Joshua “The Jedi” Loya is a blind surfing champion, martial artist, and standup comedian. Joshua’s mission is to cultivate resilience and a renewed sense of wonder in himself and in the people he meets. From an early age, Joshua was easily lost in stories of adventure and personal triumph. He had a congenital condition which made him extremely near-sighted and more vulnerable to eye injuries. As a result, he quenched his thirst for adventure through books, movies, TV, comics, and video games. He loved to ride his bike and his skateboard, but he was taking a huge risk whenever he did. Things changed when he lost his remaining sight in a martial arts accident with a pair of nunchucks at age 15.
In response to losing his sight, Joshua reveled in the fact that he could no longer lose it, the activity restrictions placed upon him when he was young had now been lifted. The summer after he lost his eyesight, he tried water-skiing for the first time. He studied kung fu in his junior year of high school and competed in his first martial arts tournament when he was sixteen. In his senior year, he was the first blind person to qualify for his belay card at his local climbing gym. Joshua was now able to not only appreciate stories of adventure through awe inspiring literature. He could now craft some adventure stories of his own.
Joshua has earned five black belts and ranks across seven styles. He continues to train and grow as a martial artist, having developed a particular fondness for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The overlap in surf and jiu jitsu culture eventually had its impact, and Joshua started surfing in 2017. His competition record and intuitive surfing style has many wondering if he really can use The Force.
Joshua has continued to embrace authenticity in response to personal struggle. In late 2016, Joshua had to scale back his martial arts training due to a torn hamstring. While recovering, he tried his hand at standup comedy, thoroughly enjoying himself. Soon after, he was diagnosed with PTSD and major depression connected to childhood trauma prior to his blindness. He now speaks honestly and openly about his struggles in his standup and other forms of expression. Whether it be standup comedy, martial arts practice, surfing, or hosting a podcast, Joshua does his best to live by the following ideal. “Adventure is a state of mind. How you live it is up to you!”
