Ms. Wheelchair California 2009 : Ms. Wheelchair America 2010, 2nd Runner Up: Ms. Wheelchair California Fundraiser with Jennifer Kumiyama

Monday, August 17, 2009

Ms. Wheelchair California Fundraiser with Jennifer Kumiyama - LIVE!

If I haven't mentioned it before, I've mentioned it a thousand times. I am truly blessed to have the most amazing 1st Runner Up, Jennifer Kumiyama. Not only did I gain a great side-kick in this journey to Ms. Wheelchair America, but I also gained a lifelong friend and kindred spirit.

Plus, this girl can SING! Jennifer is on cast in the Aladdin show through Disney at California Adventure. If you're ever in the area, I highly suggest seeing the performance. Jennifer was kind enough to host a fundraiser for the Ms. Wheelchair California pageant at the M Bar in Hollywood, CA. And, of course I wouldn't miss this! She did a fantastic job of coordinating the event, preparing, and pulling it all of with great success. And, the circle of friends that she has quickly all became my friends, too!

Below, both Jennifer and I were able to rub sashes with Miss Horrorfest 2009, Kelly Marchand. In order to be crowned, she had to go to a live audition and was chosen as a semi-finalist, then had to make five short films in order to win the crown. She is now the official spokeswoman for Afterdark Films!

Thank you, Jennifer, and all the singers/musicians for a fantastic evening of fun. I definitely look forward to the next time we can all hang out together again!

1 comment:

AnonymousAugust 22, 2009 at 9:30 PM
i'm so glad you were there & had a great time! thank you so much for your support!!!
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Ms. Wheelchair California is available for speaking engagements, master of ceremony events, parades, photo opportunities and other community events. All events will be considered, and if deemed appropriate and scheduling allows, the Ms. Wheelchair California Foundation will do its best to accommodate your request.

Please contact the Ms. Wheelchair California office www.mswheelchaircaliforniafoundation.org.

(* Please note that during my reign, my title was underneath the Ms. Wheelchair California pageant with Ruthee Goldkorn as the State Coordinator. Ms. Wheelchair America no longer recognizes her pageant as part of the National program, thus a new Foundation was begun for future title holders to continue spreading advocacy in a positive manner.)

Biography

Alyson Roth, Ms. Wheelchair California 2009, lived in Southern California when she was crowned. In 2000, Alyson was involved in a near-fatal car accident that left her with a spinal cord injury and paralyzed from the waist down. Alyson obtained her BS in Music Education at Samford University, and her MS in Elementary Reading and Literacy from Walden University. While at Samford University, she was successful in establishing a “Disability Awareness Week” where students learned about different disabilities and simulated them in order to understand the barriers that confronted students with disabilities. It brought a new awareness to the campus and became a catalyst for further accessibility within the community. After graduation, she taught music in the public and private school sector before joining Free Wheelchair Mission in 2007. Free Wheelchair Mission is a non-profit organization that distributes wheelchairs to over 80 countries around the world to the poorest people with disabilities.

Alyson continued her advocacy by speaking at both the National Association for Music Education’s National Convention (2004) with her session entitled “Barrier-free Music Education: Concepts of Inclusion” and the National Orff Schulwerk Association National Convention (2005) with her session entitled “Mainstreaming the Process”. These sessions taught other music educators how to turn able-bodied music lessons into lessons that included those children with disabilities in the mainstreamed classroom. She has also written several articles and been published in several magazines regarding disability awareness.

Yosemite National Park is now more wheelchair friendly and ADA compliant due to Alyson’s input while sitting on the Board of Directors. She has assisted Habitat for Humanity to help build a house for a disabled member of the Atlanta inner-city community. To bring more recognition to those with disabilities, Alyson presented the “Ability through Mobility” Award to four recipients around the country for their outstanding work within their community despite their disability. She has traveled to Nicaragua to work at an orphanage for children with disabilities and teach music at a school for the blind. Alyson has also traveled to Mexico to deliver wheelchairs to the country’s poorest people with disabilities and has had the opportunity to collaborate with the former president of Mexico, President Vicente Fox, about the importance of providing wheelchairs to the citizens of Mexico in addition to providing aide and healthcare to everyone.

In her free time, Alyson enjoys providing mentorship for newly injured patients, participating in several outdoor activities including waterskiing, surfing, and swimming. It is Alyson’s desire to educate the public on the truths of having a disability and empower those with a disability to be all they can be in a world full of possibilities.

Ms. Wheelchair California 2009 : Ms. Wheelchair America 2010, 2nd Runner Up

Monday, August 17, 2009

Ms. Wheelchair California Fundraiser with Jennifer Kumiyama - LIVE!

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