Library Thursdays: The words of people with Down syndrome

Communication difficulties and community perceptions often hamper the voice of people with Down syndrome. The Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles is spreading some voices with its "21 quotes in 21 days by 21 people with Trisomy 21 on what it's like to have Down syndrome" as part of the celebration of World Down Syndrome Day on the 21st of March. The quotes start on the 1st of March but you can sign up for their mailing list here to receive them.

Many of our resources in the library have excerpts written by people with Down syndrome and there are several where they have the main voice. Bus Girl by Gretchen Josephson (Brookline Books, 1997) is a book of poems written over the course of several decades. Count us In: Growing up with Down syndrome (Harcourt, 1994, 2007) is the once ground-breaking book by 2 young men with Down syndrome now with an updated afterword. A Special Kind of Hero by Chris Burke (Doubleday, Authors Guild Backinprint.com, 1991, 2001) is the actor's life story. I Just Am: a story of Down syndrome awareness and tolerance by Bryan and Tom Lambke (Five Star, 2006) is cowritten by a young man and his father about life. And another book, The Eyes of Raymond Hu (Art Media Resources, Chicago, 1996) while not a written story, gives Raymond's voice through his paintings (one shown on the right) . There are films too--OK, Let's talk about me,(SBS, 2004) about a 17 year old's view on life. Also the film, Dance Like Nobody's Watching which is showing for World Down Syndrome Day.

I hope that we can hear more voices more often in the future.

If you'd like to borrow any of these resources or anything else from the library, just email.