A voice in the chorus: Perspectives of young men of color on their disabilities, identities, and peer-mentors

With the rise of violence during the 1990s, the number of persons who acquired a spinal cord injury as a result of gunshot trauma increased dramatically in the United States. This qualitative study examined disability, race, and contribution of peer-mentors to the development of identity. Six men with a violence-related spinal cord injury participated in a focus group. They were injured for at least two years, making positive gains in their lives, and training to become peer-mentors at a rehabilitation hospital. In addition, 16 men with a newly-acquired spinal cord injury from gunshot trauma participated in an individual interview. These sixteen participants were all mentees (or recipients) of the peer-mentor program. Principles of grounded theory were used to code and analyze data. Data converged on three main themes: (1) disability viewed as a wake-up call or blessing, (2) disability viewed as a turning point, and (3) disability viewed as identity transforming.