Imagine opening your eyes in a hospital, looking up at the ceiling, and it feels like déjà vu. So familiar, as if you’ve been there before. You hear a voice speaking to you. You don’t know exactly what happened, but what you do know is this:
You’re still alive.
And all of it is for a reason.
A Life-Changing Accident and a New Purpose
That was me 25 years ago, after a horrific car accident that left me paralyzed from the neck down. From that moment on, my life took on a deeper meaning. The doctors told me I had a 3–5% chance of ever moving or feeling anything below my neck.
I told them I would move and feel in other ways.
Through that journey, I met incredible warriors from all walks of life, and along the way, I met my angel, Auti Angel.
She was light. She was fire. She was joy. The kind of soul who didn’t just exist, she moved people. Together, we went out into the world with a mission—to uplift, to remind others to live fully, and to show what was possible. That journey led us to the critically acclaimed TV docuseries Push Girls on Sundance Channel, a series I co-created alongside Gay Rosenthal and David Hurwitz, where we shared our lives, our truth, and our strength with the world.
We were meant to continue that legacy together. But life shifted. Auti faced breast cancer with everything she had… and while her physical presence is no longer here, her spirit, her energy, and her voice still move through everything I do.
The Power of Storytelling Through Film
When I returned to Los Angeles, I knew I had to continue what we started. Not just for her, but for every woman who needs to be seen, supported, and reminded of her power.
Then my best friend, Andy Arias—my “Gaby”—came to me and said, “Let’s do the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge.”
When I heard the genre was dramedy, I hesitated. Comedy isn’t my lane. But I told him, “I’ll do it with you… because you’re the only one who can make me laugh.”
So I said yes.
And I wrote BATTLE CRY from my heart.
This film is for our angel. For the women who are still fighting… And for those who need to be reminded to stay on top of their health—because it is life or death.
Why Breast Cancer Screenings Aren’t Accessible for All
The reality is… women with disabilities face real and often overlooked barriers when it comes to basic healthcare—especially breast cancer screenings.
After returning home from living on the East Coast, I personally called multiple facilities trying to schedule a mammogram. Not one could accommodate me.
Most machines are designed for people who can stand, and many do not lower to a level accessible for someone seated in a wheelchair. Safe transfers onto exam tables are not always possible, and not all facilities have trained staff available to assist. And the truth is… not everyone has someone who can come with them to help.
In some cases, alternative options like ultrasounds are offered—but they are not as comprehensive or reliable as a mammogram for early detection.
There are also exams that require positions—like lying face down—that not all of us can physically tolerate… So what should be a routine, life-saving screening becomes difficult… delayed… or out of reach.
And that has to change.
This is more than a film.
This is about bringing awareness.
Shifting the paradigm.
And creating real change for women with disabilities.
And this is where The Rolling Empire rises… creating a vehicle to reach millions, to uplift, to empower, and to remind every Warrior out there of their strength, their voice, and their worth.
With deep gratitude to the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge for creating a platform that allows voices like ours to be seen and heard… giving us the opportunity to share powerful messages and bring awareness to important issues like breast cancer.
Watch our film, “Battle Cry”…
Thank you to our entire team who came together to create this masterpiece—each and every one of you brought heart, passion, and soul into this film.
This is dedicated to our angel, Auti… to all the survivors, the fighters, and the angels watching over us with love.
Because some angels don’t whisper.
They roar. 💗
