“There are many gladiators in our corner, and we can truly change the world.” - Karim El Oteify
Karim El Oteify is an intersectional spirit engaging in this concept that we call humanity, and in more earthly terms, a systemic change facilitator and diversity and inclusion consultant.
As the Founder of The Wheels of Impact he focuses on DEI, communications, and change management, combining personal experiences with rich data. With storytelling, workshops, and consultancy, he drives impactful transformation to make people's workplaces the most inclusive they can be.
This conversation lets us get to know Karim on a whole other level, both personal and professional. Karim shares his personal story of resilience. He has fought his battles to establish his voice, to strengthen himself, and to create space for people.
You can read about this conversation below, but if you can, have a listen to the podcast audio (with the player above or in your podcast app) to hear the laughs and thoughtful silences, really connect with Karim’s heart, pick up his bright vibe, and more. We can’t always make all of that come across in the text.
We write this article to make the podcast accessible for people who don’t process information through audio - as a way to be inclusive - but if you can, listening gives you the richest and most complete experience.
Meeting Karim in person means encountering the giant smile on his face. He brightens every room, sparks something in people, challenges them, and is a connector.
“I'm a fighter. I'm a lover.” - Karim El Oteify
Karim’s inner motivator is his love for people that have been pushed out by society and told they don't matter or they don't belong, because he personally knows what that feels like.
He feels like he exists in the middle of many different identities: with a disability, as an Arab and Muslim, being neurodivergent. The downside he experiences is that of sometimes belonging to neither. In every layer of his identity he’s wondered, am I disabled enough? Am I colored enough? Am I enough of this? Am I enough of that? And he wants us to remember that there's beauty in each individual combination and in aligning multiple inner perspectives.
“I've made it my mission to exist, to push boundaries, to present myself, to keep myself visible so that people can look at me and be like: ‘Hey, this is possible!’” - Karim El Oteify
Karim educates us about the spectrum of his disability, a version of cerebral palsy with spastic diplegia, making us more aware of the nuances of it. His specific condition impacts his muscles, resulting in the need for a wheelchair much of the time.
Growing up in Egypt, his mother fought for him to get access to the things she believed he needed and deserved, including an excellent education. He got to grow up as a normal kid free of the barriers that otherwise would have impacted him related to his disability and neurodivergence. That also meant that he has only come to face those as an adult. Owning this is part of his journey these days, as is figuring out how to navigate with the features of his mind and body.
There's beauty in how his mind works, he has realized. It's a gift to be able to pick up different types of information and very quickly connect them all, already seeing the whole picture where other people are just seeing a piece of the pie. The downside has been the feeling of isolation that he experienced waiting for other people to catch up, trying to not overwhelm them with his speed of processing.
“I want you to find ways, tips and tricks and tools to slow down. Slow down your pace. Because if people find you a lot, it can also trigger and deplete you. It can become an energy drain. So find ways to make peace, or find an outlet to blast out that energy, or share that content that you have. Find space and time to digest things or to present things in smaller pieces to other people.” - Vivian Acquah
Karim is the person you come to for both the fresh idea and the big picture management of it. He will bring together a team with the skill sets to execute in a customized way. Because he deeply listens to what’s going on in an organization, in a human centered, person driven style, his interventions really hit the target.
At the time Karim started his professional journey, he did not have the vocabulary to express that the world he works in is that of DEI. He brings up the East Asian concept of the Red Thread of Fate: soulmates are tied together by a red thread of fate, and that's what makes sure that they eventually find each other. In a conceptual way, DEI has always been his red thread, his soulmate.
“I like it when a DEI practitioner or advocate is fully aware of their values and the stories that they can share, so that people can connect with them on an authentic level.” - Vivian Acquah
As a child, Karim’s mother and the people around him made sure that he was well taken care of. So he truly came to believe, ‘Here I am, taking on the world’. As his world grew bigger, he was faced with being questioned, which surprised him immensely. He had grown up with the attitude that he would figure it all out: ‘No matter what happens, you will manage, and we have full confidence in you to do whatever it is you would like to do in this world.’ He knew that he could, if he was just given the freedom to get there. The fact that that wasn't immediately granted, and still isn't in some cases, shocked him and he struggles with the idea of not being given what he thinks is fair.
“I believe that every time you've responded with ‘Huh?!’ that has a ripple effect because someone received that, and it plants a seed.” - Marjolijn Vlug
Karim also found out he needed to learn to ‘beautify’ his directness. There are times when you can sharpshoot about what needs to be done, and there are times when you need to be a bit more gentle.
We discuss the pros and cons of this, acknowledging the role of power ‘Because all we do is give it to them like they've given it to us for years’, while also realizing what is most likely to achieve the impact we’re aiming for.
“There are ways and times to deliver your words without activating the ostrich effect in people.” - Vivian Acquah
Karim is clear that he sees the responsibility falling on both sides. We need to course correct, use certain language and be supportive. It is also the responsibility of every leader to educate themselves on the issues other people face.
“There are responsibilities on both sides. That's leadership, personal leadership.” - Marjolijn Vlug
What's been a positive surprise for Karim in doing DEI work is that it has given him more community than he had ever imagined. He learned many things the hard way because he didn't have role models going into this. Now he feels a lot less alone, because he has friends to talk to, like minded people to connect with, and a mental health support system.
“I think if you're doing this work, you need to be in therapy. You need to make sure that your mental health is in good shape. So my advice to all our listeners is: go to therapy, do good therapy.” - Karim El Oteify
He has a sense of legacy about this work. Once he’s done his part and fought his ass off, the moment will come when he passes the baton and uplifts another. He hopes to one day see someone and say ‘Hey, you're the new me now. I can move on, rest my mind and do other things. This is your world now, and here are my keys. Here are the things I've worked so hard for so you don't have to do it as hard.’
Meditation and spirituality are cornerstones of simple and quiet when Karim’s work is delicate and complex. As a Muslim, he feels like his religion is fundamentally misunderstood as very structured. He personally believes it's about your connection to God and doing the right thing, having an open heart and connecting.
“I believe we are light, and I believe light will always triumph.” - Karim El Oteify
Karim does not want to skip an acknowledgement of the rise of the political right. We cannot sit here and not acknowledge that many disabled people aren't getting the access they deserve. He also believes, on the other hand, there are many gladiators in our corner, and we can truly change the world. He loves using the word delulu in his speaking engagements.
“You need to believe in yourself at such a delusional level. That is the only thing that will get you somewhere.” - Karim El Oteify
Looking ahead, Karim is aiming to co-create and facilitate, go on stage and talk about intersectionality and identity at work, and make rich science-based information accessible to us all. Personally, what he looks forward to is to create more life defining memories with family and friends, and develop his personal and professional confidence to the point where he’s not going to try to be someone he’s not.
“I'm starting to learn that I am who I am and what I offer is inherently valuable. And if you don't see that, that has nothing to do with me. That has a lot to do with you and how you see the world.” - Karim El Oteify
His media recommendations (see below) focus on getting yourself into feminism, intersections of identity, and a dose of boss energy - both highbrow and lowbrow. Popular culture has always been a space of discourse around different people’s identity. That makes it a fabulous place to dive into ideas of how identity affects the world.
The work we do is underlined by societal structures that were built through people's identity formations. That is why Karim thinks that should always be the central question for any starting practitioner: how does my identity impact how I behave, and how do people's identity impact their behaviors?
“Listen to your heart. Own your voice. Learn to navigate. And, last but not least, find friends, professionally or otherwise, find community.” - Karim El Oteify
We are excited to see where he goes from here.
Thank you for joining this journey of sharing stories, wisdom and inspiration. Coming together as change makers, we create momentum, share our insights, make connections, and cultivate an environment that holds a wide range of viewpoints.
LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE WITH THE PLAYER AT TOP OF PAGE Or in your favorite podcast app
About Karim El Oteify
Karim El Oteify is the Founder of The Wheels of Impact, focusing on DEI, communication, and change management for greater employee engagement and inclusion. With storytelling, workshops, and consultancy, he drives impactful transformation.
Connect with Karim via
Resources
Film & series:
Scandal (series) “Whenever I feel down, I watch scandal because Olivia Pope is that boss b*tch. Gladiators forever.”
Crip Camp - Netflix documentary about the the rise of disability rights in the US
Ugly Betty (series)
The Bold Type (series
Special (series)
Interviews
Flip The Neuro-tive - interview series by Axelle Ahanhanzo that flips the narrative on neurodivergence, giving another perspective on the lived experiences of neurodivergent people
Books
and other books by bell hooks (Did you know that author bell hooks opted not to capitalize her name, to keep the public's focus on her work as a Black feminist?)
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