Nadina LaSpina is a prominent activist in the disability rights movement who has been arrested countless times for civil disobedience. You can find her in the streets with Disabled In Action, ADAPT, The Disability Caucus, and other groups fighting for social justice. She is also an educator. After teaching Italian for many years (at NYU and at Fordham University), LaSpina created and taught courses in Disability Studies at The New School.

Though Such a Pretty Girl is her first book, LaSpina’s articles, essays, and stories have appeared in publications as varied as AbleNews and Ragged Edge (both are disability papers), New Politics (a socialist journal), And Then (print-only literary magazine), and Bookwoman (the e-zine of Women’s National Book Association). She has a blog, Chance Encounters, as well as a personal website. She has been the recipient of awards for her activism, as well as her writing. She was Grand Marshal of the 2019 Disability Pride Parade NYC. She is known for her rousing speeches at rallies.

Connect with Nadina LaSpina on Twitter and Facebook, and visit her YouTube Channel.