Member Spotlight: Hannah
What's your story? Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Hannah is 25 years old and lives in Elm Grove. She shares that she has Down Syndrome. “I am living my best life to the fullest,” she exclaims. She moved into her own apartment in January. She loves having her own space and doing the things she wants to do. She explains that her dad was from Iran in the Middle East and that she is Muslim. Unfortunately, her dad passed away in 2013, but she is managing her life the way she knows that he would have wanted her to. She has a mom and a sister whose name is Nahal. They have a dog named Millie. She explains that she loves her family because they are really close and have a lot of fun together. “We like to have fun and be silly sometimes,” she says.
Hannah works a Pick N Save in the floral and bakery departments. She works three days per week and loves it. She also enjoys volunteering. She has volunteered at the Milwaukee County Zoo where she fed the giraffes, and she has volunteered at the Humane Society as well. “I love volunteering,” she says. She is really active in her community and loves social outings.
How are you involved with self-determination? Why did you join the SD Network?
Hannah is very involved in the Down Syndrome Association in West Allis. She attends classes they offer virtually. One of her favorite classes was the Globe class where they learned about different countries. She tells us that they also went to theaters and helped with things like will call tickets and handed out programmed. She volunteers at the Association as well. “It’s my favorite place. Everyone is awesome,” she exclaims!
Tell us some good news - what's the most exciting thing happening for you (or in Wisconsin) in term of self-determination?
Hannah shared a couple of exciting things with us. First, she wanted to tell us that she has a great group of friends that she loves spending time with. She’s been friends with her best friend since they were babies. They went to the same schools have a lot of fun together. One of the best memories she has is when she was prom queen her junior year of high school!
Another exciting thing happening for Hannah is that she is working with a tutor to learn a little bit of the Farsi language and the Iranian culture. By doing this, she is hoping to be able to communicate with her Persian family a little bit.
What tip or resource would you like to share with people who want to be more self-determined?
Hannah suggests sharing your hopes and dreams with your family and friends so they can help you try to achieve them. She tells us that she has a lot of great family and friends who take time to learn about her dreams and help come up with ideas how to make them happen. She also does a vision board to help her sort them out. "Don't be nervous to share," she says. She's also in a family group that's made up of her friends who have disabilities and their families that talks about their goals and how to achieve them. She likes to plan, but she says that if you struggle with planning, find a good support person to help you. She encourages everyone not to get discouraged. " If I can do these things, so can you," she enthusiastically exclaims!
What are some of your hobbies?
Hannah has a plethora of hobbies she enjoys doing. She likes to do all sorts of different crafts such as beading bracelets, looming baby hats with yarn and donating them, and diamond dotting (sticking diamond dots on pictures to make them sparkly) gifts for family and friends. She also likes to write - - especially poetry and affirmations. She writes newsletters for her family and friends. She also writes posts on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. It helps her stay connected she explains. She also loves getting pictures with family and friends. “My family and friends are super important,” she says. Singing is another hobby she enjoys doing. She has taken voice lessons and loves to sing for fun. Cooking is yet another thing she likes to do—grilled cheese is her favorite food. She surely stays busy!
***We love hearing the views and opinions of Network members. We need to mention that the views and opinions expressed on this site are those of the person who is sharing them. They do not necessarily reflect InControl Wisconsin or any of our supporters and funders.
