Trib columnist awarded for disability advocacy

Tribune Staff

October 18, 2002

VSA arts of New Mexico has named a Tribune columist the year's Best Disabled Journalist.

Barbara McKee, who was born with severe spina bifida, is an Albuquerque poet, performer and producer, and has been a disability activist and public speaker about disabililty issues for more than 20 years.

McKee has written commentaries for The Tribune since October of 2001.

"She has a fire inside of her," says Deborah Mashibini, assistant direector of the nonprofit group dedicated to access to the arts for people with disabilites. "She is sucha a dynamic, forceful adocate, whether she's talking about accessible health care for folks with disabilities or reading one of her poems. She just blows you away."

McKee, 44, will accept her award at the fourth annual Opening Doors celebration and fund raiser, which honors community leaders who have inspired opportunity for people with disabilities.

McKee, who gets around in a wheelchair, is an Albuquerque writer, poet, performer and producer. She writes a column that runs in Insight & Opinion the third Thursday of every month.