Kalyn Heffernan, a prominent Denver disability activist and frontperson of the local, but nationally famous, hip-hop band Wheelchair Sports Camp, has spent her career fighting for accessible public transit. In 2019, she even made affordable transportation a cornerstone of her mayoral campaign. However, her long-standing relationship with the Regional Transportation District (RTD) faced a major blow when she discovered her likeness was being used on an RTD bus wrap without her knowledge or consent.
The discovery happened by chance when Heffernan’s ex-girlfriend, visiting Denver, spotted a bus featuring a drawing of Heffernan as part of a wrap celebrating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). She snapped a photo and sent it to the activist, who was stunned. “I had no idea,” Heffernan told Westword. “It’s so tokenizing; it’s exploitative; it’s performative. It’s like, ‘Oh, look, we care about the communities we’re not serving.’”
The illustration, created by local artist Justin Bravo, was submitted as part of a community contest to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the ADA. While Bravo issued a statement saying “Sorry for the fuck up,” and noted his goal was to create dialogue, Heffernan pointed the finger directly at the agency. “Ultimately, RTD is the one with the state funding and the responsibility and the power,” she says to Westword.
“I think the biggest scare and most pressing thing is these proposed 20% of cuts across the board,” she explains in a statement to OFM regarding her current issues with RTD. “That would be devastating.
And I think the access on demand program is so necessary and behind the times; I’d like to see it expanded. I’ve been stranded countless times without a bus or train to catch past 11 p.m. It’s so embarrassing for such a big city. not to mention we have some of the highest fares with very limited service.”
The irony of the situation is not lost on Heffernan, who has osteogenesis imperfecta and relies on power chairs. She learned about the unauthorized use of her image during the same week RTD announced potential service cuts of 20 percent. For an activist who has been “out and loud” about transit issues her whole life, the agency’s move felt like a betrayal of her brand. “You’re not going to pimp my face and my name and my brand and my activism,” Heffernan stated.
RTD claimed they only recently learned the artwork depicted Heffernan, explaining that a 10-member panel selected the design to “promote fair access” and “remove barriers.” But for Heffernan, the gesture rings hollow while riders remain stranded after 10 p.m. in what she calls a “cowtown.”
“I’ve spent my whole life learning how to be represented and be in the public image in a non-exploitative and non-patronizing way,” Heffernan said. “It feels like such a slap in the face to be exploited and tokenized by the same system that I’ve worked so hard to advocate for.”
