The Lucky Few

What do you do when your oldest child realizes her little sister will begin driving soon and wonders why they can’t do the same? Or when they ask for a not so “age-appropriate” toy as a gift? How do you navigate parenting a teenager with Down syndrome and all of the complexities that come with it? We asked Jen Jones, (wife, mother, & lifestyle coach) these tough questions and she’s sharing her...

With so much talk about the Covid-19 vaccine, it’s hard to know what to believe! And when we’re trying our best to protect our loved ones with Down syndrome, it gets even more complicated. That’s why we are so glad to have Dr. Spinazzi back on the podcast to break down all the science behind the vaccine - in terms that even we can understand! Dr. Spinazzi is an accomplished pediatrician, the medic...

We’re finishing the month of March with a very special interview with our favorite self-advocates.. our own children! That’s right, we have Ace, Sunny, Macy, and August on the podcast today for a sweet convo complete with a special “wheels on the bus” number just for you all! Plus the kids are telling us all about their favorite tv shows, sports, and music — don’t miss an update on Heather’s Beyon...

Collette Divitto graduated college and moved to Boston with the hopes of finding a job and getting her adult life started. But when she got there, every job she applied for told her she just “wasn’t the right fit.” So she took matters into her own hands and turned her famous chocolate chip cookie recipe into a successful company. And Collettey’s Cookies was born. Today, Collette is an accomplished...

Happy World Down Syndrome Day, friends! It’s 3/21 and that means today the 3 of us are sharing 21 things we LOVE about Down syndrome! From the good news, the dance moves, the button noses, and all the smiles and snuggles in between, there is SO much to celebrate today. We’re especially grateful that our loved ones with Down syndrome have set the pace for our families, taught us how to dance like n...

She’s the first person with Down syndrome to swim across the English Channel, she’s spoken to crowds across the nation, she’s started a non-profit foundation, she’s earned an honorary doctorate degree, she’s been a hard working employee for several years and she hasn’t let this pandemic stop her. She’s Karen Gaffney. And today she’s telling us all about her motto: “Down syndrome is a life meant to...

When it comes to inclusion in the modeling industry, we don’t always see people with disabilities on the front page. But Grace Strobel, a 24 year old self advocate with Down syndrome, is on a mission to shift this narrative both on and off camera. Not only is Grace a professional model, she is an extraordinary public speaker who inspires her audience with what she calls, “The Grace Effect,” (AKA k...

Imagine swimming 2.4 miles, riding a bike 112 miles, running 26.2 miles, and then finishing the race and making history. That’s Chris Nikic, he became the first person with Down syndrome to ever complete an Ironman back in November of 2020. Today we are thrilled to chat with Chris and his coach, Dan Grieb, all about their journey to the Ironman. We’re covering everything from how they met, how the...

We’ve talked a lot about the Black Lives Matter movement this past year, and today we’re learning more about the Black Disabled Lives Matter movement from Elena Fong. She is a wife, mother of two children (one with Down syndrome), and an advocate navigating this space as a mixed race woman. Elena is not afraid to stand up for justice and has made it her mission to educate her community on the inte...

Kelli Caughman is a mother, wife, and a leading Black advocate in the Down syndrome community. Not only is she the Black Families Director for the Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network, she created the Black Family Village in Indiana and serves on the board of Gigi’s Playhouse in Indiana. We’re so thankful for everything Kelli brings to our DS community and we’re especially grateful she’s joining us for...

Have you ever thought about what enables you to ignore certain injustices in the world but not others? Do you feel safer advocating in certain spaces as opposed to others? Is privilege allowing you to pick and choose what and who you advocate for? There’s a lot to unpack here, friends.. that's why we are so grateful that Jalondra Davis has joined us once again to discuss all things race and disabi...

It all started when Micha tried to find a Down syndrome podcast that could help her get her son Ace to brush his teeth. When she couldn’t find one, she called Heather, who called Mercedes, and you know the rest of the story. Here we are 100 episodes later sharing our most memorable moments from the last 3 years and some special updates from former guests! We’re celebrating with some friends from o...

Only 18 children with Down syndrome were born in Denmark in the year of 2019. The article “The Last Children of Down Syndrome” by Sarah Zhang is exploring all the reasons why.. starting with prenatal testing. Zhang says, “Prenatal testing is changing who gets born and who doesn’t. This is only the beginning.” Today, we’re taking time to respond to this article and sharing our own thoughts on prena...

Happy New Year, friends! We mustered up the courage to look back on our 2020 resolutions from last January.. and let’s just say, we didn’t quite meet all our goals for the year. But that’s okay. We’re moving forward with opportunities for growth in 2021 and we invite you to come alongside us! But first, join us for a chat about what we did over the holidays, health updates, 2021 goals (including T...

We’re re-releasing one of our favorite episodes all about advocacy and language. This conversation never gets old! Enjoy.. When it comes to finding the right language to use in this advocacy space, it can be tricky.. to say the least! Do we go with person-first or identity-first language? Should we say disabled or differently abled? And how can we use language to empower our kiddos with Down Syndr...

We’re starting this year off strong with an important conversation all about school and inclusion. If you’re parenting a child with a disability, we think you’ll relate! Enjoy.. When Micha and her family moved across the country this summer, she realized it might be time to shift her son’s classroom setting as well. In this week’s episode, Micha’s discussing her decision to place Ace in a more res...

As we head into the new year, we invite you to confront your privilege and pursue justice alongside us. Start by listening (or listening again) to this interview with Jalondra Davis. Enjoy.. We know that Down Syndrome does not affect one more race more than another so why is the advocacy space not more diverse? We have Jalondra Davis - author, scholar, feminist, and mother, on to address this topi...

We’re back with another one of our favorite interviews! Join us for a fun and insightful conversation with an extraordinary self-advocate! Enjoy.. At 22 years old, Matthew Schwab is a public speaker, employee, volunteer, ambassador, intern, campaign manager, and so much more. You may have even seen him advocating for employing people with disabilities on his TedX Talk! When he’s not writing speech...

Who remembers this awesome episode from earlier this year?! Listen (or listen again) for an amazing interview about an amazing self-advocate/celebrity! Enjoy.. You’ve seen Zack Gottsagen on the big screen during his hit movie, The Peanut Butter Falcon, and you’ve seen him onstage at the Oscars, but have you ever wondered about the woman who’s supported him since the beginning? In this VERY special...

Looking for the perfect gift (that’s actually meaningful) to give your friends and family this year? We’ve got you covered! Our 2020 Holiday Gift Guide is here and we are so excited to tell you about all these wonderful, narrative-shifting, and worth-shouting businesses! Shop for bow ties and books, soaps and sweatshirts, and even jams, art, and coffee too! We have something for everyone on your l...

Covid-19 may have wiped out our December calendars, but let’s talk about the magic of a quieter holiday season.. Kids waking up in their own beds, playing in the snow without a care in the world, and actually making the gingerbread cookies you always said you would! Sounds a little bit better than going to a zoom holiday party doesn’t it? This week we’re chatting all about the good and the hard of...

As we head into the holidays and the end of 2020 (we made it!), we’re giving thanks for all the lessons learned this year. Let’s face it, 2020 hasn’t been easy and socially-distant holidays hold challenges of their own..But for now, we invite you to practice gratitude with us as we reflect on all the hard parts of this year that have opened our eyes to what we do have. We’re also chatting about wh...

“There’s no way to make virtual learning fair for everyone…” Micha said it best but we’re all thinking it right?! Getting your child’s IEP needs met during virtual learning seems nearly impossible. And no one understands the legal battle behind a student’s disability rights quite like Vickie Brett and Amanda Selogie, two special education lawyers who created one of our favorite nonprofits: The Inc...

You may have been one of the 5 million people (no big deal right?) to see Zach & Pat’s viral videos on tik tok. This brother duo has taken social media by storm with their Down syndrome advocacy, positivity, and of course - dancing! So naturally, we needed to meet them.. which is why we sat down to chat with Pat all about growing up with a younger brother who has Down syndrome, navigating soci...

The last time we chatted with Kayla McKeon back in November 2018, she was lobbying for the ABLE to Work act that allows individuals with disabilities to save money without losing their benefits. Today, the act has passed, but Kayla (the first registered lobbyist with Down Syndrome) has certainly not stopped working hard! Her and Ashley Helsing are part of the National Down Syndrome Society’s polic...