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March 3, 2025

Dare for DDAM

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Dare for DDAM

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Dare to Celebrate Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

This year, for National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (DDAM), OPWDD is daring New Yorkers to celebrate inclusion throughout our communities.

In honor of DDAM, New York State will light its landmark buildings orange on March 7 to commemorate the importance of recognizing the contributions and talent that the developmental disabilities community adds to the overall diversity of the state.

Throughout the month of March, OPWDD will introduce people with developmental disabilities who are daring to dispel ableist stereotypes by achieving their personal goals and contributing to their communities. These people “dare” to be homeowners and taxpayers, they “dare” to be students or advocates, or they “dare” to participate in their community or compete in a sport.

People with developmental disabilities face barriers to inclusion every day, including the barriers of stigma, discrimination, lack of understanding from the community, inaccessible transportation and physical barriers. We hope the people who have chosen to share their stories with you this month will remind you of the power of visibility and will motivate you to dare to be yourself as well. We are excited to highlight some of the many talents, stories, and dreams people with developmental disabilities are daring to share.

If you’d like to share how you are daring to be yourself this month, send a photo of yourself to [email protected] and then fill in the blank after the words “I Dare to _____.”  You may see yourself featured on our website or social media channels.  You can also share your “I Dare to” message on your social media pages. You can tag us @NYSOPWDD and use the hashtag #DareForDDAM.

Sincerely,

Willow Baer,
Acting Commissioner

 

People Who Dare to be Themselves

Marisol

Marisol smiles, standing assisted by a walker. Text says Dare to be a Role Model

Marisol is a mother, a homeowner and a voice in her community. She helps others find their voice with her work for the Self-Advocacy Association of NYS.

"People see me and I educate them, because they see me paying taxes just like they do. I buy food for my family just like they do. I go to work every day just like my neighbor. The community needs to see people with disabilities doing the things that they do so that we become more accepted into the community.”

 

Dylan

Dylan smiles, expressing himself with a red and black patterned sweater, red hair highlights and his Canon camera around his neck, while sitting in his power chair. Text that says Dare to Express Yourself. Dare to be You!

Meet Dylan! He is an artist who dares to express himself though his writing, his poetry and his newsletter. He sees the pictures he creates for his newsletter, "Dylan's Dish," not as "pictures" but as "paintings" that take readers to a place they can explore.

"I love expressing myself this way," says Dylan. "I dare to express myself and I dare others to express themselves."


Latavia
 

Latavia smiles, wearing white shirt with sunglasses. Text that says "Dare to Use Your Voice. Dare to be You!"

Meet Latavia! She is a Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist, who dares to use her voice in her roles as a college professor, as host of her own podcast and as Ms. Wheelchair NY 2025!

"I love giving people the ability to communicate," says Latavia. "I like educating and inspiring people and shattering the myths about people in the ably different community." 

Hear Latavia tell her story in her own voice.
 

See Who Shared Their Dares!

Paul and Hava

Paula and Hava dressed casually smile while sitting on a bed leaning onto each other's shoulders. The bed is decorated in a vibrant multi-colored comforter.

Paul and Hava shared that they "dare to be married." They've been a married couple now for  almost twelve years.

Although they faced some opposition initially, Paul and Hava shared that they had a lot of support from family and friends.

"We expressed our desire to be married and live together like any other couple in love despite our special needs," say Paul and Hava.  "We love being together and doing all the things other married couples do.  We are in love and help each other every day."


Sean

Sean with his thumbs up while sitting in the cockpit of a plane

Sean dares to follow his passion for history and military restoration by volunteering at two history museums in New York State!
 

Show Us How YOU "Dare to be You"

Send a photo of yourself to [email protected] and then fill in the blank after the words “I Dare to _____.” You may see yourself featured on our website or social media channels.  You can also share your “I Dare to” message on your social media pages. You can tag us @NYSOPWDD and use the hashtag #DareForDDAM.