It was July of 2022—Disability Pride Month of last year—when our leader Cristina Might started to really focus on turning her vision for Welcomed Co™ into a reality. She and her daughter Victoria had been listening to a podcast about the Disability Pride flag when they got to talking about their dreams for changing the world—for carving a more inclusive, more welcoming space for everyone. 

A year later, their dreams have turned into plans, and those plans are in motion. Welcomed Co™ is no longer an idea. It is a reality, thanks in large part to Cristina’s determination and hard work. It’s not an easy journey; the road is long and filled with unknowns. 

Cristina has felt particularly weary lately, as the first anniversary of Welcomed Co™ approaches. That is, until she opened a gift from her grandmother, her “Abi,” who passed away in April 2022. 

The package arrived from Puerto Rico shortly after her Abi’s death. Cristina’s aunt told her it contained a gift that her Abi wanted to give Cristina before she died. Cristina left it unopened for several months, not wanting to face the truth that her beloved Abi was gone. 

Recently, Cristina felt called to open the package. She couldn’t believe what was inside—hand-carved wooden statues of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. Cristina recalls a lot of Don Quixote imagery in Puerto Rico. “These people who voyage clearly resonated with my island people,” she said. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes is meaningful for many reasons—one being that it’s a source of pride, as it was written in Spanish and is considered the first modern novel and one of the greatest works of Western literature. 

Don Quixote is also a meaningful figure to Cristina because he represents lofty goals—impossible dreams. “We are trying to destigmatize disability and to promote inclusion, love, and acceptance. That can seem like a foolish task to a lot of people. It can seem like an overly grand task. It can seem like either fighting a dragon or chasing a windmill. I think it’s a task worth undertaking—a task worth fighting for,” she said. Cristina felt the gift was a message from her grandmother when she needed it most. It helped establish a renewed commitment to make the path easier for those who come after us—for those who care for others and who also need to care for themselves. “I feel like we have a team of angels cheering us on,” Cristina said.

“The Impossible Dream (The Quest)” is a song from the 1965 Broadway musical Man of La Mancha, which is inspired by Don Quixote. Composed by Mitch Leigh with lyrics by Joe Darion, it is performed by the Don Quixote character. The song serves as an anthem of sorts for Welcomed Co™. It’s a reminder to continue working to create real, meaningful change—even when it feels unattainable. 

To dream the impossible dream

To fight the unbeatable foe

To bear with unbearable sorrow

To run where the brave dare not go

To right the unrightable wrong

To love pure and chaste from afar

To try when your arms are too weary

To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest to follow that star

No matter how hopeless, no matter how far

To fight for the right without question or pause

To be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause

And I know if I'll only be true to this glorious quest

That my heart will lie peaceful and calm

When I'm laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this

That one man, scorned and covered with scars

Still strove with his last ounce of courage

To fight the unbeatable foe

To reach the unreachable star

Click here see Josh Groban perform The Impossible Dream

 Photo by Leeloo Thefirst

Photo: "Don Quixote and Sancho Panza statues" by Cristina Might