On April 10, 2010, before an audience of thousands at Abilities Expo Los Angeles, a number of extraordinary, accomplished women will vie for the title of Ms. Wheelchair California.
The candidate whose accomplishments, speaking skills and personality radiate inner beauty, demonstrate poise and outshine the competition will be crowned. The new Ms. Wheelchair California will be expected to communicate the needs and undertakings of her constituency to the general public, the business community and the legislature during her reign.

The competition is open to any woman between the ages of 21 and 60, married or single, who uses a wheelchair or motorized scooter 100% of the time when outside the home. Prospective contestants should contact Ruthee Goldkorn, Ms. Wheelchair California Pageant Executive Director at knowbarriers@yahoo.com or (951) 247-8150 beginning in November 2009.

"Ms. Wheelchair California's duties are numerous: each year she has the opportunity to travel, make public appearances and conduct radio, print and television interviews in the fulfillment of her responsibilities. These include promoting awareness of the need to eliminate architectural and attitudinal barriers, educating Californians on disability issues and informing the public of the achievements of people with disabilities across our great state,” says Goldkorn, former Ms. Wheelchair 2001 winner.

The newly coroneted will have large shoes to fill. Alyson Roth, the current Ms. Wheelchair California and runner-up for Ms. Wheelchair USA, has contributed to making Yosemite National Park more wheelchair friendly and ADA compliant. She has worked with Habitat for Humanity to help build a house for an Atlanta inner-city resident with a disability. Likewise, she has recognized others who have been instrumental in their own communities in spite of their disability with the Ability Through Mobility Award.

Her efforts have even taken her to foreign soil, working at an orphanage for children with disabilities and teaching music at a school for the blind in Nicaragua. She also traveled to Mexico to deliver wheelchairs to the country’s impoverished people with disabilities. She collaborated with former Mexican leader President Vicente Fox about the importance of providing wheelchairs, aide and healthcare to the citizens of Mexico.

The winner of Ms. Wheelchair California will also go on to compete for the national title in November 2010.