Jennifer Kumiyama

Jennifer Kumiyama is an American actor, singer and disability rights activist living in Long Beach, California. She has performed in feature films, television and on stage. She is the Citywide Accessibility Coordinator for the City of Long Beach.

Early life Kumiyama was born February 21, 1980 in Riverside, California to Marilynn Pace and Eddie Kumiyama. She has Arthrogryposis and uses a wheelchair daily. She studied voice training at Long Beach City College and the California State University, Long Beach.

Entertainment career In 2000 Kumiyama began a career in entertainment with an appearance on the Popstars 2 television show by Warner Bros. She spent 13 years with the live show before it closed in 2016 and was the first Disney actor to perform onstage in a wheelchair.

Kumiyama performed the role of Carmen in Fox Searchlight’s 2011 Oscar-nominated movie The Sessions.

Kumiyama won the Ms. Wheelchair California title in 2010. Currently she works as the Citywide Accessibility Coordinator for the city of Long Beach in the office of the city manager.