Lauren Fairchild had her first lesson in professionalism and public speaking from her aunt when she was 8.
She would watch her aunt, who worked as a corporate trainer, create videos for marketing products that the company manufactured. She admired her aunt and started to mirror her movements. Lauren, who has Down syndrome, slowly would develop a passion for entertaining others, and later, advocacy through public speaking.
“Lauren started wearing nothing but black pants and carrying a briefcase,” said Cleta Fairchild, Lauren’s grandmother and legal guardian. “I think (copying her aunt) kind of developed her desire to be a speaker… She just took off because she likes to talk.”
Now 25, Lauren is using those skills on a bigger stage. As someone with Down syndrome, she is an advocate for those with the same condition. Her public-speaking efforts highlight that those with Down syndrome can lead the same successful lives as those without.
“I want to tell parents ‘It’s OK that your kid has Down syndrome,’ Lauren said. “You don’t need to worry as much.”
Cleta enrolled Lauren in speech therapy classes at the University of North Texas where she spent the next 17 years polishing her diction. Since taking these classes, Lauren has grown more confident in her public speaking ability.
“I am most comfortable with all types of people,” Lauren said. “I never get nervous. I just get ready and get it done.”
Today, Lauren speaks to parents of children with Down syndrome at Cook Children’s Medical Center and at Rotary Clubs and other community events, educating people about the condition.
Cleta enrolled Lauren in speech therapy classes at the University of North Texas where she spent the next 17 years polishing her diction. Since taking these classes, Lauren has grown more confident in her public speaking ability.
“I am most comfortable with all types of people,” Lauren said. “I never get nervous. I just get ready and get it done.”
Today, Lauren speaks to parents of children with Down syndrome at Cook Children’s Medical Center and at Rotary Clubs and other community events, educating people about the condition.
“Seeing some of the self-advocates like Lauren up there speaking kind of calms them down and it takes that doom and gloom they were given at the hospital away,” Cleta said.
Kim Rocha, executive director at the partnership, first met Lauren in 2018 and hired her to help the organization with its fundraising efforts.
Over the past five years, Rocha is proud of the person Lauren has become. Not only is Lauren breaking stereotypes about people with Down syndrome but she is also someone with a big heart who genuinely cares and that makes her inspiring, Rocha said.
“We want younger generations of people with Down syndrome to see what they can achieve. They can be in roles where they’re out in the community speaking and leading at events,” Rocha said. “(Lauren’s) absolutely a role model and a leader.”
Those who know Lauren have described her as remarkable and a testament to what others with Down syndrome can achieve, her grandmother Cleta said.
“If you’re not directly related to someone that has Down syndrome, then you don’t know about all the abilities that they have and what they can accomplish and what joy they bring to people,” Cleta said.
While Lauren is passionate about speech and educating people on living with Down syndrome, her hobbies outside of work are similar to most her age. She likes to swim, take Zumba classes and go out with friends.
“It used to be that when people had a disability, they were hidden. And Lauren’s not. We are not ashamed of anything. And we don’t need to be ashamed of anything because she’s remarkable. She truly is,” Cleta said.
Sandra Sadek is a Report for America corps member, covering growth for the Fort Worth Report. You can contact her at sandra.sadek@fortworthreport.org or on Twitter at @ssadek19.
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