A major photography exhibition starting this month will highlight the invisibility of Black children with Down syndrome (Trisomy 21). Reflecting Radiance’featuring photographs by world-renowned lensman Misan Harriman. Coinciding with World Down Syndrome Day on March 21, “the exhibition shines a light on the beauty, resilience and potential of Black children with Down syndrome, reframing the conversation around the intersection of race and disability.” (1)

The events also marks the launch of The Black Child Down Syndrome Project (BCDS), “a groundbreaking advocacy initiative dedicated to increasing awareness, representation, and support for Black children with Down syndrome and their families. Founded to address the lack of visibility and culturally relevant resources, the BCDS Project aims to create a more inclusive world where every child can thrive regardless of their abilities.” (2)

BCDS was founded by a collective of four Afrikan women of SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) children that had previosly made waves developing resources for SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) children and families that have now combined forces. (3)

The invisibility of Black children with Down Syndrome occurs not just within the wider community but also our very own and is accompanied by a very real sense of isolation for child and family. Some of this may be rooted in misconceptions and/or ignorance. As BCDS co-founder OneNess Sankara muses:

“Assume competence. Assume first that these children are capable rather than incapable. That single shift in perspective changes everything.”(4)

Danise B. Grant, BCDS Co-Founder adds:

“I think that all the spectacular things about children with Down Syndrome are often missed when people focus on the can’t rather than what they can do.” (5)

It should be emphasized that some of these negative presumptions persist within the medical profession itself where it is still the case that a Trisomy 21 child can be terminated up to the point of birth rather than the more standard twenty-four weeks. (6)

These erroneous presumptions speak to the mission of BCDS to “redefine perceptions of Down syndrome, advocating for equal opportunities, and empowering Black children and families, so they don’t experience disadvantage and isolation.” (7)

Sis. OneNess is developing a creative approach to raising awareness through her T21 Alchemy that aims to:

    • Raise Awareness: Through engaging performances and interactive sessions, to educate and inspire the community about the challenges and triumphs of living with disability.
    • Expand Consciousness: By addressing intersectional themes of race, neuro-diversity and disability, the hope is to broaden perspectives and foster inclusivity.
    • Support the Community: T21 ALCHEMY will provide workshops and support sessions that offer valuable resources and connections for those directly and indirectly touched by disability, particularly parents and caregivers of children with Down Syndrome (T21).
    • https://www.gofundme.com/f/t21-alchemy-raising-consciousness-around-around-disability (8)

Collectively, what is required of the community is to challenge itself to ensure that its long standing fight against marginalisation and injustice from without, fully applies within.

The Reflecting Radiance exhibtion runs from March 21st to April 1st 2025 at, Hope 93 Gallery, 54 Eastcastle Street, London, W1W 8EF.

(1) Joel Campbell (05/03/25) Black children with Down syndrome are invisible . https://www.voice-online.co.uk/entertainment/2025/03/05/black-children-with-down-syndrome-are-invisible/
(2) The Black Child Down Syndrome (2025) About Us. https://blackchilddownsyndrome.com/about-us/
(3) Campbell. Op. cit.
(4) Ibid.
(5) Ibid.
(6) Afrika Speaks with Alkebu-Lan on Galaxy Radio (15/07/24) What is T21 Alchemy? https://www.mixcloud.com/AfrikaSpeaks/what-is-t21-alchemy-150724//; Chas Geiger (20/03/24) Rishi Sunak declines to back MP’s Down’s syndrome abortion law change. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68617513
(7) Campbell. Op. cit.
(8) Oneness Sankara (30/05/24) Support T21 ALCHEMY: Raising Consciousness Around Disability. https://www.gofundme.com/f/t21-alchemy-raising-consciousness-around-around-disability

Do WE see the disability?

1) What is your experience of having a SEND child in the Afrikan community?
2) How should we address issues of invisibility and isolation?
3) Can we reconcile being marginalised in society while marginalising others in the community?
4) What initiatives do we need in addition to BCDS?

Our Special Guests:

Sis. Oneness Sankara: is an award-winning spoken word artist, creative, and healer with over 25 years of experience in the arts, healing, and social change. From the BBC to Glastonbury, she’s had the honor of opening for artists and activists like Mutabaruka, Jonzi D, Dead Prez, Janet Kay, Queen Afua, Dr. Joy DeGruy, and Jesse Jackson, to name a few. Her work lives at the intersection of art, spirituality, and advocacy.

She combines her love for the creative arts, her teaching and mentoring background, and her spiritual and cultural practices to create spaces that support personal healing and the embodiment of purpose. She’s the founder of T21 Alchemy, an initiative dedicated to transforming the narratives around Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome), disability, and the experiences of carers. Her work focuses on the intersection of race, disability, and gender, with a deep commitment to inclusivity, advocacy, and storytelling.

Ultimately, her goal is to help co-create the world our ancestors dreamed of — and the one we now dream of — using art as a tool for healing, empowerment, and social change. Through her poetry, playwriting, and facilitation, she invites others to find their voices, transform their stories, and join her in building a more just and inclusive society.

Sis. Danise B. Grant: is a former secondary teacher, who is currently an EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) consultant, and a passionate SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) advocate and educator. She is the founder of Panda’s Tree, the UK’s first organisation dedicated to supporting and advocating for the Black Down syndrome community, and a key partner in the Black Child: Down Syndrome Project.

She has over 20 years of experience across various educational settings, including adult literacy, TESOL, and secondary education. However, it was her experience as a mother of a child with special needs and disability that reignited her passion for advocacy and social justice.

As Managing Director of SEND Parent Partnerships, Danise works to drive inclusion and diversity within educational institutions, collaborating with both parents and schools to ensure the best outcomes for children requiring special educational support. She is also an active public speaker on the SEND system and how to support people with SEND and their families in a variety of settings.

Danise serves as a government official, an advisor on the Greater London Authority’s Difference Matters team and is a member of a local authority SEND education panel. Additionally, she produces and co-hosts The SEND Sisterhood podcast with another SEND mother, where they candidly explore the challenges and joys of SEND parenting.