- From starting their own fashion labels to opening restaurants, these people with Down syndrome are making history.
- This year, Zack Gottsagen became the first person with Down syndrome to present at the Oscars.
- Sujeet Desai plays seven instruments and became the first person with Down syndrome to perform at Carnegie Hall.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
There's nothing that people with Down syndrome can't do, and the people on this list only serve to prove that. They have broken barriers and shattered stereotypes, not only through their accomplishments, but through their advocacy as well.
Nearly every person on our list has advocated in some way for disability education and awareness. Chris Burke, who was the first actor with Down syndrome to be in a network television series, has been the Goodwill Ambassador for the National Down Syndrome Society since 1994.
In 2014, Burke told Oprah, "It's not about performing disabilities. It's about performing abilities. That's the message."
Take a look at the incredible men and women who are changing the world through their groundbreaking work.
Zack Gottsagen starred in "The Peanut Butter Falcon." This year, he became the first Oscars presenter with Down syndrome.
Gottsagen has starred in multiple films, but "The Peanut Butter Falcon" is his best known to date. He made history when he and his co-star, Shia LaBeouf, presented the Oscar for Best Live-Action Short Film in February.
In an interview with the UK's Channel 4, LaBeouf said Gottsagen's brutal honesty is what brought him back from a time he described as "twisted" following a string of alcohol-related arrests.
Madeline Stuart is widely regarded as the first professional model with Down syndrome.
The Australian model became the second person with Down syndrome to walk at NYFW in 2015, and has become a catwalk fixture ever since.
She also recently started her own fashion line, 21 Reasons Why, named for the anamoly of chromosome 21 in those with Down syndrome.
However, in an interview with Teen Vogue, Stuart shared her struggles in the industry: "There are still some people who do not take me seriously. I deserve to be treated the same as every other model. I work as hard as anyone else."
Actor Pablo Pineda was the first European with Down syndrome to get a university degree.
Pineda starred in the 2009 film "Yo, también" in which he played a university graduate with Down syndrome, quite similar to his real life.
Pineda is from Málaga, Spain, and graduated university with a degree in teaching. He has gone on to teach following his performance in film.
At the First Session of Labour Integration for People with Disabilities in Barcelona, he said (in Spanish), "I always say I am Pablo Pineda and that I have Down's syndrome. There is a big difference between 'having' and 'being.' 'Being' can crush you down and 'having' shows it is only one feature."
Sujeet Desai plays seven instruments and is the first musician with Down syndrome to play at Carnegie Hall.
Desai has mastered seven instruments: Bb and bass clarinet, alto saxophone, violin, piano, trumpet, and drums. He has performed in almost every state and in 13 countries.
He has won many awards, including the Achievement Award on United Nations International Day of Disabled Persons, the World Down Syndrome Day Award from Down Syndrome International, and the Thank You Award from Special Needs Families Developmental Center in Dubai.
Celebrating World Down Syndrome Day in 2016, he said, "Each impossible mission can be made possible if you put your mind to it and work hard without giving up."
Isabella Springmuhl Tejada is the first fashion designer with Down syndrome to have her work showcased at London Fashion Week.
In 2016, Tejada made BBC's 100 Women list, where she said, "My family always told me I was like anybody else — I just had an extra chromosome. Sometimes it took me longer to learn, but I did it."
Originally from Guatemala, Tejada has a fashion line called Down To Xjabelle and her garments are available for purchase on her website.
Tim Harris is an athlete who's won gold at the Special Olympics and is the only person with Down syndrome in the US to have owned his own restaurant.
In the Special Olympics, Harris competed in basketball, poly hockey, volleyball, golf and track and field, winning numerous gold medals.
His restaurant in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was called Tim's Place. Its slogan was "breakfast, lunch, and hugs." He closed it in 2016 after choosing to move to Denver to be closer to his girlfriend.
Before Tim's Place closed, Harris told CNN, "My favorite part of the work day is giving out the free Tim Hugs. They are on my menu and most people order at least one. So far, I've given out nearly 40,000 hugs. I even have a counter on the wall to keep track of the total. I guess you can say I'm a lean, mean, hugging machine."
Jamie Brewer is an award-winning actress and been in most seasons of "American Horror Story."
She had her breakout role as Adelaide Langdon in "American Horror Story: Murder House."
She was also the first person with Down syndrome to walk in New York Fashion Week in 2015. Madeline Stuart walked later the same year.
In 2018 she became the first person with Down syndrome to win the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play.
She helped change Texas legislation, which previously used the R term, to use "Intellectual Developmental Disability" in all official language instead. In a Today show interview she had a message for people who still use the R word: "Don't limit us. Don't limit me."
Chelsea Werner went from having little physical movement to competing in gymnastics at the Special Olympics. She has since become a model.
Werner was unable to walk until she was nearly 2 years old, and was initially told she would always have low muscle tone.
However, she proved doctors wrong and became a four-time US National Championships winner in gymnastics at the Special Olympics.
Following her win, she decided to start modeling, and has since been on the cover of Teen Vogue and walked at New York Fashion Week.
In an interview with Forbes, she said, "I'm a very positive person and don't see things as limitations. I'm pretty stubborn and work very hard. The way my parents raised me really made me feel good about myself."
Paula Sage is the first person with Down syndrome to receive a BAFTA.
The Scottish actress also has a medal from the Special Olympics in netball and works as a disability advocate. She is an ambassador for Down's Syndrome Scotland and learning disability charity Mencap.
Speaking about her acting career in an interview with the Guardian, she said, "It's brilliant. I'm doing it because it might help people who have what I've got realise what they can do."
Tommy Jessop is the first actor with Down syndrome to star in a prime-time BBC drama.
He made his debut in British medical drama "Holby City," which airs on BBC One. He is a founding member of Blue Apple Theatre, an inclusive theatre company based in Winchester, England. Jessop has starred in their productions of "Hamlet" and "Much Ado About Nothing."
In an interview with the Stage, Jessop spoke about Blue Apple Theatre: "Performers who have learning disabilities want to have a chance to work professionally. I don't know of any roles on stage for people like me outside companies like Blue Apple Theatre. And I don't think there are many companies like Blue Apple Theatre."
After facing rejection in the culinary world, Collette Divitto created her own hugely successful cookie business, Collettey's Cookies.
Born in Ridgefield, Connecticut, Divitto developed a passion for baking after taking a class in high school. She created her own recipe for a cinnamon chocolate chip cookie and called it "The Amazing Cookie."
After being rejected from multiple job openings, she decided to start her own business, which she called Collettey's Cookies. After appearing on the Boston CBS TV affiliate, she went viral, going on to appear on CNN, Good Morning America, MSNBC, Inside Edition, the BBC, and more.
In an interview with the Boston Globe, she shared how she wants to help others with disabilities. "I want to hire people with disabilities and give them paying jobs," she said.
John Tucker stars in the Emmy award-winning reality show "Born This Way."
"Born This Way" stars seven young people with Down syndrome in Southern California, and follows them and their families. It chronicles their lives as they seek employment and independent housing, and fight stigmas against disabilities.
Along with his castmate Rachel Osterbach, he became one of the first people with Down syndrome to present an Emmy at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards.
In an interview with Our Weekly, he gave his words of advice to other young people with Down syndrome: "Do not let your disabilities get in the way of whatever you want to be."
Actor Chris Burke has been the Goodwill Ambassador for the National Down Syndrome Society since 1994.
Burke starred in the late '80s and early '90s television series "Life Goes On" as Charles "Corky" Thatcher. His pioneering work in television helped change the way people view those with disabilities.
He has worked at the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) as an office assistant for over 20 years and has been their Goodwill Ambassador since 1994.
In 2014, he appeared on Oprah's "Where Are They Now?" and said, "It's not about performing disabilities. It's about performing abilities. That's the message."
- Read more:
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