www.snappyclothing.com

My name is Kris Napper. I live with two human roommates and two dog roommates in a small home in Lynnwood, WA. From my bedroom, I do graphic design work, illustration, and run my own business, Snappy Clothing! I am technically single, but I have a wonderful life partner in my service dog, Jazz.

Being disabled/extra-abled provides me with a unique life experience that is sometimes a challenge and at other times a blessing. Facing inaccessibility, ableism, and health concerns can be frustrating and exhausting. However, it has also made me a more creative problem solver, it’s given me a community of the most incredible people, and it’s opened my eyes and made me more empathetic towards people whose needs are different than mine! At times I might struggle with the challenges I face because of my disability. However, being extra-abled has provided me with added perspective, cherished life experiences, and relationships that I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world!

As a kid, I covered my family’s fridge in drawings of my favorite sports stars and ninja turtles. I loved creating art and knew that was what I wanted to do with my life. My high school art teacher did a wonderful job helping me realize the career opportunities in art. I knew my physical ability to draw was declining. So, I obtained design software and taught myself how to create graphic art on my computer. I began doing freelance design jobs for extra money as I entered college. Some of my favorite requests were for t-shirt designs! Seeing people appreciate my artwork enough to wear it, gave me an immense sense of pride! However, I craved more creative freedom. While I enjoyed (and continue to enjoy) helping people with their clothing design ideas, I wanted to bring some of my own ideas to life. I dreamt of creating and selling my own graphic apparel. However, having no business experience, and concerns that I would be unable to handle some of the physical demands of an apparel business, I didn’t see how I could achieve this goal. After casually mentioning my idea to a couple of friends, they immediately offered to partner with me and make this dream a reality. For various reasons our business and partnership were short-lived, but along the way, I learned the ins and outs of the apparel business and printing process. With this newfound knowledge, I set out once more to launch a clothing business on my own this time. I searched relentlessly to find a fulfillment service that would print my designs and ship my products, while simultaneously teaching myself how to build a website and e-commerce store. Before I knew it, Snappy Clothing was born!

My vision for Snappy Clothing is to create unique, eye-catching designs, and provide the best apparel for all occasions at the most affordable prices. I plan to continue serving the extra-abled community by offering my services to non-profits and organizations and assisting them in raising funds and awareness. I also hope others in the extra-abled community will look at Snappy Clothing and see possibilities in their own professional careers!

I hope to continue to grow my business and provide clothing and designs for as many people, businesses, and organizations as possible. Of course, I hope to gain financial security for myself, but I would also love to be able to hire other extra-abled artists to contribute designs and help them to make money as well!

Disability diagnosis: spinal cord injury C4-C5 incomplete.

Background:

1.      What is your story?

Hi, my name is Paula Miranda is 28 years old, I live in Viña del Mar, Chile. I am married two years ago and I am finishing my psychology degree.

I currently work as an ambassador for a clothing store, a non-profit organization, and social projects. I also work as a model in different parades, advertising, among others, and I do inclusive fashion shows, as a great social project to demonstrate equality and true inclusion, with the great mission of achieving change the mentality and vision of disability such as: the infantilization, the hurts, the sexualization of the disability, among many other things.

I love sports and that's why today I'm part of the Hansa Chile club, where I sail and compete on a sailboat.

My main goal in life is to be happy and reach most people with my history and vision of life.

2.      Tell us about the background of your extra-ability

In all these years and developed different skills, the first of these is the ability to tell my life and my story as a person with disabilities to motivate, teach and promote that life has no limits and that if you want, you can. The second is to work as an inclusive model in order to demonstrate my attitude towards life and make it known that I do not have a disability, I cannot feel beautiful, important, and successful, and as a last develop and promote sports, in my case sail navigation for all, children, youth and adults with or without disabilities.

Current circumstances:

1.      What are your current life circumstances? (Home, work, school, relationships)

Today I find myself happily married, we live together with my parents for economic issues, since we are both finishing our studies, in my case I am a year of Psychology at the University of Viña del Mar, sailing practice (Hansa303), and I have a small non-profit organization where we perform modeling to deliver messages of equality and inclusion to the country.

2.      What is your greatest challenge?

Today I am promoting two key concepts of my life, pro inclusion, and equality, which I develop through workshops with teenagers, youth, and adults, and I promote them through inclusive fashion shows whose main objective is to deliver these messages explicitly as implicitly. This is why my biggest challenge is to reach as many people as possible with these messages and to change the way people look at disability in my country and in the world.

3.      What is your greatest success to-date?

My biggest success to date was having been selected to represent my country in miss wheelchair world 2017 since it was a great opportunity to reach my life experience and show the world that disability does not limit you.

Future goals:

1.    What are you dreaming of for your future?

In the future, I would love to have my own inclusive modeling academy, where I can cover motivational workshops, personal development workshops, and help all people who believe that having a disability cannot lead a normal and successful life.

2.    What does overcoming your disability and being extra-abled mean to you?

For me it has a great meaning, since at first one always wonders why this happened to me, and I think the answer lies in my extra-abilities, and the development of them to help people with or without disabilities to have a different vision to the "common people", achieve change the mentality based on people with disabilities, we are all born different, and we all have extra-skills!!!