LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Every year the National Down Syndrome Society displays a video in Times Square that features people who have Down syndrome from all over the country. Eight members of Down Syndrome of Louisville were featured in this year’s video, including 20-year-old McKenna Hayden, who flew out to New York City with her family.

What You Need To Know

  • McKenna and seven other members of Down Syndrome of Louisville were featured in the National Down Syndrome Society's annual video at Times Square

  • The video is meant to show that people with Down syndrome live their lives just like everyone else

  • McKenna and her parents, Sara and Nate, flew to New York City over the weekend to watch the video and participate in a Buddy Walk

  • Sara believes that events like this are important for people with Down syndrome and their families

“It felt amazing to see my senior picture up on the jumbotron representing Down syndrome,” said McKenna. “It was awesome.”

McKenna’s mother, Sara, was also thrilled and feels that it sends a powerful message of inclusion to people with Down syndrome, their families, and to anybody who saw the video displayed.

“We talk a lot about how representation matters and it really showed there, I mean, them seeing themselves up there mattered because they thought, ‘I’m a valid person and I’m important too and so I have as much to share as anybody else does,’” said Sara.

The goal of the video is to show that people with Down syndrome live their lives just like everyone else, and that they have dreams, goals and aspirations as well. McKenna’s dream is to get married and have a child someday with the goal of working with children, specifically being a pediatric nurse.

The event started with the video in Times Square, followed by a Buddy Walk in Central Park.

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