On March 6th, my son and I along with other self-advocates and families walked on Capitol Hill to advocate for the human rights of all individuals with Down Syndrome and shared with our state legislators why certain bills were important to us. You can find out more about those legislative bills by visiting the National Down Syndrome […]
I am so excited to share that our family photo was chosen this year to be a part of the National Down Syndrome Society Times Square video that kicks off October, which is Down Syndrome Awareness month. Our photo was selected from more than 2,400 entries, and almost 500 photos were displayed in the heart […]
So excited to share this new collaboration with my friend and parent of an awesome child with Down Syndrome Brian Herndon. We are excited to announce our new Facebook Live Talk Show Down Right Capable Show. This show was created to help change the way others view Down Syndrome, by highlighting their capabilities rather than their disabilities. […]
The Garden Foundation was founded by Taylor Gardner out of the love for her sister Lindsey. After seeing a program who failed her sister, she created a place that individuals with disabilities can come and “bloom where they are planted”. Their vision is to enhance the lives of people with disabilities by providing […]
The Runway of Dreams Foundation is a nonprofit that works toward a future of inclusion, acceptance, and opportunity in the fashion industry for people with disabilities. Founded on the basis that clothing is a basic human need, the Runway of Dreams Foundation develops, delivers and supports charitable initiatives to broaden the reach of adaptive clothing […]
Reach Every Voice (@reacheveryvoice) is our next Marlas Mentions organization who are making a difference. Empowering individuals with complex communication needs. They provide a teaching service for individuals who do not speak or have unreliable speech. Through assisted typing strategies, we empower individuals to believe in their own abilities to communicate. If you are an individual, […]
So you know you have a great therapist when you watch her sharing all her tips and tricks with other therapists, so they can get the best from their students. Even as a parent I love watching Hallie Sherman from Speech Time Fun (@speechtimefun) whose energy and smile are so contagious. I would personally love […]
Hi, I’m Marla! Remember me? LOL! I know it has been a while…I have been busy, let’s just start there! 2017 was a whirlwind year of accomplishing great things, meeting amazing people and doing what I love – advocacy and inspiring others. 2017 in a quick minute: March 2017 – I was accepted to be […]
As 2017 comes to a close, I wanted to take a moment to reflect back to all the great things I was able to do, the amazing people I met and how I was able to inspire others. I say “INSPIRE” because that was my word for 2017, and I feel really good that I […]
As I arrived into NYC, the excitement for tomorrow was building inside me. I was ACCEPTED to speak at the United Nations for the World Down Syndrome Day Conference. I am so honored to be sharing about “Why Your Voice Matters”. Which is the theme of the conference: Theme: #MyVoiceMyCommunity – Enabling people with Down syndrome to […]