Special Olympics swimmer Patricia Pecora medalled twice at the 2019 Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Likewise, tennis player Andrew Crout won two medals in tennis, while bowler Edward Joyner also had two top-ten finishes. Pecora and Crout, both long-time competitors, said the opportunity to compete at the highest level was the biggest award.
More than 1,000 people participated in Autism Delaware’s Lewes Walk for Autism this weekend. Families formed teams and raised funds through sponsorships leading up to the event, which took place in Cape Henlopen State Park. Next week Autism Delaware will host a Walk for Autism in Wilmington. The annual walks are meant to raise awareness for autism and Autism Delaware’s support programs.
Daniel Lanier, a second-year student in UD’s Career and Life Studies Certificate (CLSC) program, reveals his goals to write and produce music professionally in a feature story. Lanier, who has autism, also intends to advocate for civil rights, particularly inclusion
and accessibility in the education system. CLSC’s program manager says Lanier has taken advantage of opportunities on campus to grow as a self-advocate and leader, including involvement in UD’s Center for Black Culture.
The upwelling of support for the Special Olympics in the face of proposed budget cuts is an exemplary demonstration of community advocacy, write Maria Shriver, whose mother Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded the Special Olympics, and former Ohio governor John Kasich. Shriver and Kasich say the reaction, which emphasized the value of inclusion, showed the value of “com[ing] together, ris[ing] above our partisan concerns and us[ing] our voices to champion a cause that unites us all.”
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is suing Facebook for allegedly violating the Fair Housing Act. HUD says Facebook does so by allowing real estate companies that buy Facebook ads to choose which groups of people see their ads – enabling advertisers to hide ads from individuals based on race, religion, familial status, disability and other characteristics. Either Facebook or HUD can move to have the case heard in federal court, which could result in an injunction or civil penalties.
