The Lucky Few

Ellie Goldstein is the first person with Down syndrome to ever be on the cover of British Vogue. She’s also the first person with DS to ever be on the show, “Strictly Come Dancing” — basically UK’s equivalent of “Dancing With The Stars!” Naturally, the internet has A LOT of opinions about it. Today we’re diving into a Facebook post full of ableist comments disguised as empathy. And we’re wondering:

Welcome to a new season of the podcast and happy Down Syndrome Awareness Month! Or should we say DS Acceptance Month?! The advocacy language has definitely changed over the years. Lets talk about it. Here’s what you can expect this week:

How did DSAM become a thing? (Huge shout out to all the advocates who blazed a trail back in the 80s!)

What are we doing to celebrate this month? (Hint: not much!)

What is the difference ...

Today we’re talking about the people and places where we can keep our shoulders down and know that our children with Down syndrome will be accepted no matter what. Join us as we chat about:

We’re so gratefu...

Having a child with Down syndrome means you’re always learning about something new! And today’s topic is: oral facial myofunctional therapy.. a technique used to improve the way our mouth and face muscles work! We have Irene Iskander (dental hygienist + lucky mama) on the show today to answer all of our questions:

• Why is mouth breathing so common amongst individuals with DS? What are the long term effects of mouth breathing?

• What...

Friends! Have you listened to The Telepathy Tapes Podcast? In this show, creator and host Ky Dickens explores the “profound abilities of non-speakers with autism - individuals who have long been misunderstood and underestimated.”

Let’s talk about it:

Have we experienced a shared consciousness with our own children? Is telepathy possible?

Why are people having such a hard time believing the stories from the autistic individuals and th...

Sid Ghosh is 18 (going on 81) years old and he just published his first full length book of poems with a major poetry company. He’s been given extraordinary praise from renowned authors, and us too of course! Here’s what we’re talking about today:

Sid’s poems about his profound experience the world, as an autistic adult who has Down syndrome and uses a communication board (Spellers style!)

Why it’s important to challenge our comfort...

Oxford Dictionary defines ableism as: “discrimination in favor of able-bodied people.” And on today’s episode, we’re defining ableism with our own examples:

A lot of ableism is just actions and systems that we may have never questio...

After so many years in the Down syndrome community, we’ve had our fair share of surprising and even disappointing experiences with other advocates. The more we put ourselves out there, the more opportunity there is for disagreement. So what happens when there’s division amongst mothers in the Down syndrome community? Join us for a chat about:

Summer isolation for our kids with disabilities.. It’s not fun to talk about.. which means we probably should. Lets unpack it:

With our kiddos growing up, we’ve n...

In this current political climate, one of our goals is to keep you all up to date on the legislature that impacts our community. So friends, its time to talk about the “Big, Beautiful Bill” and how it will affect individuals with Down syndrome. We are SO grateful for an incredible guest to help us out. Sean Feely is the new Director of Advocacy and Policy at the National Down Syndrome Society and he’s here today to answer all of ou...

We’re talking about a not-so-fun part of summer today.. summer school! Specifically, extended school year (ESY) for our children with Down syndrome.

• What is extended school year? Is it necessary?
• Are our kids in ESY this summer?
• Will our kids regress if they don’t go to summer school? Or is traveling/playing throughout the summer also a beneficial learning opportunity?

This is an interesting conversation about what it me...

Welcome to a new season of The Lucky Few Podcast! We’re starting off strong with an episode all about… diversity, equity, and inclusion. Because these are more than just buzz words, friends. Let’s talk about it:

• What is DEI? What is it NOT?
• Recent changes to DEI standards.. have we seen these changes in our own lives?
• The intersection of race and disability

We’re also introducing our guest host for the season.. Brandy ...

What happens when you mix a fierce sibling bond, a deep love for storytelling, writing, advocacy and a chicken named Rosemary? You get today’s episode of The Lucky Few Podcast! We’re joined by the incredible Melissa Hart, author, educator, journalist and big sister to Mark, her brother who has Down syndrome.

This episode is full of heart, humor, and hope—plus a reminder that inclusion starts at home and ripples out into the stories ...

It’s 2025 and there are a few things we know are true… The world is chaotic. And we NEED more compliments. That’s why our very own Heather Avis wrote her new children’s book, “I Like You So Much: Celebrating What Makes You, You!” We’re chatting all about the inspiration for this book and more today!

Well friends, we’re 300 episodes into the podcast and we finally figured out a way to keep track of just how long we’ve been doing this.. and no its not our neck wrinkles! Lets go behind the scenes today as we reflect on the last 7 years. We’re chatting about:

• What has changed in our lives (and the world) since starting the podcast?

If you’re a parent, you’ve likely wondered.. Should I let my child use this public restroom on their own? Is my child able to handle these kitchen tools? Can I let my child attend this sleepover? And if you’re a parent to a child with a disability, you might have even more fears around these risky activities. It’s time for a conversation about reasonable risks for our kids with Down syndrome. Here’s what we’re chatting about today:

Overwhelmed by all the news lately? Us too. That’s why Ashley Barlow (@thecollaborativeiep) is back on the show today to breakdown all of the changes to the Department of Education and the impact on students with disabilities. Here’s what we’re discussing today:

• ​Budget cuts and the impact on early learning for students with disabilities (no more Head Start program in 2026?!)
• ​Pros and cons of school choice and vouchers (What...

Picture this: your child with Down syndrome tells you they want to play a sport. You sign them up for the local team, drop them off at practice, and pick them up without any difficulties. Everything goes smoothly… But that’s not always reality is it? Lets break down the complexities of extracurricular activities today:

• How to ask for accommodations that promote safety, respect, and inclusion

• Separate programs designed for people ...

The Avises are back from an 18-day European vacation with tips, tricks, and travel stories for all of us. So Heather and Josh are here today to answer all the questions:

• How do you “lean in” to surprising (and sometimes frustrating!) moments with your kids?

• What to do when your family vacation doesn’t look like other families?

• What are your major tips for traveling with kids/teens who have Down syndrome?

There are so many ...