AnnaRose's Story

Pronouns are she/her/they/them.

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AnnaRose’s first words of advocacy were “I not a baby.” They have always wanted to do things themselves right from the very start.

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AnnaRose has had some pretty amazing experiences throughout her life. She has been presenting and speaking to others about her experiences for many years. Some of her audiences have been medical students, Princeton students, and the world from the United Nations.

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Passion for sports and music encompass a lot of AnnaRose’s life. They have played soccer, basketball, swimming, and more from rec league fields to professional fields, like when they signed on as a New York Red Bulls Special Olympic soccer player. AnnaRose has met many amazing athletes in person such as Kyle Kendrick (Philadelphia Phillies), Luis Robles (NY Red Bulls), and Megan Rapinoe (USA Women’s National Soccer Team). They have had the honor to ride along in the 2015 USWNT Ticker Tape Parade in NYC following the USWNT’s FIFA World Cup win. In addition, AnnaRose was a DJ for her college radio stations at Rowan College of Burlington County (RCBC) and Rider University. She follows many pop artists and attends many concerts and small band venues.

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Learning is another passion of AnnaRose’s. In May 2020, AnnaRose became the first person in New Jersey, who has Down syndrome, to graduate from a four-year university, becoming (at the time) one of twelve people in the world, who have Down syndrome, and hold a bachelor’s degree. They graduated from Rowan University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Radio, Television and Film, and a minor in Journalism, graduating Cum Laude. Before going to Rowan University, she graduated with honors from Rowan Collage at Burlington County in May 2017 with an Associate’s degree in Entertainment Technology: Video and Digital Media Production.

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AnnaRose puts that degree to work through 47 Club Productions, aptly named for the 47 chromosomes present in many people who have Down syndrome. Their passions for topics include social justice, mental health, and pay equality, just to name a few. She is well known in her community for working with AMC Theaters in 2013 to develop a better understanding of how the theater could serve patrons with intellectual disabilities.

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“Down syndrome is a part of who I am; it is actually in every single one of my cells. I work hard to meet the goals I set for myself. I chase my dreams with all I have, a lot of drive, and tons of passion.”