26. Owning Your Influence By Using Your Words with Amy Julia Becker

When Amy Julia Becker received her daughter Penny’s Down Syndrome diagnosis, she mourned the loss of a hypothetical child, the one she had always expected. However, Amy Julia and her husband quickly found joy, love, hope, and perspective in their now 13 year old daughter. So much so that Amy Julia wrote, “A Good and Perfect Gift: Faith, Expectations, and a Little Girl Named Penny.” She chose to share Penny’s story when she noticed the consistent lack of hopeful information that comes with a Down Syndrome diagnosis. Amy Julia even shared her journey with our co-host Micha when she received her son Ace’s prenatal diagnosis. Penny’s vulnerability and fight to be included opened her mother’s heart and eyes to other people that society often marginalizes and excludes.  With this in mind, Amy Julia put pen to paper to discuss the important topic of privilege in her newest book, “White Picket Fences: Turning toward Love in a World Divided by Privilege.” Clearly, this mother of three does not shy away from the tough conversations. Her other publications include articles about Down Syndrome in Washington Post, New York Times, ABC News, The Atlantic, and more listed below. Amy Julia is definitely owning her influence as an author to shift the Down Syndrome narrative and talk about privilege. When she isn’t writing, she’s speaking or enjoying life with her family. What a gift it is to sit down with her today for Episode 7 of Season 3! So friends, join us as we chat with Amy Julia Becker about authors, advocates, affluence, oh and Penny’s new pointe shoes for dance class!  Purchase White Picket Fences: Turning toward Love in a World Divided by Privilege, by Amy Julia Becker on Amazon. Purchase A Good and Perfect Gift: Faith, Expectations, and a Little Girl Named Penny, by Amy Julia Becker on Amazon. CHECK OUT HEATHER'S NEW BOOK Scoot Over and Make Some Room: Creating a Space Where Everyone Belongs by Heather Avis is available for pre-order on Amazon.