As a bilingual speech-language-pathologist, I serve children, adults, and their families with a variety of communication needs, many with Down syndrome. Parent training, support, and encouragement are essential parts of who I am professionally. I see my role with the DSC as one of coming alongside and serving families in real world environments.

It is an honor and a joy to dedicate my career and service to enhancing the quality of life for individuals with complex communication needs. I have joined the DSC as an extension of my professional life to encourage and promote inclusive community opportunities for individuals with disabilities here in El Paso.

As a healthcare professional, I hope to provide comfort and congratulations to families who receive a Down syndrome diagnosis. As a mother, blessed with a daughter with Down syndrome, I want to help the community I was raised in to be more accommodating and inclusive.

After continually promising myself that one day I would help more or get involved, I finally joined the DSC. Now that I’m involved, the DSC has become family to me and my daughter, and I hope to work on the development of programs for all ages and abilities. There will always be a need for involvement, donations and volunteers. Today is the day to get started. Join us!

In 2013 my husband Carlos and I were blessed with Sophia, our daughter who has Down syndrome. It came as a surprise as we had not been told prior to the pregnancy about her diagnosis.

After learning about Every Little Blessing (ELB) Pre-School we took a leap of faith and enrolled Sophia. Had it not been for the DSC and all their work in making ELB come to fruition, we would not have seen such huge academic and hygiene strides in our daughter.

With my first-hand knowledge of raising a daughter with Intellectual Disabilities my main goal is to be active on the DSC board and bring community awareness for our children and adults with Down syndrome.

I have the honor of knowing incredible individuals with Down syndrome, including my daughter, and I believe they deserve an open community. My goal is to help establish a community that gives my daughter and others with Down syndrome the opportunity to grow and reach their personal dreams, including education and employment.

The DSC has become a family to us, giving me a safe place to express myself and an opportunity for my daughter to socialize and find a sense of belonging. I want others to benefit from the welcoming community and resources the DSC offers. With your support, we can make this happen.

The birth of my daughter opened my eyes to the lack of resources and support for families of children with Down syndrome. Through my involvement with the DSC, I hope to spread awareness and educate the community on behalf of all individuals with Down syndrome.

Being a part of the DSC has taught me to celebrate life and live in the moment. I invite you to get involved with a non-profit you are truly passionate about. Whether you get involved through a donation of your time or financial resources, knowing you’re a small part of a great cause is truly rewarding.

Evan George Vourazeris is an actor who plays “Tuck” on Netflix’s award-winning Series Ozark. He began his professional acting career in 2017 on Jason Bateman’s award-winning Series as a recurring character. Through his character, Evan inspires people of all abilities to achieve their dreams and has given hope to parents across the world.

His love of acting came from watching movies with his father and the well-placed suggestion from a friend Anna Brodl that he should put his talent to good use after making his acting debut in her student film in 2010.

He took on advocating after his brother, an orthopedic surgeon, and speaker inspired him to use his experiences and reach out to inspire other people as well. Since 2013 Evan has visited schools, churches, and sports events throughout Texas and has spoken to over 500,000 kids and families about bullying and cyberbullying, and inspirational and motivational speaking to empower them to reach for their dreams.

“My message is simple, stay strong, never give up and go for your dream!” -Evan

Anna Alvarez a native El Pasoan and a proud graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso where she obtained a bachelor’s in special education and a master’s degree in special education with an emphasis in Autism. For the past four years, she has served as a Reading Language Arts & Social Studies Instructional Officer at San Elizario Independent School District after having served as an English and Special Education teacher at Fabens High School for over eight years. While at Fabens High School, she coached the Special Olympics team for many years. Her passion for special education began long before she knew her family would be personally impacted. She is the proud mother of Julian who is dually diagnosed with Down syndrome and Autism. Anna is an active member of the local Down syndrome and Autism organizations to ensure these places remain operational for other families like themselves. Being her son’s advocate and having the world see her son’s potential is her top priority.