The cultural landscape around disability often overlooks beauty, fashion, and art; they’re seen as “extras,” not essentials. But for many of us in the disability community, those creative pillars are just as vital to identity and self-expression. Xian Horn's nonprofit, Give Beauty Wings, recognizes this truth. Their work reminds the world that inclusion in art and design matters, that everyone deserves to feel seen in beauty.

Too often, society assumes disabled people should simply be content with what they have, no matter how limited the options, even something as basic as shoes. Expanding access to beauty and fashion isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s a movement toward greater equality, one that ripples far beyond what we wear.

When you have a visible physical disability, you face two options: spend your energy hiding your differences, or accept who you are—and if people stare, let them. This was the beginning of Angela Yoder Stepping Out of Line and into the life she wanted. As a photographer, she captures people in the moment by interpreting their unspoken thoughts and feelings through the lens of her camera. Yet for years, she didn’t admit what she was asking from others: to be transparent and live their own unique truth. She soon recognized that it was time for her to be open about her life, her medical challenges, and all that is in between so that others like herself would not feel so isolated and alone.

Dana Arschin is a 3X Emmy Award-winning journalist, mother of two, granddaughter of an Auschwitz survivor, and a dedicated Holocaust storyteller. Her life’s work is centered around one mission: ensuring the stories of survivors are never forgotten. Her dream was to ‘make it’ as a journalist in New York, and that journey began at News 12 in Brooklyn. She later joined Fox 5 NY, where she launched a powerful series featuring interviews with Holocaust survivors. The rest, as they say, is history.

But when we say “never again”, what do those truly mean? As history continues to repeat itself, it’s fair to ask whether telling these stories really makes a difference for the next generation. The simple answer is yes. These testimonies—whether from the Holocaust or other genocides—are sometimes all we have left, and as such, it is our collective responsibility to keep their memories alive. And still, it is often times more complicated than that.