On Our Radar: Push Girls

Auti moved on and carved out a niche for herself, but then began battling with drugs and alcohol, culminating in a high-speed police chase and spent three months in jail before committing herself to God and service.

Still, she managed to recover yet again and move her life forward. In the June/July issue of Latina, Auti explains how she rebounded:

I started going to clubs and would get on the dance floor. People were mesmerized. It was exhilarating to see their faces light up. Your average person doesn’t think a person with disabilities can party, but we’re still normal people.

I started auditioning again. I went to an agency that looked at me with pity. They said, “We’re sorry, we don’t think we’ll ever have anything for you.” I went home and told God, “I want to get back in the game and do what I used to do.” Three days later that same agency called me and said they were looking for a Latina in a wheelchair who could do tricks. I was cast in a music video for Ludacris, and when I heard the name of the tack, “Stand Up,” I couldn’t help but laugh. God has a funny sense of humor.

I have been a paraplegic for 20 years. I currently teach a hip-hop dance workshop at an adaptive sports camp in San Diego. My students rage in age from 3 to 18 years old and have spinal cord injuries, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, and other disabilities. In that kind of atmosphere we empower each other to push the limits, something I was born to do.

Here’s a quick mash up video of Auti’s life and performances:

The other two stars have intriguing plotlines as well–the sneak peek shows bubbly Tiphany embracing a relationship with another woman but resisting the label of bisexual. She’s also in an interracial relationship, which we will hopefully find out more about. And Mia seems to be battling herself and her family the most, challenging her own perception and the perception of others. Overall, the series looks promising–we’ll check it out and do a more in-depth review when the series drops. Until then, here’s the sneak peak:

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