March is a special month. First, it’s National Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. Second, yesterday, March 21, was World Down Syndrome Day.
It’s nice to have two different important events like these in one month because it helps to keep the focus on awareness for an extended period of time. Unfortunately, when there isn’t a distinct reason to think about or advocate for inclusion for people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities, the issue tends to be pushed to the background.
Months like this one give us an opportunity to learn more about intellectual and developmental disabilities, educate ourselves, and become better advocates and self-advocates.
But really, we don’t need a single month to do this. And our interest and advocacy shouldn’t be limited to 31 days of the year.
When it comes to supporting inclusion, our work here at CLI doesn’t have an off day. And it shouldn’t in society either.
Let’s work to make our community more inclusive — not just for people who have intellectual or developmental disabilities, but for all people. Because a community that supports everyone is a community that thrives.