About Hasaan
Hasaan Hawthorne, a double amputee, is a two-time 6A wrestling state champion, a four-time Academic All-American, and has been featured on ESPN, Shawn Mendes’ “Youth” music video, and in Muscle and Fitness Magazine.
A graduate of Hasting College, Hasaan now works as the marketing director for Next Step Prosthetics and Orthotics, with plans to move to Pittsburgh to continue his marketing career. When asked how he learned to be comfortable talking about his disability he said, “My dad was like, 'you got to talk about it because there is strength in vulnerability.'”
Hasaan Hawthorne on Ableism
[00:00] My name Hasaan Hawthorne. I'm a double amputee from Birmingham, Alabama. As I got older, my dad was like, “You've got to talk about it because there’s strength in vulnerability.” So I think once I heard that is kind when I really started to open up.
[00:12] I busted up both hips And I was telling my coach, like, “Dude, my, hips are hurting. Like- my hips are kind of my heart beat.” Because like, you know, if an able-bodied kid gets hurt, his shoulder hurts, he can rely on his legs. Or if his legs hurt, rely on his upper body. My hips hurt. That’s all I got. I mean, I have an upper body But, you know, my hips definitely are the driving force when it comes to wrestling.
[00:31] I am proud of having a disability now. I want to say when I was younger, it really depended on the day. Would I take it back? No. Because I do think God made me this way for a reason and I kind of look at it as he probably saved me from something I didn't know yet. So I wouldn’t to take it back. But now I can say I am proud to have a disability.
[00:51] My name is Hasaan Hawthorne and I think there is strength in vulnerability.