THRIVING DISABLED ADULTS: The Power of Authenticity with April Lockhart

Hello Brave Friends! On this episode, #240, we are hearing about the experience of another Thriving Disabled Adult, April Lockhart. April is the founder of Disabled& and an advocate for the disabled community. She is a contributing fashion editor at Marie Claire and a member of the Hello Sunshine Collective. April has been featured in Vogue, The Cut, Byrdie, Refinery29, Who What Wear, and Fast Company, among others. Her 2023 debut at New York Fashion Week walking for Victoria’s Secret’s adaptive line, along with her work modeling for Anthropologie’s adaptive collection, solidified her status as a trailblazer in both the fashion industry and advocacy space. In 2025, April was featured on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list.In this conversation with Susanna Peace Lovell and Jessica Patay, April Lockhart shares her journey from hiding her limb difference to becoming an advocate and influencer in the disability community. She discusses the pivotal moments that led her to embrace her identity and the positive responses she received after sharing her story on social media. The discussion highlights the importance of authenticity, community, and the role of social media in amplifying disability representation. She also touches on the criticism faced within the disabled community and the need for a shift in how disability is perceived, advocating for a narrative that celebrates aspiration rather than mere inspiration.Find April Lockhart on IG, TikTok and Youtube.Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.Find FULL episodes and clips of our podcast on Youtube here.Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys. JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here. Donate to support all of We Are Brave Together's programs and offerings here. Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast? Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and Youtube. Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: [email protected] If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!Disclaimer