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 #WDSD2021. 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 wanted to create another yoga class, so I’m making a new video that I will be releasing on World Down Syndrome Day! I have been practicing teaching on Zoom and I am excited to share a class with new stretches and poses. I’m so happy to make something that I can share with all of you – 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.

 

Want to know more about Let It Go Yoga? Start here with our Diaphragmatic Breathing Video!