December 2019: ALL ABOUT ME
My name is MaryAnne Mollahan and I’m a Unified Youth Ambassador for the Pacific NW region. I’m currently 16 years old and a junior at Forest Grove High School in Forest Grove Oregon.
In my family, I have two sisters, Meagan and Mariah, and my parents, Michael and Karleigh. I also have three dogs named Max (German Shepard), Missy (German Shepard), and Marshal (Black Lab).
Some of my hobbies include playing unified soccer, basketball, and softball, tap and Irish dancing, and playing lacrosse. I also enjoy hiking and hanging out with friends. I’m a big fan of watching movies, especially Disney movies and my absolute favorite movie would have to be Cars.
I think inclusion is a very important part of my life and should be important to everyone as well! Learning how to actively include others, no matter who they are, is a skill that we all should strive to achieve. By including people with and without disabilities in everyday activities, we are building a stronger community where anyone is welcome to join and be who they are. I choose to include because I want to be able to give everyone a chance to feel like they belong and to make new friends along they way.
April 2020: FITNESS
To stay active, I really enjoy tap and Irish dancing, lacrosse, going on walks, and playing with my dogs. I also absolutely live unified sports! And my favorite part about each of these activities is doing them with my friends! My fitness goals are pretty simple. I try my best to just stay healthy and have fun doing it. Physical fitness is very important to having a healthy lifestyle and as long as I feel good about what I’m doing to stay healthy, then I am satisfied!
May 2020: FAMILY
I’ve got a pretty fun and wild family. There’s my mom, dad, and 2 sisters. My sisters names are Meagan and Mariah. Plus I have my church family that are a huge part of my life <3
My dad is a man of the outdoors. He loves hunting and fishing and especially camping. He grew up as a military kid so he got to live in lots of places, including Germany! My dad is a very wise man and has learned a lot in life and loves sharing his stories with people. He keeps me in check and I greatly appreciate it
My mom is my rock and is the strongest person I know. She’s a cancer survivor which gives me so much respect for her. She’s also the person who keeps our family together. She also reminds me that sometimes I just need to slow down and breathe.
My sister Meagan is the oldest out of us 3. She’s 20 years old and in college. I connect with her unlike anyone else. We have so much in common and I never really noticed until this last year. I can basically talk to her about anything and she will know exactly what I’m talking about.
My other sister, Mariah, is the middle child. She’s very bold and spontaneous. We may not always see eye to eye on things, but she does challenge me to go for things I want and to not care what others think. She encourages me to put myself out there and to pick myself back up after I crash and burn.
They may not be blood related, but I also consider my church family. We laugh, cry, argue, and go on wild adventures just like any other family.
June 2020: SUMMER FUN
Summer is here and it’s so exciting! But that doesn’t mean inclusion should stop. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your unified friends (maybe ones you don’t always hang out with) and set up a gathering or participate in summer activities with them. You could go to the lake, hang at the park, or invite them over for a fire and roast some marshmallows! Summer is the perfect time to get outside with all of your friends and make new ones! Unified doesn’t have to just be a school activity! Try to find out if there are any unified summer camps you could participate in!
July 2020: MUSIC
What’s my favorite song right now? That’s a tough one to answer but I’d probably have to say “Waiting For Lightning” by The National Parks! I truly think anyone can choose to include and music artists could by implementing inclusion into their lives just like anyone else by making sure to not treat others differently because of their abilities and even celebrating their differences! Artists can also use their platform to advocate for inclusion and encourage their listeners to join the movement! Maybe they can even write a song about unity or perform a song with another singer who has a disability. I do think the most important thing is that they are spreading kindness and equity everyday!
August 2020: JUSTICE
Many different groups of minorities have fought for their rights in this world. One in particular being people with intellectual disabilities. They have fought for their rights by being courageous enough to face those who don’t believe they’re capable of doing things. Through their determination and grit, they have proven that anyone with an intellectual disability shouldn’t be limited to what they can do now but should be pushed to do more just like anyone else.