Congratulations to Matthew Cullen of Ipswich on being honored by National Down Syndrome Society with their 2023 Self Advocate of the Year Award 🎊🎈🍾🎉!
Matt, 26, is a 2018 graduate of Salem State University MAICEI program. Through his advocacy work for MA’s landmark Higher Education Bill, Matt has been featured in The Boston Globe, WBUR 90.9 FM, and Boston 25 News, helping pass the bill into a groundbreaking law that helps remove barriers to people with disabilities attending state colleges and universities, and serving as a model for other states across the country.
As an advocate, Matt has been a featured speaker at the MDSC’s Down Syndrome Advocacy Day at the State House, testified twice before the state’s Joint Committee on Education and participated in private meetings with the MA legislature’s Speaker of the House and Minority Leader. For over a decade, through the MDSC medical outreach program and “Operation House Call” program, Matt has presented to and helped educate hundreds of medical students about Down syndrome. Matt is a second degree black belt in karate, loves skiing, swimming and Peloton, and has three paid part-time jobs in his community.
We were thrilled to celebrate Matt at NDSS’s Champions of Change ceremony in Washington, where a very special surprise guest, Congresswoman Katherine Clark, came to present Matthew his award.
During his acceptance speech, Matt recognized other self advocates who were models for him growing up, singling out John Anton and Melissa Joy Reilly. “One thing John and Melissa taught me is that it is not just about me. It’s about what I can do for our greater community by advocating strongly for EVERYONE,” Matt said. “I was so lucky to go to college at Salem State, and I know that ALL my peers deserve to have the opportunity to live THEIR dreams! Dreams do come true!”
Please join us in congratulating Matt and thanking him for his steadfast, dedicated advocacy that among other things, helped make the Higher Ed Bill the law of the land in Massachusetts, thereby giving hundreds if not thousands of others with disabilities an opportunity to pursue higher education.