The article discusses World Down Syndrome Day, highlighting federal and local advocacy efforts. A mother and daughter lobbied on Capitol Hill for legislative priorities. Local activities included creating self-portraits at an art studio and encountering resistance in schools. The community grows stronger each year, emphasizing the extraordinary nature of children with Down syndrome.
Three years later, Hope was in preschool for the first time and distributing cards to her new classmates. And with that, the Valentine’s Day cycle began another revolution, passing on from my childhood to hers, the cards and the candy, the hugs and the kisses. One day will come the boys and the roses and the candlelit dinners. And with every beat of her miraculous heart, the love. Always, always, the love.
I know it’s not realistic to support every cause, every time an awareness day or month pops up on the calendar, which is why INCLUSIVITY is the single most important mindset we can foster to make the work of caring for all people as streamlined as possible, without sacrificing the energy we reserve for our loved ones.
As parents of these beautiful children, we understand something that isn’t always so evident from the outside: Down syndrome is a blessing. So let these kids into your classrooms, your studios, your camps, your programs, your sanctuaries, and if you’re lucky, you might just catch a glimpse of the magic. But you’ll never know if you don’t try.
Our story doesn’t end in failure, thanks to the confidence instilled in us by the National Down Syndrome Society, the leading human rights organization for individuals with Down syndrome in the U.S., who caught us with outstretched arms while we were falling in a tailspin this past winter.
Take a moment to enjoy the beauty of Hope’s fifth year, which has been our true blessing to witness. Happy 5th birthday, Hope!!
Maybe you discover that it really doesn’t matter if your preschooler can tell the difference between a square and a rectangle, considering she conquered the potty and straw drinking on your watch since being home during the COVID-19 outbreak.
This year is a little different: we will celebrate World Down Syndrome Day in isolation, but never alone.
This was a huge reminder that with the 7-fold risk of sexual abuse of a person with an intellectual disability, we need to draw a firm line between what is acceptable with family versus how to behave around friends and strangers.
At Her Own Pace 