Editor’s Note: Playing in bands and attending music festivals was a big part of Southern California native Austin Whitney’s youth. But when he sustained a spinal cord injury at the age of 18, his life changed dramatically. As is the case for most SCI survivors, the first few months of recovery proved difficult for Whitney. […]
Many young adults who acquire their disability when still a minor struggle with finding their independence later in life. Oftentimes, this is a result of worrisome parents not willing to surrender their child to the outside world. This is the case of three protagonists in a new dramedy titled Come As You Are which premiered […]
Editor’s Note: When he was a teenager, Rick Velasquez emigrated from Honduras to the Bronx with his family in search of the American dream. Shortly after, the dream turned into a nightmare when he was hit by a stray bullet while walking down the street. The injury resulted in paralysis putting him in a wheelchair. […]
While the average standing height of adults varies, fully grown wheelchair users tend to see the world at the eye-level of a seven or eight-year-old. Metro Veinte: Cita Ciega (4 Feet: Blind Date in English) aims to give viewers a perspective on what it’s like to roll through life in an environment designed for a […]
Editor’s Note: Ralph’s Riders was launched over 10 years ago by Mayra Fornos in the memory of her late husband, Ralph, who sustained a spinal cord injury while surfing. The foundation has been dedicated to helping people with mobility impairments lead independent, healthy lives ever since. Wheel:Life writer Betsy Bailey talked with the president of […]
Societal attitudes and behaviors have a significant impact on the inclusion of individuals with disabilities. Despite the Americans with Disabilities Act and various civil rights movements, the effects of negative perceptions of disability are still prevalent in structural and social contexts today. Because of these constructs, children with disabilities experience several challenges in classroom and […]
Editor’s Note: Both Donna Russo and Peggy Lane have been involved in the entertainment industry for the majority of their lives. Russo, who lives with Turner syndrome and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy, has a degree in dance, toured with ‘Alvin and the Chipmunks,’ and has appeared in several TV shows and films. Lane modeled as a […]
Wheel:Life has mentioned how incredible Yoocan is a few times now, so if you haven’t yet checked out the global collaborative community for and by people with disabilities, now is the time. Why should you join thousands of others in telling your story? Because sharing your struggles, adventures, accomplishments, frustrations, and passions can make the […]
Editor’s Note: In 2017, we featured a story about living life to the fullest with Hydred Makabali. After dealing with depression and agoraphobia as a result of a spinal cord injury at the age of 18, she began exploring a career in the arts and also picked up billiards as a form of “productive distraction.” […]
Editor’s Note: Emigrating from Cuba to Southern California, the Fornos & Reyes families spent many a weekend together at the Cuban community center in Culver City. After high school, Ralph Fornos and Mayra Reyes, who had become close friends during childhood, fell out of touch until they crossed paths again at a party during their […]
