“C’mon, do I look scary to you?” Grace Strobel delivers this line to a crowd of over 200 middle schoolers. It gets a laugh; it’s hard to imagine anyone being scared of this 22-year-old with the bright smile. “My mom always tells me that sometimes people are afraid of what they don’t understand,” explains Strobel, who was born with Down syndrome.
This lack of understanding previously made Strobel a target of taunts and mocking. So she, along with mom Linda, created #TheGraceEffect, a presentation with a mission to educate and spread awareness of disabilities. They put in two months of research and hundreds of hours of practice, says Linda. “Grace is incredibly hard-working and driven.”
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#TheGraceEffect teaches the struggles of Down syndrome through fun demonstrations. Kids wear thick gloves to mimic reduced fine motor skills and then try to button shirts, or stand on special mats to experience feeling off-balance. “I love joking around with the students and seeing them understand what I might be going through on a daily basis,” says Strobel. After her speech, she receives high-fives and hugs from students. She believes she makes an impact because, as she says, “It’s coming from my heart, and not a teacher or parent.”
Now, a year after she began, Strobel’s career is taking off. She’s started modeling in print and on runways and hopes to expand #TheGraceEffect’s reach.
Off-stage, Strobel is like any young woman. She loves swimming with her friends in the summer, watching movies, and listening to music. “I like to show that people with disabilities have gifts, talents, capabilities, hopes, and dreams like anyone else,” says Strobel.
Visit Grace’s website to learn more about her mission and to see her portfolio.
