It’s October and that means it is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month. Earlier this week I blogged about an experience that made me sad last weekend. Today, I want to talk about celebrating and valuing lives. Since I posted that blog about “those” kids and sadness on Monday, a lot has transpired.
Monday I got an email from Jenn Greenstreet, Creator/ED of Just Like You (JLY) Films. Jenn wanted to do a video to promote October as Anti-Bullying Month and she wanted to invite all the Just Like You stars to Anti-Bullying pledge. I let her know that Rachel and Savanna were “in.” In just over 24 hours she pulled a group together and the talented Isaac Alongi shot the footage. Yesterday morning we received the finished product from Jenn. Here it is:
Just Like You Anti-Bullying Pledge
Shooting JLY Anti-Bullying Pledge 2015
- Shooting JLY-Down syndrome 2012
Please feel free to share it and maybe you can get your school to do an Anti-Bullying Pledge Campaign. Awesome opportunity and so honored that Rachel was able to participate. I’m hoping her school will decide to take this and do something with it!
Then, yesterday afternoon my notifications popped and Chuck France had tagged me in a post. Chuck is the photographer who was “randomly” assigned to spend a day photographing Rachel as part of an NBC Online news piece. NDSS had recommended our family for the news piece. The writer wanted a family’s thoughts on the then new research that showed there might be a “cure” for Down syndrome. Chuck did an amazing job and we have stayed connected. We enjoy his work and consider him a friend. He has told us that this was one of his favorite shoots ever. He told us Rachel impacted his life. Yesterday, I saw in frames through the vehicle of the Steller Storytelling how Rachel had truly impacted him.
He tagged us in this and I hope you will check out “A Day with Rachel: Living With Down Syndrome.”
My favorite part –
Because of this experience, he does not see her or anyone else with Down syndrome as one of “those” kids.
One person changed by an encounter with a young lady with Down syndrome. In turn, how many people will he share that story with? Thank you, Chuck.
Here are links to the story and blogs mentioned above.
Curing Down Syndrome – thesassysoutherngal, August 2013
