Draft:Jennifer Kumiyama

Jennifer Kumiyama is an American singer, actress, local government professional and disability rights activist living in Long Beach, California. She was crowned Ms. Wheelchair California in 2010, and is currently the accessibility coordinator for the City of Long Beach.

Early life
Kumiyama was born February 21, 1980 in Riverside, California to Marilynn Pace and Eddie Kumiyama. She has Arthrogryposis and uses a wheelchair daily.

In 1985 the family moved to Long Beach, California where Kumiyama began school. Then they moved to Fontana, California in 1990, where Kumiyama graduated from A. B. Miller High School as an honor thespian in 1998. She went on to Riverside Community College in 1999, then moved to Long Beach and attended Long Beach City College and the California State University, Long Beach for voice training.

Kumiyama began her career as a singer in 2000 with an appearance on the Popstars 2 reality television show by Warner Bros. In 2002 she performed at the Disney California Adventure Theme Park. in the live show Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular. She was the first Disney actor to perform onstage in a wheelchair. The show closed in 2016, allowing Kumiyama a 13-year run as a member of the ensemble.

In 2011 Kumiyama performed the role of Carmen in Fox Searchlight’s Oscar-nominated film The Sessions, alongside Helen Hunt, William H. Macy and John Hawkes. The movie’s plot involves a man with polio who wants to explore intimacy for the first time with a surrogate lover.

Kumiyama joined the cast of Wish, an animated musical feature film by Disney, in 2022. She performs both voice over work and sings as the character Dahlia, the royal baker who is also the best friend of the protagonist Asha. Dahlia is the unofficial leader of The Teens, a group of youths destined to set things right in the mythical kingdom of Rosas.

Disability work
Kumiyama began her work in public service as a commissioner for the Long Beach Citizens’ Advisory Commission on Disability, serving from 2014 through 2016. The nine-member commission, which is appointed by the city's mayor and confirmed by the city council, compiles information, reviews studies and data, and advises city government on issues concerning the disabled community.

In 2016 Kumiyama worked in the Long Beach City Council office of Lena Gonzalez. Kumiyama also assisted in the office of former Long Beach mayor Robert Garcia (2014-2022.) Currently, Kumiyama works as the Citywide Accessibility Coordinator for the office of the Long Beach City Manager.

Along with winning the Ms. Wheelchair California title in 2010, Kumiyama was the first runner up Ms. Wheelchair America in 2011. In 2022 Kumiyama founded Long Beach Disability Pride, which tasks itself with “celebrating Long Beach’s diverse disability community all day, every day,” according to the organization's website.

In 2023 Kumiyama told the Fontana Herald News that “Growing up, kids like me with disabilities didn’t see themselves represented in any media. I get the distinct honor of being that representation for kids today. Representation really matters, and kids with disabilities need to see themselves in every aspect of media.”