Guest speaker a ‘role model’ for those in Best Buddies

Drake Rhone Staff Writer drake.rhone@drake.edu @drakerhone

Katie Meade, the first model with Down syndrome to become the face of a national beauty brand, spoke on Pomerantz Stage on March 2. Meade’s talk was part of Spread the Word to End the Word Week, a national movement focused on ending the use of the word “retard” (R-word) to describe anyone or anything.

In organizing the week’s event with Meade, Jessica Campbell, the president of Drake Best Buddies, said that they learned of Meade as a possible speaker through Melanie Hopkins, the program manager of Best Buddies Drake.

“We worked through her a lot, but the idea came that we really wanted to challenge people’s idea of beauty,” Campbell said. “To bring someone that would redefine what people think beautiful is...”

Meade gave a brief synopsis of her life and her successes before telling the crowd how she was first introduced to the R-word and how she believed that it should no longer be used because of the way that it makes disabled persons and their family members feel.

Campbell said that while this event isn’t the only thing the organization does for Best Buddies or Spread the Word to End the Word Week, Meade’s appearance was powerful.

“We do a lot of events,” Campbell said. “We had a table set up for a pledge during the week, we also have a fundraiser at the end of March, just because a lot of people support spread the word to end the word week, but it’s Best Buddies month. We really wanted to bring someone in as a model. Not necessarily a fashion model, but a role model for the community to see that everybody does have talents. Everybody can be anything they want.”

Campbell added that Meade could act as a model for the buddies.

“From a buddy’s perspective, it shows them, ‘Hey this is what you can do, this is what you can become,’” Campbell said. “Best Buddies is really instrumental in that.”

Meade said she chose to speak at Drake University due to her long standing relationship with the buddy program.

“I got matched in the buddy program with Taylor from Drake,” Meade said. “And then Melanie (Hopkins) worked for Buddies in

Des Moines, and I have done lots of stuff with her like Bible study and just getting to know her and her family.”

Meade said that she believed the event had a great turnout, and that events like this one are important to making a difference for the Spread the Word to End the Word cause.

“I’d love to come back, if you think you all would have me,” Meade said.