Runway of Dreams (RoD), a nonprofit organization encouraging inclusion in the fashion world, works with DHIFI on the publication of “RoD Flaunts.” Through this partnership, models with a range of physical differences share their stories, with a focus on the opportunities created by adaptable clothing and related programs.
What was supposed to be the best trip of my life turned out being a complete nightmare. At the age of 23, one night during a solo visit to Thailand, I was being chased by a sexual predator and involuntarily fell 150 feet off a cliff, landing with a broken spine that left me partially […]
Every day I walk into school with my hair in a bun or two braids, my scar from spinal fusion surgery on display. I am 16 years old, and I’ve learned how to walk three times in my life: when I was a baby, when I was in the hospital a recovering quadriplegic for two […]
My name is Nicole Kelly and I was born with only half of my left arm. I was Miss Iowa in 2013 and competed at the 2014 National Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City. This experience gave me an understanding of the importance of working towards inclusive change in our world. I have gone on […]
We adopted our sweet Adaya from Ethiopia at the age of three. In this culture it is believed that if a child is born with an abnormality, someone must have committed a sin. Adaya was born with an abnormal shaped head and was born into a culture where people believe if a child is born […]
Hello, I’m Panagiotis and am thirty seven years old. I have used a wheelchair for the past twenty three years. I’m from Greece, born and lived here all my life. I have learned a lot because of having a disability. From my life experience I believe it’s time to change the way all people think […]
My parents always tell me that when I was born it was one of the happiest days of their lives, but I know it was also one of the scariest. Eight hours after I arrived the doctors noticed that I wasn’t breathing right, so they began to stroke my back to help my breathing. Those […]
On August 28th, 2007 I arrived into this world at 2:21 a.m. From what my parents tell me, it was a bit of a whirlwind in the days, weeks and months following my birth. At first my parents were just told that I had what only seemed to be bilateral elbow contractures, which really just […]
It seems like yesterday that my daughter, husband and I were huddled around the ultrasound technician as she searched to see if we were having a boy or girl during our 20 week check up. We were ecstatic to learn I was carrying a little boy. However, this joyous news quickly turned to alarm and confusion when at a routine appointment the doctor insensitively blurted […]
My son, Jai Srinivasan, is six years old and a pediatric stroke survivor. As a result, the left side of his body is weak, so physical therapy is a daily routine for him. People think that strokes usually affect adults, but they can also happen to kids. Most people cannot imagine the things that Jai […]
Our son, Cole Aiden Gottlieb, has Spastic Quadriplegia Cerebral Palsy. At only 8 years old, he has already experienced more than many people will in their lifetime. Due to Cole’s spasticity within his arms and legs, dressing can be difficult. Immediately at his birth, my wife, Jen, and I knew that he would have to […]
The day my son Alex was born was both one of the happiest and most terrifying days of my life. He had big blue eyes, beautifully smooth skin and a face so familiar to me that I knew instantly I’d seen it and loved it before – his older sister. He also had arms that […]
There is never a time when I’ve watched a magic show that I didn’t see the awe of amazement in the faces of the audience. The smiles that lit up the faces of children when a trick was performed. How excited we got when a magician asked for assistance from the audience. We all quickly […]
In some circles, I think being fashionable and stylish means more than just wearing the hottest trend or one-of-a-kind outfit that only celebrities have access to and can afford. Personally, I don’t believe these kinds of status symbols truly represent the definition of fashion. To me, the true meaning of fashion goes down to a […]
What do your clothes tell people about you? That answer is often strongest during youth. I believe that clothes won’t tell everything about who you are. But if you have options like everyone else, it can certainly reflect your attitude about yourself. When I was a child, it was important for me to feel I […]
My name is Lili Portmann and I was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type IIl (SMA). SMA is a neuromuscular disease that has affected my lower extremities. As a result, I am in a wheelchair and use leg braces to walk with sticks. To be honest I do not look at myself as different from […]
