“Assume That I Can!” Uplifting Down Syndrome Campaign's Message Of Positivity
Ahead of World Down Syndrome Day, a new advertising campaign was launched — and it quickly made people do a complete mental U-turn. You see, few genetic defects are more misunderstood than Down syndrome (DS), and the campaign’s message was all about combatting some of those misunderstandings. In fact, its message of positivity — and learning not to unintentionally hamper those with Down syndrome — may end up making it one of the most successful PSA campaigns of modern times.
“You assume I can’t”
On March 15, 2024, the commercial hit Instagram — and it quickly went viral. Produced by Small New York and CoorDown, the clip opens with a young woman with Down syndrome — Madison Tevlin — speaking with a bartender, who hands her a soda instead of the margarita she asked for.
Her voiceover then declares, “Hey bartender, you assume that I can’t drink a margarita; so, you don’t serve me a margarita; so, I don’t drink a margarita. Your assumption becomes reality.”
“You assume… so I don’t”
Next, we see Tevlin brushing her teeth, while her parents hover around her keeping a watchful eye. Then they tuck her into bed like she’s a little kid, all while she looks decidedly unamused. The voiceover intones, “Parents, you assume that I cannot live on my own.”
Tevlin continues, “So, you don’t encourage me to live on my own. So, I don’t live on my own.” She then is discouraged from boxing training, and a teacher refuses to teach her Shakespeare like the rest of her class.
“Instead…assume that I can”
Then thate bottle of soda handed over by the bartender is shown smashing into a zillion pieces — and everything changes. Tevlin declares, “But hey — if your assumptions become reality… then assume that I can drink a margarita!”
All of a sudden, we are shown Tevlin drinking a margarita, living by herself, boxing up a storm, and reciting Shakespeare to the camera — with a hilariously placed expletive added for emphasis. Tevlin smiles, “You assumed I couldn’t swear, right?”
“So maybe I will”
We are then shown a montage of people with Down syndrome living perfectly normal lives: going to work, hitting the town with friends, being treated as adults by their contemporaries, and even having sexual relationships.
The clip finishes with a gathering of those with Downs staring directly at the camera as they declare, “Assume that I can, so maybe I will.” All in all, the commercial is a stirring call to arms for everyone around the world to alter their thinking.
Question the limits you impose
The clip — part of the “Assume That I Can” campaign — was launched to coincide with World Down Syndrome Day on March 21. Its purpose was to make people question how they think about those with Down syndrome, and how they often unintentionally limit what they can accomplish with their negative approach.
It was inspired by Marta Sodano, an Italian woman who gave an emotional speech at the United Nations’ World Down Syndrome Day Conference all about the assumptions that rule her life.
Self-fulfilling prophecy
Sodano told the audience, “I discovered that in psychology there is a concept called ‘self-fulfilling prophecy,’ whereby a teacher who thinks that a student cannot understand would just act accordingly and therefore would not teach the student. And there you go: the prophecy self-fulfills.”
She raged, “In my opinion, there are not difficult or easy concepts: there is always a simple way to explain things. If I think of all the things that were not explained and taught to me, well — I get really angry.”
The world treats those with DS as a monolith
Down syndrome is one of the most widely misunderstood genetic disorders in the world. While each person diagnosed with the condition exists on a spectrum of intellectual and social capabilities, the world tends not to treat them as such. Instead, they are all viewed in exactly the same way.
Even worse, this more often than not means people believe they won’t be capable of normal, everyday things. And, by extension, they tend to infantilize many of these grown men and women.
Looking without “warped filters”
In a statement, CoorDown president Antonella Falugiani said, “We decided to launch a call to action, which aims to engage the whole society — not just our community — because disability really affects everyone, and everyone must be able to act to change the culture that produces discrimination.”
She continued, “With the story of ‘Assume That I Can’ we show how each of us can contribute to inclusion by listening and looking at people with Down syndrome, their needs, and desires without warped filters.”
Applying the “Assume That I Can” philosophy
Karim Bartoletti, managing director of Indiana Production — another outfit involved in the campaign — revealed that it applied the “Assume That I Can” philosophy to every aspect of its production.
In other words, it fought back against any assumption that the team wouldn’t be able to find the very best talent to work on it, or that their creative sensibility wouldn’t be new and unique. Bartoletti scoffed, “You Assume that I will shoot this campaign like any other commercial that deals with disabilities?”
Creating awareness and breaking boundaries
“You assume we cannot find an actor or an actress that can carry the weight of the whole film on his or her shoulder?” continued the passionate MD. “You assume we cannot get Rich Lee to direct it and Chris Probst to light it?”
He concluded, “If we want to create awareness and break boundaries through the work that we create and produce, we need to do it ourselves. We assumed that we could, and we certainly did.”
Ending the stereotypes
CEO of the National Down Syndrome Society Kandi Pickard told Today, “The whole point of this video is to end those stereotypes of people living with Down syndrome. Many times, people with disabilities are presumed to be unable to care for themselves or unable to make their own decisions, and that’s not the case.”
She added, “This video is opening up these conversations in such a healthy way for the public to see not only the beauty but the ability of people with Down syndrome.”
They want to drink and have fun like anyone else
Somewhat controversially, the campaign made sure to spotlight how those with Down syndrome can be just like anyone else when it comes to using bad language and having sexual desires. Pickard confirmed, “They’re going to be going to college and there’s an opportunity to go to the bar and have a drink.”
She continued, “They want to live on their own. They want to do these things. For some families it’s hard to look past that disability and really to be able to see sometimes the opportunities that are out there.”
Did some people miss the point?
Some commentators complained that it was “crass” to include these elements, but others pointed out that this line of thinking was very much the kind of attitude the campaign sought to combat.
One Instagrammer stated, “The pearl clutching in these comments is exactly why this video needs to exist. The fact that people feel empowered to tell this intelligent, capable, grown woman how she needs to deliver her message proves the message’s entire point.”
It even made relatives think
“This is what we do as an organization, day in and day out,” stressed Pickard. “We want to shift the public perception of Down syndrome.” To her delight, though, the campaign truly did seem to strike a chord on social media, and it received a ton of engagement.
In fact, many of the comments were from posters related to people with Down syndrome — and they confirmed that it really had made them think. One Instagrammer posted, “Being an older sister of a DS person, I am guilty of treating my sister this way sometimes.”
A great way to redirect thinking
Another user revealed that, the very day they’d watched the commercial, they had been on social media wondering about something their child could or couldn’t do — and the clip had hit them like a ton of bricks.
They wrote, “I just posted something today regarding doubting my son’s capabilities sometimes and this is such a great way to redirect our way of thinking, even as parents. Thank you for such a wonderful video.”
The best awareness campaign?
One TikTok user commented, “Damn, she even made me feel empowered. This is probably the best awareness campaign ad I’ve ever seen for anything.” Another added, “I can’t remember the last time I willingly sat through a long ad before. This was great.”
A third posted, “Best ad I’ve ever seen. We had a co-worker with Down syndrome at Starbucks and he was one of the best employees we had — literally one of the fastest learners I’ve ever met!”
Why does society think this way about those with Down syndrome?
It all begged a very important question, though: why does society assume people with Down syndrome are somehow wanting? While attitudes have changed over the past few decades, it’s still a condition that evokes a lot of fear in parents and the medical establishment.
For example, those with Down syndrome were once expected to die before 25, and not live anything resembling a normal life in that time. But now life expectancy has gone up to 60, and attitudes toward helping them thrive have begun to shift.
Is there an historical prejudice?
People with Down syndrome are born with an extra 21st chromosome, which leads to differences in their brains and bodies. They look different, and their development — in terms of speech and learning — is often different. On top of that, they have an increased risk of suffering from other disorders, including heart defects, seizures, leukaemia, thyroid issues, and breathing difficulties.
Naturally, this all sounds extremely frightening to prospective parents. But the fact this fear once led women to opt for abortion has led to accusations of historical prejudice within the medical community.
A pressure to terminate DS pregnancies
Clinical geneticist Willa Leanah Thorson told the University of Miami’s Health Collective, “I have heard countless times, from both my patients and my friends who have children with DS, that one of the hardest things they have dealt with was the constant pressure to terminate their pregnancy.”
She added, “Whether it be from friends, family, or the medical professionals they interacted with, this made them feel like their child would be a burden to their family and society.” Yet this view often couldn’t be further from the truth.
They can do anything — just on a different timescale
Pediatric pulmonologist Dr. Ignacio Tapia is another modern doctor fighting back against this prejudice. He told Health Collective, “The biggest misconception that people have is that those with Down syndrome can’t do pretty much anything that individuals without Down syndrome can.”
Instead, he is of the opinion, “These patients are actually able to do anything, but at a different rate. Some of them will pick it up pretty fast, and some with a little more time.”
“Life will be different, but not necessarily worse”
Dr. Thorson revealed that she tells the families of Down syndrome children, “Life will be different, but that does not mean it will be worse. The beginning may be challenging, with lots of medical and therapy appointments, but those eventually become part of ‘the norm’ and get integrated into their everyday lives.”
She is adamant that she expects her patients to walk and talk, use the toilet properly, and go to school normally. In fact, she insisted, “The majority of children with DS achieve these milestones, but it may be in their own time.”
Sometimes we are overprotective
Meanwhile Dr. Tapia revealed that, even though many parents and family members want to help children with Down syndrome become independent by treating them the same as “normal” kids, they still often subconsciously overcorrect.
He explained, “Sometimes, when parents see their child with a disability in distress, they tend to be overprotective. But part of becoming an adult is learning to live with frustration. We should teach all children that frustration is normal… It’s a skill they need to develop through exposure.”
Pushing through the frustration
Dr. Tapia then told an anecdote about a two-year-old with Down syndrome who was struggling to learn to walk with a treadmill. It was proving difficult for her, and she began to cry, which naturally made her mother want to comfort her by stopping the physical therapy session.
But Dr. Tapia told her, “This is something that she just has to do, little by little.” In the end, by working through the child’s frustration instead of stopping, “She learned how to use the treadmill, and now she walks all over.”
Maybe we need to learn to “let go”
In this way, Dr. Tapia argues that a lot of people in society still inhibit children with Down syndrome, even if they have good intentions. He reasoned, “We are very used to protecting these individuals, so there will need to be a culture shift… to allow these individuals to have that independence.”
To him, it’s simple: “Just as the parents of a typical child need to ‘let go’ at some point, we will need to allow our children/adults to go out in the world… but always be there to help if or when they need it.”
Tommy and Maryanne Pilling
In truth, our society has generally doubted those with Down syndrome, despite many trailblazers giving us plenty of reasons not to do so. For instance, in July 1995 Tommy and Maryanne Pilling — both of whom had the condition — walked down the aisle together in England’s Southend-on-Sea.
Their families faced a torrent of abuse from people who felt they shouldn’t have been allowing the union to happen, but they refused to deny the lovebirds their happy ending.
Fighting back against society’s prejudices
In 2017 Lindi — Maryanne’s sister — told Today, “My mum has been 100 percent supportive. Anyone should have the right to marry the love of their life without prejudice or discrimination.” The couple wound up living on their own in an apartment next door to Maryanne’s mother, and across the street from her sister.
The pair’s personalities melded perfectly — Tommy was quiet and thoughtful, and loved to listen to his wife, which worked out brilliantly because she was outgoing, gregarious, and loved to be heard!
A fairytale marriage — even with Down syndrome
Despite the negativity that greeted their wedding, Tommy and Maryanne stayed happily married for 25 years until he passed away from COVID on New Year’s Day 2021. Lindi posted an emotional tribute to Facebook on her sister’s behalf, saying, “Thank you for showing me what unconditional love was.”
She continued, “I will remember your beautiful ways forever — your pure heart, your love of music, Elvis, your dancing, your positive attitude and how you appreciated the small things. Thank you for making Maryanne so happy.”
Becoming the first Ironman with Down syndrome
People with Down syndrome are also capable of physical feats you wouldn’t believe: just ask Chris Nikic. In November 2020 the 21-year-old from Maitland, Florida, became the first person with the condition to attempt to run an Ironman race — and he completed it, too!
This insanely grueling undertaking involved a 2.4 mile swim, a bike ride lasting 112 miles and an entire 26.2 mile marathon, all in less than 17 hours. It was an endurance test which would have scared away most people without Down syndrome!
A sense of purpose can do wonders
As Nikic told Today, though: “Right after the race, I am going to bring the bib to the corporate Ironman offices… I can be on the wall of fame!” His proud father Nik revealed, “For me and my wife, the most important thing is that my son is being included and having a sense of purpose.”
He added, “When your child is born with Down syndrome everyone tells you what they can’t do and how tough it is going to be.” But Chris gave short shrift to that way of thinking.
Trusting the “hug of vulnerability”
Training Chris for Ironman wasn’t always easy, just like training a “normal” person wouldn’t be, either. His trainer Dan Grieb told Today that he’d found the perfect way to push through any tough spots though: the “hug of vulnerability.”
He revealed, “While I am hugging him, I am saying things like, ‘I know it’s hard. Ironman is hard. Life is hard sometimes.’” He added, “I do believe that God specifically elected me for this young man and his family.”
Madison Tevlin — the “Assume That I Can” champion
Finally, we’ll come full circle with the next trailblazer: to Madison Tevlin, the star of the “Assume That I Can” campaign. A Canadian actress and singer, she first came to fame in 2015 at the age of 13 by singing a cover version of John Legend’s “All of Me.”
She was soon able to parlay that viral fame into a hosting gig on the CBC talk show Who Do You Think I Am? After that, she set her sights on Hollywood, and landed a pivotal role in Woody Harrelson’s Champions, the story of a basketball team with learning disabilities.
A Letter To My Future Self
In 2023 Tevlin wrote a stirring essay for Net-a-Porter magazine entitled, “A Letter to my Future Self” in which she wrote about the limitations placed on her from the moment she came into the world.
She revealed, “When I was born, the doctor told mom and dad that life would be hard for me. They were told that I may never talk or walk, and I may never be able to hold a job.” As we now know, Tevlin went on to blow these expectations out of the water.
Just look at her now
“If only that doctor could see me now,” beamed the proud young woman. “I certainly talk, and I definitely walk. In fact, I just walked a red carpet. I turned my greatest passion — acting — into a full-time career, and now I’m starring in a Hollywood movie.”
She added, “I’m also the host of my own TV show, and I’m always advocating for my community.” Still, her childhood doctor would be far from the only person Tevlin would encounter who doubted her prospects and abilities.
An army of “Yes, we can!”
“I’m not sure why, but just like that doctor who believed my life would be difficult, a lot of people think we are defined by Down syndrome,” mused Tevlin. “Isn’t that crazy? I really hope that’s changed by the time you’re reading this.”
Instead of listening to these doubters, though, Tevlin chose to stand with her community, “because there is strength in numbers — and when people don’t believe in us, we can be an army of ‘Yes, we can!’”
Breaking the mould
Tevlin then spotlighted the story behind her beautiful singing voice. She explained, “I would never have thought that recording a version of John Legend’s ‘All of Me’ — just for fun, but it then went viral — would be the beginning of where I am today.”
Amazingly, even being able to sing is an achievement in and of itself for Tevlin. She explained, “Something a lot of people still may not know is that singing can be a challenge for people with Down syndrome. I took lessons and worked hard to break that mould.”
Amazing things happen when you embrace inclusivity
“That Hollywood movie I mentioned?” continued Tevlin. “It’s called Champions. When I read the script, I knew the role of Cosentino was made for me.” She added, “This 21-year-old is so excited, and thankful to everyone who made this film and for bringing out the best in me.”
Landing the plum role opposite a Hollywood A-lister like Harrelson convinced Tevlin that “amazing things happen when you embrace inclusivity. Keep sharing that message. I think there are a lot of people who need to hear it.”
She did all this after life-threatening surgery
What is most astonishing about Tevlin, though, is that she began to conquer the world of TV and film after enduring heart surgery. You see, around half of all babies born with Down syndrome will suffer from a heart condition, and Tevlin is part of that half.
She first had surgery at only 18 months old and then, as she revealed in May 2019 via Facebook, “My annual check-up showed some changes, and they have to go in again to remove a membrane that has grown restricting blood flow to my heart.”
She was terrified, but her loved ones helped her through
In her Net-a-Porter essay, Tevlin admitted, “When I was 19, I had to have heart surgery. That seems so long ago now, but I remember the feeling as if it was yesterday. I was so scared. Not only of the operation, but also of the recovery and the pain that would come with it.”
Thankfully, she wasn’t left alone to be brave; she was helped through the experience by the support of her friends and family. In fact, the sheer depth of their love meant the world to Tevlin.
An incredible strength of character
“You know what I wasn’t expecting?” asked the brave young woman. “Everyone else being scared for me. Seeing my Mom so worried and my family trying to be brave made me want to work even harder to come out stronger. And I did! It definitely helped that I had so many people rooting for me.”
In truth, the fact Tevlin went through something which required a painstaking year of recovery. That she still had the strength to continue bringing her message to the world speaks volumes about her character.