08/04/2025
There’s meaning in our name and here’s the heart behind it:
Eight years ago, I was blessed with my second child- a baby girl who was born with Down syndrome.
A new baby naturally brought on smiles and congratulations from many, but even today it’s still hard to make sense of the I’m sorry’s and the ones who walked away because of the way she was born.
No time to get stuck there though; I leaned into my faith and my village who was there throughout the hospital stays and procedures that left me drained, appointments that blurred one into the next, and the therapies that pushed my baby toward healing. Their strength became ours and together we made it through.
One afternoon while at the park, I watched a Mom intentionally keep her children from playing with mine. What could have been a moment between friends on the playground, instead became a painful reminder to me that there are some people who only see Auri as her diagnosis.
The older she gets, the more these reminders occur, but that’s where Hearts in the Park makes all the difference.
The park is not limited to a greenspace or playground. Instead the park refers to any place where our loved ones with a disability interact in the community. Wherever you live, work, gather, socialize or meet, that is your park; and everyone should be supported to do what you love wherever you are.
Hearts in the Park is more than just an organization, It’s a place where differences are not only accepted, but celebrated. Where youth and young adults with disabilities have the accommodations needed to be themselves, and families are met with kindness, friendship and love.
Through every activity, every shared smile, and every new connection, the work of Hearts in the Park reminds me that inclusion isn’t complicated, it’s just a matter of being intentional. And when that happens, distance fades. Walls come down and memories are made.
Grateful for the beautiful day we shared at the park yesterday! Thank you all for being part of something special! 🤗❤️
