Joys of July

Mikayla's Voice participated in Bethlehem's First Friday events, July 2nd, and will be present at each upcoming First Friday; please stop by and visit with us. We are stationed in the Banana Factory.





On July 14th, Mikayla and her friends joined CAT Country's Sam Malone for "Weenie Wednesday!" You can join Sam from 11 AM to 1 PM on Wednesdays and get a free hot dog and soda. Check out the tour itinerary on the CAT Country's website to find out where Sam will be each week.

Operation SMILE

Today Mikayla's Voice had the opportunity of joining the Community Warriors at a SMILE event. The Community Warriors hosted a special Family Fun Saturday in honor of two very special people: Jessica Coleman and Susan Fazio. The event was held at Applebees, Cedarcrest Blvd. Allentown, PA.







Along with Mikayla's Voice were many other noteworthy non-profit organizations, including Camelot for Children




Among those making a difference in the lives of children was actress Hannah Votta Coleman, better known as Hannah Banana.






Mikayla and junior board member, Hannah were both happy to pose with Hannah Banana!

The Junior Board Shares Mikayla's Story with Local Scouts

Did you notice Mikayla's ladybug cast? She recently had surgery on her wrist, and nothing would be more appropriate than a ladybug cast!

What a great opportunity to have been invited to Scout Camp in Fork Township, PA to share Mikayla's story. The junior Board members at Mikayla's Voice accepted the invitation, and were happy to read Our Friend Mikayla to the scouts, answer questions about Mikayla's disability and then with the help of Mikayla's mom, Kim, created awesome wooden ladybugs!

The ladybugs look great when stuck in a pot among flowers. If you are interested in purchasing a ladybug made by the scouts just contact Kim at kim@mikaylasvoice.org.

Mikayla's Incluzion Bandz

By any name, Sillybandz, Stretchy Shapes, Bamabands, Swakums, Crazybands and more, these silicone rubber bands that return to their original shape are the newest craze with kids of all ages across the country. From preschool to college, kids are collecting and trading them, wearing them in bunches on their wrists like rubber bangle bracelets. The trend started in Alabama and has spread across the country.

The bands' low cost ($4 for a package of 12 bands) and enormous popularity make them the perfect fundraiser for Mikayla’s Voice

There are two different packs being sold. One pack contains a dozen ladybugs which is the logo for Mikayla’s Voice. Most are plain red, but there will be 3 or 4 that are different glow-in-the-dark colors. The glow-in-the-dark bandz symbolize our differences that make us shine. The other pack contains three-leaf clovers with 3 or 4 glow in the dark clovers.

Wearing all the different bandz together will send a message of inclusion.

Making these bandz different also is that there is only ONE glow in the dark red ladybug among the packages of ladybug bandz, and ONE glow in the dark red ladybug among the packages of clover bandz. If found it is redeemable for Dorney Park tickets.

The bandz can be purchased at:

Missing Piece Gift Shop, 462 Bushkill Center Road, Bushkill Township
Marisa's Boutique, 56 S. Main St., Nazareth
Johnny's Bagels, Route 191, Bethlehem Square
Lehigh Valley Dry Cleaners, four locations: Palmer Township, Forks Township and Lower Nazareth Township
Orwig Property Management, 220 E. Lawn Road, Upper Nazareth Township
Park Avenue Market, 2468 Park Ave., Palmer Township
Pat's Brakes and Lynn's Garage, 1200 Bushkill Drive, Easton
Gail's Cake and Candyworld, 1150 Northampton St., Easton
Mary Meuser Pool, Northampton Street, Wilson Boro

Bandz will also be sold at Bethlehem's First Fridays; look for Mikayla's Voice at the Banana Factory.


***Mikayla's Incluzion Bandz were assembled by Good Shepherd Work Services, which employ workers with disabilities in keeping with the foundation’s message.

Inspirational Silence

This past spring with the decision to form a non-profit organization made, Kim approached Mikayla's eighth grade classmates and shared with them the organization's name, concept and mission. There were five eighth grade English classes and they were studying poetry at that point of the school year. After Kim's presentation their teacher asked the students to write a poem that might explain inclusion or represent Mikayla’s Voice. As with the writing of Our Friend Mikayla the children’s work was amazing, making it very challenging to select a favorite. Ultimately, the teacher and Kim both chose the same poem entitled, Inspirational Silence written from Mikayla’s point of view.

Inspirational Silence

My voice is silent,
But yet, still heard.
I inspire by action,
Not by word.

With the author’s permission, the organization will feature her poem on our website www.mikaylasvoice.org.

At the eighth grade move-up ceremony, the author was presented with an award medal as the winner of Mikayla's Voice first annual poetry contest.

*Based on this project’s success, Mikayla’s English teacher has agreed to help Mikayla’s Voice make this an annual eighth grade project.

Our Friend Mikayla

When Mikayla was a third grader at Lower Nazareth Elementary School she and her classmates did something quite extraordinary.

Having already known Mikayla for two years, her classmates knew what it was like to meet someone with disabilities for the first time. Not only did they understand what it meant to meet someone different, they also knew what it was like to have a friend with multiple disabilities.

Motivated by her belief that children often could offer the best explanation to other children, Kim, approached Mikayla’s principal and teacher and asked them to let her help Mikayla’s friends write and illustrate a book about having a friend with a disability. Both being advocates of inclusion, they agreed.

The class had just written autobiographies and since Mikayla was unable to write her own, the children were very eager to help Mikayla tell her story. After several class discussions concerning Mikayla's disabilities the children wrote paragraphs about what they understood. There were 75 thoughtful essays and wonderful illustrations depiciting their feelings and interactions with Mikayla. Kim used the children's work, and by embedding their phrases and sentences, Mikayla’s classmates' work became an outline for the book, Our Friend Mikayla . The book wrote itself.

Our Friend Mikayla was published in late 2006 with the financial support of The National Inclusion Project, founded by Clay Aiken.

Mikayla's Voice would like to see the book in every elementary school across the country.

In keeping with the mission of Mikayla's Voice, ... inspiring kids of all abilities to share the message of inclusion, Mikayla’s Voice would like to work with other groups of children to develop additional books written and illustrated for children by children. This has the potential to become a series of “Our Friend…” children’s books with each telling the story of a child with a different type of disability.

If you would like to purchase a book contact Kim@mikaylasvoice.org or write to Kim at PO Box 232, Nazareth, PA 18064

Our Logo

Photo courtesy ofChristmas City Studio

Our logo design was inspired by an idea from Mikayla’s younger sister, Lauren.


Lauren and her mom had been talking about incorporating a ladybug into the logo design for Mikayla’s Voice for a number of reasons. Even more quiet than Mikayla, ladybugs don’t make any sounds, they represent good luck and good fortune in all cultures, no one ever harms a ladybug, or is afraid of a them. Although most ladybugs are red, every once in awhile you will find one that is yellow, orange or pink. With a bit of an explanation, the image of a ladybug is a great metaphor for Mikayla and inclusion.

One morning before school, twelve year old Lauren, suggested using a regular red ladybug with black spots, but suggested "including" one yellow spot.

Consistent with our mission to inspire kids of all abilities to share the message of inclusion, this simple idea clearly shares the message of inclusion to everyone no matter their age. We are delighted that a child has developed the concept behind our logo design.

Way to go, Lauren!

Our Message is Our Mission; Our Mission is Our Message

Photo courtesy of Christmas City Studio, Bethlehem, PA

Mikayla has been an inspiration to many, but no one has been inspired more by Mikayla than her mom, Kim. With inspiration from Mikayla and support from friends and family, Kim founded “Mikayla’s Voice." Voice, an acronym for the Voice of Inclusion for Children Everywhere, is a non-profit organization. The organization's mission is to “inspire kids of all abilities to share the message of inclusion.”

Over the years, Kim has observed that children have always been the most accepting of Mikayla’s disabilities; are the least afraid to ask questions, and sometimes are the best teachers. Children seem to understand that diversity builds understanding, compassion and acceptance. Without a voice Mikayla has taught her friends some of life’s most important lessons.

"Mikayla’s Voice" will work with children to develop projects for kids by kids, which will help share the message of inclusion for children everywhere.