Hey friends! Welcome to the Lucky Few Podcast where we are shifting the narrative by shouting the worth of people with Down syndrome. With your hosts, Heather Avis, Micha Boyett, and Mercedes Lara. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theluckyfewpod/support
Friends, we put, “I’m A Really Good Mom” on a t-shirt because we know moms doubt this truth about themselves daily. Today in honor of Mother’s Day we’re celebrating the importance of community, friendship, and advocacy with our friends Kelli Caughman and Crystal Lotterberry! Kelli & Crystal are the founders of the Black Down Syndrome Association and they’re here to have an unfiltered conversation about the messy and beautiful parts of being a mama! We're chatting about how Down syndrome has influenced our perspective on life and motherhood, our advice for those feeling overwhelmed, what we shouldn’t have worried about (or if we ever worried), and so much more! Being a mama is the hardest and best, we want you to know you’re doing a good job. Now say it with us, “I’m a really good Mom!”
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SHOW NOTES
More episodes with our friends from BDSA!:
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today!
MICHA’S NEW BOOK
Pre-order Micha’s new book Blessed Are The Rest Of Us coming April 9, 2024! (All pre-order’s purchased through Baker Book House receive a signed copy with a lucky few temporary tattoo!)
DISCOUNT CODE
Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!
HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE
Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!
LET’S CHAT
Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theluckyfewpod/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theluckyfewpod/supportFriends, we’re so excited to have barber Vernon Jackson on the show today! In his barbershop and salon in Ohio, haircuts are more than just a service—they're an act of love and understanding. Through his viral program, The Gifted Event, Vernon provides free haircuts to children with disabilities, offering them patience, empathy, and a sense of belonging. A lifelong creative with a passion for serving others, he’s committed to seeing The Gifted Event continue to expand across the country and world, making barbershops and salons a safe and inclusive space for everyone. More than just a barber, Vernon is shaping a future where everyone feels embraced and accepted, one haircut at a time.
NOTE: This interview contains some adult language.
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SHOW NOTES
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today!
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR:
Thank you, Enable SNP for sponsoring this episode!
DISCOUNT CODE
Mother's Day is coming! You know this. But did you know we have a “I am really good mom shirt”?! Just for Mother's Day, we are offering a 21% discount on all orders until Mother's Day. Head over to theluckyfew.co and use code: LUCKYMAMA
HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE
Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!
LET’S CHAT
Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theluckyfewpod/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theluckyfewpod/support254. The Next Step: Navigating Healthcare Transitions for Individuals with Down Syndrome (w/ Dr. Emily Johnson)
Today, we’re chatting about navigating healthcare transitions with Dr. Emily Johnson, a dedicated advocate and physician specializing in the healthcare needs of individuals with Down syndrome. We discuss the importance of starting the transition process early, the challenges families may face, and the key considerations for a successful transition. Dr. Johnson also shares her personal experience as a mother and sister, to individuals with Down syndrome, and how her personal experiences have shaped her career as a physician. Friends, this episode will leave you with valuable insights that left us confident in starting conversations with our kid's providers that will set them up for successful transitions of care. This is an episode you’re going to want to bookmark!
SHOW NOTES
Our episode with DSDAN:
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today!
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR:
Thank you, Enable SNP for sponsoring this episode!
47. Planning for the Future w/Phillip Clark from Enable SNP
191. Future Planning for the WHOLE Family - ft. Phillip Clark, Enable SNP
DISCOUNT CODE
Mother's Day is coming! You know this. But did you know we have a “I am really good mom shirt”?! Just for Mother's Day, we are offering a 21% discount on all orders until Mother's Day. Head over to theluckyfew.co and use code: LUCKYMAMA
HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE
Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!
LET’S CHAT
Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theluckyfewpod/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theluckyfewpod/supportWhat does it mean to feel “lucky” to have a child with Down syndrome? We’re having a candid conversation about the evolving meaning of “lucky” within our community and personal journeys. Through the challenges and the joys, we know that things like toxic positivity and social media can leave us struggling to feel “lucky.” We’re sharing our thoughts, experiences, and some feedback from one of Heather’s social media posts on what “lucky” in The Lucky Few has come to mean. Join the conversation and share your experiences, perspectives, and advice on reframing the narrative around parenting a child with Down syndrome. Whether you’re feeling “lucky” or not, this episode offers a space for honesty and support.
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SHOW NOTES
Other episodes to check out:
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today!
MICHA’S NEW BOOK
Pre-order Micha’s new book Blessed Are The Rest Of Us coming April 9, 2024! (All pre-order’s purchased through Baker Book House receive a signed copy with a lucky few temporary tattoo!)
DISCOUNT CODE
Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!
HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE
Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!
LET’S CHAT
Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theluckyfewpod/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theluckyfewpod/supportWe’re so excited to have Phillip Clark back on the show, he’s the founder of ENABLE Special Needs Planning and is here to chat with us about involving siblings in the guardianship and decision-making process. Phillip shares the importance of having open conversations early on with siblings about guardianship and gives advice about getting the conversation started. He dives into the differences between guardianship and supported decision-making and the importance of personalizing decisions for each individual’s needs. Phillip shares his journey and experience with his sister, Sarah, who has Down syndrome, emphasizing how beneficial it has been for his family to have a plan, open communication, and involvement of the entire family in the process of planning for Sarah’s future. Friends, we know there are so many what-ifs to the future of having a loved one with Down syndrome, this episode gives valuable tips and resources on approaching a plan for the future.
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SHOW NOTES
Previous episodes with Phillip Clark:
More episodes to check out:
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today!
MICHA’S NEW BOOK
Pre-order Micha’s new book Blessed Are The Rest Of Us coming April 9, 2024! (All pre-orders purchased through Baker Book House receive a signed copy with a lucky few temporary tattoo!)
DISCOUNT CODE
Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!
HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE
Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!
LET’S CHAT
Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theluckyfewpod/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theluckyfewpod/supportYou know and love her as the bubbly blonde that breaks into song on nearly every episode, today our girl Micha Boyett isn’t just The Lucky Few Podcast host, she’s our guest!! Join us in celebrating her new book Blessed Are The Rest Of Us (available April 9th!)! We’re chatting about her journey of writing this book, and how she chose to write more than just a memoir. What does it mean to be “blessed”? What makes us worthy? What makes life good? Micha shares how her journey with Ace’s Down syndrome and Autism diagnosis made her see society’s obsession with success for what it actually is: fear of vulnerability. In finding language to push against society’s intrinsic ableism she found the connection in the Beatitudes, an ancient sacred text. She explores the concept of worthiness and the good life inviting us to reconsider the meaning of blessing and envision a world where everyone’s worth is recognized. It’s an honor to celebrate our magnificent friend’s work, this is an episode you don’t want to miss!
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SHOW NOTES
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today!
DISCOUNT CODE
Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!
HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE
Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!
LET’S CHAT
Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theluckyfewpod/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theluckyfewpod/supportFriends, we had another hot topic in our group text that we knew we needed to bring on the pod to have with all of you! Today we’re chatting about the February 25th episode of “Saturday Night Live” with a guest host who used his niece and her Down syndrome diagnosis as a punch line to his set. We’re talking about our reactions and the larger conversation: who has the right to use Down syndrome and disability as a joke or punch line? Join us as we discuss the discomfort when jokes are made for an audience not connected to someone with Down syndrome and whether the laugh is at the expense of the person with the disability. Listen in as we unpack the complexities of comedy, connection, and the importance of shifting narratives.
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SHOW NOTES
Learn more about Josh Blue
More episodes to check out:
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today!
MICHA’S NEW BOOK
Pre-order Micha’s new book Blessed Are The Rest Of Us coming April 4, 2024! (All pre-order’s purchased through Baker Book House receive a signed copy with a lucky few temporary tatoo!)
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR:
Thank you, Enable SNP for sponsoring this episode!
DISCOUNT CODE
Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!
HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE
Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!
LET’S CHAT
Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theluckyfewpod/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theluckyfewpod/supportFor nearly 250 episodes we’ve had educational, encouraging, and meaningful conversations amplifying voices and shifting narratives for individuals with Down syndrome. Over the last 6 years, we’ve tackled topics on education, health & wellness, accessibility, stereotypes, legal rights, media representation, advocacy, and so much more! We were even recognized with the 2023 Media Award at the National Down Syndrome Congress Convention! We’ve had so many great moments but the best part of this podcast is being part of this one-in-a-million community!
March 8th we got to celebrate LIVE in San Diego, California! It was so special getting to meet our listeners, play some trivia, chat about the many ways we’ve learned, advocated, and celebrated over the last six years, and have a special guest share their good news!!
On March 14, 2024, we marked our MILLIONTH DOWNLOAD, we’re so grateful to every one of you, for listening, sharing, and being part of The Lucky Few community. We look forward to a million more laughs and reasons to learn, advocate, and celebrate alongside this incredible community. Thanks for your support narrative shifters, cheers to a million more!!!
SHOW NOTES
Trivia Links:
92. Politics & Down Syndrome w/Kayla McKeon & Ashley Helsing
204. Self-Advocates On Capitol Hill w/Kayla McKeon, Matthew Schwab, & Charlotte Woodward
57. Shelley Gottsagen On Her Son Zack Gottsagen's Fame, The Oscars, + More!
10. Inclusion - An Educator’s Perspective with Kristin Enriquez Pt. 1
198. The Best We Can: An Unscripted Conversation on Inclusion In Our Schools
218. Creating Inclusion For All Learners (w/Tim Villegas)
Ways we’ve learned, advocated, and celebrated:
26. Owning Your Influence By Using Your Words with Amy Julia Becker
172. Defining Ableism, Allyship & Advocacy + Redefining "Inclusion" - ft. Dr. Priya Lalvani
160. Organ Transplant Discrimination Against People with Disabilities (ft. incredible advocates!)
150. Cole Sibus on Being An Actor w/Down Syndrome, Moving Away From Home, + SO Much More!
229. Poet, Author, "Levitator of Language" Sid Gosh (w/Mom Dr. Vaish Sarathy)
Thank you to our event sponsors and vendors:
Special thanks to our partner:
Special thanks to Haven by Communal, Jen Byard, Jen & Addie Jones
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today!
DISCOUNT CODE
Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!
HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE
Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!
LET’S CHAT
Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theluckyfewpod/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theluckyfewpod/supportWe’re so excited to welcome feature film executive turned author and disability advocate, Kelley Coleman to the show! Her book Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your Guide to the Essential Systems, Services, and Support releases TODAY!! Friends, this book is like gold, it provides the kind of support and confidence we all need to navigate and understand the complex systems, services, and supports no matter what diagnosis our kids have. It’s a resource we’ll be looking to for years to come, providing us with helpful questions, checklists, and ways to access services based on your child's individual needs. We celebrate finding friendship and community throughout the disability community, and Kelley shares how the Down syndrome community has embraced her and her son. She even shares how disability rights activist Judy Heumann shared her enthusiasm for a resource like Kelley’s book and emphasized the importance of sharing stories as self-advocates and nondisabled advocates in the disability space. This is a book and conversation we’re so grateful for, this is an episode you don’t want to miss!
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SHOW NOTES
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today!
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR:
Thank you, Enable SNP for sponsoring this episode!
DISCOUNT CODE
Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!
HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE
Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!
LET’S CHAT
Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theluckyfewpod/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theluckyfewpod/supportFriends, we’re so excited to have award-winning writer, speaker, podcaster, disability advocate, and Mom of three, Amy Julia Becker, joining us for a third time today! She’s here to chat about what the journey with her daughter Penny has looked like after turning 18 and entering adulthood. She’s been in the process of making decisions about education, employment, guardianship, independent living, and so much more! We chat about navigating new services, and agencies, and Teresa from Social Security. What’s been the decision that has felt like the weightiest part of the transition into adulthood so far. How she’s included Penny in the decision-making process, her thoughts on guardianship, and so much more. Turning 18 brings on a whirlwind of decisions, Amy reflects on how it’s paralleled the early years and shares advice to consider in your child's middle and high school years. This is an episode you not only don’t want to miss, but you’ll want to bookmark and take notes on!!
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SHOW NOTES
Our Previous Episodes w/ Amy Julia:
Episode mentioned:
DISCOUNT CODE
Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR:
Thank you, Enable SNP for sponsoring this episode!
HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE
Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!
LET’S CHAT
Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theluckyfewpod/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theluckyfewpod/supportYour feedback is valuable to us. Should you encounter any bugs, glitches, lack of functionality or other problems, please email us on [email protected] or join Moon.FM Telegram Group where you can talk directly to the dev team who are happy to answer any queries.