born in 1960 I remember learning about
diversity and inclusion for people with
different skin color growing up in the
70s I remember learning about gender
equality and in the 80s it was about
understanding and inclusion for people
with different sexual orientation and in
the 90s our inclusion focus seemed to be
on physical disabilities and passing the
American for Disabilities Act I’m not
sure I paid much attention throughout
fast-forward to 2005 12 and a half years
ago I was introduced to a segregated
population that before I knew very
little about people with intellectual
disabilities my wife Pam and I have
three beautiful children our son Ryan 33
and our daughter Brennan 26 and Shawn
age 12
not long after Shawn was born I started
learning about things like labels
barriers ignorance and yes segregation
you see Shawn has Down syndrome
now I’ve got to tell you I was a walking
talking poster boy of someone who had no
idea how to act around someone with a
disability you see growing up here in
Savannah in the 60s and 70s in the
parochial school system we barely had
exposure to people with different skin
colors much less any exposure to anyone
with a disability and because of that I
segregated that population for the past
12 years I’ve been learning evolving and
challenging my vision of my son Shawn’s
potential and opportunity and all people
with so-called disabilities I’d like you
all to get a visual picture of the two
boys I’m going to describe to you you
might even want to close your eyes to
get a really good picture
the first boy is one of those super cute kids who’s got a smile that lights up
kids who’s got a smile that lights up the room and a laugh that is simply
the room and a laugh that is simply contagious he is one of the most active
contagious he is one of the most active kids you’ll ever meet
kids you’ll ever meet horseback riding karate tennis soccer
horseback riding karate tennis soccer golf basketball one of his favorite
golf basketball one of his favorite things to do is to make basketball trick
things to do is to make basketball trick shots off the second-floor balcony into
shots off the second-floor balcony into the basket below he loves the beach
the basket below he loves the beach playing in the waves and the bigger the
playing in the waves and the bigger the better he loves going to school well
better he loves going to school well really he just loves being with his
really he just loves being with his friends as soon as you see the second
friends as soon as you see the second boy you know he’s different one look and
boy you know he’s different one look and he think to yourself is he downs if you
he think to yourself is he downs if you get behind him on the stairs you might
get behind him on the stairs you might get a little frustrated because he’s
get a little frustrated because he’s moving pretty slow if he speaks to you
moving pretty slow if he speaks to you in the grocery store you think to
in the grocery store you think to yourself what did he say can I ask him
yourself what did he say can I ask him what or do you smile politely and move
what or do you smile politely and move on if you see him playing basketball at
on if you see him playing basketball at the YMCA you might think to yourself oh
the YMCA you might think to yourself oh how cute I hope they let him score okay
how cute I hope they let him score okay so here’s your vision challenge I’ve
so here’s your vision challenge I’ve been describing the same boy to you my
been describing the same boy to you my son Shawn the difference is which one do
son Shawn the difference is which one do you see what is your vision of someone
you see what is your vision of someone with a so-called disability we have an
with a so-called disability we have an opportunity to design our legacy of
opportunity to design our legacy of diversity through inclusion and
diversity through inclusion and acceptance for people with different
acceptance for people with different abilities and the key to this is vision
abilities and the key to this is vision so here’s your first step people
so here’s your first step people children like Shawn have different
children like Shawn have different abilities not disabilities if we keep
abilities not disabilities if we keep saying disabilities what is our vision
saying disabilities what is our vision what do we see if we see more in people
what do we see if we see more in people with different abilities we’re gonna
with different abilities we’re gonna want more we’re going to name them
want more we’re going to name them demand more and you know what we’re
demand more and you know what we’re going to get more we
going to get more we to challenge the vision of our schools
to challenge the vision of our schools and when I say schools
and when I say schools I mean teachers administrators parents
I mean teachers administrators parents peers and parents of peers
peers and parents of peers we must champion every child to reach
we must champion every child to reach their fullest potential the gifted and
their fullest potential the gifted and then not so gifted let’s face it if a
then not so gifted let’s face it if a gifted child doesn’t get the extra help
gifted child doesn’t get the extra help extra work extra challenge they need to
extra work extra challenge they need to reach their fullest potential it would
reach their fullest potential it would simply be unacceptable why is it any
simply be unacceptable why is it any different for a child with different
different for a child with different abilities we must challenge the vision
abilities we must challenge the vision of our businesses less than 35% of
of our businesses less than 35% of adults with different abilities are
adults with different abilities are employed mainly due to the misperception
employed mainly due to the misperception and low expectations by the employer we
and low expectations by the employer we all know as business people that the
all know as business people that the most important qualification you can
most important qualification you can have in a hire is desire and attitude
have in a hire is desire and attitude and has proven time and time again
and has proven time and time again people with different abilities have the
people with different abilities have the highest desire and the best attitude for
highest desire and the best attitude for their jobs we must challenge society’s
their jobs we must challenge society’s vision of different different abilities
vision of different different abilities if I was born in 1960 with Down syndrome
if I was born in 1960 with Down syndrome the doctors would have told my parents
the doctors would have told my parents to feed me and put me in front of a
to feed me and put me in front of a television they’d come and really refer
television they’d come and really refer to me as retarded and if I was alive by
to me as retarded and if I was alive by the age of 14
the age of 14 more than likely I’d been
more than likely I’d been institutionalized horrible right I don’t
institutionalized horrible right I don’t know maybe I’d be better off because if
know maybe I’d be better off because if I was conceived today and it determined
I was conceived today and it determined in the womb that I had Down syndrome I
in the womb that I had Down syndrome I stand a 75% chance of being aborted and
stand a 75% chance of being aborted and that’s simply tragic
that’s simply tragic today we are learning more and more of
today we are learning more and more of the potentials and possibilities for
the potentials and possibilities for people with Down syndrome autism and
people with Down syndrome autism and other developmental differences we all
other developmental differences we all commonly know the benefit of early
commonly know the benefit of early childhood development for all children
childhood development for all children but especially the benefit to children
but especially the benefit to children with different abilities as early as 3
with different abilities as early as 3 months they are having physical therapy
months they are having physical therapy occupational therapy speech and hearing
occupational therapy speech and hearing therapy they’re learning sign language
therapy they’re learning sign language sight reading and much more we’re using
sight reading and much more we’re using vitamins and supplements to help improve
vitamins and supplements to help improve cognitive awareness and development
technology alone is going to play an enormous role in helping people with
enormous role in helping people with different abilities be a part of the
different abilities be a part of the typical world we got smart devices we
typical world we got smart devices we got personal pay we have biometrics and
got personal pay we have biometrics and soon we’ll have driverless vehicles
soon we’ll have driverless vehicles smart homes will have personal robots
smart homes will have personal robots look at what’s happening in the media we
look at what’s happening in the media we have a television series now the
have a television series now the starring a young doctor who has autism
starring a young doctor who has autism movies are featuring people with Down
movies are featuring people with Down syndrome and autism the Gerber baby 2018
syndrome and autism the Gerber baby 2018 Gerber baby has Down syndrome Sesame
Gerber baby has Down syndrome Sesame Street has a character with autism comic
Street has a character with autism comic books are featuring heroes with Down
books are featuring heroes with Down syndrome and autism how do we make this
syndrome and autism how do we make this happen I heard a great story about a
happen I heard a great story about a mother whose son has autism and early in
mother whose son has autism and early in his academic environment
his academic environment she was labeled as unreasonable because
she was labeled as unreasonable because she demanded more for her son than the
she demanded more for her son than the school deemed necessary and because she
school deemed necessary and because she was unreasonable she carried that title
was unreasonable she carried that title with her through elementary middle and
with her through elementary middle and high school because of her demands her
high school because of her demands her son graduated from high school went to
son graduated from high school went to college graduated from college with
college graduated from college with honors and is now working for one of the
honors and is now working for one of the big four accounting firms George Bernard
big four accounting firms George Bernard Shaw said Reese
Shaw said Reese people adapt themselves to the world
people adapt themselves to the world unreasonable people attempt to adapt the
unreasonable people attempt to adapt the world to themselves therefore all
world to themselves therefore all progress depends on unreasonable people
you know I missed out in the legacy of diversity in the 60s 70s 80s and 90s
diversity in the 60s 70s 80s and 90s don’t miss out on the legacy that we
don’t miss out on the legacy that we design for people with different
design for people with different abilities and I’ll leave you with this
abilities and I’ll leave you with this the one gift that I have learned that
the one gift that I have learned that people with Down syndrome have is that
people with Down syndrome have is that without hesitation without reservation
without hesitation without reservation and without prejudice they can look in
and without prejudice they can look in each and every one of us the same
each and every one of us the same without judgement can we thank you
diversity and inclusion for people with
different skin color growing up in the
70s I remember learning about gender
equality and in the 80s it was about
understanding and inclusion for people
with different sexual orientation and in
the 90s our inclusion focus seemed to be
on physical disabilities and passing the
American for Disabilities Act I’m not
sure I paid much attention throughout
fast-forward to 2005 12 and a half years
ago I was introduced to a segregated
population that before I knew very
little about people with intellectual
disabilities my wife Pam and I have
three beautiful children our son Ryan 33
and our daughter Brennan 26 and Shawn
age 12
not long after Shawn was born I started
learning about things like labels
barriers ignorance and yes segregation
you see Shawn has Down syndrome
now I’ve got to tell you I was a walking
talking poster boy of someone who had no
idea how to act around someone with a
disability you see growing up here in
Savannah in the 60s and 70s in the
parochial school system we barely had
exposure to people with different skin
colors much less any exposure to anyone
with a disability and because of that I
segregated that population for the past
12 years I’ve been learning evolving and
challenging my vision of my son Shawn’s
potential and opportunity and all people
with so-called disabilities I’d like you
all to get a visual picture of the two
boys I’m going to describe to you you
might even want to close your eyes to
get a really good picture
the first boy is one of those super cute kids who’s got a smile that lights up
kids who’s got a smile that lights up the room and a laugh that is simply
the room and a laugh that is simply contagious he is one of the most active
contagious he is one of the most active kids you’ll ever meet
kids you’ll ever meet horseback riding karate tennis soccer
horseback riding karate tennis soccer golf basketball one of his favorite
golf basketball one of his favorite things to do is to make basketball trick
things to do is to make basketball trick shots off the second-floor balcony into
shots off the second-floor balcony into the basket below he loves the beach
the basket below he loves the beach playing in the waves and the bigger the
playing in the waves and the bigger the better he loves going to school well
better he loves going to school well really he just loves being with his
really he just loves being with his friends as soon as you see the second
friends as soon as you see the second boy you know he’s different one look and
boy you know he’s different one look and he think to yourself is he downs if you
he think to yourself is he downs if you get behind him on the stairs you might
get behind him on the stairs you might get a little frustrated because he’s
get a little frustrated because he’s moving pretty slow if he speaks to you
moving pretty slow if he speaks to you in the grocery store you think to
in the grocery store you think to yourself what did he say can I ask him
yourself what did he say can I ask him what or do you smile politely and move
what or do you smile politely and move on if you see him playing basketball at
on if you see him playing basketball at the YMCA you might think to yourself oh
the YMCA you might think to yourself oh how cute I hope they let him score okay
how cute I hope they let him score okay so here’s your vision challenge I’ve
so here’s your vision challenge I’ve been describing the same boy to you my
been describing the same boy to you my son Shawn the difference is which one do
son Shawn the difference is which one do you see what is your vision of someone
you see what is your vision of someone with a so-called disability we have an
with a so-called disability we have an opportunity to design our legacy of
opportunity to design our legacy of diversity through inclusion and
diversity through inclusion and acceptance for people with different
acceptance for people with different abilities and the key to this is vision
abilities and the key to this is vision so here’s your first step people
so here’s your first step people children like Shawn have different
children like Shawn have different abilities not disabilities if we keep
abilities not disabilities if we keep saying disabilities what is our vision
saying disabilities what is our vision what do we see if we see more in people
what do we see if we see more in people with different abilities we’re gonna
with different abilities we’re gonna want more we’re going to name them
want more we’re going to name them demand more and you know what we’re
demand more and you know what we’re going to get more we
going to get more we to challenge the vision of our schools
to challenge the vision of our schools and when I say schools
and when I say schools I mean teachers administrators parents
I mean teachers administrators parents peers and parents of peers
peers and parents of peers we must champion every child to reach
we must champion every child to reach their fullest potential the gifted and
their fullest potential the gifted and then not so gifted let’s face it if a
then not so gifted let’s face it if a gifted child doesn’t get the extra help
gifted child doesn’t get the extra help extra work extra challenge they need to
extra work extra challenge they need to reach their fullest potential it would
reach their fullest potential it would simply be unacceptable why is it any
simply be unacceptable why is it any different for a child with different
different for a child with different abilities we must challenge the vision
abilities we must challenge the vision of our businesses less than 35% of
of our businesses less than 35% of adults with different abilities are
adults with different abilities are employed mainly due to the misperception
employed mainly due to the misperception and low expectations by the employer we
and low expectations by the employer we all know as business people that the
all know as business people that the most important qualification you can
most important qualification you can have in a hire is desire and attitude
have in a hire is desire and attitude and has proven time and time again
and has proven time and time again people with different abilities have the
people with different abilities have the highest desire and the best attitude for
highest desire and the best attitude for their jobs we must challenge society’s
their jobs we must challenge society’s vision of different different abilities
vision of different different abilities if I was born in 1960 with Down syndrome
if I was born in 1960 with Down syndrome the doctors would have told my parents
the doctors would have told my parents to feed me and put me in front of a
to feed me and put me in front of a television they’d come and really refer
television they’d come and really refer to me as retarded and if I was alive by
to me as retarded and if I was alive by the age of 14
the age of 14 more than likely I’d been
more than likely I’d been institutionalized horrible right I don’t
institutionalized horrible right I don’t know maybe I’d be better off because if
know maybe I’d be better off because if I was conceived today and it determined
I was conceived today and it determined in the womb that I had Down syndrome I
in the womb that I had Down syndrome I stand a 75% chance of being aborted and
stand a 75% chance of being aborted and that’s simply tragic
that’s simply tragic today we are learning more and more of
today we are learning more and more of the potentials and possibilities for
the potentials and possibilities for people with Down syndrome autism and
people with Down syndrome autism and other developmental differences we all
other developmental differences we all commonly know the benefit of early
commonly know the benefit of early childhood development for all children
childhood development for all children but especially the benefit to children
but especially the benefit to children with different abilities as early as 3
with different abilities as early as 3 months they are having physical therapy
months they are having physical therapy occupational therapy speech and hearing
occupational therapy speech and hearing therapy they’re learning sign language
therapy they’re learning sign language sight reading and much more we’re using
sight reading and much more we’re using vitamins and supplements to help improve
vitamins and supplements to help improve cognitive awareness and development
technology alone is going to play an enormous role in helping people with
enormous role in helping people with different abilities be a part of the
different abilities be a part of the typical world we got smart devices we
typical world we got smart devices we got personal pay we have biometrics and
got personal pay we have biometrics and soon we’ll have driverless vehicles
soon we’ll have driverless vehicles smart homes will have personal robots
smart homes will have personal robots look at what’s happening in the media we
look at what’s happening in the media we have a television series now the
have a television series now the starring a young doctor who has autism
starring a young doctor who has autism movies are featuring people with Down
movies are featuring people with Down syndrome and autism the Gerber baby 2018
syndrome and autism the Gerber baby 2018 Gerber baby has Down syndrome Sesame
Gerber baby has Down syndrome Sesame Street has a character with autism comic
Street has a character with autism comic books are featuring heroes with Down
books are featuring heroes with Down syndrome and autism how do we make this
syndrome and autism how do we make this happen I heard a great story about a
happen I heard a great story about a mother whose son has autism and early in
mother whose son has autism and early in his academic environment
his academic environment she was labeled as unreasonable because
she was labeled as unreasonable because she demanded more for her son than the
she demanded more for her son than the school deemed necessary and because she
school deemed necessary and because she was unreasonable she carried that title
was unreasonable she carried that title with her through elementary middle and
with her through elementary middle and high school because of her demands her
high school because of her demands her son graduated from high school went to
son graduated from high school went to college graduated from college with
college graduated from college with honors and is now working for one of the
honors and is now working for one of the big four accounting firms George Bernard
big four accounting firms George Bernard Shaw said Reese
Shaw said Reese people adapt themselves to the world
people adapt themselves to the world unreasonable people attempt to adapt the
unreasonable people attempt to adapt the world to themselves therefore all
world to themselves therefore all progress depends on unreasonable people
you know I missed out in the legacy of diversity in the 60s 70s 80s and 90s
diversity in the 60s 70s 80s and 90s don’t miss out on the legacy that we
don’t miss out on the legacy that we design for people with different
design for people with different abilities and I’ll leave you with this
abilities and I’ll leave you with this the one gift that I have learned that
the one gift that I have learned that people with Down syndrome have is that
people with Down syndrome have is that without hesitation without reservation
without hesitation without reservation and without prejudice they can look in
and without prejudice they can look in each and every one of us the same
each and every one of us the same without judgement can we thank you
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