Kristen McCosh became Ms. Wheelchair America 2008 (MWA) on December 1, 2007. This blog contains information on Kristen’s appearances, activities, and advocacy work during 2008.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts Pageant
Below I'm pictured with the new Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2008 Kristen Parisi, and First Runner-Up, Tara Lynne Southard. Congratulations to them both for doing a terrific job!
Step Zero Solutions is run by Kristen and John McCosh. Kristen McCosh is the Disability Commissioner for the City of Boston, appointed by Mayor Thomas M. Menino in 2010. She served as Wheelchair America 2008 and Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2007. Kristen graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA in English and Political Science from the University of Massachusetts at Boston, and is currently pursuing an MA in Disability Studies at the City University of New York. She has been a disability advocate for over 25 years. John McCosh holds a BA, MBA, and MFA, and has traveled around the world as a Project Manager in Global Finance. He has almost 20 years' experience in disability issues.
"We are the first generation of Americans with disabilities to be recognized as having equal civil rights under the law, and because of this we bear a responsibility; that is, not only to break down barriers for others, but also to lead by example."
Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities
The Ms. Wheelchair America Organization (MWA)
The mission of Ms. Wheelchair America is to provide an opportunity for women of achievement who use wheelchairs to educate and advocate for the more than 52 million Americans living with disabilities. Unlike the traditional beauty pageants, Ms. Wheelchair America is not a contest to select the most attractive individual. It is instead a competition based on advocacy, achievement, communication and presentation to select the most accomplished and articulate spokesperson for individuals with disabilities. The selected representative must be able to communicate both the needs and the accomplishments of her constituency from across the nation to the general public, the business community and the legislature.
Become A Contestant In The Ms. Wheelchair America Pageant
This year, MWA welcomed contestants from 27 U.S. states. Next year, our goal is to have a representative from each state compete! If you are interested in learning more about how you or your state can get involved in the program, please email me at: mswheelchairamerica08@yahoo.com.