23-Year Old Riza Reji Is First Indian With Down Syndrome To Be Selected For Premier Fashion Show

Riza Reji, a young woman from Bengaluru with Down syndrome, has been selected to participate in the annual "Be Beautiful, Be Yourself" fashion show of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, which will take place in Colorado in November 12.

Riza is the first Indian to participate in the show, which is held annually to raise funds for research on cognitive health problems.

ANI

In February 2022, the 23-year-old was chosen after an online audition, and for her wardrobe, she decided on an Indo-Western fusion.

In personality-related questions and on the ramp walk, she dazzled by showing her skills. Riza has always had a preference for the arts. She is a trained dancer.

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In an interview with ANI, she shared that art and theatre profoundly affected her life and thinking by helping her express her thoughts and feelings better.

YouTube

Riza added that she has begun practicing for the fashion show while working on her verbal skills. She also mentioned that she is enthusiastic and restless about the selection for this fashion show.

"People like me and everyone that supports me to get the award and be famous," she added.

Riza¡¯s mother, Anita Rezi, co-founder of the ¡®Beautiful Together¡¯ institute working for the welfare of the disabled, said that her daughter is verbally active and very candid about her feelings.

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ANI quoted Anita saying, "She does not hide behind her disability. My daughter is very fond of getting into the creative and artistic fields and loves to mingle with people."

Riza¡¯s father, Reji Waheed, said that even now, most of the welfare schemes in the country are made keeping in mind physical disabilities.

"The Divyang people are in our midst. These people have a great need for belonging. Every child with a disability has a hidden talent, which needs to be understood. After that, these people go on their path. There is also a need to connect differently-abled people with mainstream society."

He added,

"Riza is not just one individual, she is the representative of the community, that they need to come into the limelight They need an opportunity. They get the opportunity but hardly get support. That is one reason we want to reach out to the public as much as possible. They should also come out and do things to show that you know them. They should not be kept in their own homes or centers. You should not treat them differently; once they are treated equally, they will fare much better with more and more such opportunities."

The event, scheduled for November 12 in Denver, Colorado, will benefit the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, the Sie Center for Down Syndrome, and the Linda Crnic Institute.

(With ANI inputs)