In this episode, I talk with Barb Zablotney, who sustained a spinal cord injury when she was just 21-years-old. She spent a decade in a very dark place. Her mother passed away and she lost her relationship with her fiance, but then she became Miss Wheelchair Pennsylvania. This wasn't a beauty pageant, although Barb is certainly beautiful. It was an honor bestowed on her for her ideas, ability to articulate those ideas and her dedication to advocacy for the community she finds herself a part of--the disability community. Barb is a model for Team Torrid, was featured in a commercial for the UPMC Health Plan, lobbied politicians in Harrisburg and D.C. and much more! 

In this podcast, Barb reveals her goal of independence and how she wishes people would treat her. She also talked with me about what she wants abled-bodied people to know about the disabilities community. She has written an article on accessible parking here and recommended the book, Demystifying Disability by Emily Ladau for people interested in knowing more than we could possibly cover in a 30-minute podcast.

If you would like to learn more from Barb, you can follow her on social media: Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.