Being a contestant in the Ms. Wheelchair Texas pageant seemed only fitting for Lauren Taylor since being in a wheelchair is all she has ever known. Lauren was born with Congenital Muscular Dystrophy, and had her 1st power wheelchair at the age of 3.
Lauren has been an inspiration to many throughout her younger years. She did graduate with her Bachelors from UNT in Rehabilitation Studies in Dec 2018. She is currently continuing on to get her Masters in Rehab Counseling where she plans to get her LPC as she wants to be a counselor specializing in people with physical disabilities. She will graduate in May 2021.
While in Houston earlier this month for the 2019 Ms. Wheelchair Texas Pageant for platform speech was the Universal Design as the solution for inclusion. Making places usable for everyone rather than separately accessible for a few. What an awesome platform! Her favorite part of the competition was getting to learn and meet everyone’s different backgrounds, and their own advocacy ventures. She definitely made some lasting friendships and wonderful memories while there. Out of the other contestants who were there competing for the title she won !! There was never any doubt in my mind!
She is planning to introduce Universal Design to places and people across Texas in an attempt to help people see how something so simple can make a world of difference for people with disabilities. She want to change people’s mindsets on what a disability is and looks like you. She wants to inspire change in our environments and communities. She plans on visiting our governor and state legislators to help solidify more specific guidelines and for new infrastructure to include a design for disability 1st and will so that these commendations won’t have to be made later on.
Ms. Wheelchair America 2019 will be held in Little Rock Arkansas on July 1-6!! She is so excited, and cannot wait to interact with the many powerful women! Hopefully she will be bringing the crown back to Texas! Good luck Lauren!!
Rolling on, Stephanie
