About Meridith & Schuyler:
The Dream Team of Resilience and Positivity

Schuyler Arakawa, crowned Ms. Wheelchair Florida 2025, and her mother, Meridith Alexander, a globally recognized speaker and founder of GRIT Mindset Academy, are a dynamic duo whose story of resilience, purpose, and positivity has inspired thousands.
In 2016, while on a fellowship from Yale in South America, Schuyler sustained injuries from a falling boulder that were deemed unsurvivable. Miraculously, she defied medical odds, but her journey has been marked by overcoming life-changing challenges, including a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), balance issues, and vision and speech disabilities. Despite these hurdles, Schuyler’s determination to make an impact never wavered.

Before her accident, Schuyler was already making waves—traveling to five continents, teaching in Nepal and Tanzania, and leading advocacy efforts through organizations like Net Impact. At Yale, she founded the university’s Net Impact chapter, which became a global award-winning organization, and organized events like a Color Run for Kiva and the university’s Hult Prize competition. Her adventurous spirit and passion for connection earned her her high school’s first-ever Joie de Vivre Award for uplifting others through her love of life. Since her recovery, Schuyler and Meridith have become known as “Team Schuyler,” a mother-daughter duo who exemplify the power of teamwork, resilience, and positivity. Together, they co-authored the “My Friend the Boulder” children’s book series, which teaches resilience, empathy, and self-discovery through imaginative stories for children and parents alike.

Meridith Alexander, founder of GRIT Mindset Academy, is an internationally recognized coach and speaker who helps individuals and teams transform challenges into triumphs. Her expertise has been featured in Forbes Coaches Council (40+ articles) and earned her accolades like Influence Digest Media’s Top 15 Coaches in Tampa. She is the author of “The Sky is the Limit” and “100 Days of EPIC”, books that inspire readers to live boldly and unapologetically.

Through their popular platform, Schuy is the Limit, Schuyler and Meridith share their story with audiences around the globe. Their heartfelt message of resilience, inclusion, and positivity inspires students, educators, and families to embrace their own unique challenges and discover their inner strength.