Journalist – Historian – Speaker
On Sunday, my daughter and I went out to go grocery shopping while Nico and my wife did things around the house. As we drove by the local high-school, my daughter, 5, said, “If we still live here that will be my highschool someday!” “That’s right,” I replied, “And you will be able to walk …
I’ve been busy researching several new pieces this week so the blogging has been a bit light. That’s likely to continue next week as well. Bear with me! Good stuff is coming. The most important piece I wrote this week was about the efforts of a radical right-wing group to use Down syndrome prenatal testing …
Resource Posts on “How Did We Get Into This Mess?” provide full or partial transcripts of relevant documents, organized links, and minimal commentary on issues. A fellow parent and internet friend alerted me to a show on This American Life in which Wyatt Cenac, former Daily Show correspondent and comedian, made some jokes about Down syndrome. …
Unexpectedly, Eden Foods became my big story of the last few weeks. It introduced my writing to thousands of new readers, for which I am grateful. I came to this topic because it’s about language and power. Like any consumer, I wrote Eden to complain, got their response, and thought, “grotesque,” now there’s an interesting …
Last week I wrote the story of our son’s diagnosis with Down syndrome. Lots of people read it, for which I am grateful. There’s another story here, though, and one that might matter even more than ours – the stories of our friends who supported us. Each of us is more likely to confront a situation …
Last week I wrote about and hosted an essay on the Pro-Information coalition in the world of Down Syndrome Prenatal Testing policy. This week, I want to share our diagnosis story as part of Never Alone, a pro-information campaign from Lettercase to make sure that people who are receiving diagnoses not only have the best information …
Yesterday I got a comment on another post from a parent who ended up on my blog. The short version is that at a public play-place her son was hurt by a child with DS and she didn’t know what to do about it, because how can you blame a child with DS for anything? …
Not Nico’s Actual Bus “It’s so sad when people have special needs.” A caring, sweet, 4th-grader said this to me at the bus stop a few minutes ago. My son and I crossed the street, running and laughing, happy. Then he asked me to go see a dog that was being walked across the grass, …
Today is World Down Syndrome Day, chosen because 3/21 reflects the three 21st chromosomes that mark the genetic condition Trisomy-21, also known as Down syndrome. It’s a day about awareness and you will, if you’re lucky, see lots and lots of cute pictures of kids and adults with Down syndrome. Here’s a cute picture of …
My son rides the regular school bus, a step that we decided on this year. The system has been supportive. Nico’s aide meets us at the bus stop and facilitates the ride. On the rare days when he takes the bus home, she’s there (she has to take the bus anyway to get back to …