for not being perfect AND I have hard time being present when life is tough. Enter caregiver/nurse crisis. (As my spiritual guide Rick Hanson used to remind me: right now, it’s like this. 🕉️Shoutout to my Dharma Punx!)
So, what? For 23 days I’ve talked about pain, caregiving, exercise, advocacy, creativity, healing, joy and some of the complicated realities of SCI.
Last night I wasn’t thinking about any of it. I wasn’t trying to educate anyone or raise awareness.
And that’s a gorgeous thing too. Thank you for all the beautiful birthday love. 🤍
Day 25 of 30. ♿️

#SCIAwarenessMonth #DogsOfInstagram #SpinalCordInjury #VanessaOsman

نسيت اليوم الرابع والعشرين. وللدفاع عن نفسي، كنت مشغولة بالاحتفال بعيد ميلادي. 🤣
خرجت لتناول العشاء، واحتفلت برحلة أخرى حول الشمس، وأكلت جيدًا، وضحكت، وكان LilBit بجانبي، وفي مكان ما خلال كل ذلك نسيت تمامًا أنه كان من المفترض أن أنشر عن الحياة مع إصابة في الحبل الشوكي.
وفي الواقع، هذا أمر جيد بالنسبة لي. لأنني عادةً ما أقسو على نفسي عندما لا أكون مثالية، وأجد صعوبة في أن أكون حاضرة في اللحظة عندما تصبح الحياة صعبة. وهنا تدخل أزمة مقدمي الرعاية/التمريض. (وكما كان مرشدي الروحي Rick Hanson يذكّرني دائمًا: في هذه اللحظة، هكذا هي الأمور. 🕉️ تحية إلى جماعتي في Dharma Punx!)
إذًا، ماذا في ذلك؟ على مدار 23 يومًا تحدثت عن الألم، وتقديم الرعاية، والتمارين الرياضية، والمناصرة، والإبداع، والشفاء، والفرح، وبعض الحقائق المعقدة للحياة مع إصابة في الحبل الشوكي.
الليلة الماضية، لم أكن أفكر في أي من ذلك. لم أكن أحاول تثقيف أحد أو نشر الوعي.
وهذا شيء رائع أيضًا. شكرًا لكم على كل هذا الحب الجميل بمناسبة عيد ميلادي. 🤍
اليوم الخامس والعشرون من 30. ♿️ by @vanessaosman

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22 days ago

AGE. Reflection: Happy Birthday bitch, you made it!
#TBT to a little old Hollywood glamour. ✨ 🎬💋

#ThrowbackThursday #BirthdayWeek #OldHollywoodGlam #VanessaOsman taken in Voelker Studio by @vanessaosman

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24 days ago

My body is talking to me all day long.
The last 24 hours have been really hard and last night my legs let me know it! Spasms shook me senselessly…but, I was upset. Too much too figure out, fight off, face up.
But let’s get into solution: nearly 23 years with a spinal cord injury, I’ve learned that sensation isn’t always as simple as feeling or not feeling. My body has developed its own language.
A stuffy nose. Goosebumps. A sudden spasm. A change in my breathing. Feeling unusually hot or cold. A shift in my energy. Sometimes my body is telling me something is wrong long before I consciously understand what it is.
In the early years, I didn’t always recognize the signals. I remember my nose suddenly getting stuffy and running at the same time and thinking, what the hell kind of allergy is this? 😂 I eventually learned that it could be my body warning me that something needed attention.
That’s one of the stranger things about living with SCI. You can lose sensation and simultaneously become incredibly tuned in to your body.
You learn patterns. You notice tiny changes. You learn which signals mean pay attention and which ones mean PAY ATTENTION. It’s a language I never asked to learn. But after all these years, I’m pretty damn fluent.
*If you’re new to SCI, learn about autonomic dysreflexia and find a peer mentor, like me. The education could prevent stroke/death.
Day 23 of 30. ♿️

#SCIAwarenessMonth #SpinalCordInjury #BodyAwareness #PeopleOfDetermination #VanessaOsman by @vanessaosman

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25 days ago

Isn’t it interesting that after nearly 23 years with a condition you might expect to diminish my body, in some ways I actually feel more?
More feeling inside and outside my body. More intuition. More focus. I listen better. I communicate better. I pay attention. I challenge myself and welcome new experiences like this one with @accessadventureofficial
Why? I don’t know exactly.
Maybe because living in this body requires me to.
I work out regularly. I stand. I practice breathwork and meditation. I eat about 90% organic and grass fed. And don’t even get me started on my morning and nighttime skincare routines. Think MANY steps. 😂
None of this makes me immune to pain, aging or the realities of spinal cord injury. And it certainly doesn’t mean SCI somehow made me healthier.
But it has made me incredibly conscious of how I live in my body and what I put into it, onto it and around it.
I used to think transformation was something you could see.
Now I think some of the biggest transformations are the ones you can feel.
Day 22 of 30. ♿️

#SCIAwarenessMonth #TransformationTuesday #SpinalCordInjury #PeopleOfDetermination #VanessaOsman by @vanessaosman

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25 days ago

#MondayMotivation is overrated.
You don’t always wake up motivated. Sometimes you’re tired, in pain, annoyed, waiting on a caregiver, or just not feeling it. You do one thing anyway. Motivation often comes after movement, not before it. ⚡️
It took me a long time to get back in front of an easel after my spinal cord injury. Painting looks different now. I paint using my wrist, and most of the time I don’t even finish the piece.
But I did the thing: I got in front of the canvas. I picked up the brush. I made something.
Maybe motivation doesn’t always come first. Sometimes you move toward something you love and motivation catches up with you.
The painting doesn’t have to be finished for that to count.
Neither do I.
Day 21 of 30. ♿️

#SCIAwarenessMonth #AdaptiveArt #SpinalCordInjury #VanessaOsman

MondayMotivation مبالغ فيه.
لا تستيقظ دائمًا وأنت تشعر بالحافز. أحيانًا تكون متعبًا، أو تتألم، أو منزعجًا، أو تنتظر مقدم رعاية، أو ببساطة لا تشعر بالرغبة في فعل أي شيء. ومع ذلك، تفعل شيئًا واحدًا. غالبًا ما يأتي الحافز بعد الحركة، وليس قبلها. ⚡️
استغرق مني الأمر وقتًا طويلًا لأعود للجلوس أمام حامل الرسم بعد إصابتي في الحبل الشوكي. الرسم يبدو مختلفًا الآن. أرسم باستخدام معصمي، وفي معظم الأحيان لا أنهي اللوحة حتى.
لكنني فعلت الشيء: جلست أمام اللوحة. أمسكت بالفرشاة. صنعت شيئًا.
ربما لا يأتي الحافز دائمًا أولًا. أحيانًا تتحرك نحو شيء تحبه، ويلحق بك الحافز.
ليس من الضروري أن تكتمل اللوحة حتى يكون لذلك قيمة.
وأنا أيضًا لست مضطرة لأن أكون مكتملة.
اليوم الحادي والعشرون من 30. ♿️ by @vanessaosman

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a month ago

Better care starts with understanding. I’ve talked a lot this month about caregiving because good care can directly affect our independence, health and quality of life.
So here’s something worth sharing.
Kessler Foundation created a FREE online course, Understanding Spinal Cord Injury, for caregivers and personal care assistants supporting people with SCI.
It covers practical things caregivers really need to understand, including breathing, temperature regulation, blood pressure, bowel and bladder care, autonomic dysreflexia, skin, pain, transfers, equipment and more.
I was also one of the voice artists who helped narrate the course, which makes this project especially meaningful to me. 🎙️
Whether you’re a professional caregiver, family member, friend or someone new to caring for a person with SCI, education matters. The more the people around us understand our bodies and our needs, the safer and more independent we can be.
And did I mention it’s FREE? 😊
Day 20 of 30. ♿️
Take the free Understanding Spinal Cord Injury course ⁠—> link in bio or type in: bit.ly/understandingSCI

#SCIAwarenessMonth #Caregiving #SpinalCordInjury #PeopleOfDetermination #VanessaOsman by @vanessaosman

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a month ago

After yesterday’s release (read: a good cry) I’ll do the thing today that gives me as much joy as swimming. Singing.
And not just singing, but singing with Leah. One of my BFFs is flying in so we can celebrate our birthdays together this weekend. Our meeting was kismet. We started out in voiceover together and all these years later, we still have potty mouths and big ballads pouring out of us whenever we’re together. 😂
Singing has also been part of my healing in a way I never expected.
After my cervical spinal cord injury, my breathing and lung capacity were seriously affected. Singing became one of the ways I worked on expanding my lungs, strengthening my breath and finding my voice again.
When I stop messing around and actually take that microphone seriously, I sing better now than I did when I was walking.
A huge part of that is thanks to the amazing @mitchell.kaplan.9 who taught me how to use the instrument I have now rather than mourn the one I thought I’d lost.
I’ve talked before about finding the things that bring you joy and doing them regularly. For me, swimming is one.
Singing is another. And singing badly, loudly, beautifully or completely inappropriately with someone you love?
That might be medicine too. 🎤
Day 19 of 30. ♿️

#SCIAwarenessMonth #Singing #SpinalCordInjury #PeopleOfDetermination #VanessaOsman by @vanessaosman

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a month ago