GRAND RAPIDS — Despite the fact that more than 64 million Americans are living with disabilities, it's a population that oftentimes gets overlooked. That's something the Ms. Wheelchair America organization is trying to change with its local and national competitions. With Ms. Wheelchair Michigan happening this Saturday, last year's winner, Shanta Favors, has returned to Grand Rapids to crown Ms. Wheelchair Michigan 2025. Favors reflected on how the competition gave her a platform to share her message of advocacy with the rest of the state.
July 3, 2018 is a day the Taylor resident will never forget.
"I worked as a director of care a long term care facility, and I was walking upstairs at work one morning...I tripped and fell walking upstairs and I broke my neck, my C2 to my C7 and became an incomplete quadriplegic," said Favors Friday at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital.
She said the road to recovery was a long one.
"I was really depressed, like, I didn’t want to live. I really didn’t want to live. I didn't see, I didn't see life outside of my norm. I didn't see a way out," Favors said.
She found her guiding light during her four month stint at the Detroit Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan. Favors said it was thanks to patients like herself.
"There was this thing called Round Table on the first and the third Wednesday, where the spinal cord groups get together. And I was in those meetings, I'm saying, crying every day," said Favors. "And they're like, "Why are you crying?" I'm like, I can't do this. I can't do that. They look and they are, I mean, they're like, "Oh, we play basketball, we do this, we go bowling every Tuesday." I'm like, bowling? Playing basketball...They had such a positive outlook on life, you know? I'm like, I'm going to get to that."
Three surgeries later, she began her journey as an advocate for people with disabilities, working to bridge the gap between caretakers and those who are disabled.
"I really, very vocal and visual. I literally put myself out there," Favors said. "I spoke with many Congressmen and senators on the state and national level. I think I visited eight different city mayors."
That's just one example of why Favors was chosen to be Ms. Wheelchair Michigan 2024. She said she hit the ground rolling in her new position.
"Doors are opening and I'm rolling. Yes, I am rolling," said Favors. "I was on a panel for Detroit's very first Disability Pride celebration where I conducted the entire panel...I'm a part of the Michigan Literature Disability Caucus. So, I'm able to leverage my voice that way....I spoke at so many events. I mean, countless events."
It was her persistence that led her to be chosen as the first runner up at Ms. Wheelchair America.
"It was the epitome of amazing. It was, to see so many empowered women, so many women using their voice for good, not allowing the disabilities to stop them," Favors added. "I would have probably felt good if anyone of us had won, because we had built such a powerful relationship."
Despite an incredibly painful injury at an airport back in September, she's advocating even harder and with a smile on her face.
"It led me to be in the hospital for 66 days. I had three surgeries, and I was in ICU four times last time, on life support," said Favors. "Every single day I'm smiling, you won't know that. From looking at me, you will never know, you won't know the pain I'm in right now."
She said she'll be smiling Saturday when she crowns Ms. Wheelchair Michigan 2025.
"I'm excited to see these three women and to hear their stories and their message," Favors said.
One of those women is Rynita McGuire, a Kalamazoo native who was born with a rare condition called arthrogryposis.
"I have really limited range of motion, and I use my mouth for almost everything, like drawing and painting and deejaying and cleaning my house. And taking care of my kids and cooking and pretty much everything," said McGuire.
She said she uses art to spread messages of advocacy throughout the community.
"I'd like to use my platform to help other people, to make it a little easier for them to see and dream of a brighter future for themselves. So, I do a lot of advocacy through my art, but I think this platform would really help me amplify it quite a bit," McGuire said.
"Not about a crown. Of course, I wanted that crown, but it wasn't about a crown. It's about a message. And I wanted to make that message clear, because this crown gets you through doors. It gets you through doors," said Favors.
The Ms. Wheelchair Michigan competition will began at 10 a.m. in Mary Free Bed's Professional Building Saturday. Members of the public with disabilities are welcome to observe and participate in the competition's workshops.
Favors will crown this year's winner at 4 p.m. The Crowning Gala is open to the public.
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