How We Got Rockin': The Story Behind Rock the 21

What do you mean an extra 21st chromosome?

Potential learning and medical challenges? Will my children be ok? What do I do? Who do I talk to? Like many, these were questions I asked when we received the news of a Down syndrome diagnosis.

i had no idea what to do or who to talk to.

At the time of the diagnosis, my husband and I were offered limited resources and we had lack of awareness of Down syndrome (DS). Of course we knew what DS was, but we had never met a child with DS. 

I was bombarded with information on the potential limitations and medical conditions we may encounter. I wasn’t first and foremost told that my babies were healthy – and just babies who happened to have an extra 21st chromosome. They would play and go to school. They would walk and run. They would laugh and love. They would be successful. They would encounter the same journey as everyone else, it just may take a different path to get there.

I talked to several professionals who were insightful and helpful, but I still had the takeaway that something was wrong.  I needed support.

And then the support came. 

I met Tara Stauber, a mom of a beautiful daughter with DS. She thoughtfully invited me to lunch, having no idea who I was, just that I was in the same "rockin’ club" as her. It was through Tara that I learned I was not alone at all. There were several families in my one-square-mile Hoboken community who also had children with DS. 

Following that lunch, it was during a conversation with my father, when I shared all my new positive resources, stories, and support from Tara that we thought of Rock the 21.

And so we started rockin'!

What a great opportunity to help spread awareness and celebrate our children and individuals with DS, because they ROCK. I reached out to Tara and my new friend Ana High – also a local mother who had a son with DS – and we planned our first social awareness event, a World Down Syndrome Day celebration on March 21, 2015.

Over the next year, we built momentum in our community and also met Stephanie Dotto, who had adopted a daughter with DS from Nicaragua. We formally established our non-profit organization in 2016.

rock the 21 was founded to share our stories.

While our children all have the same extra chromosome, our stories are uniquely different and we believe in their power to help others. We will work to create social awareness and educational opportunities for those who may not understand what DS is. We will provide resources and support to individuals of all ages with DS, as well as their families.

And, most importantly, we will celebrate all individuals with DS. 

We are grateful to our supporters as we further our mission. Please keep rockin' with us. 

                                                                                                                  - Elizabeth Freeman
                                                                                                                    President, Rock the 21