About Us

Preferred Pronouns: She / Her / Hers
Director Status: New
Current Term: First (1st)

Nicoal stated she serves on the Atlanta Pride Board because, " I wanted to help give insight into a different perspective "

Nicoal lives with Epilepsy and Cerebral Palsy, as well as other mental disabilities resulting from these obstacles, but she does not let these diagnoses stop them from pushing forward.

In December of 2012, Nicoal headed to their family home for the holidays. While on the road, she was struck by another vehicle, setting off a chain of life-changing events. They would begin down the road so many others have before them, learning to live life a new way, learning to do things from a new perspective. In 2015 Nicoal received their first service animal and was faced with another major health concern. They found out they had cervical cancer. Nicoal still did not let that stop them.

In the Fall of 2018, Nicoal's service animal passed away due to unexpected health conditions. Nicoal invested in a new service animal right away so she would not fall into a bad place mentally while she battled cancer and continue their physical therapy. After months of hard training and mental investment, she now has a beautiful poodle named Mara Jade working by their side helping them daily. Unfortunately Mara Jade has been retired due to her own health condition but still lives with Nicoal.

Nicoal has won their battle with cancer in the spring of 2019. Nicoal then pursued their goal of becoming Ms. Wheelchair Georgia, achieving that goal in February 2020. Then in Febuary of 2022 Nicoal became the state coordinator for the Ms. Wheelchair Georgia Orginaztion. They use their platform as Ms. Wheelchair Georgia to help educate the public on the importance of not distracting a service animal and letting them be to do their job.

They also uses their platform to reassure handlers of service animals that they are not alone, no matter how much they feel like they might be, and teach them the laws that help protect them. Nicoal has lately started a journey toward lobbying to change local state laws to reflect federal laws, to include people with mental disabilities, and to set the penalty for misrepresenting oneself as a service animal handler or trainer to gain accommodation to a more severe penalty.

Nicoal started a Facebook group for handlers in their state to bring them together and allow them to have a place that is safe and allow them to talk openly about how to best handle situations. Nicoal also is works with businesses to help educate them on how to handle situations when services dogs come in and they are acting good vrs bad. Education is one of Nicoals passions and bringing in services dogs their second passion as they saved them many times, so joining these two things drives Nicoal to want to reach as many people as possible.

Nicoal has over came so much as this is just the tip of the Ice berg. There is so much to their story, from surviving domasic violence and being homeless to now rebuilding their empire one pebble at a time.
Election History
2023
2 Year Term