Community Heroes

By Julienne Dallara “You should really be Ms. Wheelchair California!” I said to every woman in a wheelchair I knew who had brains, opinions and passion. “We need more women like you to compete!” “Then why aren’t you competing?” they retorted, and I had to reluctantly agree that they had a point. I had no…

By Tia Jones, Testing for Tots My husband Brian and I were in an airport taxi to leave for our honeymoon when he received a call that would change the course of our lives forever. After experiencing unexplained symptoms since early childhood and undergoing countless tests, Brian was officially diagnosed with Fabry disease, a rare genetic…

By Jolene Montgomery This has to be a first; the person elected Ms. Wheelchair California also works 7 shows a year for the Abilities Expos! When you see a person going as fast as her wheelchair can take her, rolling through the aisles with both her orange Expo shirt and a sash and crown, that’s Julienne Dallara. Disability Advocacy…

By Kirk Hanson, The M.A.R.C. Network In 2013, amidst the chaos of the Boston Marathon bombings, an entire city and nation emerged as symbols of resilience and strength. As one of the most severely wounded who endured the tragic event, Marc Fucarile faced a long and arduous road to recovery. A father to a five-year-old boy…

Buckle up, folks, we’ve got a podcast. Introducing…drum roll, please…the Abilities Zone with Paul Amadeus Lane, featuring none other than the incredible Jennifer Kumiyama! This talented woman is ALL the things… singer, actor, disability advocate, former Ms. Wheelchair California, current Accessibility Coordinator for the City of Long Beach and more. Have you seen Disney’s hit animated film, Wish?…

By Nadia Bilous When the war in Ukraine began in 2022, people around the world quickly became aware of the challenges civilians in the warzone would face. The global community began supporting us by sending food, water, clothing and other supplies. Like many people living in the Kyiv area, it felt like my family’s daily…

In loving memory of our dear friend, every Sunday of the 2024 Abilities Expos will be Stevie Hopkins Day. We invite all who knew and admired Stevie to proudly wear their 3E Love apparel, featuring the Wheelchair Heart that has become emblematic within the disability community. Stevie Hopkins, 40, of Batavia,IL, passed away unexpectedly on…

By Andrea Knowlton A few seconds. That’s all it took to change Mark Maloney’s life forever. One June 3rd, 2020, the 84-year-old was riding his bike on a trail along Fountain Creek—one he’d ridden many times before. “Something happened—I’m not sure what,” says Mark, now 87, of Monument, Colorado, “but my eyes closed and I…

By Emily Progin, Help Hope Live What a year it’s been! The holiday season often feels like a natural time to reflect on the milestones, challenges, triumphs, and breakthroughs of the previous year. For many people, it’s also a time to draw closer to their community in whichever ways matter most to them. For the Help Hope…

By Vanessa Harris, Abilities Expo Ambassador and Fun4TheDisabled On March 4th, 2023, Judy Heumann, widely regarded the mother of the disability rights movement in America, passed away. After contracting polio at age two, she was blocked from entering kindergarten as her wheelchair was seen as a “fire hazard,” and since then, she has dedicated her life…

By Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation On November 11, 2012, during a routine traffic stop Leon Ford an innocent Black man, was shot by the police leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. Every day is now a reminder of the day that the Pittsburgh police officer’s prejudices toward Ford, after mistaking him for a…

In 2020, Steph “The Hammer” (Hammerman) Roach launched a virtual fitness company geared toward the adaptive population. Staying Driven is a live, interactive, online based experience. It’s fitness with YOU in mind! And you’ll get to meet her and her team members live and in person at Abilities Expo Phoenix, September 9-11 at WestWorld of Scottsdale. Fitness…