The Special Olympics has been an empowering and joyful part of international athletics since 1968, when the first games were held at Chicago’s Soldier Field. As we all know, the Special Olympics is an opportunity for athletes who live with intellectual disabilities to come together in the spirit of friendly competition. As they compete, Special Olympians build discipline, enthusiasm, and self-confidence. Parents, neighbors, teachers, and friends bear witness to the athletes’ achievements, while the Olympians’ communities look on with pride.

However, I believe that the Special Olympics is much more than a simple athletic competition. It is a vehicle for change that not only provides the athletes with an opportunity to see themselves in a new light but also enables society as a whole to reevaluate preconceptions of the intellectually disabled.