Ms. Wheelchair America is not a beauty pageant but rather a competition on advocacy, leadership and accomplishment, says Chris Mills, Public Relations Manager at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation, which sponsors the weeklong events.
“They all have different stories of what brought them to this competition, different reasons why they use a chair or have a disability but they’re just so ready to grow as a sisterhood and go back to their communities and empower each other and empower the people that they live with.”
Madison Reid of Detroit is Ms. Wheelchair Michigan and says she’s here to learn, build relationships and be inspired by the other women.
“It’s been a huge journey for me in advocacy. Just building a community, taking a group of youth wheelchair users and putting them together and just being able to show them that this is not the end. This wheelchair doesn’t define us or where we’re going or what we can do.”
Contestant highlights include a scavenger hunt at Frederik Meijer Gardens and touring the rehabilitation hospital with staff and meeting patients.
The winner will be crowned Saturday night to represent more than 70 million Americans living with disabilities.
Friday night the public is invited to hear from contestants sharing their personal journeys, and to Saturday evening’s crowning ceremony, both at Grand Rapids’ Amway Grand Plaza Hotel.
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