Our Ambassador

Day 6 of the 31 for 21 Challenge

I ate lunch with Lindsay yesterday. 

She was chatty and excited and more than a little nervous about today. She barely touched the corn on her plate so I urged her to stop talking and take a few bites.

As she chewed, I wrote in my notebook, “So passionate and well-spoken. The perfect choice for an ambassador at the Down Syndrome Buddy Walk in Neenah.”

Lindsay will be greeting and welcoming people who attend today’s walk, and then – the reason for her nerves and cold corn - giving a speech in front of “the whole Fox Cities area.”

I asked her what it’s like to have Down syndrome and what she hopes to accomplish as an ambassador at today’s event. The rest of this blog is hers:

“I have an extra chromosome that gives me a slow learning in my brain. It’s called Down syndrome. It also makes my feet function differently. I walk on the balls of my feet. It hurts to walk flat-footed. It gives me cramps in my legs.

I went to a public high school, but I was in Special Education. My friends were mostly teachers because the other students weren’t like me. They had the ability to learn faster than me. The students didn’t talk to me much – usually just ignored me.

At home, my dad really understood my disability. I could talk to him and he knew what I was trying to say.

As an ambassador to people with Down syndrome, I want people to know that Down syndrome is just an ability for us to grow in our knowledge. We don’t like to be called ‘retarded.’ Down syndrome is just something that people have because it is part of their purpose, part of what they were designed for.

Other people need to know that it’s important to treat people with respect, and act with integrity. And responsibility also comes with having Down syndrome. When people see good character in us, hopefully they will give it back to us.

Many people are willing to support people with Down syndrome, not just ignore us. People with Down syndrome should not give up on themselves.

I want to say to the people with Down syndrome that my main purpose is to let them know that I can be a voice for them if they need one. I know about their situation in life. We are a part of God’s purpose too. He put us here, so we can have more hope and confidence that we can succeed in the future.

There is more to disability than taking it seriously. Our personalities should show too. We need a sense of humor in life. We need to show who we are, not just the disability we have.

There are things that make me feel bad about having Down syndrome - emotionally, in my heart. I see people treating people like me badly – bossing them around and picking on them. We don’t always know how to respond when people act like this to us. There is lots to like about Down syndrome. We’re easy to be friends with and friends are there forever. I also think it’s easy for us to be loving, caring and helpful. Many people with Down syndrome are blessed in a special way like that. I just want peace between people with disability and people who don’t have disability.

I’ve never done this before – being an ambassador for people with Down syndrome. I’m nervous, but I’m going to show confidence and faith. I know I can achieve my goals of being more confident, getting an education, understanding my emotions and growing spiritually.

I not only want to be an advocate, I want to be my own guardian as well. I want to be trusted with my own life. I want my ideas to be taken seriously, and I want to work at a place like Shepherds College to help other people find their ability. These inspirations come from my heart.

The most important thing to tell my friends is that God is the biggest thing to look for. Find His character and put it in your heart.”

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.