We want to hear about your employment or entrepreneurial success story! NDSS is featuring stories from across the country from the perspective of employees and entrepreneurs with Down syndrome. Please complete the form below and submit a picture of a self-advocate in action!
I am 32 years old and work for the Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court Office. I have worked at this job for the past 6 years. I was hired after attending Nichols State University Bridge to Independence. I love my job and the people I work with because they treat me as part of the team. Inclusion is great.
Hello my name is Joey Agostino. I live in Norwalk, CT. I am 22 years old. I graduated from the RISE program at Sacred Heart University.
I loved going to college and making new friends. I worked at a restaurant called, Linda’s on campus. It was fun and I got to work with great people.
I now work at Outback Steakhouse, a job I got all by myself. Last Valentine’s night, I went out to celebrate Valentines Day. The owner of the restaurant, Corey, came over to our table and said that “we made his night” and he wanted to buy our dinner. We said thank you and told him we wanted to work there and he said ok. We went to fill out paperwork and started working 2 weeks later. I work there 2 nights a week. I love working at Outback. Everyone is so nice. I bus tables, do kitchen prep, dining room prep and hostess station. I have another job at Country Convenience in Norwalk. It is a small convenience store in town. I restock, prep pizza boxes, receive deliveries, help customers and work the cash register. The owner Billy is a great guy and I really like working there too.
I love working out at the gym with my pals. I love going to my brother’s football games to cheer him on. I love hanging out with my friends, going to the movies or doing other fun stuff but …what I REALLY LOVE is music!!!!
When anyone asked me what I want to do growing up, I would tell them
“I am going to be a DJ”.
I always have my earphones and music with me wherever I go. I love to create playlists and try to remix songs.
I LOVE music and I LOVE being a DJ.
After I won the NDSS Ethan Saylor Scholarship I started DJ lessons with Mark Minnock. Mark became not only my teacher but my partner and most of all my best friend.
My first professional gig was The Tim Tebow Night To Shine Prom in New Canaan,CT –It was AWESOME! There were over 350 people at the prom. I was able to use all the things I had learned and I was a Big Hit! After that, I did Graduation Parties and other small events in CT.
But the BIGGEST gig I have gotten was the LuLaRoe Gala in Anaheim CA.
Sara Weir from NDSS called and told us that LuLaRoe wanted to fly me out to California to DJ the LuLaRoe Gala. I was very excited – I always dreamed of going to California to be a DJ.
Lindsay Stidham, DeAnne & Mark, Jordan, Jen and the entire LuLaRoe Family and of course NDSS helped make that dream come true!!
It was amazing! I was the DJ for 1,800 people. I felt just like a Rock Star!!! People were stopping me to take selfies and chanting my name “DJ Joe”– “DJ Joe”. It was magical. I knew I would be a great DJ because, music makes me feel so happy, it makes everyone feel happy and I love making people happy!!
People said I couldn’t do it – that being a DJ was just a dream. Well, dreams come true —my dream came true and I am so happy. I can’t wait for my next gig. I have a few small ones but my next big one is The Tim Tebow Night To Shine Prom-again! I did such a great job at the first one they asked me back and told me they wanted no body else– only me –DJ Joe
My mom always says do what you love. I love working for Outback & Country Convenience but what I truly love is being a DJ. My goal is to continue to grow my DJ business, making people happy with music. Don’t ever let people tell you that you can’t do it…I know you can …I know you can do what you love if you work hard, follow your dreams and never give up.
DJ Joe – Joey Agostino
Corissa was hired by state of Maryland as an actress to promote diversity and inclusion in the following two videos
She also was hired in the movie “game change” with Julianne Moore and she became a member of Screen actors guild (SAG). Corissa graduated from UMBC college and was an intern there at the Shriver center as an office assistant, assistive technology lab. Corissa also worked as dance instructor and day care worker who was laid off during the pandemic. Corissa has recently completed training to become a health messenger for her state. Corissa has a diverse background and is seeking ongoing growth in online/telework opportunities since the pandemic, that will allow her to grow in her goal of promoting diversity and inclusion to include someone with Down syndrome and Bi-racial diverse background in the media into the future
Three years ago in October, we began our “In My Own Words” blog, dedicated to sharing the stories, reflections, and experiences of people with Down syndrome. Since then, we’ve been lucky enough to interview so many truly wonderful people with Down syndrome, and taken a lot of inspiration from all the different kinds of work they do! Please read their stories at: https://www.peoplewithdownsyndrome.com and let us know if you have a story to share, or would like to be interviewed!
“I interview people with Down syndrome because I think their stories need to be heard, and because I enjoy making new friends all over the world,” says Sam.
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook @PeopleWithDownSyndrome, or on Instagram and Twitter @peoplewithds
Gabi Angelini has been instrumental in the growth of the business she co-founded with her mom, Gabi’s: Powered by Special Abilities, which focuses on empowering those with intellectual and developmental disabilities like herself to find their place in the world and enjoy fulfillment in everything they do. In 2022, Gabi’s - Powered by Special Abilities (Gabi’s) more than doubled its workforce, adding 25 new workers.
Today, the nonprofit employs 45 people with special abilities who help with packaging, assembling, labeling, and shipping for various companies, such as Endure Beauty, Furbish, Murphy’s Naturals, Nice Cannabis, and Wild Organic. And this account roster has continued to grow – most recently, Gabi’s entered into an exclusive contract with Peter Millar to reprice designer clothing. The company has also added more warehouse storage space for client drop shipping.
I am the Legislative Specialist at the State House in Boston. I also work with the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress and I do very well with legislation to help them sponsor all of their bills. I focus on all areas of bills. Politics is the field I like to be in. I am hoping that someday I can run for office. I would love to work in Washington, D.C. full time, earning a good income and getting married someday. I like to prove to people that I can get the job done! I have been a Legislative Specialist for about 5 years now.
My favorite part of my job is the social relationships I create with people in the State House and in D.C. and I hope to carry on with help from MDSC and my mom. I am a man of many dreams and I am going to stick to what I like to do. I like working in my own office and getting paid.
When people come to the office, I ask how I can help them. I also tell them whether my colleagues are in or out. I can take the issues for them.
My job makes me feel satisfied. I love this job! I want to be recognized for all of the skills, talents and everything else that I have to offer.
When I was younger I had all kinds of dreams about what kind of job I wanted. I hope that someday I am persistent in getting what I need for myself. I feel like my dreams come true.
For a job: you need to get along with each other when you work in an office, always do your best, be on top of everything and carry on.
Be persistent and never give up!
After many unpaid internships and volunteer jobs, Matt was hired by Home Depot as an associate in the garden department. Having a job has done so much more than providing supplemental income. It increased his confidence and self-esteem. It also has demonstrated to the other employees what a person with Down syndrome can do when given an opportunity. On a recent visit to pick up a paycheck with Mom, Matt was greeted by several employees who said they hoped to see him at work soon.
This is a story about our chief coffee roaster, Erin Baldwin. In 2008 Erin was living in a residential facility in the Midwest. She had loved living there, but in 2008 something happened that made her miserable and she pleaded with us to bring her home. So on March 12, 2010 we brought Erin to Westminster, MD. We were told by the state of Maryland that since we were new to the state and so was Erin that it could be ten years before they could help her find a job.
So one thing led to another and we started roasting coffee in our kitchen and then kitchen and dining room as well as having about a ton of green coffee beans in the lower level of our home. Early on we realized that Erin has an eye for roasting coffee. She has keen powers of observation and after watching me roast, she could do it without supervision.
We have grown and now are on Main Street in Westminster. Erin serves as our chief roaster and is responsible for roasting between 350 and 500 pounds of coffee a week. She still has a keen eye for roasts and spots mistakes and successes before anyone else does. She was working six days a week, but we have cut her back to five. She is now 44 and we found she was starting to flag without a Saturday off.
Erin loves her job. She calls our roastery, “My coffee shop!” and she takes great pride in her work. She exemplifies the moniker #DSWORKS®.
Our website is www.furnacehillscoffee.com
We are committed to the Down syndrome community and partner with the NDSS and roast the Buddy Walk® Coffee.
I have been working for the Winston Salem Dash baseball team for 5 years. I give out the programs and make people smile! In 2009 I got to throw out the first pitch!
Hi! My name is Becky Bierwas and I am the owner of designedbylove floral. I wanted to share a little bit about my business with you and the heart and vision behind it, myself and why I want to work with individuals who have Down syndrome.
designedbylove was a company I started in 2010 while living in Arizona. While it didn’t start off entirely as a floral business back then, the premise of the business and the symbolism behind the name still rings true seven years later. designedbylove floral is a start-up floral business in Houston that solely focuses on delivery and floral subscriptions as well as teaching floral design to individuals with Down syndrome in day school programs. The mission for the business is simply, “We’re not just in the flower business, we’re in the business of changing lives!” The vision and dream I have for this company is to be able to own a delivery business where I can employ individuals with Down Syndrome here in the Houston area as floral designers. I am not only an advocate for those who have Down syndrome, but it’s also something that has touched me personally, having nannied a little girl with Down syndrome.
Thus far, I have successfully taught three floral workshops to the Education4Life (E4L) participants at the Down Syndrome Association of Houston (DSAH). The first was “New Year, New Trade” and the second was Valentine’s Day themed, “Share the Love, One Flower at a Time.” Each workshop all participants were shown basic floral design techniques that they replicated, and with some direction and guidance they all successfully participated in creating their own floral arrangements that had been pre-ordered by those in our Houston community. The third collaboration was “Celebrating Abilities” Floral Workshop with DSAH on World Down Syndrome Day.
I worked at Winn Dixie for 18 years after high school and told my parents I wanted my dream job. My parents helped me through the process and I was hired by the NOLA Pelicans NBA basketball team. I was with the Pelicans until COVID. At the end of COVID, I joined the NOLA Saints. I have had such wonderful opportunities, and I love my career. I am thankful and blessed.
Daniel is 24 years old and lives in Fort Worth, Texas. Following in the footsteps of his six older siblings, he started working as soon as he could and now holds three jobs (!) At Chick-Fil-A, Daniel is dedicated to supporting his colleagues whether it is lifting heavy buckets of ice or cleaning tables and chairs. He has a reputation for noticing when any item needs refilling and keeps everyone stocked with that they need to serve customers. At Science Etc., Daniel assists the principal and educators and wears many tasks, helping out wherever they have a need! In 2018, Daniel returned to his Alma Mater, The Kinderfrogs School at Texas Christian University, as a Teacher Supported Aid. In this position, he prepares activities, engages with the students, helps keep the classroom clean and organized, and brings joy to educators and students alike with his smile and dance moves.
In addition to these, Daniel gained valuable experience working with Autin’s Underdawgs following graduation from High School!
If you ask Daniel what job is his favorite, he will say “all of it” and his colleagues and family readily affirm that statement.
At Kinderfrogs, Ms. Libby, the Lead Teacher and Daniel’s supervisor said: “Daniel is a valuable part of our classroom. He brings a ray of sunshine with him whenever he enters the room. He adores the children, and they adore him as well. Daniel’s work helps our classroom run more efficiently and more importantly, a lot more fun.
His boss at Science Etc. “Daniel Blackwell is…all things good about people. He is kind, helpful, happy, friendly, conscientious (above reproach conscientiousness), and diligent. His “chores” (that’s what we call work duties up here) are always accomplished on time and to the highest standard. When he is not here on his usual days, he is missed; his absence provokes a feeling that we missed out on something good, and is commented on by students, parents, and teachers alike. The fact that we can watch him happily dance his way through vacuuming this huge building is such a great gift to us and, as the parents are quick to point out, it is a tremendous lesson for the students here to learn. He never tells us he “can’t” and always tries out his new duties. (Did he tell you he was a coffee barista?) Is it any wonder we all love Wednesdays with Daniel?”
Lastly, we asked his boss at Chick-Fil-A: “He is joyful, dedicated, hard working. He brightens everyone’s day with his loving spirit and determination to do everything with excellence. We never have to worry about Daniel, he always gives 110%”
When Daniel is not working, you will find him bowling with his best friend, Jonny, spending time with his 14 nieces and nephews, and leaving smiles and laughter on the faces of all of his siblings, in-laws, and friends