Disabled Women Make History: Shannon Minnick
“When people come into our office, they see diversity. This is important where I work and to me. My intersectionality as a woman of color over 50 with a significant disability has a positive impact on my role,” explained Shannon Minnick, Deputy Director of Independence Now, an independent living center in Maryland. “I am loud. I’m proud. I am bodacious. I am a role model. It is important for people with disabilities to see others with disabilities thriving.
Shannon is not exaggerating. She is an incredible example of what it means to thrive as a person with a disability. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Shannon joined the Disability Community when she was 20 years old. “I was a mother of a 1-year-old with no high school diploma and a woman of color, waking up in a hospital as a quadriplegic.” With the help of her therapist's encouraging her, Shannon was determined to live her best life as a disabled woman. “My therapists taught me how strong I was, they explained that I had to use my voice, they pushed me as no one had ever pushed me before and they told me to research every resource I could. They equipped me with the tools I needed to get through the most traumatic time in my life and then encouraged me to mentor others to do the same.”
Thirty years later, Shannon is leading by example and prioritizes mentoring other people with disabilities. When she’s not working at Independence Now, she’s spearheading efforts in the community. Shannon is the Assistant Coordinator for Ms. Wheelchair Maryland, the Coordinator for Ms. Wheelchair District of Columbia, on the board of the United Spinal DC Chapter - and she’s impacting lives in all of these roles. “It’s important for people with disabilities to see themselves in leadership roles. It shows people with disabilities that they have a role in the community like everyone else. As a leader, it’s important for me to help see their potential and growth. So, providing people with the tools to navigate systems that were built to keep us in poverty and to use their voices in schools, communities, with peers, and in their homes has become my priority.”
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It’s not just about providing advice to people with disabilities for Shannon; it’s also about living by example. Shannon is bold and always trying new things. “I love singing and outdoor adaptive adventures - and I learned to drive at the amazing age of 50!”
For Shannon, being a mentor and role model is not something she takes lightly. “I knew my life experiences as a woman of color with a disability in a leadership role would impact my community significantly. So, I take my role as a leader seriously, and I understand the real power of the intersection of my identities.”
When thinking about advice that she’d share with girls and women with disabilities who want to be leaders, Shannon shared what she would have told herself when she was 20 and lying in that hospital bed. “Get ready! Everything is going to be a challenge, but also know that every intersectionality of your being is strong and powerful. Be resilient, face every challenge and you will learn that you are stronger than you think. Go back to school. Be open-minded. You will learn that your experience will empower others. Embrace your experience as a person before and after your disabilities. Become a mentor. Lead by example. You have the power to make your life what you want it to be. Be unapologetically you!’”