MAGGIE GILROY
Editor in Chief
Burgandi Rakoska currently has a tie for her favorite Disney princess. Although it used to be Belle, of “Beauty and the Beast,” she has recently become a fan of “The Princess and the Frog’s” Tiana.
“I like that whole message that, after 70 years or so, Disney finally had that message that wishing isn’t going to get you to that destination,” Rakoska, a junior childhood inclusive education major said. “That you have to work hard.”
Like Tiana, Rakoska knows what it is like to work hard to reach her dream. But, unlike Tiana, Rakoska is in a wheelchair. This motivated her to petition Disney to create a princess with a disability.
“I woke up last Sunday morning and thought, why am I just sitting here just hoping it would happen?” Rakoska said in a recent interview. “Why not actually do something?”
The petition, posted on http://www.change.org, was created by Rakoska on Oct. 26. It states “Nearly one in five people have a disability in the U.S. Yet less than 1% of Disney characters are disabled. Disney is renowned for creating a magic that can be experienced by children and adults alike. Part of this magic is created through representation.
“So, Disney, I’m wishing upon a star…Please create a Disney Princess with a disability and let children with disabilities experience the magic.”
As of the publication of this article, the petition has 2,500 signatures.
Rakoska has had Spina Bifida her entire life. According to the Spina Bifida Association, Spina Bifida is a condition formed in the womb when a spinal column does not close all the way. However Rakoska has only been in a wheelchair since she was 12, when she went under surgery to untether her spine. She has been in and out of a wheelchair since then; however she will most likely be in a wheelchair for the remainder of her life.
At the present moment, Rakoska can only think of two disabled cartoon characters: one from “Avatar: the Last Airbender.” Though Rakoska began the petition by herself, she has received support from the campus and community.
“I started the petition on my own, but everybody has stuck behind me,” Rakoska said. “It’s nice.”
Rakoska has been busy conducting interviews for local TV stations, as the petition has gained attention from media across the community including WGRZ and YNN. She described the media attention as “nuts.”
“I remember when WGRZ came and they asked ‘best case scenario/worst case scenario,’” Rakoska said. “Best case scenario: it happens and I can go down to Disney and be a part of it. I’ve been day dreaming — I’m not going to lie — just daydreaming about just the best of the best scenarios.
“But even the worst case scenario, it’s still a thought in their heads. People still see it and they’re like ‘well, hey, why hasn’t Disney done this?’ And ‘what would it be like if they did do it?’”
While Rakoska has not yet heard back from Disney, she has instilled this hope in the minds of others.
“I’ve had people come up to me all week, and they’re like ‘you know what? I’ve never thought about that before. But that’s the point,” Rakoska said. “And even if that’s the most that comes from this, it’s still working.”