Tori, 23, wants a lot of the same things I want. She’s looking for a boyfriend: someone to share her life with. Last summer she had a wonderful man ask her to spend an evening dancing with him and she couldn’t be happier. Her biggest wish was coming true; she was being treated with respect. Tori probably wants to get a job and be able to support herself when she’s older, just like I do. Tori has Down syndrome and couldn’t be happier with the life she lives. She flourishes, works, learns and does many things she wants to, just like I do.
According to the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, Down syndrome is the most common genetic condition. A person with Down syndrome simply has three copies of chromosome 21 instead of the typical two, but if that’s all that separates Tori and I, someone who’s deemed “normal” by societal standards of ability, then why is the way society perceives Tori and I so vastly different?
Someone with Down syndrome typically has a harder time finding work or access to an education than someone without the condition. This is shocking because, according to the Center for Disease Control, as many as 1 in 700 births in the United States are a person with Down syndrome.
The amount of people living successfully with Down syndrome is growing and their personal successes are increasingly more inspirational. I had the pleasure of meeting another wonderful individual at the summer camp I work at called Wisconsin Badger Camp in Prairie Du Chien, Wis. This man is remarkable because while battling prejudiced employers who wanted to see him fail, he overcame that adversity and independently saved the $700 dollars to attend camp for a week.
Those that wanted to see him fail are perpetrators of the long-standing societal discrimination and fear of people who have disabilities. Schools preach difference like we are supposed to create a completely new being everyday to achieve uniqueness. We’re taught early on that being different is a good thing and dancing to the beat of our own drum is something to aspire to, but when someone is different in a way that doesn’t conform to the norm, that same school may turn to fear and discrimination.
We’re all scared of what we don’t know. As human beings in this society we wonder about whether or not we’ll find a job, be successful, be happy or find the love of our lives. Folks with disabilities, physical or not, think the same things but have even bigger fears; they assume people’s prejudice and hate of the unknown will prolong the tough decisions they face ahead. Unfortunately, they’re usually right.
Places like Wisconsin Badger Camp bring able bodied and differently abled folks together. During my experience, I’ve learned more about happiness and life from the people that the public scrutinizes and stigmatizes than I have from anyone who is deemed “normal” by society. Bringing people together is the best way of eliminating the living stigma.
College is the time to learn about yourself and who you want to be. A great way to learn about life is to understand those who are different from you, learn from their unique experiences and apply what you’ve learned to your own hopes and dreams. Individuals with disabilities can give you the greatest insight on living a truly fulfilling life as many folks I work with live to simply be happy everyday, not to please an employer or advance on a corporate ladder.
You can get involved with Wisconsin Badger Camp and spend the summer, or even just one week, working with folks with disabilities and experiencing life in the outdoors. This is a truly moving experience because for some of them it’s the only time of year they can escape the public’s negativity.
If you can’t commit to getting out of the city for the summer, try volunteering with a local Special Olympics team. It’ll keep you active and give you a chance to bond with some amazing athletes.
I encourage you to seize opportunities to empower women like Tori to feel confident enough to go out and live life to its fullest, after all that’s all anyone wants, right? College is a time to learn through classes, peers and adults, but working with folks with disabilities can open your eyes to the world and who you’re becoming.