A young lady from Brooklyn has been named Ms. Wheelchair New York for 2015. The new Ms. Wheelchair New York is the twenty-seven-year-old, Andrea Dalzell. Ms. Dalzell’s platform for the pageant is funding for additional wheelchair accessible housing. She was selected to represent women in wheelchairs from five possible candidates on Saturday, September 6, 2014.

The pageant consists of three categories: accomplishments, communication skills, and self perception. During her year as Ms. Wheelchair New York, Ms. Dalzell will dedicate her time and talents to bringing awareness to the needs of her constituency. Each contestant has a unique message to communicate. This is Ms. Dalzell’s time to be the voice for those with special needs to the various levels of government, business community and citizens of New York. She plans to share her concerns on women’s health issues also. She will compete for the title of Ms. National Wheelchair 2016 in Iowa at the end of her state term.

The Ms. Wheelchair New York Pageant focuses on empowerment through the platform and advocacy projects of each contestant. The goal of the pageant each year, according to pageant officials, “is to select the most accomplished and articulate spokeswoman for persons with disabilities.” Her duties will include awareness of architectural accessibility, changing perceptional barriers, bringing attention to the achievements of wheelchair users and to promote the Ms. Wheelchair America Organization. Ms. Wheelchair America will participate in radio and newspaper interviews, appear on television and make public appearances.

In order to participate in the pageant, a contestant must utilize a wheelchair for 100% of her community mobility. A contestant must be female, of at least 21 years of age and a citizen of the United States. Contestants can compete as many times as they like as long as they have not won previously. There is also no age limit for contestants. She may not have participated in the pageant previously and must be able to fulfill the duties of a titleholder for one year. 

*Royalty free photo courtesy of Flickr’s Creative Commons.