Marna Is…

A singer. A songwriter. A woman in a wheelchair. A cripple.

My disability does not define me but it definitely molds me. I wouldn’t be who I am today without Arthrogryposis. I was born December 6, 1991. My mother has told me stories of the day i popped out. The doctors told her i was a healthy baby, she looked forward to meeting me and counting my perfect 10 toes and 10 fingers, but all that changed when i decided to enter the world. The doctor and nurses were baffled by my appearance, the only way my parents can describe it to me is by saying “you looked like a little pretzel, all folded up” i still don’t know how to picture that image but I’m sure for these 2 parents who were expecting a “perfect” healthy baby girl it was quite a shock to see their pretzel of a daughter.

Later they came to find out i was born with a rare disability by the name of ARTHROGRYPOSIS. Very little was known about this congenital disease. The things the doctors told my mother were horrifying, they handed her a very graphic photo of a fellow “Arthrogryposian” and said “Well, she could have looked like this” my mom demanded they leave, i only wish i could have told her then that i was going to grow up into this bad ass woman who believes CRIPPLED IS BEAUTIFUL. And that is all thanks to her.

Fast forward to now, after copious amounts of hospital stays, surgeries, body casts and leg braces, here i am in a wheelchair for the rest of my life happier than ever.

At the age of 12 i discovered my passion for music. My entire family is musically talented. My mother has a beautiful voice, and to my surprise we sound almost identical. It’s as if she passed down her gift directly to me. Singing is where i feel almost capable of anything. I feel as if i can express any emotion through song. Love, sadness, joy, fear…anything. I have this dream to one day be the first wheelchair bound superstar. To one day sing at the superbowl, wether it be the National Anthem and/or half time! The thing about dreams…they sometimes seem so far from our reach. I have auditioned for every show you can think of, American Idol, Americas Got Talent, Xfactor, The Voice, and to my dismay none have accepted me. As Lady Gaga would put it “There can be 100 people in a room and 99 don’t believe in you but all it takes is 1” well i am still waiting for that 1, and i can’t wait to meet that person. But until then i am going to do all in my power to achieve my goals and make my dreams come true.

Growing up different is a rare experience that is very hard to put into words. Because in reality we are ALL different. We all have things that we have to deal with on a daily basis, mine is just easy to point out, and let me tell you, there have been plenty out there who have taken it upon themselves to point out what i CAN’T do. I’m going to say something to those who have felt the need to put me down, make me feel ashamed of being disabled/crippled. THANK YOU. You “bullies” have put my life into perspective. You made me see that i have so much to offer the world. I am kind. I am fearless. I am talented. I am bold. And i own the word cripple. As a grown woman i embrace the word crippled. Because i am crippled. The definition of the word CRIPPLED: TO BECOME UNABLE TO MOVE OR WALK PROPERLY. That’s me! I don’t have the ability to walk or move properly but there is nothing wrong with that. I do have the ability to sing, to make people laugh, to enjoy my life. And i do just that.

I’ve achieved so much more than i thought i ever could. I have sung with the Long Beach Symphony at the age of 13, i won a singing competition called OC Icon competing with over 200 people at the age of 17, I’ve sung The National Anthem for The Angels stadium at the age of 25, and the same year i performed The National Anthem with the Pacific Symphony in front of 15,00 people, and I’ve had 2 Buzzfeed videos put out that have reached nearly 1 million people. I even shared a stage with the men from the hit show Full House! At age 27 i released 3 singles and released my first album soon after. And in the year of 2019 at the age of 28 I finally made it onto American Idol! One of my biggest accomplishments to date! I had the privilege of making it to Hollywood week and performing for icons such as Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. I’ve never given up on my music, never given up on my dreams.

About 2 years ago i started a hashtag on Instagram #CRIPPLEDISBEAUTIFUL, I’ve wanted to show that even though the average able bodied people think less of this community we are still sexy, talented, funny and inspiring. I’m hoping it can be a movement that can reach all types of disabilities. If you are disabled in any way i encourage you to use the hashtag! Because YOU are beautiful.

- MARNA MICHELE