The nation has a new voice for disability advocacy following the crowning of a new Ms. Wheelchair America in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After a week of competition, Ms. Wheelchair Pennsylvania, Jamie Clendening, earned the title of Ms. Wheelchair America 2027.
Nineteen women made their way to Grand Rapids for the national competition, which ran from August 17 to 23. The women participated in workshops throughout the week and had a chance to visit Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park as well as Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. The Mary Free Bed Guild has been involved with Ms. Wheelchair America since 2021. They were proud to support the event as the title sponsor for a fifth year.
Jamie, a Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, native, used her journey with spina bifida and paralysis to inform her platform: health care access and equity for everybody.
The competition reached an emotional peak with Speech Night Friday evening at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel’s Ambassador Ballroom. Each competitor took the stage to share their personal stories and platforms in front of judges and an audience. This year’s judges included Dr. Kimberly Barrington, Donnie Frazier, Kelsey Kleimola, Trinity Jagdeo and Dave Stevens.
Jamie spoke about how she became a T-10 paraplegic following spinal surgery. An infection led to ten more surgeries, and during the tenth, she woke up unable to breathe.
“Thankfully, my medical team saved me, but these barriers are literally the difference between life and death. It hasn’t stopped there. In fourteen years, I’ve yet to be on a proper exam table. It took me eight years to find a wheelchair-accessible chair at a pet store. Being weighed on a pet store scale was dehumanizing,” Jamie shared with the audience.
Watch Jamie’s full speech below:
The top five competitors were announced Saturday during the Crowning Gala.
Top Finalists:
First Runner-Up: Whitney Lavender, Ms. Wheelchair Tennessee
Second Runner-Up: Sarah Kinney, Ms. Wheelchair South Carolina
Third Runner-Up: Dr. Sue ElHessen, Ms. Wheelchair California
Fourth Runner-Up: Kristie Mascarella, Ms. Wheelchair Louisiana
The women then were tasked with answering two questions from a judge, one serious and one lighthearted. They were scored based on their answers. Jamie was asked what song she would play first
If she won Ms. Wheelchair America. Then, she was asked what she believes is the most urgent issue facing people with disabilities today and what specific action she would take to address it.
“I honestly believe that we’re lacking the proper health care that we need, and the action that I am taking is by advocating throughout all of my state and hopefully in the future across the United States to educate and advocate for proper exam tables, wheelchair-accessible scales. These things literally were the difference between life and death for me,” Jamie answered. Jamie’s husband and daughter, who traveled with her to Grand Rapids, both cried when they heard the emcee announce the champion. During her acceptance speech, Jamie thanked her family and the Ms. Wheelchair Pennsylvania organization for their support before speaking directly to the disability community.
“You are enough. And you also deserve your own crown. Be the king or queen of your own design because you’re all amazing. I am so excited, and I hope I make you all proud this year.”
Jamie succeeds Latavia Sturdivant of New York, who became the first titleholder from the Big Apple to win the national title last year.
Watch the Crowning Gala below:
