Calvan Ferguson believes deeply in the power of a positive attitude. 

“I’ve been blessed in many different ways,” he says. “You name it, and I’ve probably experienced it. And it was probably a positive experience.” 

Calvan, a New York City native, has been cultivating that positive outlook since childhood. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a toddler, he’s used a wheelchair for most of his life. Growing up, Calvan says he often felt like a pioneer as his presence in the classroom often helped to educate other students about living with a disability.

“I went to elementary school in Manhattan,” he says. “Back then, you would have regular education and then what they called special ed, and that school kind of blurred the lines, so you had a lot of people being educated in the same classroom. It was such a beautiful thing because I didn’t feel alone.” 

That feeling didn’t continue into middle school, when Calvan felt excluded from class field trips that didn’t account for wheelchair users. 

“I don’t like to hold grudges, but there are some things that are hard to forget,” he says. “These field trips were designed for students who had an able, walking body and were not accessible, so I had to stay back and do extra work. Field trips are supposed to open up your horizons and inspire you, but unfortunately that’s sometimes what you get when you pioneer something.” 

Eventually, Calvan completed high school, but says his schooling was often interrupted by surgeries to treat his condition. It was after one of those surgeries—Calvan estimates he’s had about 10 over the course of his lifetime—that he met the woman who would become his wife, Jasmine, who was also recovering from surgery in the hospital. 

“She got discharged, and I thought, ‘I’m never going to see her again,’” Calvan recalled. “But she would call me and she would come on her free Saturdays to see me in the hospital. It really meant a lot to me because it defied everything I thought I knew about having a girlfriend or a wife.” 

Calvan and Jasmine, who also uses complex rehabilitation technology (CRT) equipment for mobility, have now been married for seven years and are the parents of two children. He describes their life together as “countless dates and getting on a lot of peoples’ nerves with accessibility.” 

“You know, life is hard,” Calvan says. “But it’s a little bit better if you have somebody to take the bumps with you.” 

These days, Jasmine works from home full-time, while Calvan is searching for a full-time job. For now, Calvan’s made it his job to look for employment, spending a significant amount of time each day looking for his next role. 

“I feel like I’m the busiest unemployed person in the world,” he says—and he’s not wrong. After helping get his kids ready for school, Calvan drops them off at school, often running errands like running to the supermarket or stopping at the pharmacy, before returning home to continue his job search. 

Around 2 p.m., Calvan is usually headed back to school to pick up his kids for the day, before returning home to work on homework, eat dinner and enjoy time together as a family. On Sundays, Calvan serves on the audio/visual team at his church, preparing microphones and monitoring sound levels for the church service. 

The Fergusons rely heavily on Access-A-Ride and public transportation to get around the city—their weekly trip to church involves two buses and a train—and Calvan hopes his family’s example creates greater visibility and appreciation for people living with disabilities. 

“This is the time,” he says. “Let’s get out of the house and get out on the streets. Let’s get on peoples’ nerves. Some people may feel inconvenienced [by people in wheelchairs] but you never know who you might inspire. As a parent, I get to show my kids what it really means to overcome obstacles. 

“So, whatever it is in your life that’s stopping you from growing or maturing, don’t let it stop you,” Calvan continues. “One day, you’ll look back and see how it made a difference, and that’s what I’m hoping to build: a world my kids can live and thrive in.”

To learn more about Calvan’s life, watch his “Day in My Life” video.

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NSM client Will Fargas takes us along for the day as he heads to work in Manhattan

For Will Fargas, most days start pretty early. 

Fargas, who works as a scheduler for outpatient therapy services at NYU Langone in Manhattan, works in the office three days a week, which means waking up around 4:30 or 5 a.m.

“I usually get up pretty early,” Fargas says, “and my aide helps me get ready for work in the morning.” 

By 6:30 a.m., Fargas is usually ready and waiting for his transportation to work. Most of the time, Fargas says he schedules a ride with Access-A-Ride in New York City, but there are times when it isn’t available. That means finding other ways to get to work, such as public transportation, which significantly lengthens Fargas’ 30-minute commute. 

This type of planning and troubleshooting is a big part of Fargas’ life, one he says people who don’t use complex rehabilitation technology (CRT) equipment or don’t know someone who does may not realize. 

“What time I get up depends on if I have a new person working with me or a veteran,” he says. “I always say that getting ready for work is my part-time job because I have to get up so early to get ready and get there. My shift doesn’t start until 9 a.m., but I’m usually up four to five hours before then.” 

Fargas works eight-hour shifts, whether he’s at home or at work, and usually orders something for lunch when he’s in the office. When he does leave the office for lunch, it takes planning and forethought—and time. Running out for a “quick” lunch or grabbing dinner after work aren’t always easy, when you’re juggling transportation and commutes. 

“With Access-A-Ride, it can take up to two hours on the average,” Fargas says. “If I’m home by 7 p.m., it’s planning what I’m going to eat—and if I have to prep or order food that takes more time. A lot of the time, I find myself eating something light for dinner, like a smoothie, especially if I get home late.” 

Fargas hopes that by giving the world a glimpse of his daily life—and all the planning and forethought that goes into it—helps start a deeper conversation. 

“I hope sharing a day in my life helps start the conversation about the importance of CRT,” he says. “I hope this is a beginning—seeing what someone goes through in one day.”

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With the 2024 Paralympic Games set to begin in Paris later this month, we recently chatted with a few National Seating & Mobility (NSM) clients who are at the top of their game in their respective sports. Read what they had to say about how they discovered their sports, what they love about the game and how they keep their chairs competition-ready.

Meet the Athletes

Josh Swoverland | Sport: Basketball

Fast Fact: His college wheelchair basketball team, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks recently won their 14th National Championship in 2024

Frank Goebel | Sport: Bowling

Fast Fact: Frank currently serves as the secretary for the American Wheelchair Bowling Association (AWBA). 

Maya Tisdale | Sport: Wheelchair Tennis

Fast Fact: Maya, 10, who doesn’t use a wheelchair full time, has been playing wheelchair tennis for about three years. 

Jason Fowler | Sports: Marathoner/Triathlete, Handcycling

Fast Fact: Jason is a two-time IronMan World Champion in the handcycle division

How did you get involved in your sport? 

Josh: I ran track starting at 9 years old around Avon. I completed my first half marathon at 10 in Indianapolis and picked up basketball at around 12 years old. I competed in both all through high school and went to the University of Illinois for track for two years, but it didn’t really work out for me that time. After that, I kind of took a break from all sports, then started playing basketball again for fun. I moved to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater last August, used my eligibility, and the first year here, we won a National Championship! 

Frank: I’m a lifelong bowler. I was a walking bowler for years, but I have a rare neuromuscular disorder that greatly affected  my walking stride. I got my first wheelchair about five years ago.

Maya: In my family, we love tennis. I just kind of got into it because of my brother and my mom and dad. I just really love being able to move and use my arms and legs. 

Ann Tisdale, Maya’s mom: We found a tennis pro in our area who had done an adaptive tennis clinic, and he did private lessons with Maya for a while. That’s how we got started. 

Jason:  After my accident, I was just looking for something to get active again. So, I borrowed a racing wheelchair from a friend of a friend and started doing road races, 5Ks and 5-milers and 10Ks. That put me into a group with other like-minded paraplegics, men and women, and it was the first time that I got to focus on what I could do and not what I couldn’t do. After about 10 years, I needed another challenge, and I saw that one of my childhood heroes who had a similar injury from motocross and dirt bike racing, David Bailey, had finished the Ironman, so that inspired me to go after that sport. 

What do you love about your sport? 

Maya: Sports can be for everybody. It’s good to get out of the house, move around and just be active. And it’s good to be around other people, especially if they have the same type of disability or situation as you do. 

Frank: I’m constantly meeting incredible, new people from all over the country. Bowling is a sport I can still do from my wheelchair and compete against other wheelchair bowlers and non-disabled bowlers. I didn’t have to quit any leagues just because I got a wheelchair, and all of my colleagues have embraced that. 

Josh: For me, a lot of it is competitiveness. I thought I could just play basketball again for fun, but I just had to have that competitiveness again. I really love the team aspect—the team bonding and the way everybody comes together for the same goal—I just haven’t been able to find that anywhere else. I love it. 

Jason: For me, my body feels better when I’m moving. When I’m competing and pushing my body, everything is better—I don’t put on weight, my skin is better, my emotional state, everything. 

Do you do anything special to keep your chair competition-ready? 

Many of the athletes in this article use special chairs designed specifically for sports, in addition to the wheelchairs they use on a daily basis. 

Josh: At the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, we have a graduate assistant who helps us a lot with chair maintenance. I’m 33 now so I’ve been doing this for a while. Maintaining your chair is important so you can keep up in the game. You wouldn’t go into a basketball game if the sole of your sneaker was falling off, so look at bolts, tires because you can slide if the tire is wearing out and make sure we have spare tires. Since we pop tires a pretty decent amount, we actually teach everyone how to change a tire. 

Jason: The good part about racing chairs, is that there aren’t a lot of moving parts. It’s really just the wheels and the tires, but really once you have it, it’s pretty easy to maintain. It does take a little time, though, to get it set up so that it’s comfortable, just like with your everyday chair. 

Maya: My parents make sure the tires are aired up and that everything’s set up and ready. 

Ann: One time we went to a sports camp and we forgot the back of Maya’s chair. We left it at home and we were about three hours away. Luckily, we were able to improvise and use something off of another chair, but we definitely haven’t made that mistake again! 

Frank: I use my existing chair, removing one armrest and the push rim from the wheel on my bowling side. Many wheelchair bowlers leave the push rim in place and bowl. There are other devices available to those who cannot grip a bowling ball normally.

What advice would you give someone looking to get into your sport? 

Josh: If you’re interested in a sport, go out and try it! We always want more people involved. For anybody with interest, check out sites online, watch videos on YouTube and reach out to athletes on social media. We can help you find somewhere to compete! 

Frank: Go to the American Wheelchair Bowling Association website (awba.org) and reach out to us. You can bowl at most bowling centers, and we offer regional and national tournaments. Most tournaments include a wheelchair bowling clinic, which give people a chance to try it for the first time or improve on what they’re doing. I’m a certified coach, one of several in the AWBA. 

Jason: You just have to jump in and start moving your body. It’s amazing how many resources are out there if you just search “wheelchair racing.” Once you start asking around, there’s always someone in your community who is doing it, and it’s just a matter of connecting with the right person. Even if you don’t have a racing chair, just start pushing, and you’ll find that when you treat your body well, you can handle a lot more than you think you can. 

Maya: Just have fun and try it out! Maybe you’ll like it or maybe not and that’s OK. But just have fun, try your best and do whatever you can do! 

Resources

Interested in learning more about  adaptive sports or other adaptive recreational activities? Check out these sites. 

• North American Wheelchair Basketball League
• American Wheelchair Bowling Association
• Ironman (Handcycle and Disability Division Policies)
• United States Tennis Association Accessible Play
• Challenged Athletes Foundation (grants for sports wheelchairs and equipment)
• Kelly Brush Foundation (grants for sports wheelchairs and equipment)

The Active Project (Find adaptive sports or recreational opportunities in your community)

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Shea Megale believes in living with purpose. 

Already an established author, Megale, 28, will graduate in May with two master’s degrees from Georgetown University and is writing legislation that would allow people with disabilities to serve in the military. 

“The bill is intended to allow skilled and educated people with physical disabilities to serve active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces,” Megale says, describing the bill. “The disabled community is an untargeted group of people who are statistically extremely motivated to work; they want to prove you wrong and are usually educated in non-kinetic ways that can contribute to national defense. 

“Technology allows us to have unmanned aircraft, drones, and electronic warfare,” Megale continues. “[People with disabilities] could be administrators, social media experts, recruiters, psychiatrists, chaplains, engineers—the list goes on and on. Different branches [of the military] have different needs, and the bill envisions how people with physical disabilities can serve in those branches and start to adjust the culture of the military to make room for different definitions of ‘soldier.’”  

Megale gained support for the legislation and has shared it with the office of U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly, serving Virginia’s 11th congressional district. His office is currently creating their version of the bill to introduce in the House of Representatives. 

As the grandchild of a U.S. Navy Rear Admiral, Megale has always felt a desire to serve in uniform. Megale, who was born with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) Type 2 and uses a wheelchair for mobility, hopes to see the bill become reality in order to achieve that goal. 

“I’m 28 right now, and the oldest you can be to join any of the branches of the military is in the Navy,” Megale says. “You can commission at 42 in the Navy. So I have a little over 10 years to change the law, and I think there’s a pretty high possibility of that happening.” 

Megale, who hopes to work in leadership and politics in the future, is already preparing for that goal at Georgetown University. With two master’s degrees–one in history and the second in foreign service–and with a current position as a flotilla commander in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, those ambitions seem within reach. Megale says that the desire to serve—be it in the military or behind a podium—is fueled by a genuine love for others and wanting to contribute to humanity to make a difference. 

“I genuinely care about people and I like providing for them,” Megale says. “I need help getting dressed, I need help showering and cooking. So there’s this tension between that regular receiving of assistance and me wanting to be the one giving. I see leadership as an avenue for me to be able to give back.” 

It’s a passion Megale can’t turn off. There are opportunities for change everywhere, Megale says, even in equipment failure. 

“For professionals, repairs can’t wait sometimes,” Megale says. “We want to be mainstream and be able to participate in society the way that other people can. I would like my life and my use of this equipment to be an example of that.”

“My life is a case study of how [CRT equipment] is used for more than going from the kitchen to the bedroom or even from the car to the doctor’s office or the classroom,” Megale continues. “I go all around the world in my wheelchair.” 

In fact, last September, when Megale had an important meeting at the office of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer regarding the bill Megale is trying to get passed, the NSM team at Springfield, Virginia, rose to embody that standard. Lorrie, Max, Norman, Matthew, Keith, and Glenn at that location went above and beyond to find parts to repair Megale’s chair hours before the big meeting.  

When Megale isn’t advocating for change through  politics, writing books takes precedent. Megale wrote the first of nearly a dozen novels at the age of 15 and was first published at only 23. That young adult novel, This Is Not A Love Scene, published by Macmillian, features a character who uses a motorized wheelchair and a love interest who does not.

“That’s a very rare thing,” Megale says of the book’s plot. “The only other example I know of is You Before Me, and in that case the character kills himself because he’s so sad about being in a wheelchair. There’s a scene in my book that sort of critiques it in a parody of that film.” 

Since then, Megale has written several more books, about one a year, across a wide variety of genres, including science fiction and fantasy, a couple of children’s books focused on Megale’s past and present service dogs, Mercer and Pierre II, and a biography of Matthew, Megale’s older brother, designed to bring attention to the opioid crisis. 

“My brother tragically died of an opioid overdose in 2017,” Megale says. “He was addicted for 10 years, went through many different rehabs and prisons. We did everything we could for him, and addiction still took him. It’s a very raw biography, told through my eyes, watching him go through it. Now, I think of his name in everything I do.” 

After graduate school, Megale hopes to give writing more attention. Whatever the future holds, it’s a pretty good bet you’ll see this Megale working somewhere to make the world a better place. 
“My desire to give back, to provide, and be needed is what drives me,” Megale says. “I think one of the desires that hasn’t really been identified for people with disabilities is the desire to be counted on, to be the one person in the room that someone needs, or even the only one who can do something. People with disabilities don’t often have that moment because many perceive the needs of the world to be strictly tied to physical capability. They’re not. The world needs so much more. And people like me want and are ready to rise up to fulfill them.”

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When Jeremy Siegers discovered commercial art, he knew he’d found his life’s calling. 

“A family friend owned a local sign company and one of his sons was away at college, and they got really busy, so the owner asked my father if I’d be interested in working at the company,” Siegers recalls. “I walked in and my eyes just lit up. This is commercial art—commercial graphics—what businesses use every day for marketing and branding. When I walked in those doors, I fell in love right away. I’d found my passion in life without even looking for it.” 

That moment was a turning point for Siegers. 

Now, more than two decades later, he’s the owner of Sharp Mill Graphics, a multi-surface branding management company based in the Chicagoland area, providing expertise in commercial printing, promotional products, and corporate signage for medium-sized and Fortune 500 companies nationwide.

But that moment was just one turning point in a long series of pivotal moments that have shaped the direction of Siegers’ life. 

“I was born with Muscular Dystrophy, but I didn’t know I had it,” Siegers says. “I was like every other kid. I wanted to be outside and play with my friends. I played Little League baseball, and I could hit the ball and throw, but I couldn’t run.” 

As much as Siegers willed his legs to run, he couldn’t make them go fast enough. Onlookers and parents in the crowd sometimes heckled him for being lazy, but it was just one of a number of issues about Siegers’ mobility his parents had begun to notice. Finally, at a family gathering, a nurse who was also in attendance suggested that Siegers mother have him tested for Muscular Dystrophy. He was diagnosed with Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy at age 14. 

“When I got to high school, I couldn’t take PE because of my diagnosis,” Siegers recalls, “so I took all art-related elective classes. Art, drawing, ceramics—I was creative and loved it all. It put me on a level playing field because I could sit at a desk and didn’t have to worry about my weak physical muscles and could let my mental strength do all the work.” 

In college, Siegers sought to find a career track in computers because sitting at a desk would allow him to use his skills while also providing a path forward as his muscles continued to weaken. He settled on a major in network communications management and continued working at the sign company, until the owner’s son graduated from college and the company didn’t need Siegers’ help anymore. 

“I was so bummed,” Siegers says about learning that the job he loved was ending. “It felt like my heart got ripped out. I knew I needed another job, so I started looking online for something that would be as fulfilling, and that’s when I stumbled on information about an open house for a distributorship that sells sign-making equipment and asked my dad if he wanted to go.” 

That Saturday afternoon open house turned out to be another turning point. Siegers took the money he’d made from the sign company job and invested it in himself. Or, more specifically, in his own sign-making business. 

“I taught myself to design and make signs,” he says. “I’d design and make everything, then I trained my dad on how to help me install it. And pretty soon, my side business was making my car payment and paying my car insurance while I was still going to college full-time.”

The endgame, Siegers says, was to graduate college with his bachelor’s degree, get a job as a network administrator and keep making signs and graphics on the side. But after more than a year of interviewing, he still didn’t have a job. 

“When I graduated from college, I was getting around on a mobility scooter pretty much full-time,” Siegers says. “Every job I interviewed for, all they saw was my disability. It was heartbreaking to go through that for a solid year, but meanwhile, my side business that was built around me, my expertise, and my passion was growing. No one cared that I had a disability.” 

That brought Siegers to another life-defining pivot point. 

“I sat down with my parents and told them I was going to run with my own business and make my own luck,” he says. 

Siegers has been making his own luck since 2003. Sharp Mill Graphics is proud to be a certified disability-owned business nationally with Disability:IN and in the State of Illinois. 

“We value integrity and are passionate about building solid relationships with senior-level managers at medium-sized and Fortune 500 companies throughout the Chicagoland area and nationwide who recognize the valuable skill set and unique perspective we offer,” Siegers says. “For our clients, we’re an extension of their marketing department and work together to bring their ideas to life with our multi-surface branding solutions. We can make your job easier, save time, solve problems, and help your company look sharp at every angle and on every surface.”

After navigating the world with mobility equipment most of his life, Siegers sees his disability as a “superpower.” 

“I’m overcoming obstacles every day,” he says. “I’m always thinking, trying to come up with solutions [for the obstacles I face.] I’m just trying to live my life and do what I’m passionate about. Passion and purpose are what drive me. If you have passion for something and you have a purpose, you can really do anything you want if you put your mental strength to work.” 

Learn more about Jeremy Siegers and Sharp Mill Graphics by following Jeremy on LinkedIn or visiting Sharp Mill Graphics online. 

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Last fall, Nashville native and National Seating & Mobility (NSM) client Rosie Dunn took a big step and moved to Ireland for a year to complete her master’s in disability studies at University College Dublin. A longtime travel enthusiast and a manual wheelchair user, Rosie shared a few thoughts about living abroad as well as some helpful tips for traveling in a wheelchair. 

Tell us what it’s been like to live abroad. 

There was definitely an adjustment at first, but I got the hang of things pretty quickly. The Irish people are so friendly and welcoming. I am glad I’m living in an English-speaking country since that’s the only language I can speak well. Being confident about my ability to communicate my needs to others makes living abroad a lot easier. 

Traveling and exploring other countries has always been so interesting to me, so I’ve always wanted to study abroad. I was supposed to study abroad in London during my junior year of college, but I was not able to go because of the pandemic. After graduating college, I had a few friends from college move to Europe to either work or pursue master’s degrees, and one of my friends actually did the program I am doing now! When I found out about it, I reached out to him to learn more about the program. I was fortunate to be able to visit the school over my spring break to determine if I thought living in Dublin independently as a wheelchair user would be feasible. Thankfully, I was able to make it work! 

What do you think fuels your passion for travel? 

Travel has always been something that’s felt magical to me, especially when traveling to a new country for the first time. Even though it requires extra planning as a wheelchair user and sometimes is difficult, I almost always find traveling to be worth it. Traveling as a wheelchair user is also something I think a lot of people don’t think is possible, so I like proving to myself, to other wheelchair users, and to people in general that it can be.

What advice would you offer wheelchair users who are planning an upcoming trip? 

Don’t try to do too much at once. This is something I am learning and trying to get better about. When planning a trip I tend to want to go see and do as many things as I can. This was very true on a trip I took in September. My mom and I had a wonderful trip, but it was the longest time we had ever been away from home. For the Switzerland portion of our trip, we never spent more than one night in any of the cities we stayed in. It was a lot of action and that was very fun, but it was also tiring. Then, when I ran into accessibility issues, I was less mentally equipped to handle them well.

You’ve been writing accessible travel guides and documenting your experiences on your blog, Rosie Roaming, and social media for years. Why is it important to you to create this kind of content? 

Researching accessibility for trips can be overwhelming at times, so I want to share my travel experiences to help others who are in similar situations. I read other wheelchair travel blogs and follow other wheelchair travel creators to hear their experiences and find it to be very helpful. I also like going directly to other wheelchair users for this advice because I trust that they know what the important information is to share with other wheelchair users. Sometimes, people without disabilities will say something is accessible when it is not, or they judge my abilities quickly and tell me something is not possible when in reality it is for me, although it may not be for all wheelchair users. 

I share the good to inspire other wheelchair users because I know traveling as a wheelchair user can be overwhelming. I also want to share the not-so-good sides of traveling as a wheelchair user to give an accurate depiction of the experience and to help advocate for changes that need to be made to help people with disabilities travel with the dignity and respect we deserve, such as implementing accessible bathrooms on planes, designing planes so wheelchair users can stay in their wheelchairs—this has already been proven to be safe, Delta announced it would implement this seat in the future!—and providing more rights and protections for passengers in wheelchairs that get damaged. 

After she completes her master’s degree, Rosie plans to return to the United States, where she’ll start working on a degree in occupational therapy so she can work with spinal cord injury patients. In the meantime, Rosie intends to keep creating content for her blog and complete her goal of visiting all 50 states (only 11 left to go). 

Want to learn more about Rosie? Check out Rosie Roaming, her blog, or read her article, “Washington in a Wheelchair,” a travel guide to Washington State. 

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When Kaity Ellis was six years old, she knew that one day, she’d serve in public office. 

“I don’t remember if it was the Senate or the House of Representatives, but I remember that the TV was on CSPAN,” Ellis recalls. “I looked at my grandmother and said, ‘One day, I’m going to do that.’”

Now, a few decades later, Ellis is set to make that dream a reality. The New Mexican at heart is running for New Mexico State Senate District 20, fueled by a passion to help people that have shaped her entire life. A social worker by trade, Ellis works as a full-time advocate. 

“As a social worker, I work to improve the lives of individuals every day,” Ellis said. “I work to make sure that we as a profession are looking at the person holistically and focusing on what is best for each individual.” 

While Ellis knew her passion for serving others would shape her life, it took a little time to determine exactly how, then discovered a passion for social work. A wheelchair user, Ellis has cerebral palsy and is legally blind. An observant professor, who also happened to be the chair of the social work department at Western New Mexico University, noticed Ellis’ passion for service and quickly realized how it could benefit others. Ellis remembers their conversation as a turning point. 

“I told her that I wanted to be a doctor or a teacher [because I wanted to help people],” Ellis says. “She said, ‘So why don’t you go into social work?’ She told me that social workers are teachers and mental health professionals, that we help people learn how to navigate environments.

“Then, my professor said, ‘I really don’t see why you can’t be a social worker in Congress someday,’” Ellis continues. “Many of those people have policy backgrounds, and that’s what social work really is.” 

Ellis, who kicked off her campaign this past fall, is running for New Mexico State Senate, representing District 20, which includes sections of Albuquerque and the surrounding area. Ellis must win the primary, set for June 4, 2024, to advance to the Nov. 5, 2024, election. 

“I think it’s really important that New Mexico has a candidate who understands the people and the policies we put into practice,” Ellis says. “Fifteen percent of New Mexico’s population has a disability, so my work is to bring that to the attention of policy makers and legislators.” 

While Ellis understands that some people might see disabilities as a negative, she sees her life experiences as a positive for a public servant. 

“I had to ask myself if New Mexico was ready for a person with disabilities to represent them, and New Mexico is ready because I’m ready to be that person,” Ellis says. “Disability sparks innovation—a lot of people don’t realize that—and I’m going to make sure I’m not the last person with disabilities to run for office in New Mexico.” 

Whether or not her bid for office is successful, Ellis hopes that her campaign serves as an example to others to make their voices heard. 

“We need more people with disabilities to run for office because every disability community member has a different perspective and view,” she says. “I don’t have all the answers, but everyone, no matter our abilities, has a perspective to bring to the table.” 

Ellis encourages members of the disability community to become advocates in their own communities, whether that involves running for office or simply casting their votes. 

“People say, ‘My vote doesn’t count, or my vote doesn’t matter,’ but I say it does,” Ellis says. “At the end of the day, casting your vote is making sure that people you elect to represent you are doing the job you hope they would do on your behalf. Just because you have a disability doesn’t mean you don’t have the ability to do something—you do, just have to do it differently.” 

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A year ago, Chandra Smith had never heard of Ms. Wheelchair America. 

“I didn’t know there was a competition that focused on disability advocacy,” says Smith, who was crowned Ms. Wheelchair America 2024 earlier this year. 

Smith, who became a wheelchair user after a health crisis in 2021, is just one of many women who has participated in the Ms. Wheelchair America program over the years. Ms. Wheelchair America, a nonprofit, focuses on equipping women to educate others about disabilities and advocate for those living with disabilities. 

Women compete at the state level, then move on to the Ms. Wheelchair America national competition, where they’re judged on advocacy, achievement, communication and presentation. The goal is to select the most accomplished and articulate spokeswoman for people with disabilities.

Allison Boot, Ms. Wheelchair Ohio 2023, got involved because she wanted to find community with other women who were also interested in advocacy and disability rights. 

“I’m from Dayton, Ohio, originally but I had moved away for about six years before moving back,” Boot says. “When I came back, a lot of my friends had moved away or were in different stages of their lives, so I participated in Ms. Wheelchair Ohio so that I could meet other women who were wheelchair users and advocates and make more friends.” 

Khalia Hayslett, Ms. Wheelchair New York 2023, describes the friendships she’s found within the program as a “sisterhood.” 

“There really is a sense of community with our class,” Hayslett said. “A lot of the contestants came seeking friendship and community. It is truly an amazing experience—and at some point in the competition none of us really cared who won!” 

Boot also saw the competition as a way to garner greater visibility for her platform, which is centered on inclusive literature. 

“My platform is READ for Equity,” Boot explains. “The acronym stands for “Raise Awareness, Embrace Differences, Advocate for Acceptance, and Dream Big. Inclusive literature and other inclusive mediums can encourage people in these areas, which leads to people with disabilities living more equitable lives.” 

Boot’s platform isn’t just something she talks about. A three-time self-published author, Boot is currently at work on her next book, a children’s book. All of her books, which are geared toward young adults and children, include characters with disabilities. 

“Two of the three books include princesses with disabilities,” Boot says. “My other book is geared a little more toward girls and boys, with a valiant man who goes on an epic quest to defeat a dragon. My fourth book, which I’m working on now, is about a unicorn who uses a wheelchair.” 

The books, Boot says, are a way to increase disability visibility and advocate for disability rights. 

“I realized from a very young age what an important tool advocacy can be, and that’s why I write young adult and children’s books,” she says. “It’s a fun way to expose and educate kids about something they may not have experienced themselves.” 

Khalia Hayslett’s platform centers on visibility, mental health awareness and empowerment. As the reigning Ms. Wheelchair New York, Hayslett uses her visibility to increase disability rights awareness. Hayslett also promotes independence through travel in New York City where she lives. 

“Across the board, New York is striving really hard to be all things accessible,” says Hayslett, who was born with arthrogryposis and uses a wheelchair as well as crutches to get around. “All accessibility happens because of advocacy, and here the disabled community has me saying, ‘Excuse me, that’s not right.’” 

Hayslett, who wants to encourage people living with disabilities to be more visible, shares traveling videos on social media to showcase the many accessible ways to get around the city. 

“If people with disabilities aren’t visible living their lives, things won’t change because our  non-disabled allies won’t recognize that barriers need to change now,”  Hayslett says. “I’ve learned that New York Transit officials are watching my videos so they can make necessary changes. I’ve worked with their construction and IT teams to make the transit system more accessible, and it’s working!” 

Hayslett reports that New York City is now home to more than 100 accessible subway stations, with the hope that the entire system will be accessible by 2050. 

“Advocacy makes us noticeably present at the table,” she says.

Smith, who was serving as Ms. Wheelchair Maryland 2023 when she won the national title, chose digital accessibility as her platform. An IT engineer with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), she currently works in the 508 office, working to make websites, apps and other electronic data more accessible to people with disabilities. 

“We have physical ramps, but we also need digital ramps for people with disabilities,” Smith says. “Digital accessibility is about making sure that websites, applications and electronic data are being understood and accessed by anyone, regardless of ability. We live in a digital world, and we need to make sure that everyone has access to the content that they need.” 

Smith had just taken a job in the DIA’s 508 office, an office tasked with ensuring all electronic content is accessible and in compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, when she became disabled herself. While undergoing a water-only fast while praying for her mother who needed a lung transplant, Smith fainted and went into multi-organ failure. Doctors administered a medication that directed blood from her limbs to her organs. The treatment worked, but Smith developed sepsis in her arms and legs, resulting in Smith having three of her limbs amputated. 

A triple amputee with limited dexterity in her right hand due to a stroke, Smith quickly recognized the vital importance of her work. 

“While I was in the rehab hospital, I took a trip to the computer lab,” she recalls. “I rolled into the lab, and it was a very different experience. I ran across a website that wasn’t accessible—it only allowed for mouse control and not keyboard access. I began to do more research and 96% of websites and applications are inaccessible to individuals with disabilities.

“I fainted, and I woke up in a world that wasn’t built for me,” Smith continues. “I started experiencing all these barriers, whether it was architectural barriers, cultural attitudes or digital barriers, and I wanted to give a voice to the voiceless.” 

As Ms. Wheelchair America, Smith will take every opportunity to share her platform over the course of the next year. From speaking engagements to providing accessibility tips on social media, hosting trainings and writing about digital accessibility, Smith also plans to work with legislators in her state to begin making policies that strengthen 508 compliance and promote universal design. 

But she also plans to keep sharing the stage with her Ms. Wheelchair America sisters as they work together to broaden their visibility and change the world for the better. 

“Advocacy is like construction,” Smith says, “you have to keep building. I’m working with several other women who were in the competition. I host a bimonthly advocacy meeting where we dive into their different platforms and see how we can increase our influence across the United States.”

SIDEBAR

Get to Know the Contestants

Want to know a little more about the women profiled in this article? 

Chandra Smith

Ms. Wheelchair America 2024

Ms. Wheelchair Maryland 2023

Hometown: Pasadena, Maryland

Platform: Digital Accessibility

On being named Ms. Wheelchair America 2024: “I was completely speechless and that almost never happens. All of the women are so amazing, and they all have a message and a purpose, I just wanted to do well for my state, Maryland, which was getting in Top Five because we haven’t been in the Top Five in quite some time. It was just breathtaking, but I know with this crown comes responsibility, and I had a lot of work to do.” Follow Chandra on Instagram.

Allison Boot

Ms. Wheelchair Ohio 2023

Hometown: Beaver Creek, Ohio

Platform: READ for Equity
On why advocacy is so important: “It’s so important to have a voice and make sure it’s heard because people with disabilities deserve to live equitable full lives. We have a wonderful piece of legislation in the ADA, but if advocates don’t continue to talk about why it’s important or how much it helps to shape and improve our lives, then people won’t know and it will lose some of that importance and power.” Learn more about Allison’s books at allisonmbootauthor.com and follow her on Facebook or Instagram.

Khalia Hayslett

Ms. Wheelchair New York 2023

Hometown: Brooklyn, New York

Platform: Visibility, Mental Health Awareness, Empowerment

On being a role model: “My life is not focused on my disability or what it has prevented me from doing. I’m more focused on making the world fully accessible so that person that comes after me can see me and know they aren’t alone. Growing up, I didn’t have anybody as a role model. Now, there are young people who look at me and say, ‘I can do it because you do it.’” Follow Khalia on Instagram.

The post Creating Community and Change appeared first on NSM — National Seating & Mobility.

Women compete at the state level, then move on to the Ms. Wheelchair America national competition, where they’re judged on advocacy, achievement, communication and presentation. The goal is to select the most accomplished and articulate spokeswoman for people with disabilities.

Allison Boot, Ms. Wheelchair Ohio 2023, got involved because she wanted to find community with other women who were also interested in advocacy and disability rights. 

“I’m from Dayton, Ohio, originally but I had moved away for about six years before moving back,” Boot says. “When I came back, a lot of my friends had moved away or were in different stages of their lives, so I participated in Ms. Wheelchair Ohio so that I could meet other women who were wheelchair users and advocates and make more friends.” 

Boot also saw the competition as a way to garner greater visibility for her platform, which is centered on inclusive literature. 

“My platform is READ for Equity,” Boot explains. “The acronym stands for “Raise Awareness, Embrace Differences, Advocate for Acceptance, and Dream Big. Inclusive literature and other inclusive mediums can encourage people in these areas, which leads to people with disabilities living more equitable lives.” 

Boot’s platform isn’t just something she talks about. A three-time self-published author, Boot is currently at work on her next book, a children’s book. All of her books, which are geared toward young adults and children, include characters with disabilities. 

“Two of the three books include princesses with disabilities,” Boot says. “My other book is geared a little more toward girls and boys, with a valiant man who goes on an epic quest to defeat a dragon. My fourth book, which I’m working on now, is about a unicorn who uses a wheelchair.” 

The books, Boot says, are a way to increase disability visibility and advocate for disability rights. 

“I realized from a very young age what an important tool advocacy can be, and that’s why I write young adult and children’s books,” she says. “It’s a fun way to expose and educate kids about something they may not have experienced themselves.” 

Want to know a More about Allison?

Allison Boot, Ms. Wheelchair Ohio 2023

Hometown: Beaver Creek, Ohio

Platform: READ for Equity
On why advocacy is so important: “It’s so important to have a voice and make sure it’s heard because people with disabilities deserve to live equitable full lives. We have a wonderful piece of legislation in the ADA, but if advocates don’t continue to talk about why it’s important or how much it helps to shape and improve our lives, then people won’t know and it will lose some of that importance and power.” Learn more about Allison’s books at allisonmbootauthor.com and follow her on Facebook or Instagram.

The post CREATING COMMUNITY & CHANGE appeared first on NSM — National Seating & Mobility.

Michael England never really expected to open a coffee shop. 

His career, Michael thought, would probably stay focused in the automotive industry. His dad had worked in the industry Michael’s entire life—and Michael had assumed he would, too. But a few years ago, after Michael had moved back home to Crossville, Tennessee, and reconnected with Cigi, a college acquaintance who is now his wife, a love for running and a chance encounter changed everything. 

“One Saturday, Cigi and I were walking to lunch in downtown Cookeville, Tennessee, and Ainsley’s Angels was set up outside a grocery store there,” Michael recalls. Ainsley’s Angels is a nonprofit that pairs runners with individuals who have disabilities to complete races, among other advocacy and inclusion efforts. “I’m a runner, and I’d always wanted to know more about the program.” 

The Styer family was working the Ainsley’s Angels table that afternoon, and the chance encounter led to Michael pushing Bradley, who uses a wheelchair, in several races. The connection began to open the Englands’ eyes to how Bradley’s life differed from theirs. 

“I didn’t have someone in my family who had mobility issues or special needs, so I just didn’t know the issues people with disabilities faced,” Michael says. “We learned very quickly that the world isn’t built for people with disabilities.”  

Through his relationship with Bradley, Michael and Cigi began to see that accessibility was about more than wider doors and ramps. It was about employment and more than that, community. 

“Another thing I’ve taken for granted most of my life is making friends and being part of a community,” Michael says. “But think about where you meet people. Sixty percent of our lives, we’re at work. Bradley was 33 and desperately wanted a job.” 

One Sunday afternoon, while Michael and Cigi were watching a documentary on European coffee shops, a new idea began to brew. 

“The documentary talked about how coffee shops provide employment, but they’re also the hub of the community, where people can gather and find community and build relationships,” Michael says.

So the Englands began to “kick around” the idea of opening a coffee shop that provided employment opportunities for people with disabilities but also created a sense of community. The Exceptional Bean opened its doors in July 2022.

“One of the first people we told we were going to do this were Bradley and his family,” Michael recalls. “Bradley started crying. 

“For me, employment opportunities are almost endless, but that wasn’t the case for him,” Michael continues. “Now, Bradley comes into the building and the first questions out of his mouth are, ‘Are there boxes to break down? Is there trash to take out?’ For Bradley, it’s not ‘I have to go to work.’ It’s ‘I get to go to work.’”

Michael and Cigi set up the Exceptional Bean as a nonprofit, meaning that while Cigi is the founder and Michael the general manager, a board of directors oversees the coffee shop. The nonprofit status also allows the board to fundraise, which is vital to fulfilling the Exceptional Bean’s mission. But it’s also reflective of the type of space Michael and Cigi are working to create: a community. 

“Our employees feel a sense of purpose in their work,” Michael says. “They meet here to go to the library or the park; they hang out here. I have a stack of applications from people who want to work here, but we don’t have the ability to hire them right now. We need partners.” 

All donations are helpful, Michael says, but he and Cigi are working to build a consistent donor base built on monthly recurring donations. 

The Exceptional Bean is about finding a community, a sense of belonging. 

“For us, it’s about making the world more accessible,” Michael says. “I look at my friend Brandon, one of our employees. He has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, and I know if he were in my spot, he’d try to make a place for me.”

To learn more about the Exceptional Bean or to donate, visit theexceptionalbeancookeville.com.

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