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Ms. Wheelchair America 2026 Latavia Sturdivant

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United States
Yonkers, NY
Ms. Wheelchair America 2026 Latavia Sturdivant

I am the first national titleholder from NY.

The crown has been bestowed to me, but I am committed to Breaking Barriers through Education and Leadership to dispel societal misconceptions and create systemic change for the ably different community

05/26/2026

When Ms. Wheelchair America is off duty…

she’s watching the Knicks make the NBA finals and binge watching The Lincoln Lawyer like everybody else 😂💙

05/25/2026

Ms. Wheelchair America 2026 is officially off duty this weekend 👑♿️😂

Resting. Resetting. Recharging. 🤍

05/24/2026

Reminder:
Accessibility is not a luxury.
It’s not “special treatment.”
It’s basic human dignity. ♿️

And the more we normalize that conversation, the closer we get to real inclusion.

05/23/2026

Today I had the opportunity to attend my graduate students’ Speech-Language Pathology graduation, and honestly… my heart is so full. 🎓💙

Watching them walk across that stage made me incredibly proud, but what really stayed with me were the conversations afterward. Hearing them tell me how I impacted their lives — not just professionally, but personally too — reminded me why I do what I do.

As educators, we teach clinical skills, techniques, and theory… but the part that matters most to me is making people feel seen, heard, supported, and capable.

Because I know what it feels like to move through spaces where people underestimate you before you even speak.

So being able to help shape the next generation of clinicians in a way that leads with empathy, advocacy, inclusion, and humanity is something I never take for granted.

Moments like this are so rewarding because it reminds me that the impact we leave on people will always matter more than titles or accomplishments.

To my students — congratulations. I am beyond proud of each of you, and I cannot wait to see the lives you change through this profession. 💫🫶🏽

05/22/2026

The Bronx Family Conference felt like a reminder that advocacy starts with community. 💫

There’s something powerful about being in a room filled with people who care about creating better opportunities, stronger support systems, and more inclusive spaces for families and children.

As Ms. Wheelchair America 2026, moments like this mean so much to me because representation is bigger than visibility — it’s about connection, education, and making sure people feel seen. 👑♿️

Every conversation reminded me that when families, educators, advocates, and communities come together, real change becomes possible.

Thank you for having me, Bronx Family Conference. ❤️

05/21/2026

Still wrapping my mind around how many rooms advocacy is taking me into lately. ❤️

Every opportunity reminds me that our stories matter… and people are listening.

Now it’s time for the next stop. ✈️👑

Any guesses where I’m headed next? 👀

05/20/2026

Still surreal seeing spaces like this amplify stories from the ably different community. ♿️👑

I recently had the opportunity to be featured on the Accessing Life Podcast through the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities, where we talked about advocacy, representation, disability visibility, Queens On A Roll, and using my platform to create meaningful change.

One thing I’ll never take lightly is the opportunity to remind people that disability and leadership coexist.
So do advocacy and joy.
So do visibility and expertise.

Every conversation like this helps move us one step closer to a world where inclusion is not performative — it’s intentional.

Grateful for the opportunity to share my story and even more grateful for everyone continuing to listen, learn, support, and grow alongside me. 💜

Did you listen yet? 🎙️♿️

Matters InclusiveLeadership

05/19/2026

Today is National Speech-Language Pathology Day, and honestly… I can’t imagine doing anything else.

I love being a speech-language pathologist because communication is so much more than words. It’s confidence. It’s connection. It’s independence. It’s being able to express needs, emotions, ideas, humor, frustration, joy — all the things that make us human.

There is something incredibly powerful about watching someone go from being unsure, unheard, or frustrated… to realizing:
“I can do this.”
“I can express myself.”
“My voice matters.”

That moment never gets old for me.

As someone who grew up in therapy myself, I know firsthand how life-changing it is when someone believes in your ability to communicate and gives you the tools to do so.

Now, I get to be that person for others every single day.

Whether it’s helping a student say a new word, use AAC, build confidence in their voice, strengthen communication skills, or simply feel heard — I never take this work lightly.

To my fellow SLPs:
thank you for the patience, compassion, advocacy, and heart you pour into this profession every day. 🩵

And to every student, family, and individual I’ve had the privilege of working with:
thank you for trusting me with your voice.

Happy National Speech-Language Pathology Day. 🗣️♿️✨

05/18/2026

One thing I’ve realized since releasing The Illusion of Inclusion is that people are craving real conversations.

Not performative ones.Not polished ones.Real ones.

The messages, reflections, and conversations this book has already started mean more to me than I can explain because this was never about writing a book just to say I wrote one.

It was about creating something people could actually sit with.Something that challenges us to think deeper about inclusion, access, leadership, education, advocacy, and the systems we move through every day.

And seeing people connect with it emotionally has reminded me why storytelling matters so much.

The conversations this community is creating around this book?They’re only getting started. ♿️📖✨

05/17/2026

I’ll go first…

People often mistake accessibility for convenience. But accessibility is independence.

It’s the difference between someone being able to get to work, attend school, go to a doctor’s appointment, travel, participate in their community, or simply leave their home with dignity.

Accessibility isn’t “extra.”
It isn’t special treatment.
And it definitely shouldn’t feel optional.

For so many in the ably different community, the things people overlook every day — ramps, captions, accessible transportation, working elevators, timely wheelchair repairs, automatic doors — are the very things that make participation possible.

So now I want to hear from you:

What’s one thing people misunderstand about disability? ♿️💭

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Yonkers, NY
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