Now is the time to dig to the bottom of your sock drawer and find some mismatched socks! Why? March 21st is World Down Syndrome Day! It’s a day to raise awareness and celebrate people with Down syndrome all over the world. I love participating and connecting with others who post photos in their mismatched socks.
Why do we celebrate on March 21st? According to a post on the National Down Syndrome Society‘s website, “Trisomy 21 is the clinical way of saying Down syndrome, which is the third copy on the 21st chromosome. In a person without Down syndrome, there are 46 chromosomes in the human body. Individuals with Down syndrome have an extra chromosome; we have 47.” So we celebrate our uniqueness on 3/21 by wearing bright and fun mismatched socks. There is even a reason behind wearing socks for this event! 3-21 Foundation writes that, “Socks were chosen because the karyotype of DS chromosomes actually looks like mismatched socks!”
I have celebrated World Down Syndrome Day for several years now. It feels great to see others share their support on Instagram using the hashtags #RockYourSocks and #WDSD2024. Plus, it’s fun to see the great sock combos that people put together! Since I love sharing my yoga practice, I usually take some sock photos while practicing a yoga pose.
Last year around World Down Syndrome Day, I spent some time recording an inclusive yoga video for my students. I had been teaching in person classes for a long time, and I wanted to give my students a class that they could practice online anytime they wanted. I had a great time learning how to teach on camera and my family helped me edit it and put it online. You can see it on my website!
This year, I created some videos in partnership with the Canadian Down Syndrome Society. I will let you know when they are posted! Follow me on Instagram or keep an eye on my website for updates!
Don’t forget to ROCK YOUR SOCKS on March 21st. Be sure to use the hashtag so I can see them!
Written by Jessica Parsons & Emily Parsons.
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