Zeb is returning for his second year at the George Mason University LIFE program in Virginia. Zeb has overcome many obstacles to get where he is today and has become a strong self-advocate. His dream is that all individuals with disabilities will be able to have the college experience and learn and grow. Sounds good to us Zeb!! Here is a letter Zeb wrote for the CT Down Syndrome Congress fall newsletter on self-advocating:
SELF ADVOCATING
It is important to be able to speak up and advocate for yourself. Parents and teachers think that if you have Down syndrome that you cannot make a good decision. They forget to ask us what we think, feel and want. They want to make decisions for us without asking because they feel they know better. It is our life and we need to learn to speak up. If we do not tell people what we want and how we feel, then decisions are made that we may not be very happy about. It takes practice. We need the opportunity to have choices and learn about what happens if we make a bad choice. It’s all us and speaking up.
Zeb Olko