GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — An American pageant unlike any other is set to return to West Michigan to crown its winner later this month.
The Ms. Wheelchair America 2025 National Competition is back at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids from Aug. 19 through Aug. 25.
The week-long competition will bring the state titleholders together from across America as they participate in leadership training, advocacy workshops, mentoring events and judging sessions before a champion is crowned.
Representing Michigan as Ms. Wheelchair Michigan, Shanta Favors brings a unique story and perspective to the competition.
Each of the state titleholders is representing an advocacy platform that they will promote throughout the competition.
Favors, who worked as the director of a long-term care facility, has been a long-time advocate for healthcare providers and the disability community even before her injury.
"July 3, 2018 at 7:43am, I was at work. I worked as a director of care at a long-term care facility. While at work, I was walking up the stairs, I tripped and fell on loose carpet, broke my neck, my c2 to my c7 and I became an incomplete quadriplegic. So I went from a director of care to needing total care," Favors said.
Favors was crowned Ms. Wheelchair Michigan in the fall of 2023 and has already made use of her title as an advocate for the disability community.
"It has fueled my fire first and foremost," Favors said. "To get this conversation out here, get this message out here, that our direct caretakers are leaving the field, and they are leaving the field because they are underpaid, their lack of benefits, they're lacking comprehensive training. And then there's that other side, where those that require care, a lot of people, life lies in the balance of what I call a broken system."
Favors has focused on that platform since she earned her title and says that the crown and sash has helped her get through doors and meet people who can help her make a difference.
"I've met with state and federal lawmakers to address these systemic issues, which obviously transcends state boundaries, as there are many individuals all across our country speaking on this very issue," said Favors. "I truly believe that if we build an alliance, we can place people at the forefront of our endeavors, and we can make so much change, because there's power in numbers, and when we come together, we can really make change."
Favors is competing against 22 other state titleholders, but she says the experience is more than just a competition.
"We are all on the side of advocating for the disability community, making our voices known. So to see 23 women, empowered women, together in the same space and place for that same agenda. It's going to be so incredible getting dressed up for the gala, the platform speeches, to hear these delivery of these speeches that so many of us you know have passionate about. So I am absolutely looking forward to it, and more so the sisterhood, this bond that we have already started to create," said Favors. "We meet on Zoom every Sunday, just the the current title holders, and it's phenomenal to see how we rally around each other. Although we're in a competition, we rally around each other."
The Ms. Wheelchair America competition was established in 1972 in Columbus, Ohio by Dr. Philip K. Wood, who worked to help people with functional impairments.
Dr. Wood wanted to give women that used wheelchairs a platform to share their stories, show their talents and capabilities and showcase them as contributing members of society.
You can learn more about the Ms. Wheelchair America 2025 National Competition here.