The Work
CDSS "Assume That I Can" by Small
Campaign for World Down Syndrome Day is a call to action to put an end to prejudice and support the potential of each person with Down syndrome.
Canadian Down Syndrome Society partnered with CoorDown, the National Coordination of Associations of People with Down Syndrome, for a new awareness campaign about the importance of readjusting perspectives and perceptions.
"Assume That I Can" challenges the low expectations others have of a protagonist with Donw Syndrome, played by Toronto actor and broadcaster Madison Tevlin, and proposes a reversal of perspective.
Initially, those around her believe that she cannot drink a cocktail, be a boxer, study Shakespeare, live alone, or achieve important goals. But halfway through the film, there’s a twist: the protagonist forcefully invites the viewer, and society at large, to think outside the box and use the self-fulfilling prophecy positively. If you believe in me, if you trust in me, you can have a positive impact, and then, I will achieve my goals, even unexpected ones.