Paralyzed Victim of Domestic Violence Crowned the new Ms. Wheelchair America

I love it when karma (if it exists) balances itself out. In my life post-injury, I’ve met a lot of great people who’ve had to experience some pretty harsh things. I love it when these said people fight back, and finally get some good things to come their way. Erika Bogan, Ms. Wheelchair North Carolina, is one of these people.

Erika was paralyzed in a domestic abuse-related car accident seven years ago, losing the ability to move her legs from the knees down. Since her injury she has persevered, not to mention being a single mom during this huge transition. To be utterly cliché, she is one tough cookie. And Erika is now the new Ms. Wheelchair America 2010 (watch video of her win here).

I just learned about Erika actually the other day. The Ms. Wheelchair America pageant was held in Rapid City, SD last weekend and all of my friends who were involved in the pageant - Alyson Roth Ms. Wheelchair California, Tammy Wilber, the coordinator of the Ms. Wheelchair Washington pageant, and more - were talking about it on Facebook live. When Erika won I felt sorely out of the loop, having never heard of her before. But after a quick study of her blog here and of her profile on the Ms. Wheelchair America site here, I quickly rectified that situation. She also has wicked blonde streaks and a tattoo. A girl after my own heart :p

Each year a new Ms. Wheelchair America is crowned. There’s never a contestant from every state in the national pageant because the program just isn’t popular enough, but there‘s always at least 20+ women who compete each year. And the pageant is based on a higher-purpose. It may be a pageant, and the women may wear crowns and sashes, but beauty has nothing to do with it. It’s all based on disability advocacy and every contestant must have a well thought-put platform in order to compete.

Erika’s platform was her injury as a hidden blessing, saying she wouldn’t be “who she is or where she is today” if she hadn’t broken her back. That’s a strong statement, but there’s no doubt in my mind she doesn’t mean it.

Source: http://www.disaboom.com/