Actor Zach Gottsagen best know for his role in The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) is recreating the typical image of a Hollywood movie star. Gottsagen is 35 years old and was born with down syndrome. When he was first born his parents were told to put him in an institute because he would never be able to walk or talk. Gottsagen of course defeated those odds and grew up to love dancing and acting. Gottsagen has recreated the image of movie stars by showing the world that individuals with intellectual disabilities can achieve any goal they set their mind too, and they can do anything anyone else can do as well. Gottsagen is also a great role model to all other individuals with intellectual disabilities to always keep working for you goals, and never let anyone to doubt your abilities.
February 2020 Inclusive Art
Alisa Ogden is a Special Olympics athlete from Maryland that creates necklaces with the SO logo on them! She has her own Esty shop where she sells her necklaces to people from all over the country to promote the importance of Special Olympics. Alisa describes her necklaces as "The heart is not symmetrical, symbolizing we are all different, but we are all beautiful". Using her talent in jewelry making she has been able to spread the message of inclusion all over the country just through one piece of jewelry.
This month my state has done a lot for the "Spread the Word" campaign. Every year during the month of March Best Buddies and our Unified Champion School committee host an inclusion week and a banner signing day. Special Olympics Indiana provided our school with three banners that have the pledge on it, and we had hundreds of kids sign it and pledge to include! Special Olympics Indiana also hosted the High School Polar Plunge on the Friday of inclusion week. There were hundreds of students from schools all over Indiana to take the plunge. It was a lot of fun to share my story with them and also hear about what their school did for "Spread the Word" week. Unfortunately with the current uprise of COVID-19 Best Buddies's respect week was postponed until we return to school. My Unified Track and Field practices also started at the beginning of March and is always the high light of my year! One last fun activity that happened this month is our Indiana State Fair just announced that their theme is basketball and will be having a week dedicated to inclusive basketball! Liam and I went to the press day for the fair and got to meet Indiana's governor and some really cool basketball players from the Indiana Fever and former Pacers players! Overall March was a great month of inclusion from the banner signing to Polar Plunge and Unified Track!
April 2020
Fitness
Having an active lifestyle is a very important part of my life. I work at a workout studio called The Barre Code Carmel which is one of the many ways that I get active. I also participate in many Unified Sports like Flag Football and Track and Field that push me to be active and stay fit! I also love to go on walks with my friends, family, and take my dog on long walks as well. I enjoy going on bike rides, and when the weather isn't too hot I occasionally go on a run in my neighborhood. Being active is a really important aspect of my life because when I am get active I feel better about myself and my day overall! During quarantine it has been harder to get active with gyms being closed, but making time to go running or taking online work out classes as been as easy alternative to my regular fitness activities. I also joined my fellow Youth Ambassador, Britney, in a live workout on Special Olympics North America's instagram during these hard times! It was really fun to lead other athletes from across the country through a work out which was another way I got active from home! Everyone should stay active and the easiest way to do so is find something you love to do and stick with it!
Being apart of Unified Sports for three years now I have created a strong Unified family of people from all grade levels and all abilities that push me to be a better leader of inclusion! When I was a freshman I was so lost in a school of over 5,000 students and had no idea who my people were. When I joined Unified Track and Field that spring I finally found my people. I met so many other students who were loving, passionate, and saw me for who I am. As I continued to participate in Unified Sports the people I met became my family, and are still my family today. My Unified family is made up of individuals who are all committed to making this work a better place, and each and every day push me to be a better leader and advocate for the Unified Generation. We all want to make a difference in the world. My Unified family has helped shape me into the leader I am today.
I also have many other families like the Youth Ambassador family. We are all so supportive and push each other to be better leaders of inclusion and advocates of the Unified Generation. Without this family I wouldn't have different perspective of inclusion, and wouldn't be challenged to see inclusion in different ways and from different states all around the country! Being apart of this family I am able to see inclusion in other states and create new ideas to make my school and community more inclusive. My fellow Youth Ambassadors have helped shape the world of inclusion and will forever be my family.
June 2020
Summer Fun
Summer is definitely the best time of the year, but some might find it disappointing because Unified Sports come to a slight stop. However this doesn't always have to be the case! The summer is such a great way for Unified Partners to grow friendships made during the season into LASTING friendships! You are able to bond in different ways then you could at school like going out to get lunch with your friends or just simply hanging out not in a school setting.
Another way to continue to stay involved and inclusive during the summer would be to volunteer with your state Special Olympics programs at events like summer games, sports clinics, and any other events they host! Staying involved with your state program can increase your involvement and allows you to stay inclusive during the summer!
July 2002
Inclusive Music
My favorite song of summer 2020 "Life Changes" by Thomas Rhett! His song has very good summer vibes and country is always a great summer song option when driving with the windows down!
Athletes all over the world have been fighting for decades to get the justice they deserve. During the civil rights movement they marched in Washington D.C. to get the rights and acknowledgment they deserve. They wanted to be heard and understood by everyone that they have the same abilities, they just do it a little differently. Justice for athletes is still a movement that is very relevant in today's world. As US Youth Ambassadors we are fighting for their justice everyday. We do this by trying to eliminate the R-word, advocating for inclusion, and so much more. The movement for fighting for justice is one that will not stop until athletes all over the world will be accepted for who they are!