The creation of an inclusive society where people with various levels of capability and strengths find a place of value is an ideal that we are still a long way from achieving.
March 21 is recognised as World Down Syndrome Day as global attention is drawn to the many children and adults who have the condition caused by triplication of the 21st chromosome which causes Down syndrome.
Across various social media, Barbadians from every walk of life were ‘rocking their socks’ in the public awareness campaign dubbed Rock Your Socks.
The colourful show of support for the Down syndrome community makes for compelling images, with the usual clicks and likes. But forgive those among us who harbour a measure of cynicism about this show.
From people working in government offices and private sector entities, from supermarkets to law enforcement offices – the colourful socks were the trend for the day.
We do not desire to diminish in any way the nobility of the cause, for any effort that brings attention to the challenges of those in our community who are marginalised, is a good thing.
The wearing of the colourful socks has blossomed into a very commercialised event, with street vendors and store owners stocking up for the expected boost in sales of the mix-matched socks.
One cannot blame them; this is what business is about. Commercialisation is what maintains Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Old Year’s Night as such valued periods on our calendars.
President of the Barbados Down Syndrome Association (BDSA) Asha Alleyne-Renwick assures that the sales from vendors and merchants ahead of World Down Syndrome Day represent an important source of funding for the BDSA.
Mrs Alleyne-Renwick, a teacher, parent of a child with Down syndrome and respected advocate for those with the condition, has been a vocal cheerleader for this community. While encouraged by the growing support for the day and the Rock Your Socks campaign, Mrs Alleyne-Renwick too wants the businesses that benefit from the boost in sock sales to ensure that some of those funds are channelled to the BDSA.
The advocate appealed: “We are not at that stage yet, and we understand that is a situation that does take time . . . . In the meantime, we are here raising our funds every year for the Rock Your Socks campaign. So, when you see vendors, merchants and individuals selling socks, we appeal to them to give back to the association.”
We too join in that call. Our urging also is to not simply view the day to publish the photographs and soothe our conscience that we have done our social good for the month or the year.
As the BDSA president pointed out: “While it is financially beneficial to some to sell socks, they must realise that they’re only selling socks because there are individuals with Down syndrome living among them and they do have a social and a moral responsibility to give back to the association.”
The cause of the Down syndrome community in Barbados is representative of the challenges confronted by the many disabled and special needs persons among us.
According to the last census data, there are approximately 11 546 Barbadians living with some form of disability. Though there are many examples of those from the disabled community who have reached prominent heights in Barbados, such as former President of the Senate Kerryann Ifill, blind attorney-at-law Janeil Odle, and current Government Senator Andwele Boyce, there are thousands of others who are not so privileged.
As Senator Boyce wrote in a 2021 article published in Barbados TODAY, “Living with any kind of disability in a country like Barbados, where multiple barriers to full inclusion remain, can come with a myriad of challenges, a lack of social and legislative recognition, which necessitate the call for accommodations and adaptation.”
Disabled people in Barbados also require and should demand all the benefits afforded to other Barbadians. They want job opportunities, equal access to housing, health care services, education, public transportation and the full range of services that are provided to others.
The disabled, including those with Down syndrome, do not want tokenism or demonstrations of support that are meant to assuage the consciences of others. They want and deserve full inclusion.
