Canadians with Down Syndrome Take on Viral Misinformation

Get Ready to Rumble: Canadians with Down Syndrome Take on Viral Misinformation in New Awareness Campaign

Not Without Us! from the Canadian Down Syndrome Society puts people with Down syndrome at the forefront of the fight against viral misinformation, calling on Canadians to challenge harmful misconceptions and listen to those with lived experience.

Viral misinformation about Down syndrome has been on the rise, and Canadians with Down syndrome are calling on the public to fight back with Not Without Us!, a new awareness initiative from the Canadian Down Syndrome Society (CDSS).

Misinformation creates and reinforces harmful misconceptions that prevent people with Down syndrome from fully participating in society. In fact, over one-third of Canadians with disabilities report that they have experienced barriers related to misconceptions or assumptions.

Not Without Us! demands that people with Down syndrome control their own narratives and asks Canadians to follow the lead of self-advocates and listen to lived experience, rather than viral misinformation.

The campaign’s fierce, unapologetic PSA calls on the public to “Get in the ring!” and join the fight against viral misinformation about Down syndrome. The film was produced by Hytt Films in its third project with CDSS, and in partnership with wrestling industry leader Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling.

An intense 3-on-3 wrestling match pits self-advocates against villains representing viral misinformation. Underestimated and taunted in the ring, the trio remains unwavering as they take down their opponents. But they can’t win the fight alone. The wrestling advocates call on the public to “Join us in the ring!” and help stop the rise in misinformation through a new online resource, NotWithoutUs.ca

The website features personal stories from people with Down syndrome and shareable, verified facts that counter common misconceptions. Visitors can also sign up to receive a free copy of CDSS Awareness Leader Paul Sawka’s new autobiography, This Is Who I Am and I Want to Be Heard.

People with Down syndrome helped shape the campaign from the start. The three self-advocates — entrepreneur Jacob Stretton (The Coffee King), content creator Jasmine “Jazzy” Ankamah (Diva Sassique), and aspiring professional model Lily Rosenberg (Lily “The Model” Rosenberg) — each developed their own wrestling personas, reflecting how they want the world to see them and capturing their individual personalities, passions and strengths.

Several nods to the community are also included in the production, including:

– Wrestling itself is a popular interest among many people in the Down syndrome community
– 3-on-3 matchup, a nod to the three copies of chromosome 21 that characterize Down syndrome
– The campaign name, Not Without Us!, is inspired by the disability advocacy phrase, “Nothing About Us Without Us!”
– Jazzy’s response, “Assume that I can!” references a viral CDSS campaign created in partnership with CoorDown.

Learn more at NotWithoutUs.ca