149. The Only Black Mama In The Room - ft. Ashley Dirks (mother/advocate)

Heather met Ashley Dirks last fall at a retreat for moms of children with Down syndrome. And one of their first conversations was about how Ashley wanted to leave the retreat. She was the only black mama the whole weekend and it left her wondering, “Do I fit in.. Am I supposed to be here.. Where are the other black moms?”

And all this makes us realize that the Down syndrome community is not immune to exclusion. So today, we’re talking about it. Join as we chat about tokenism, toxic positivity, social media advocacy, and what happens when we know the importance of diversity but don’t do anything about it. Actual inclusion is for everyone, not just those who seem to fit in. If you want to keep listening and learning with us, head over to @the_one_and_only_babyz on Instagram so you can follow Ashley and her super cute son, Zaire!