Disabled & Powerful: How April Lockhart is Redefining What It Means to Belong

Crystal Jordan
Aug 12
3 min read

By Crystal Jordan

Auesomely You Magazine

Published: 8/12/2025

Pillar Focus: Mental Health & Emotional Wellness

Sometimes, the most powerful movements are born in the quiet moments—like scrolling late at night. One evening, as I thumbed through my timeline, I came across a post from a woman named April Lockhart. At first, it was her presence that caught my eye, confident, intentional, and unapologetic. But as I clicked through her account, I uncovered something far greater: a vibrant, much-needed community she built from the ground up! The deeper I went into her page, the clearer it became: this wasn’t just another stylish face on my timeline. This was a woman building something revolutionary.

That “something” is Disabled&—a community that’s rewriting what it means to live, work, and create while disabled. The concept sounds simple, but the execution is anything but. April has crafted a space where disability isn’t a limitation, it’s a source of style, ambition, creative fire, and unshakable power.

Imagine growing up and feeling like you don’t belong, not because of who you are, but because of a difference you didn’t choose. Imagine surviving a life-altering accident and suddenly being seen only through the lens of your disability. April Lockhart knows those feelings intimately.

Image credit: disabledand Instagram

Image credit: disabledand Instagram

Image credit: disabledand Instagram

Born with a limb difference, she once struggled to embrace her body and identity. But in 2022, she decided to share her truth publicly. That vulnerability turned into visibility. And visibility turned into a movement.

Her message is bold and unwavering: You can be disabled and powerful. Disabled and confident. Disabled and unstoppable.

Image credit: //x.com/aprillockhart The founder

Building a Community That Didn’t Exist

Image credit: disabledand.com

Image credit: disabledand Instagram

In creating Disabled &, April Lockhart didn’t just form a community; she sparked a movement. Her message is simple but transformative: you can be disabled and powerful, disabled and confident, disabled and unstoppable. She carved out a space where identity is not defined by limitations, but by possibilities. She is giving you the power to fill in the blank!

Image credit: disabledand Instagram

What makes her work even more impactful is the intentionality behind it. April Lockhart envisioned an international community, one that stretches across borders and backgrounds, united by a shared belief that disability does not diminish worth, it enhances resilience.

"People with disabilities are more than a label, more than a diagnosis they are human beings first." – Crystal Jordan

Have you fill in the blank Disable and ___________________

April’s philosophy is simple: “Disability has the power to be a force for joy, power, and creativity.”

Image credit: disabledand Instagram

Yes, being disabled is part of an identity but it’s not the whole story. We can be disabled and an author, speaker, CEO, dancer, painter, tech innovator, model, or baker. The list of possibilities is endless.

With Disabled&, April is creating room in every room for disabled creatives to show up as their full selves. It’s a global invitation to rewrite the narrative, one connection at a time.

Image credit: disabledand Instagram

Seeing this on my timeline made me smile. The community she built and the excitement of those eager to be part of this movement were undeniable. This wasn’t just awareness; it was, more importantly, acceptance. Witnessing it was powerful, and it inspired me to write this article to shine even more light on this community. Our brand motto is Seen, Heard, Celebrated, and moments like this remind me exactly why I created my brand—to keep sharing impactful stories and elevating brands like this one.

Join the community and learn more at: disabledand.com

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