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Ahead of World Down Syndrome Day, we launched the spot "ASSUME THAT I CAN" to call for an end to prejudice. In the film, a young woman with Down syndrome challenges the low expectations others have of her and proposes a shift in perspective. Initially, those around believe that she cannot achieve important goals. Then, halfway through the film, there’s a twist, and the protagonist forces the viewer – and society at large – to think outside the box. To break the stereotypes even further, we shared examples of prejudices that people with Down syndrome have shattered via our social media channels. We then invited the community to join us by using our official hashtag #AssumeThatICan
Stereotypes, biases, and low expectations significantly impact every aspect of the lives of people with intellectual disabilities: they create often-insurmountable barriers which limit their ambitions. In launching this campaign,we aimed to show everyone that by holding positive assumptions about people with Down syndrome, we'll provide them more opportunities in their schools, workplaces, relationships, communities, and activities. And hopefully, these positive assumptions will become a reality.
The main film starring Canadian actress Madison Tevlin quickly became a global phenomenon, reaching more than 150 million views across platforms in one week. Many people with Down syndrome shared examples of stereotypes they had broken and thousands of social media users showed appreciation for how the campaign encouraged them to confront their prejudices. Hundreds of media outlets from all around the world covered the story, including CNN, BBC, Fox News, People magazine, Vogue, the Huffington Post, Glamour, Vanity Fair, The Independent and MSNBC.
