Gigi Cunningham has always had dreams of having a career in the entertainment industry, and with a handful of modeling jobs already under her belt, it looks like the 23-year-old beauty is on her way to doing that and more. But what’s even more impressive is that Gigi is using her talent to raise awareness for the Down syndrome community and to put an end to bullying.
Down Syndrome or Down's syndrome, also known as trisomy 21, is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21. It is typically associated with physical growth delays, characteristic facial features, and mild to moderate intellectual disability. The average IQ of a young adult with Down syndrome is 50, equivalent to the mental age of an 8- or 9-year-old child, but this varies widely.
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Gigi will be a representative in the Buddy Walk, which is a nationally known Down Syndrome society event. Later on this month, the model is set to walk the runway of the 2015 Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show in Denver, Colorado.
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The young beauty says that this fashion show is her biggest achievement yet.
The show is put on by the Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GDSF), and it is the largest fundraiser for Down syndrome in the country, according to its website. More than 1,200 people attend the event every year to show their support for these young and brave models, and the show has raised more than $9.5 million for Down Syndrome research, medical care, advocacy and awareness.
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Remembering her journey thus far, Gigi writes on her Instagram, "Recapping My Life and how God has Blessed me to Experience so many things and meet some amazing people along the way. Just know that Down Syndrome never stopped me and it never will. What's for me is Mines."
Despite her success, a few years ago Gigi said that she was taunted at school by...
...her peers. Her mother, Erica Butler, expresses to TheMighty.com what it was like for her daughter to deal with bullies.
“Gigi understands that there are some cruel people in the world, but that you do not let that tear you down as a person,” Butler said via email.
Butler also said that her daughter watches DVDs from the Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center and she also reads their anti-bullying literature. During a Down syndrome event on Labor Day, Gigi passed out anti-bullying flyers and looks forward to continuing to campaign against bullying in the future.
While she is just too preoccupied to be bothered by her past bullies, Gigi isn't naive about what it takes to be successful in the future. She understands that she’ll face many challenges in her future, especially working in the entertainment industry.
“Many doors will close and many will open,” Gigi told The Mighty in an email. “Always approach your obstacle with a ‘I can’ attitude and with a smile on your face because you are worth it. My belief is that you can do all things through Christ and with prayer nothing is impossible. Never give up and if no one else believes in you I do. We are winning. I am determined to help change the face of beauty.”
