Cadesha Prawl

Cadesha Prawl works at a major health insurance company and in her role, she serves as an Accessibility Maven, ensuring digital assets are ADA and WCAG compliant.

Born in St. Catherine, Jamaica (West Indies), and raised in Norwalk, CT, Cadesha earned her undergraduate and MBA at Southern Connecticut State University. Cadesha has contributed to a number of non-profit organizations aligning with youth, empowerment, and sports, that includes the Hopkins School Parent Association, Girl Scouts of America, Project Youth Court New Haven, West Haven Seahawks Pop Warner Football, and New Haven Seminoles AYF Football. Cadesha serves on the board of the League of America Bicyclists and is a certified League Cycling Instructor. She brings a passion for cycling and empowering women to join her for a ride.

Casesha's Journey - "As an avid daily walker for years, my strides at the local beach were getting mundane; not to mention crowded, as residents sought outdoor relief and fresh air during a pandemic. At a time when residents were encouraged to stay home, I was seeking an outdoor change of scenery. I turned to my daughter for her input on ideas and she suggested a bicycle ride."

"My cycling journey began when I dusted off the bicycle sitting in my garage. A couple of days later, my daughter and I were on neighborhood cycling adventures of our own. What began as a casual pastime activity, grew during the height of the pandemic as we met other people on their bicycles. My ambition grew beyond casual pastime riding as cycling began to replace my walking ritual. With the bicycle, I was able to go further, see new places and improve my health. I met wonderful people at varying cycling and engagement levels, met people forming bicycle group rides, and met people who were intentional about prioritizing their health by riding a bicycle. "

"Along the way, I developed a passion that began to transform my life. Though I looked forward to the enjoyment and feeling of being on a bicycle, I was fearful of cycling on the roads and getting hit by vehicles, so my cycling was limited to the Farmington Canal Trail. The NCAT Smart Cycling Class I took in June 2020 changed my outlook on cycling. The class provided me with the knowledge and confidence to ride on the roads. Equipped with my new found confidence, I ventured locally in and around my neighborhood and nationwide cycling in states around the United States."

"Today I cycle for fitness, fun and leisurely on sight-seeing tours. What I love the most is the feeling I have while cycling. Whether it is a casual roll, the burn from a killer hill, or the anticipation of what’s to come; cycling touches my soul. Living in Connecticut, I am able to cycle once the winter thaw breaks until late October. In the cycling off-season, I continue to pedal forward through cycling initiatives around New Haven County by serving on the board of the New Haven Coalition for Active Transportation and nationally by serving on the board of the League of American Bicyclists. As I help to move forward the importance of the bicycle in our everyday lives and encourage everyone to get in a bicycle, it is my goal to encourage women like myself to feel empowered to get on a bicycle and share the same joy I get from cycling. Sharing the joy!"