They will host sports activities and lead campaigns that show the impact that sport can have on people and the importance of learning about intellectual disabilities. By creating opportunities for youth with and without intellectual disabilities to come together and learn about one another, Roxana and Denisse hope to create a more inclusive, understanding environment for all.

Over 6 months, Roxana and Denisse will engage 60 new Youth Leaders in Unified Sports and awareness campaigns. Their project will first focus on recruiting youth of all abilities to get involved in Special Olympics programs, and then running awareness and inclusion campaigns. These campaigns will include testimonials about the athletes’ love of sports, publicize what normal life might look like for people with intellectual disabilities, and show people with and without disabilities meeting and sharing their experiences. Through this project, Roxana and Denisse hope to get as many young people involved in Unified activities as possible, with the ultimate goal of incorporating inclusion into not just sports, but many different areas of life.