Washington, DC – November 14, 2009 – Maria R. Barrera of Washington, DC is crowned the 2010 Ms. Wheelchair District of Columbia. She accepted the crown from her predecessor, Angela Miller, during Saturday evening’s elegant 10th year anniversary gala at The HSC Pediatric Center. As Ms. Wheelchair DC, Maria says she will focus her platform on “economic empowerment because it has given me the ability to develop and control income and assets to enhance stability and independence that impact my quality of life”.

Maria (Anahuac/Apache/Pueblo) comes from a multi-cultural background, American Indian and Mexican, and is a native proficient Anahuac, Tewa, and Spanish speaker that has provided expertise as a chaplain, case manager, social worker, and educator working with persons from diverse socio-cultural, linguistic, racial and ethnic background in government, public, and private sectors with an emphasis on spirituality, education, rehabilitation, disabilities, HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, treatment, prevention, and mental health. Currently, she is a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist with the District of Columbia Department on Disability Services Rehabilitation Services Administration and an Indian Ministry Outreach Chaplain for With-In With-Out the Circle, Inc. in Washington, D.C.

The selection process for Ms. Wheelchair District of Columbia included participation in empowerment seminars, the delivery of a platform speech and judged interviews. As Ms. Wheelchair DC, Maria will travel to Long Beach, California, at the end of July to represent the District of Columbia in the Ms. Wheelchair America Pageant.

The Ms. Wheelchair District of Columbia organization does NOT emphasize physical beauty. It is a sisterhood of dynamic women who are dedicated to promoting disability awareness, education, and empowerment. For the last 10 years, the Ms. Wheelchair District of Columbia organization has selected a spokesperson to speak to the general public about her life as a person with a disability, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and a platform issue of her choosing. Moreover, Ms. Wheelchair District of Columbia competes nationally with other state titleholders in the annual Ms. Wheelchair America Pageant.

Bob Madigan, WTOP radio’s Man About Town, was the event’s Master of Ceremony.

If you would like Ms. Wheelchair District of Columbia to speak to your organization or group,

please call 202-484-3550 or e-mail mswheelchairdc@aol.com

Ms. Wheelchair DC was featured in the Washington Times! Click here for the article!