Being born with Down Syndrome has never stopped me from reaching my dreams and goals in life. Down Syndrome is a disability that impacts every part of my life and creates both challenges and opportunities. It is not easy to have a disability, because I have to work hard to succeed and sometimes people can put limits on my potential. However, I have learned so much on my journey and my life is filled with many blessings.
I was one of
the first students fully included in my school district and community.
Inclusion means that I was a full member of the general education classroom
with my peers and I learned everything that other kids my age learned. I
participated in any of the activities I was interested in and felt like a full
participant. Inclusion changed my life
and opened doors for me that were previously closed for people with
disabilities. People opened their doors, minds, and hearts to include me and I
am grateful.
Now, I live a full life in my community. I have a few jobs, I am involved in clubs, I
volunteer and I am a board member for a few organizations. Butterflies for Change is my own
organization. I do public speaking and inclusion training around the country. I
encourage people to think about inclusion of people with disabilities in a new
way and give everyone a chance to fully participate in their school and
community.
I have learned a lot of amazing things on my
journey and I want to share them with others who are designing their own lives.
In this blog I
will share lots of success strategies that might be helpful for others. My
strategies are things I did in my own life that helped me. I will also share
many ideas about inclusion, person-centered
planning to design your own life,
finding your voice, and learning to fly with full wings. I hope I can
contribute and inspire people to dwell in the possibilities.
I am passionate
about helping people with disabilities find their own voice and live full and
exciting lives. I believe people with disabilities can be strong self-advocates
and also, they can contribute in many ways in their community and be
leaders.
Bridget Brown
8/28/21
