Weekend reading and viewing: 23rd - 24th March 2013

Carrie Bergeron - Advocate and Motivational Speaker, VeccVideography, posted on Vimeo 8th March 2013. Carrie  Bergeron is a 36 year old woman with Down Syndrome who has made it her life's work to give back to a community that supported her through her early years. Dr Brian Chicoine, Director of the Adult Down Syndrome Clinic in Chicago, wrote in introducing the video on the Clinic's Facebook page ... 'From time to time I get asked what I do to promote people with Down syndrome. My answer is, "That isn't my job. My job is to help people with Down syndrome be as healthy as possible so they can optimally speak for themselves". It is not only the right thing to do, but people with Down syndrome can promote themselves better than I can ... through words, dance, actions, kindness, or however their gifts are expressed.' 8m 49s

Thin Places, Amy Julia Becker, 14th - 21st March 2013.  Amy Julia Becker presents a series of posts, some written by guest bloggers around the globe, to mark World Down Syndrome Day this week.

A young man with Down syndrome, a fatal encounter and a cry for understanding, Lawrence Downes, New York Times, 18th March 2013. You may not have heard of Robert Ethan Saylor, but his death in January should inspire something more lasting than a small-town police investigation.

Acceptance, Jennifer Crowson, Down Syndrome Research Foundation (blog), 15th March 2013 What do you say to people who see you are pregnant and congratulate you and talk about how excited you must be – when actually you are still coming to terms with being told your baby will not be what you expected? I think every parent does and should handle this in his or her own way; here is how I came to accept and embrace the fact that our son had Down syndrome.

Take off the blindfold, Paula Kluth, paulakluth.com, 16th March 2013 Disability awareness lessons done right can help teachers do this. Unfortunately, most disability awareness activities are not done right. (Third on a series on inclusion in school)

DisabilityCare: a bad name but a good direction, Stella Young, Ramp Up, 22nd March 2013. The NDIS will now be known as DisabilityCare. It's a terrible name, but at least we are now on the path to providing better services for Australians with disabilities
PWDA E-Bulletin, Edition #82, People With Disability Australia, 15th March 2013. Highlights for this March E-Bulletin include the four social media forums run by the PWDA Board, which fed into policy responses on the NDIS legislation, the NDIS rules, a review of the NSW Disability Services Act and employment issues.