- Were you ever bullied?
- In high school I was, but I got over it
and I kept rolling with the punches.
- So you punched them?
- No. - Oh.
- No. (laughter)
It's just a phrase.
(happy music)
Hi.
- Hi, I'm Jules.
- I'm Devon.
- Very nice to meet you, Devon.
- Nice meeting you too.
- My name's Crystal.
- I'm Devon.
(laughter)
- I like your braces.
- Thank you. - Are they colored?
Is it like, I can see orange.
- It's kinda like, dark orange.
- I like it, yeah.
- Thank you.
- What are we here to talk about today?
- Well, I think we're here to talk about me.
- What about your life?
- Well, I have Down Syndrome.
- What?
- I have Down Syndrome.
- Down Syndrome? - Mhm.
Have you ever heard of Down Syndrome?
- No.
- Is it like, something with an X or a Y chromosome, or
X chromosome that like, something happens to it?
- It's maybe missing something,
I'm not sure, or there's too many?
I'm not, I'm not, I don't know.
(Devon laughs)
- Do you know the science behind Down Syndrome?
- I know a little bit, I know that
comes when you get an extra chromosome.
Yeah, that's basically all I know.
- She is correct.
A typical person has 46 chromosomes.
- Yeah. - And people with
Down Syndrome have 47. - Oh.
- What does it do to you if you have more?
- So, people with Down Syndrome can have heart defects
and have heart problems and sometimes
they have trouble speaking sometimes.
- Interesting, so what are some of the challenges
that you face, to day to day?
- Sometimes math, sometimes fractions
and long division sometimes.
- Yeah, I struggle with that too.
- Did you go to college, and if so, what was your major?
- Ooh, I did go to college. - Ooh.
- And I studied advocacy and marine biology.
- Oh, marine biology! - That sounds really cool!
I have a question, is a seal a marine animal?
- Yes.
- It's a marine mammal.
- Mammal.
- Do you have a job?
- I do.
- Are you a teacher?
- I am not a teacher.
- An engineer?
- No.
- An artist?
- No.
- A flight attendant?
- Ooh, I want to.
- Can you please tell me?
- I'm a lab aid.
- Huh?
- A lab aid, I work in a lab that's doing stem cell science.
- That sounds fun!
- Ooh that's so cool!
Yeah, I'm really interested in science-y, medicine stuff,
so that's interesting. - That's cool.
- Yeah.
- Do all adults with Down Syndrome have jobs?
- No, they're mostly unemployed.
- Ah, you're pretty lucky then.
- Do you have your driver's license?
- I do not.
- Then how do you get around?
- I bike and I take the light rail and I take the bus.
- Are you dating anyone?
- Well, I think I just started dating someone.
- You think? - I think, yeah.
(giggles)
- So, you have a crush on him?
- Yes.
- And does he have a crush on you?
- Yes.
- Does he tell funny jokes?
- Yes.
- Does every one make you laugh?
- Yes.
- What are some of the jokes?
(laughter)
I wanna know funny jokes!
- Do you wanna have kids?
- Not really, no.
- Can people with Down Syndrome have kids?
- I think so, yes, yes.
- Is it a higher risk that their kids
will have Down Syndrome or is it not at all related?
- Yes.
- Is that partly why you'd never wanna have kids?
- No, I just think they're a lot of hard work.
- Is this your first media interview?
- No it's not.
- What was the other one?
- Well I am on ESPN.
- For doing what?
- Special Olympics.
- Oh! What sport?
- Stand Up Paddle Boarding, actually.
- Really? - Yes.
- Wow, I would not be good at that,
I don't think. (Devon laughs)
- I do flag football, I do basketball, I do skiing.
- How fast do you go?
- Like really fast!
- Have you gotten any other cool opportunities?
- I went to the White House.
- Really? - Mhm.
- Which era, which president?
- Obama. - Oh, yeah.
- Which is really good.
(laughter)
- Did you get to meet the President?
- Well he came in and talked to us for about five minutes.
- That's super cool!
- Yeah, it was really overwhelming.
Oh yeah, and I did speak at the UN in New York City.
- What did you talk about?
- About me and about my life.
- Wow, you spoke in front of the UN?
That's amazing. - Yeah.
- Were there a lot of people there?
- Vanessa, it's the UN.
There's hundreds of people - Of course there is...
- And then millions more watching.
Did you ever picture yourself as an advocate
or somebody who spoke up for rights?
- Yes, I always wanted to. - That's good.
- That's good, 'cause you achieved your goal.
- If you could change the name
of Down Syndrome, what would you call it?
- I would call it Up Syndrome.
- Up Syndrome. (laughter)
Why would you call it Up Syndrome?
- Because I think it would be nice
to have people who can actually see that people
with Down Syndrome can be positive and to be happy.
- Are you happy?
- Yes! I'm always happy.
(Crystal giggles)
- Do you wanna tell each other jokes?
- Maybe we can do that after this.
(laughter)
- Hi, I am Devon Adelman and thank you
for watching kids meet a woman with Down Syndrome.
Don't forget to subscribe to HiHo
and please watch more videos.
Bye!
- What do you get if you cross a porcupine and a tortoise?
- I do not know.
- A slowpoke.
(laughter)
- That's an awesome joke, I have to say.