I'm leaving this weekend for Washington DC to crown the new national titleholder, Ms. Wheelchair America 2009. The competition will take place all week, and the winner will be chosen live at the pageant next Saturday evening, July 26th. I wish all of this year's contestants the best of luck!
I can't believe it's been a year already since I competed for the crown! I have had a wonderful year, traveling across the country as an advocate and voice of over 50 million Americans with disabilities. It has truly been an honor and a privilege to give something back to my country in this way, as well as to positively affect the lives of those living with disabilities. I hope to continue my advocacy work for a long time to come...
I would like to thank all of those people who have supported me along the way - my husband, family, friends, peers, blog-readers, and everyone else who has touched my life. This has been a year I will indeed cherish for the rest of my life.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Kristen McCosh, Ms. Wheelchair America
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.
This is an archived blog that is no longer updated on a regular basis.
Kristen McCosh, Ms. Wheelchair America
Index
- Access (1)
- ADA (1)
- Advocacy Update (10)
- Breaking News (1)
- Charity Work (4)
- Disability Organizations (4)
- Donations (1)
- Employment (4)
- Events Attended (7)
- Films (3)
- Fundraiser (3)
- FYI (6)
- In The News (3)
- Inclusion (5)
- Inspirational Thoughts (11)
- Interview (2)
- Legislative Update (4)
- Ms Wheelchair Massachusetts (1)
- MWA (23)
- MWA 2008 (6)
- Official Appearances (29)
- On The Road (15)
- Peer Mentoring (1)
- Photos (4)
- Physical Fitness (17)
- Press (19)
- Profiles (5)
- Rehabilitation (1)
- Research (4)
- SCI (2)
- Solutions eMagazine (7)
- Sponsors (6)
- Sports (1)
- Upcoming Appearance (19)
- Upcoming Event (11)
- Veterans (2)
- Video (2)
- Women of Strength (11)
- Writing (4)
- Youth with Disabilities (3)
- YouTube (1)
Official Bio for Press Releases
- A Consulting Company Specializing in Access and Inclusion of People with Disabilities
- Boston, MA, United States
- 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.
Official Quote for Press Releases
"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."
Official Contact Information
Kristen is available for speaking engagements. Her contact Email Address is: mswheelchairamerica08@yahoo.com. Her Mailing Address is: Kristen McCosh, PO Box E28, South Boston, MA 02127. Her Website is: http://www.mswheelchairamerica.org/. Her blog site for previous advocacy work as Ms Wheelchair Massachusetts 2007 is: http://www.mswheelchairmass07.blogspot.com/.
Kristen's Platforms as MWA 2008
- Advocacy for Independent Community-based Living
- The Importance of Peer Mentoring
- Physical Fitness for People with Disabilities
- 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.
Sponsorships & Donations
American Airlines
New England Medical Equipment Dealers
Coolhubcaps.com
Anonymous Friend
David and Lynn Cianciulli
Kris and Bee Bareng
New England Medical Equipment Dealers
Coolhubcaps.com
Anonymous Friend
David and Lynn Cianciulli
Kris and Bee Bareng
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.