Meet the FIT Forum Panelists

Tamara Blackwell is the visionary force behind the FIT Forum—“Am I Going to Fit?”—a platform designed to challenge, educate, and inspire meaningful dialogue around accessibility and inclusion. As the consistent host, moderator, and panelist, Tamara brings her personal and professional experience to every conversation with authenticity, warmth, and a fearless commitment to change.

Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, Tamara moved to Wichita in middle school and has called Bel Aire, Kansas, home for many years. She lives there with her husband of 22 years and their three adult children. She is also a proud dog mom to three pups who keep her on her toes. Tamara is a Black disabled woman living with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy and visual impairment. Her lived experience gives her a unique, powerful perspective on the often-overlooked barriers people with disabilities face every day.

Tamara is a passionate educator and entrepreneur. She studied Early Childhood Education at the University of Phoenix, earning her associate degree, and continued on to Walden University, where she pursued studies in Business Administration. Drawing from both her academic background and real-world experience, she founded Tammy’s Tots Home Daycare in 2010, now entering its 14th year of nurturing young minds and supporting working families in her community.

Tamara’s advocacy has earned her both state and national recognition. She was crowned Ms. Wheelchair Kansas 2024, and in August 2024, she made history by being crowned Ms. Wheelchair America 2025. Through this prestigious national platform, Tamara is amplifying her mission to make accessibility the norm, not the exception, by working alongside lawmakers, organizations, and communities across the country.

She also serves as an Ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, a grassroots advocate with the United Spinal Association, and the First Lady of New Philadelphia Church of God in Christ, where she creates faith-centered content that uplifts and educates, particularly around disability awareness and inclusion.

Tamara has been featured on KSN, KWCH, and KAKE news stations, in The Bel Aire Breeze, and across social media as @ya_girl_tam, where she shares her journey, raises awareness, and builds community.

Through her leadership of the FIT Forum, Tamara continues to break barriers and build bridges—ensuring no one has to wonder, “Am I going to fit?”

 Ms. Wheelchair Mississippi 2024-2025, Mercetia is thirty-two years old and she lives in Columbus, MS. She is married to Daniel Jenkins and they share a six year old son together Daniel Jenkins IV. Mercetia is very family oriented and loves to spend her spare time on the dirt roads or at the rodeos with her family. At the age of sixteen, she was left paralyzed from the breast line down due to a hit and run car accident. She decided to turn her tragedy into triumph and continued to live her life from her chair. She earned her Associates Degree at EMCC, bachelor’s degree in Public Health and Master’s degree in Health Education at the Mississippi University for Men and Women. Mercetia is also a proud member of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated and PROM (Please Return On Monday) panel. Her platform focuses on equal job opportunities for those with disabilities. Mercetia describes herself as self-driven, resilient, and encouraging. 

Danara Renee Barlow is blind, bold, and all heart—a vibrant, outspoken woman with a contagious zeal for all things inspirational. Born and raised in Joliet, Illinois and now residing in Wichita, Kansas, Danara lives to empower people from all walks of life through authentic encouragement and purpose-driven action.

Born visually impaired, Danara has never let her disability define or limit her. She’s an overcomer through and through—holding a master’s in leadership, a bachelor’s in psychology, an associates in child development, and certificates in HR and Business Management. Simply put, there’s nothing she believes you can’t do once you decide to be intentional—and she’s living proof of that truth.

Danara currently works for the United States Air Force as a Contracting Specialist and serves in ministry as a worship leader at Eden Fellowship Ministries. She is deeply rooted in her community, launching programs like Project Better—a summer initiative promoting higher education for youth in low-income housing—and Let’s Do Something: From Affirmation to Action, a women’s empowerment group that blends connection, city exploration, and the power of words.

She is also the founder of the Pretty Blind Girl movement, created to help blind women embrace their beauty, own their stories, and remember that blindness doesn’t define them—it refines them.

Now, Danara is launching her coaching business, Sight Beyond Vision, where she offers transformational coaching, interactive workshops, and motivational speaking—all designed to help others align their vision with bold, intentional living.

“I believe my superpower is encouraging and empowering others. As human beings, there is nothing we can’t accomplish when we decide to be intentional.”
– Danara Renee Barlow

Chandra Smith is an IT engineer specializing in digital accessibility on the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA) 508 compliance team, where she merges technical expertise with a fierce commitment to universal design. A first-generation college graduate with three master’s degrees and over a decade of experience—including foundational roles at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)—she has dedicated her career to breaking down digital barriers for individuals with disabilities. Her advocacy is deeply personal: raised by parents with disabilities and profoundly impacted by her mother’s battle with Sarcoidosis, Chandra’s resolve to create equitable access was forged early.  

In 2021, her life took a dramatic turn when a sudden health crisis led to multi-organ failure, a stroke, and the amputation of three limbs. Undeterred, Chandra channeled her resilience into advocacy, earning the title of Ms. Wheelchair America 2024 (crowned in 2023). In this role, she amplifies the importance of inclusivity, leveraging her platform to push for policy changes and societal shifts that empower people of all abilities. Beyond her national influence, Chandra drives grassroots impact in Maryland. She serves on boards such as the Statewide Independence Council and State Rehabilitation Council, where she shapes programs to expand accessibility in education, employment, and public spaces.  

Chandra’s story—a tapestry of professional excellence, personal triumph, and unyielding advocacy—is a testament to the power of turning adversity into action. She continues to inspire global audiences, proving that barriers are meant to be reimagined, not accepted.