Hello everyone,
My role is not to represent a specific device or outlet, but rather to embody an actual principle: communication is constructed, not inherent. My name is Omar Covarrubias Juárez, serving as a PRC-Saltillo Ambassador in Miami, Florida. I was born in 2007 to a proud Mexican family, the youngest of four brothers. Life manifested its plans for me during birth, I was diagnosed with dyskinetic cerebral palsy. From the beginning, my life required a framework, patience, and determination. Communication was not easy, but I learned that difficulty never equaled impossibility. It required a design that suited my needs.
I often return to a phrase that anchors my mindset: “Poniendo esfuerzo, todito se puede hacer.” With effort, everything can be achieved. Not instantly. Not perfectly. But deliberately. Effort is the labor behind the blueprint. I am also a firm believer in hacer las cosas bien—doing things correctly, not conveniently—because real progress requires discipline, not shortcuts.
My relationship with AAC developed through adaptation, repetition, and ownership. I ventured into the field of communication systems without any tools or navigation systems designed with my body and timing in mind. However, through practice, I gradually developed an understanding of these systems. Eventually, these systems transformed from limitations into tools that I could shape and manipulate. I stopped adjusting to the system and started redesigning it around me.
My early communication relied on simple word boards, followed by outdated technologies demanding patience and endurance. Progress arrived through iteration. I transitioned to the PRC Accent 1400, where scanning techniques became second nature and head tracking was introduced. By second grade, message programming belonged in my hands. Language stopped being assigned to me. Language became mine. Communication turned into construction rather than permission.
Mastering single-switch scanning, group scanning, and head tracking is akin to designing three distinct architectural structures—each requiring precise coordination and timing to function seamlessly. These methods are not about relying on external interpretation; they are about creating a personal blueprint and orchestrating the environment. I became the designer of my communication, establishing the parameters rather than adhering to them. My communication skills are now so refined they could independently manage a dialogue without my direct input.
Today, I communicate using an Accent 1000 paired with a NuPointer/head pointer, alongside an iPhone operated through Apple’s Gliding Cursor triggered by a leg-button/switch. These setups function as architectures, not accessories. Calibration matters. Consistency matters. Trust matters. When aligned correctly, these systems grant speed, independence, and accuracy. This setup lets me move through the world with intention instead of hesitation.
This architectural discipline carried me directly into 2026, a year I intentionally chose to enter with acceleration. During my senior year, I enrolled in dual enrollment online courses with Miami Dade College (MDC). This experience exposed me to a more advanced academic environment that emphasized independence, accountability, and scale. MDC represents expansion—broader frameworks, elevated expectations, stronger foundations. Education stopped feeling theoretical. Structure became real. Four weeks after setting up my college path, I experienced a transformative event that condensed years of growth into three focused days of practical learning.
ATIA 2026 Convention, one of the world’s leading gatherings focused on assistive technology, accessibility, and innovation. ATIA brings together clinicians, educators, engineers, researchers, developers, and people with disabilities to design the future of access actively. Three days spent in that space delivered clarity rather than overload—years of learning compressed into lived experience.
One defining moment unfolded through a co-presentation with Kirk Behnke on artificial intelligence and AAC. We explored AI as structural reinforcement rather than replacement. I shared a principle guiding my work: Architecture relies on blueprints to succeed, effective communication depends on having a clear structure. AI reaches its potential only when it respects the communicator’s design—enhancing clarity, timing, and intent without overpowering the voice. Tools exist to serve communication, never to substitute it.
Throughout ATIA, I cultivated influential connections—conversations grounded in responsibility, curiosity, and shared vision. Those interactions expanded my thinking around AAC, AI, and human-centered design. The experience fulfilled a long-held dream. I didn’t attend ATIA to observe. I showed up to participate, contribute, and connect. I left deeply grateful, genuinely blessed, and energized by the knowledge that my voice belongs in those rooms.
Every message I program, every word I refine, brings me one step closer to my most authentic version.
I’ve encountered many individuals who never attempted to comprehend my communication style, but I hold in high regard those who infuse confidence and positivity into my personal and professional growth. While not everyone genuinely cares, those who have had the opportunity to leave a lasting impact—whether they’ve left or are still with me—are truly remarkable. I hope to leave a similar mark on them, thanks to PRC-Saltillo and the entire Assistive Technology industry. A special shoutout to all the incredible people who remind me of my purpose. (Yes, naming you all would take longer than writing this bio—so consider yourselves VIPs.)
As I look ahead, I see my path clearly: education through MDC, advocacy through PRC-Saltillo, innovation through AAC and AI, and service through connection. I have been cumpliendo sueños porque nunca me rajé—achieving big dreams because I never gave up. Architecture teaches us that strong structures are not rushed. They are planned, tested, and reinforced. My life follows that same logic. With effort, discipline, and belief, everything can be built.
Communication is possible. Access is designable. And when we follow the blueprint with integrity, we don’t just create voices—we create futures.
