This month we’re celebrating Down Syndrome Awareness Month with episodes based on popular Google search topics! On today’s episode, we’re answering the question: Can a person with Down syndrome find community & belonging? Today’s conversation is sparked by a recent blog post of Heather’s on why her daughter Macy didn’t attend homecoming this year, we’re chatting about what it truly means for someone with Down syndrome to feel a sense of belonging in school and their wider community. What can we all do to ensure inclusion happens? How can we help build bridges where isolation exists? From clubs and activities to real friendships, we’re chatting about inclusion, community, and what happens when we work together to make existing opportunities even better. Do we have all the answers…never! But we have hope having these tough conversations helps build and maintain those bridges toward community and belonging.

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Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today! 

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Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR:

Thank you, ABLEnow for sponsoring this episode!

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

 This month we’re celebrating Down Syndrome Awareness Month with episodes based on popular Google search topics! Today we’re joined by Emily Kendall & Chad Mayer from EmpowerMe Living for this episode all about answering the question: Can a person with Down syndrome live independently? Today, we’re talking about the incredible work of EmpowerMe Living, a program designed to support individuals with disabilities in choosing the best living arrangement for their unique needs. We're with EmpowerMe Living founder, Emily and Chad, who lives independently through the program, as they share their insights on independent versus supported living, overcoming challenges, and how EmpowerMe Living helps families navigate these important decisions. This is an episode you don’t want to miss!

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Check out EmpowerMe Living’s website to learn more about our:

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today! 

DISCOUNT CODE

Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Thank you, National Down Syndrome Society for sponsoring this episode!

Thank you, Enable SNP for sponsoring this episode!

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

This month we’re celebrating Down Syndrome Awareness Month with episodes based on popular Google search topics! Today we’re joined by Erik & Emily Orton for this episode all about answering the question: Can a person with Down syndrome travel the world?  They’re sharing their incredible story of sailing the Caribbean, with their family of seven and how their daughter Lily, who has Down syndrome, has inspired them to break boundaries, live without limits, and travel the globe! We’re chatting about caregiver fatigue, challenging conventional ideas of therapies, parenting our kids with and without Down syndrome, and so much more. This is an episode you don’t want to miss!

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JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today! 

DISCOUNT CODE

Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR:

Thank you, ABLEnow for sponsoring this episode!

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

Friends, we’re coming to you with a BONUS episode this week. Over the years we’ve worked hard to provide you with topics that are helpful resources, to be sources of encouragement, and never shy away from difficult conversations. Today, we’re coming to you with a difficult, yet important conversation. This one is taken directly from comments by one of the Presidential candidates. We want to be clear we’re not endorsing either candidate but as a platform that promises to shout worth and work to shift narratives for people with Down syndrome each week, we feel this is an important conversation we need to have with all of you. We hope you’ll join us in this unfiltered and honest conversation.

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Articles about the comments:

Some helpful links on this topic:

Previous Episodes Like This:

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today! 

DISCOUNT CODE

Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

Happy Down Syndrome Awareness Month!! We’re celebrating this month with episodes based on popular Google search topics about people with Down syndrome. Today we’re kicking off the celebration with Alex Bolden and Genevieve Thompson from the National Down Syndrome Society as we answer one of the most searched questions: Can a person with Down syndrome vote? Alex shares his experience voting for the first time, tips for deciding who to vote for, and resources like NDSS's free checklist and values inventory to help voters prepare. We also discuss how parents and caregivers can support their loved ones in the voting process and the importance of using your voice to shape policies that impact the Down syndrome community. This is an episode you don’t want to miss as we head to the polls next month!

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Check Out NDSS Voting Resources:

More Resources To Check Out:

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today! 

DISCOUNT CODE

Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Thank you, Jack’s Basket for sponsoring this episode!

Thank you, Enable SNP for sponsoring this episode!

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

We’re a week away from the start of Down Syndrome Awareness Month! Today we’re kicking off our celebration early with a conversation about common misconceptions people still have about Down syndrome. We’ll be celebrating next month by talking to self-advocates, organizations, and parents who are breaking down the stereotypes of some of the most Googled misconceptions about Down syndrome. We’re sharing our thoughts on the CoorsDown PSA ‘Assume That I Can’ featuring Madison Tevlin and how campaigns like this work to shift narratives. We’re chatting about how knowing and loving a person with Down syndrome has shifted how we value and see worth, no matter what someone can or can’t do. Join us as we get this important conversation started!

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Other episodes like this:

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today! 

DISCOUNT CODE

Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Thank you, National Down Syndrome Society for sponsoring this episode!

Thank you, Enable SNP for sponsoring this episode!

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

Today, we’re excited to chat with Amanda Owen, the founder and executive director of Puzzle Pieces! Amanda has dedicated her life to supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities—a passion deeply rooted in her own family’s experiences. She’s sharing her experience growing up with a sibling with disabilities and how the dynamic has evolved as an adult that led to her journey of starting a non-profit. We’re chatting about having conversations around disability with our kids, how to cultivate meaningful and impactful friendships with people with disabilities, employment for adults with disabilities, group homes, and so much more! Friends, this episode is packed with incredible advice, stories, and even a few tears, this is an episode you don’t want to miss!

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SHOW NOTES

Listen to last week’s episode on volunteering:

274. Are We Losing The True Meaning of Volunteering?

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today! 

DISCOUNT CODE

Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR:

Thank you, ABLEnow for sponsoring this episode!

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

Friends, you know we ask all the questions…even if we don’t have all the answers! Today, we're diving into a topic that hits close to home for many of us—volunteering. We're asking some tough questions: What happens when volunteering becomes more about extra credit or resume-building? How does this culture impact our efforts to shift harmful narratives? How can we make sure we teach our kids that volunteering isn’t just for show or awards? We’re chatting about how to make sure our volunteering efforts are intentional and meaningful, and our personal experiences that have made a meaningful impact. We know it's not about being the hero—it's about building bridges, we hope you’ll join us for this important conversation and share your thoughts and experiences with us! 

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Other Episodes Like This:

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today! 

DISCOUNT CODE

Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off !

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR:

Thank you, ABLEnow for sponsoring this episode!

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

We’re excited to have Ashley Barlow back on the podcast today! We’re discussing the power of parental involvement in IEPs and why it’s so important for your child’s educational success. Ashley breaks down her research and shares personal stories from her journey with her son Jack, who has Down syndrome. This episode is packed with practical advice on how you can take an active role in your child's education, navigate challenges, and become a stronger advocate. Whether you’re facing challenges or just want to ensure your child’s needs are met, this episode is full of advice you won’t want to miss!

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SHOW NOTES

Our previous episode with Ashley Barlow:

Learn more about the NDSS Advocacy Conference

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today! 

DISCOUNT CODE

Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code BTS21 for 21% off (through August)!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Thank you, National Down Syndrome Society for sponsoring this episode!

Thank you, Jack’s Basket for sponsoring this episode!

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

Today, we're taking a trip down memory lane to revisit our very first IEP meetings! Let's be honest—those initial meetings can be a whirlwind of emotions: overwhelming, confusing, and sometimes even a bit intimidating. As we reflect on our experiences, we’ll dive into the questions we wish we had asked, the support we didn’t realize we needed, and the valuable lessons we’ve learned along the way. Whether you’re preparing for your very first IEP meeting or you’re a seasoned pro, we hope our stories bring you comfort, knowing you're not alone in this journey. And, of course, you might even share a few laughs with us as we look back on our IEP adventures! Friends, you’re doing an amazing job, we got this!!

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More episodes like this:

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today! 

DISCOUNT CODE

Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code BTS21 for 21% off (through August)!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Thank you, National Down Syndrome Society for sponsoring this episode!

Thank you, ABLEnow for sponsoring this episode!

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.