@WildMelissaHart
@wildmelissahart.bsky.social
Journalist/author of Down Syndrome Out Loud & lots of other nonfiction/fiction. Work in NYT Magazine, WaPo, Smithsonian, Nat Geo Kids, CNN, Slate, Salon, +. melissahart.com
In honor of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, I give you these awesome people from DOWN SYNDROME OUT LOUD: 20+ Stories of Disability & Determination (Sourcebooks, 2025).
#internationaldayofpersonswithdisabilities #disability #downsyndrome #inclusion #teacher #librarian #unitednations
#internationaldayofpersonswithdisabilities #disability #downsyndrome #inclusion #teacher #librarian #unitednations
December 3, 2025 at 11:32 PM
In honor of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, I give you these awesome people from DOWN SYNDROME OUT LOUD: 20+ Stories of Disability & Determination (Sourcebooks, 2025).
#internationaldayofpersonswithdisabilities #disability #downsyndrome #inclusion #teacher #librarian #unitednations
#internationaldayofpersonswithdisabilities #disability #downsyndrome #inclusion #teacher #librarian #unitednations
Thanksgiving slime mold in my backyard. Hot damn!
November 27, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Thanksgiving slime mold in my backyard. Hot damn!
The current administration fired most employees at the Office of Special Education. The activists and athletes, artists & entrepreneurs in DOWN SYNDROME OUT LOUD depended on this Office for access to mainstream education, tutoring, and college prep.
The cruelty of this administration astounds me.
The cruelty of this administration astounds me.
October 14, 2025 at 2:40 AM
The current administration fired most employees at the Office of Special Education. The activists and athletes, artists & entrepreneurs in DOWN SYNDROME OUT LOUD depended on this Office for access to mainstream education, tutoring, and college prep.
The cruelty of this administration astounds me.
The cruelty of this administration astounds me.
Happy Down Syndrome Awareness Month from my brother and me! @oregonduckfootball.bsky.social @universityoforegon.bsky.social #downsyndrome
October 9, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Happy Down Syndrome Awareness Month from my brother and me! @oregonduckfootball.bsky.social @universityoforegon.bsky.social #downsyndrome
Right there with you, Tim Flach.
October 8, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Right there with you, Tim Flach.
I think this publicist got some incorrect information about my newest book. Nevertheless, I'll be reaching out the Hallmark Channel today.
October 2, 2025 at 3:51 PM
I think this publicist got some incorrect information about my newest book. Nevertheless, I'll be reaching out the Hallmark Channel today.
October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. To celebrate, purchase a copy of DOWN SYNDROME OUT LOUD: 20+ Stories of Disability & Determination for your library, school, bookclub, community center, Little Free Library, family member, or friend! #downsyndrome #disability #inclusion #teacher #librarian
October 1, 2025 at 4:44 PM
October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. To celebrate, purchase a copy of DOWN SYNDROME OUT LOUD: 20+ Stories of Disability & Determination for your library, school, bookclub, community center, Little Free Library, family member, or friend! #downsyndrome #disability #inclusion #teacher #librarian
As I tell my creative writing students, it's just so important to read your work aloud to catch typos.
September 22, 2025 at 4:52 PM
As I tell my creative writing students, it's just so important to read your work aloud to catch typos.
How wonderful to see DOWN SYNDROME OUT LOUD on display at the NYC Buddy Walk! #downsyndrome #mglit #disabilityawareness
September 16, 2025 at 3:10 PM
How wonderful to see DOWN SYNDROME OUT LOUD on display at the NYC Buddy Walk! #downsyndrome #mglit #disabilityawareness
What's making me happy today is this school library photo from teacher Michael Holton, who's featured in my newest book Down Syndrome Out Loud: 20+ Stories of Disability & Determination. I hope every school librarian will order a copy of this inspiring and important book! #backtoschool #librarian
August 25, 2025 at 4:07 PM
What's making me happy today is this school library photo from teacher Michael Holton, who's featured in my newest book Down Syndrome Out Loud: 20+ Stories of Disability & Determination. I hope every school librarian will order a copy of this inspiring and important book! #backtoschool #librarian
I get to teach a workshop on how to write social and political commentary at the Willamette Writers' Conference in Portland, Oregon tomorrow, and I am so very excited to empower people to get their stories out into the world! #creativewriting #politics #writer
August 1, 2025 at 3:15 PM
I get to teach a workshop on how to write social and political commentary at the Willamette Writers' Conference in Portland, Oregon tomorrow, and I am so very excited to empower people to get their stories out into the world! #creativewriting #politics #writer
Friends at #mswishlist , does anyone rep middle-grade memoirs written by adults with Down syndrome or other intellectual/developmental disabilities? Literally asking for a friend profiled in my newest book, Down Syndrome Out Loud. #books #downsyndrome #disabilityawareness @mswishlist.bsky.social
July 8, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Friends at #mswishlist , does anyone rep middle-grade memoirs written by adults with Down syndrome or other intellectual/developmental disabilities? Literally asking for a friend profiled in my newest book, Down Syndrome Out Loud. #books #downsyndrome #disabilityawareness @mswishlist.bsky.social
Friends, how do you connect with Republican House leaders if you're not in their district? Help!
This tax/spending cuts package will devastate the lives of people like my brother with Down syndrome and people featured in my newest book, Down Syndrome Out Loud.
We need to act today. Advice?
This tax/spending cuts package will devastate the lives of people like my brother with Down syndrome and people featured in my newest book, Down Syndrome Out Loud.
We need to act today. Advice?
July 2, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Friends, how do you connect with Republican House leaders if you're not in their district? Help!
This tax/spending cuts package will devastate the lives of people like my brother with Down syndrome and people featured in my newest book, Down Syndrome Out Loud.
We need to act today. Advice?
This tax/spending cuts package will devastate the lives of people like my brother with Down syndrome and people featured in my newest book, Down Syndrome Out Loud.
We need to act today. Advice?
The Family Cafe, the largest statewide cross-disability conference in the U.S., turned out to be a remarkable experience. I adored modering panels of five people profiled in Down Syndrome Out Loud.
#inclusion #disabilityawareness #DownSyndrome #autismawareness #MentalHealth #neurodiversity
#inclusion #disabilityawareness #DownSyndrome #autismawareness #MentalHealth #neurodiversity
June 16, 2025 at 5:58 PM
The Family Cafe, the largest statewide cross-disability conference in the U.S., turned out to be a remarkable experience. I adored modering panels of five people profiled in Down Syndrome Out Loud.
#inclusion #disabilityawareness #DownSyndrome #autismawareness #MentalHealth #neurodiversity
#inclusion #disabilityawareness #DownSyndrome #autismawareness #MentalHealth #neurodiversity
Hot damn, this just never gets old. But seriously, I'm almost as excited by the flyer next to me at the crosswalk across from @powells.bsky.social .: "It's like Cirque du Solei for your cats." Ha!
June 5, 2025 at 2:40 AM
Hot damn, this just never gets old. But seriously, I'm almost as excited by the flyer next to me at the crosswalk across from @powells.bsky.social .: "It's like Cirque du Solei for your cats." Ha!
School Library Journal published this essay of mine today. Enormous thanks to Charlotte Woodward and Sofia Andrea Sanchez from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes for sharing their perspectives. #inclusion #politics #downsyndrome
teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2025/06/02/t...
teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2025/06/02/t...
June 3, 2025 at 3:40 AM
School Library Journal published this essay of mine today. Enormous thanks to Charlotte Woodward and Sofia Andrea Sanchez from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes for sharing their perspectives. #inclusion #politics #downsyndrome
teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2025/06/02/t...
teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2025/06/02/t...
I've been sitting on this news for a few weeks. My brilliant agent Jennifer Unter once again took a chance on one of my weird ideas, and lovely editor Naomi Ruiz at @timberpress.bsky.social accepted it! #nature #science #authorsofbluesky
May 22, 2025 at 11:58 PM
I've been sitting on this news for a few weeks. My brilliant agent Jennifer Unter once again took a chance on one of my weird ideas, and lovely editor Naomi Ruiz at @timberpress.bsky.social accepted it! #nature #science #authorsofbluesky
California friends, I get to sign copies of DOWN SYNDROME OUT LOUD in Palm Springs this Saturday. Come on over...it would be lovely to see you!
www.eventbrite.com/e/dsi-3rd-do...
www.eventbrite.com/e/dsi-3rd-do...
May 14, 2025 at 3:51 AM
California friends, I get to sign copies of DOWN SYNDROME OUT LOUD in Palm Springs this Saturday. Come on over...it would be lovely to see you!
www.eventbrite.com/e/dsi-3rd-do...
www.eventbrite.com/e/dsi-3rd-do...
"Encouraging people with disabilities to participate as widely as possible in social life should be one of the goals of a decent society."--Kwame Anthony Appiah from The New York Times Magazine, April 18, 2025
#inclusion #disabilityawareness #kindness
#inclusion #disabilityawareness #kindness
May 12, 2025 at 8:28 PM
"Encouraging people with disabilities to participate as widely as possible in social life should be one of the goals of a decent society."--Kwame Anthony Appiah from The New York Times Magazine, April 18, 2025
#inclusion #disabilityawareness #kindness
#inclusion #disabilityawareness #kindness
Meet Ronnie Brown, The Fry Guy, from Down Syndrome Out Loud!
May 12, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Meet Ronnie Brown, The Fry Guy, from Down Syndrome Out Loud!
This is why I should always have a second cup of coffee before using voice to text.
May 8, 2025 at 11:36 PM
This is why I should always have a second cup of coffee before using voice to text.
Wait, is this a thing? So all these years, I could have gone to all my kid's three-day dance competitions and passed out pot brownies to the parents?
May 6, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Wait, is this a thing? So all these years, I could have gone to all my kid's three-day dance competitions and passed out pot brownies to the parents?
Possibly the finest sentence in a book review ever. Thanks, NYT.
May 4, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Possibly the finest sentence in a book review ever. Thanks, NYT.
Join me & the stars from DOWN SYNDROME OUT LOUD at the Down Syndrome International Film Festival in Palm Springs. Meet Jamie Brewer, John Tucker from Born This Way & Zack Gottsagen-The Peanut Butter Falcon!
www.eventbrite.com/e/dsi-3rd-do... #downsyndrome #palmsprings #film #filmfestival #inclusion
www.eventbrite.com/e/dsi-3rd-do... #downsyndrome #palmsprings #film #filmfestival #inclusion
April 30, 2025 at 4:38 AM
Join me & the stars from DOWN SYNDROME OUT LOUD at the Down Syndrome International Film Festival in Palm Springs. Meet Jamie Brewer, John Tucker from Born This Way & Zack Gottsagen-The Peanut Butter Falcon!
www.eventbrite.com/e/dsi-3rd-do... #downsyndrome #palmsprings #film #filmfestival #inclusion
www.eventbrite.com/e/dsi-3rd-do... #downsyndrome #palmsprings #film #filmfestival #inclusion