We are thrilled to announce our two Self-Advocate Keynote Speakers at the 51st Annual NDSC Convention Welcome Session!
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Noah Matthew Matofsky, 15 year old actor, will join us in Orlando from London, England to share about his journey to achieving his DREAM of being an actor through his role as Lost Boy Slightly in the newly released Peter Pan & Wendy movie on Disney+.
Lily D. Moore, 18 year old actress from Atlanta, Georgia, is excited to join us to talk about achieving her DREAMS through acting, modeling and traveling the world. Lily can be seen in various tv shows and films, most notably as Kendall in the 2022 Hallmark film, Color My World with Love.
We hope you will join us to hear these two budding stars’ stories. Register Now!
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The Siblings Conference is a place to learn, be inspired, and grow. Attendees will be enlightened and encouraged to ask tough questions in a supportive environment.
Attendees will get the chance to hear from Sam Piazza, who stars in the movie “Because of Sam,” about a young man with Down syndrome who overcomes bullying, wins Homecoming King, and is an advocate for people with disabilities.
The final day of Convention includes a Siblings Conference field trip to Sea World, for a day of fun with newly made friends.
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Connecting the Stars in Our Down Syndrome Community
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Have you been touched by Down syndrome? Are you a self-advocate, family member, friend, neighbor, medical provider, caregiver, educator, therapist, relative, etc.? If so, select a star and be part of synergizing our Down syndrome community! Even if you are unable to attend the 2023 convention in person you are welcome to select a star to be part!
Stars will be showcased in the Rotunda at the 2023 NDSC Dreams Do Come True Convention. Help us fill the Rotunda with names, organizations, special messages and dreams that make our Down syndrome community connected!
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The 7th Annual NDSC All Kinds of Heroes Golf Classic was a huge success raising over $86,000!
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The festivities began Sunday evening at Over The Top Burger Bar at the celebrity meet and greet and pairing party. A great time was had by everyone who participated in the 2023 NDSC All Kinds of Heroes Golf Classic. It was a beautiful day at Bear’s Best Atlanta with a full course.
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NDAC Quarterly Call is in 2 Weeks
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NDAC Members received information on the agenda and registering for the call though the NDAC Google Group, and it is posted in the NDAC Facebook group.
If you are interested in learning more about NDSC’s recent position statement on guardianship, other legislative updates, insight on state coalition work, and more, join below!
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Down Syndrome Advocacy Conference
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NDSC was a proud advocacy partner of this year’s Down Syndrome Advocacy Conference. We joined our partners and the community to advocate for legislative priorities that impact people with Down syndrome. On the Hill Day portion of the conference, we spent the day at the Capitol advocating for policies such as phasing out subminimum wages, prohibiting organ transplant discrimination, increased funding for research, and other important policies!
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Petra Mark & Nancy Spanski
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May’s National Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition (NDAC) featured members are 18-year-old Petra Mark and her mom Nancy Spanski of Michigan. Petra is our first self-advocate NDAC member from Michigan! Petra says, “As a person with Down syndrome, I am interested in making the world a better place for people with Down syndrome.” She goes on to say that she felt it was important to join NDAC because she likes speaking up for herself on important issues. She believes is important to be part of NDAC to stay informed.
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Advocacy Training Boot Camp
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Want to learn how to be a more effective advocate? Don’t miss Our 6th Annual Advocacy Training Boot Camp, Friday morning, July 21, 8:00 – 11:30 AM. Advocacy Training Boot Camp, sponsored by the Association of University Centers on Disabilities, is free with convention registration. We have an incredible line-up of speakers who will share tips and strategies for effective policy advocacy. No experience? This is for you! Registration for this session is encouraged but not required.
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Elyssa Schmitz, 26 of Denver, Colorado, has two jobs. As a Courtesy Clerk at King Soopers, Elyssa is responsible for engaging with customers, bagging groceries, and gathering carts from the parking lot. Her pet peeve is when people do not place the carts back in the corrals and not just at King Soopers but anywhere! Elyssa works at King Soopers four days a week and has been there for seven years.
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Health Care & Medical Resources
In our lifetime, the single most dramatic change effected by our community has been the astounding improvement of the health of people with Down syndrome. Through the caring innovation of medical professionals, the typical lifespan of an individual with Down syndrome now approaches 60 years of age, the average for all people. Equally important, advancements in cardiology, nutrition, the behavioral sciences, and more have opened a high quality of life for people with Down syndrome.
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Wrightslaw Conference
Thursday, July 20
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Wrightslaw special education law and advocacy training programs are designed to meet the needs of parents, advocates, attorneys, educators, health care providers, and others who represent the interests of children with disabilities and their families.
During this one-day conference on the Thursday of convention, Pete Wright, Esq. will cover special education law, rights, and responsibilities; tests and measurements to measure progress & regression; SMART IEPs; introduction to tactics & strategies for effective advocacy.
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Educators Conference
Friday, July 21
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Practical in nature, this conference will engage participants in identifying and implementing strategies applicable to K-12 classrooms.
Our Educators Conferences offer hands-on, research-based strategies that general education and special education teachers can implement immediately to best support their students with Down syndrome and intellectual disability.
Attendees will leave equipped with ideas, tips, strategies, tools, and solutions that they can implement in the classroom.
View the full schedule and speakers now.
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Oral Health Awareness – Oral Health Literacy and Awareness Act of 2023
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Individuals living with disabilities face significant challenges when accessing oral healthcare services. These challenges include the limited availability of dental care providers trained to meet their specialized needs, inadequate coverage for dental services under Medicaid and Medicare, and a lack of professional dental education and continued education programs incorporating integrated healthcare models. Addressing these issues requires the development of compensation strategies, specialized training for dental healthcare professionals, and the implementation of integrated healthcare models.
NDSC has recently endorsed the Oral Health Literacy and Awareness Act (S. 403/H.R. 994) which would improve oral health literacy and awareness through federal, state, and local programs, define key terms related to oral health, such as “oral health literacy” and “oral health workforce”, award grants to states and entities to fund programs promoting oral health education and outreach, primary care integration, and training for oral health professionals, mandate research and data collection related to oral health literacy, disparities, and access to care, and require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to coordinate with federal agencies and stakeholders to promote oral health literacy and awareness and to submit a report to Congress on the program’s implementation and impact. We ask that you take action today and ask your member of Congress to cosponsor this vital piece of legislation at our NDSC Action Alerts.
Additionally, the National Council on Disability (NCD) has released a new report titled, “Incentivizing Oral Healthcare Providers to Treat Patients with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities” which provides further insight into the struggles faced by individuals with disabilities, family members, and caregivers.
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