Celebrate World Down Syndrome Day with DSAMn

World Down Syndrome Day is global awareness day when self-advocates and their families, friends, coworkers, and supporters organize and participate in activities to raise awareness, advocate for rights, and promote inclusion and well being of all people with Down syndrome. World Down Syndrome Day occurs on the 21st day of the third month (3.21) each year, selected to signify the uniqueness of the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome. It has been officially observed by the United Nations since 2012. 

This year our goal is to raise $21,000 to support our World Down Syndrome Day Classroom Kit program. 

Each year the Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota sends out FREE Classroom Kits to teachers all across the state.  Each kit contains two books donated in a student's name to the teacher's classroom, as well as a packet of grade specific activities and lessons and stickers and swag for students and teachers. 

Since 2019, our inaugural year we've reached 59,600 students in classrooms across Minnesota and neighboring communities in Wisconsin, Iowa, and the Dakotas. The kits teach students about Down syndrome and other disabilities, but more importantly, they teach lessons on diversity, inclusion, kindness and acceptance.

This year's books are Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, and Be You and You Are Enough. Just Ask is a book about the power of honoring people's differences. The book introduces kids with conditions such as autism, diabetes, and Down syndrome; and readers learn about the conditions and, hopefully, see themselves or someone they know in the bright illustrations. We like this book because the featured kids are all role models in their own way - they're self-aware, accept differences, and ask questions to better understand things.

You Are Enough is about celebrating being yourself. This inclusive and empowering picture book reminds readers how important it is to embrace your differences, be confident, and be proud of who you are. This book also includes additional information about Down syndrome and how we can all be more accepting, more inclusive, and more kind.

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