About

The Mission of Ms. Wheelchair America

The mission of Ms. Wheelchair America is to provide an opportunity of achievement for women who use wheelchairs to successfully educate and advocate for the more than 64 million Americans living with disabilities. Unlike traditional beauty pageants, Ms. Wheelchair America is not a contest to select the most attractive individual. Instead, it is a competition based on advocacy, achievement, communication and presentation to select the most accomplished and articulate spokeswoman for persons with disabilities. The selected representative must be able to communicate both the needs and the accomplishments of her constituency to the general public, the business community, and the legislature.

The D.E.I. statement of Ms. Wheelchair America

At Ms. Wheelchair America, we firmly embrace the tenets of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as the foundation of our mission. We are committed to nurturing a sisterhood that not only promotes positive social transformation but also actively strives for a world where individuals with disabilities are empowered to thrive, lead authentically, and dismantle the obstacles that obstruct our potential in our communities and beyond.

We aim to cultivate an atmosphere where every voice is heard, appreciated, and understood. Our focus on courteous effective communication highlights the significance of each interaction, as we uphold the varied perspectives that refine our collective journey.

Collaboration lies at the essence of our mission. We seek and engage proactively with allies, advocates, and organizations that align with our dedication to DEI. Through these alliances, we seek to elevate our influence and establish the resources and support necessary for all individuals to be successful.

We are devoted to creating a culture of inclusion that acknowledges the journeys of people with disabilities and those from various socioeconomic backgrounds. Our objective is to ensure that every member of our community feels seen, heard, and valued, thereby reinforcing the integrity of our shared mission.

For we seek a future, where everyone is empowered to lend their voice to the social discourse and refine our communities, shaping a reality where differences are cherished, barriers and stigmas are eliminated.

Social media community guidelines

Ms. Wheelchair America is committed to creating a respectful and inclusive social media community. The following guidelines are designed to help provide an enjoyable and welcoming environment for those who interact with our posts. We reserve the right to hide or delete any comments that don’t adhere to these guidelines and to block anyone who violates them on a consistent basis.

Specifically, we do not allow these kinds of comments:

• Abusing, harassing, threatening or attacking others
• Defamatory, offensive, or obscene comments, or comments depicting violence
• Trolling or deliberate disruption of discussion
• Spam comments
• Unwanted commercial solicitation
• Comments of a personal nature that are unprofessional towards our volunteers and/or community as a whole
• Repeated complaints about our organization from those who have not yet addressed said complaints with our Executive Team

This policy may be updated at any time to reflect any additional guidelines that we deem are necessary.

Last updated: March 31, 2025

Duties of Ms. Wheelchair America

As Ms. Wheelchair America, the national titleholder has numerous duties. These include promoting awareness of the need to eliminate architectural and attitudinal barriers, informing the able-bodied public of the achievements of the millions of people with disabilities across the nation, and assisting with the establishment of programs in all 50 states by promoting Ms. Wheelchair America. During her year long reign, she will have the opportunity to travel visiting advocacy groups, making public appearances and conducting radio, print ad, and TV interviews. The commitment and personal example of the titleholder serves to further the mission of Ms. Wheelchair America.

For more information on how you can participate either by sponsoring, donating, or entering a local contest, contact us here.

Executive Director

• • Rebecca Sentell

Board Members

• • Mary Zendejas – President of Ms. Wheelchair America

• • Kathy Ford – Vice President of Ms. Wheelchair America

• • Kathleen Barajas – Treasurer of Ms. Wheelchair America

• • Angela Piazza – Secretary of Ms. Wheelchair America

• • Shameka Andrews – Member at Large of Ms. Wheelchair America

• • Kristi Walden – Member at Large of Ms. Wheelchair America