Editor,
October is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month.
In 1983, the life expectancy of a person born with Down syndrome was 25 years. Today, that person may well live to 60 or older. The problem is that society has not kept up with their growth. Today, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are in need of adult opportunities such as relationships and employment.
The award-winning HBO documentary “Monica and David” documents the life of a 30-something-year-old couple with Down syndrome and the many challenges they face in life, from marriage to employment.
This documentary opens up long-overdue community discussions.
In that spirit, Best Buddies UNM and Best Buddies New Mexico are hosting a special screening of “Monica and David” on Wednesday at the SUB Fiesta Room at 7 p.m. The New Mexico screening will be followed by a panel discussion on disabilities in our community. Panel members include people with intellectual disabilities, educators, parents and service providers.
Please join us in opening community discussions on developing meaningful life experiences for our friends who have disabilities. “Monica and David” airs on HBO on Thursday.
More information on the program may be found at MonicanadDavid.com. More information about Best Buddies may be found at BestBuddiesNewMexico.org.
Kevin Cronk
Community member
