“Rolling Forward with Purpose: Ms. Wheelchair USA RaeAnne Lindsay on Healing, Advocacy, and Representation”

Diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis at just 10 months old, RaeAnne Lindsay has spent her life navigating disability — and transforming that lived experience into powerful advocacy. In this episode of Walk and Roll Live, host Doug Vincent sits down with Ms. Wheelchair USA 2024 to explore her remarkable journey: from nearly 18 years of childhood rehab, surgeries, and summer camps at Shriners Hospital in Chicago, to earning her Master’s in Social Work, and now serving as a Research Coordinator at Vanderbilt University, focusing on Section 504 plans and accessible housing. RaeAnne opens up about the promise she made to herself as a child — that no disabled kid should ever have to endure the trauma she experienced — and how that promise fuels her advocacy today. We dive into her national platform, “Inclusive Playgrounds Are for Everyone,” what true inclusion looks like, and the emotional moments that affirmed her mission was making a real difference. This conversation also explores disability representation, leadership, pageantry, healing through advocacy, and why visibility matters — especially for disabled children who are still learning what’s possible. Whether you’re a parent, educator, policymaker, advocate, or someone early in your own disability journey, this episode is filled with insight, heart, and hope. Walk and Roll Live