Kalyn Heffernan
Kalyn Heffernan is an MC for the band Wheelchair Sports Camp.[1] Heffernan was born with the genetic disorder osteogenesis imperfecta. She was born in Denver, spent her early life in Southern California,[2] and returned to Denver at age 8.[3] Heffernan is a community activist, participating in a 2017 ADAPT sit-in at Senator Cory Gardner's office to protest a proposed healthcare bill that would have cut Medicaid by $722 billion.[4][5] In 2018, Heffernan announced her intention to "sit" as a candidate for the 2019 Denver mayoral race.[6]
Heffernan identifies as queer, and was named as one of "Eight Openly Queer Rappers to Watch" by ColorLines.[7] She received a 2016 Westword MasterMind award in recognition of her work co-founding Royalty Free Haiti, a partnership between artists in Haiti and Denver[8] and in 2018, Westword's "Best of Denver" named her the year's "Best Activist Musician."[9]
References
- Wheelchair Sports Camp (2018). "Wheelchair Sports Camp". Retrieved August 18, 2018.
- Ferner, Matt (December 6, 2017). "Wheelchair Sports Camp: Kalyn Heffernan on Hip Hop, Occupy Denver". Huffington Post. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
- Baca, Ricardo (April 12, 2011). "World is Spinning Big Time for Little MC in Colorado". Denver Post. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
- Harris, Kyle (July 5, 2017). "Wheelchair Sports Camp's Kalyn Heffernan on Arrest with Adapt at Cory Gardner's Office". Westword. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
- Miller, Matt (June 29, 2017). "55 Hours in a Republican Senator's Office, Defending Our Right to Live". Esquire. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
- Campbell, Ana (April 1, 2018). "Wheelchair Sports Camp's Kalyn Heffernan is Running for Mayor of Denver". Westword. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
- King, Jamilah (May 11, 2011). "Eight Openly Queer Rappers Worth Your Headphones". ColorLines. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
- Froyd, Susan (June 15, 2018). "Meet Our Latest Masterminds Kalyn Heffernan and Birdseed Collective". Westword. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
- Westword (2018). "Best of Denver: Best Activist Musician | Kalyn Heffernan". Westword. Retrieved August 19, 2018.