“Our kids do not have to fit any measurement for their value or worth.” Micha said it here first but we’re pretty sure we all agree, right? That’s why today we’re discussing all things dual diagnosis with Micha Boyett, who’s son Ace recently received an Autism diagnosis. What has it been like to join the dual diagnosis community? How was receiving Ace’s Autism diagnosis different than his Down Syndrome diagnosis? Who have you connected with? And is there a gap between the Down Syndrome community and the dual diagnosis community (DS/Autism)?

We’re also diving deep into societal expectations of people with other types of disabilities and how those impact our goals for children, all the supplements and sensory tools Micha is using with Ace, and perhaps most importantly— sleep! This is a good one, friends. Thank you for joining us.

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SHOW NOTES

Don’t forget to follow Micha and Ace on Instagram at @acefaceismyfriend.

Dual Diagnosis Resources

Read When Your Child With a Disability Isn't A 'Superstar' by Ellen Stumbo

LET’S CHAT

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

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

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

Thanks to Covid-19, it seems like #EverythingIsCancelled… except World Down Syndrome Day! We might not be presenting about DS in our kid’s classrooms but we can still shout their worth! Because if there is one thing people with DS have taught us, it’s how to be flexible! So let’s do it, friends. Down Syndrome has also taught us how to come together as a community to support one another. So today, we’re chatting all about a few of our favorite podcasts/non-profits/accounts that are shifting the narrative all year long. Check out our show notes for all the links you’ll need to keep you busy while social distancing! Then, tag us in your World Down Syndrome Day posts (@theluckyfewpod) and use hashtag #THELUCKYFEW.

Thank you for joining us every week for the last TWO YEARS! As always, we are cheering for you and sending virtual hugs your way! Happy World Down Syndrome Day, friends.

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SUPPORT THE DOWN SYNDROME COMMUNITY

WORKSHOPS BY THE LUCKY FEW

OUR PODCAST RECOMMENDATIONS

LET’S CHAT

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

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

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

Bryan Russell is the first person with Down Syndrome to ever run for political office anywhere in the world, and we are here for it! This past January, Bryan showed Peru (and the world) what he’s made of, earning over 13,000 votes in his efforts to earn a congressional position.  And thankfully, Katie and Ryan Marley followed his journey every step of the way. Their upcoming documentary, “El Candidato” explores the biggest questions surrounding this election: Can someone with DS run for office and make a difference? Is the country ready for someone with DS to be a politician? Does Bryan Russell actually want to be a politician or is he just part of a larger agenda?

Join us for a chat with Bryan Russell, his parents, and Katie + Ryan for all things changing perceptions, navigating politics, and living in Peru!

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SHOW NOTES

Follow El Candidato & Bryan Russell on Instagram!

Check out El Candidato on Facebook.

Don’t forget to join us on PATREON! Be amongst the first 35 sign ups to receive FREE MERCH!

LET’S CHAT

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

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

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

CHECK OUT HEATHER’S NEW BOOK

Scoot Over and Make Some Room: Creating a Space Where Everyone Belongs by Heather Avis is NOW available on Amazon.

Head to Youtube and subscribe to The Lucky Few’s NEW Channel: In Search of The Lucky Few. Click here to start watching now!

Anyone else ever questioned how much you share about your child or loved one with Down Syndrome on social media? We sure have! (Would I say this out loud to her friends? What would she think if she heard me saying this about her? Can I share this in a way that honors her and continues to bring our community together?)

There is so much pressure to share (or not share) about your loved one with Down Syndrome and we feel it too! So friends, let’s all agree to be intentional on Instagram, to honor our kiddos, and most importantly, to keep shouting the worth and shifting the narrative together!

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SHOW NOTES

Join us on PATREON! Be amongst the first 35 sign ups to receive FREE MERCH!

LET’S CHAT

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

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

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

When Nancy Gianni received her daughter GiGi’s Down Syndrome diagnosis, it was “all condolences and no congratulations.” But it didn’t take long for Nancy to decide that she wanted to live in a world that celebrates Down Syndrome, and so she quickly took action. Just one year after GiGi’s birth, the first GiGi’s Playhouse opened! Today, there are 48 GiGi’s locations across the country and even one in Mexico! GiGi’s Playhouse is the ONLY international network of Down Syndrome Achievement Centers that offers FREE life-changing therapeutic and educational programs for all ages. (Do you think this is as cool as we do?!)

Join us for a chat with Nancy Gianni, author, public speaker, Chief Belief Officer and founder of GiGi’s Playhouse! She’s bringing energy, excitement, and empowerment to the Down Syndrome Community across the globe and we could not be more thankful. Get involved with GiGi’s Playhouse by visiting gigisplayhouse.org.

JOIN US ON OUR NEW PATREON!

Become a Patron of the show and receive amazing benefits in return. During our launch the first 35 in each tier get a very special gift. Check it out now at: The Lucky Few Podcast Patreon

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Follow GiGi’s Playhouse on Instagram!

Visit gigisplayhouse.org for more information on how to get involved!

Want to create your own GiGi’s Playhouse location? Learn more here! 

LET’S CHAT

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

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

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

We all know what it feels like to receive a Down Syndrome diagnosis and realize that you hardly ever see people with DS represented anywhere. But what does it feel like if your child with Down Syndrome might not even be represented amongst the DS community? In honor of Black History Month, Mercedes and fellow lucky mama, Kelli Caughman, are talking all things advocacy and diversity, connecting with other moms, and what it’s like being a person of color raising a child with Down Syndrome.

Kelli is a mother of 3 kids, and her 5 year old son Cree is rockin’ that extra chromosome! She is also the only black member on the board of the Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network (DSDN) as well as one of the creators of the DSDN group for people of color. Join her and Mercedes for a conversation about the barriers to representation and resources for people of color in the Down Syndrome community, how to connect with other moms, and the misguided assumptions made about people of color raising a child with DS.

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Keep up with Kelli on Instagram: @momof3kellic

Check out Kelli’s podcast: @unmasteringmotherhood

Join the Black Families Down Syndrome Network group on Facebook or find the DSDN group that’s right for you!

LET’S CHAT

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

SPONSOR: JONAS PAUL EYEWEAR

Jonas Paul Eyewear makes stylish glasses for kids and teens! We’re sure you’ll love them just as much as our families do! The frames even perfectly fit our kiddos with Down Syndrome thanks to their unique adjustable tips. Head on over to jonaspauleyewear.com and use code THELUCKYFEW for 15% off your order!

SPONSOR: ENABLE SPECIAL NEEDS PLANNING

Enable SNP tailors your child’s future plans to their unique needs and amazing abilities. They have all the tools you need to start planning for your child’s future, today! Mention THELUCKYFEW to get 10% off your planning services. Learn more at enablesnp.com!

You’ve seen Zack Gottsagen on the big screen during his hit movie, The Peanut Butter Falcon, and you’ve seen him onstage at the Oscars, but have you ever wondered about the woman who’s supported him since the beginning? In this VERY special interview, we’re talking to Zack’s mom, Shelley Gottsagen, who’s been shouting his worth boldly for 34 years.

Not only was Zack the FIRST person with Down Syndrome to present an Academy Award on stage at the Oscars, he was the FIRST person with DS to be fully included in his elementary school, then the first to attend a prestigious performing arts school for middle school. And when he auditioned for a performing arts high school and didn’t get it in, his mom fought back. Knowing her son was talented enough, she investigated and found out that the school had never let a person with a disability in before. She took this information straight to civil court, and Zack started at that high school the next year.

Tune in to hear more about a lifetime of self-advocacy, fighting systems, Zack’s relationship with Shia Lebeouf, The Oscars, Peanut Butter Falcon, what’s next for Zack, and so much more.

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Watch Zack present an award at the Oscars with co-star Shia Labeouf here.

Watch The Peanut Butter Falcon, starring Zack Gottsagen, Shia Labeouf, and Dakota Johnson!

Follow Zack Gottsagen on Instagram! 

LET’S CHAT

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

SPONSOR: JONAS PAUL EYEWEAR

Jonas Paul Eyewear makes stylish glasses for kids and teens! We’re sure you’ll love them just as much as our families do! The frames even perfectly fit our kiddos with Down Syndrome thanks to their unique adjustable tips. Head on over to jonaspauleyewear.com and use code THELUCKYFEW for 15% off your order!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

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

Ever feel like you’re keeping score in your marriage? You’re not alone! In this very special couples episode (Happy Valentine's Day!), Micha and her husband Chris are chatting about all things marriage, raising a child with Down Syndrome, and how to invert the infamous ‘scoreboard!’  They have been married for 15 years, 10 of those being before having Ace, their youngest son who has Down Syndrome. Trust us, they know a thing or two about overcoming obstacles in marriage! They also know how to value their time together, count their blessings, and appreciate the gift of their family. Tune in to hear more about parenting their three sons and beating the odds of divorce for couples raising children with different abilities.

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Follow Micha on Instagram for more on her marriage and family life! (@michaboyett, @acefaceismyfriend)

LET’S CHAT

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

SPONSOR: JONAS PAUL EYEWEAR

Jonas Paul Eyewear makes stylish glasses for kids and teens! We’re sure you’ll love them just as much as our families do! The frames even perfectly fit our kiddos with Down Syndrome thanks to their unique adjustable tips. Head on over to jonaspauleyewear.com and use code THELUCKYFEW for 15% off your order!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

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

Nervous about raising your kids with Down Syndrome through puberty? Don’t worry friends, we’re right there with you! That’s why we’re chatting with Dr. Rebecca Partridge about all things puberty today.

Dr. Rebecca Partridge is a pediatrician who is doing big things for the Down Syndrome community! She is a mother to Joshua, her 18 year old son with Down Syndrome, and Megan, her 12 year old daughter!  Dr. Partridge started the Down Syndrome Program at Virginia Mason Medical Center in 2012 and has been working hard to care for and educate families with Down Syndrome ever since! She recently spoke at the NDSS Adult Summit on “Social Skills for Self Advocates” and has created a 4 week “Welcome to Puberty” curriculum.  And today, she’s answering all of our questions about puberty, periods, privacy, and more! Take notes, friends. This is a good one!

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SHOW NOTES

Listen to Episode 36: Worth The Conversation for more on DS and bodily autonomy!

Check out books by Terri Couwenhoven about bodies, boundaries, and sexuality for individuals with Down Syndrome.

LET’S CHAT

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

SPONSOR: JONAS PAUL EYEWEAR

Jonas Paul Eyewear makes stylish glasses for kids and teens! We’re sure you’ll love them just as much as our families do! The frames even perfectly fit our kiddos with Down Syndrome thanks to their unique adjustable tips. Head on over to jonaspauleyewear.com and use code THELUCKYFEW for 15% off your order!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

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

Your story has the power to shift narratives. We repeat, YOUR story has the power to shift narratives. That’s right, friends! You are a world changer and today we’re encouraging you to own that. It’s time to own your story.

Join us as we recap Heather’s most recent event - The Own Your Story Workshop. You’re invited to hear all about how storytelling has impacted our lives and how it can impact yours. Plus we’re giving you a sneak peek into the workshop tools (like the seven story telling ground rules) that can help you find your voice and craft your story today! In case you want to learn more about the workshop (and we think you will!), head on over to heatheravis.com/own-your-story to purchase the online version.

Don’t forget, friends - the world is a better place because of your story, and it’s time for you to OWN IT.

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Join the Own Your Story online workshop presented by Heather Avis here! You won’t regret it.

For more story telling content, listen to Moth Radio.

LET’S CHAT

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

SPONSOR: JONAS PAUL EYEWEAR

Jonas Paul Eyewear makes stylish glasses for kids and teens! We’re sure you’ll love them just as much as our families do! The frames even perfectly fit our kiddos with Down Syndrome thanks to their unique adjustable tips. Head on over to https://jonaspauleyewear.com/ and use code THELUCKYFEW for 15% off your order!

SPONSOR: ENABLE SPECIAL NEEDS PLANNING

Enable SNP tailors your child’s future plans to their unique needs and amazing abilities. They have all the tools you need to start planning for your child’s future, today! Mention THELUCKYFEW to get 10% off your planning services. Learn more at enablesnp.com!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

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