Monique's Bio
Monique Stamps once aspired to be a hairdresser and makeup artist, but a life-altering car accident in 1995, at just 16 years old, left her paralyzed from the chest down. Despite this, she persevered and earned a Bachelor's degree in social work. For the past 20 years, Monique has been a passionate disability rights advocate.
In Charlotte, NC, Monique founded a sister chapter of Women Embracing Abilities Now (W.E.A.N.) to nurture peer mentoring relationships among women and girls with disabilities. The group advocates for equal access to breast and OB/GYN medical care and raises awareness about health disparities faced by people with disabilities.
Monique believes in the sisterhood among women with disabilities and emphasizes the importance of sharing their stories. She strives for women with disabilities to be seen and treated as intelligent, valuable, beautiful, sexy, and sexual beings, just like those without disabilities. To achieve this, she works to build trust and empower women, turning their pain into power.
Embodying this philosophy, Monique became an ambassador for The Raw Beauty Project. In 2016, she curated a new exhibit featuring models and photographers from the Charlotte, NC area, and is leading the initiative to other cities in NC. She now serves as an Outreach Coordinator for Raw Beauty Project and its Health initiative.