I have been a part of Special Olympics for nearly two decades, and what it means to be an athlete resonates more now than ever before.

Being a Special Olympics athlete means empowering those around us. It means making our motto, “let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt,” come to life.

The world, which can be daunting at times, has come together to battle the coronavirus. It gives me hope that if we cared about the well-being of everyone, including people with intellectual disabilities (ID), everyone would thrive.

Will you click here to automatically add your name and say you’ll work to empower people with ID?

Right now, at a time when it’s difficult to do anything outside of our homes because of the coronavirus, it's up to us to find new ways to play, to go to work, to learn, and to be someone's neighbor.

And Special Olympics athletes can lead the way, because people with ID have always had to think outside of the box to thrive.

Now, the pandemic is teaching everyone to never take anything for granted and to have an open mind. These two lessons can transform the world and make it more welcoming for everyone with ID.

Will you help? Say you’ll push for more hope, more inclusion, and more equality in 2020 and beyond.

A new normal can be wonderful. It can be empowering and welcoming for all. I have hope that we can create that now by working together.

Thank you for everything,

RJ Nealon
Special Olympics North America Communications Fellow
Special Olympics Maryland athlete and Athlete Leader