By Tara Stanzione | Managing Editor
Lauren Potter spoke out against bullying at her spotlight event on the Salve Regina campus this past Wednesday on March 18th. She talked to students about how she overcame bullying and how the challenge of being diagnosed with Down Syndrome did nothing to stop her from achieving her dreams.
She asked students to join her in standing up for others so that no one will have to feel afraid of being bullied, of failure, or of dreaming. She said that it should be our generation that says, “enough is enough,” when it comes to bullying.
Matthew Levine, a sophomore at Salve Regina University, was inspired by her words. “She got emotional at times, but that was the best part. It showed how passionate she was about what she was doing and all of her accomplishments.”
Although she is most well-known for her role as “Becky” on the hit TV series Glee, she is also a White House Advisor, Best Buddies advocate, and 2015 Special Olympics World Games Ambassador.
Potter became appointed to the President’s Committee for people with intellectual disabilities in 2011. She told the audience that her advice to the president is to give kids with or without disabilities the chance to speak up for their dreams.
Tressie Fretschl, a freshman at Salve Regina University, stated that she thought that the event was a great opportunity to learn about overcoming obstacles.
“She was very confident and very funny. She’s living a life with Down Syndrome and even though she’s not letting that stop her, it is still a disability. She doesn’t view it as that, she’s views it as a part of her identity – as her strength because it makes her who she is. I think that’s what was most significant about her presentation because it showed that everyone is entitled to dream and to achieve their goals,” Fretschl said.
Potter also talked about being a Best Buddies advocate and asking others to join the organization, stating that being a buddy can make a huge difference in someone’s life.
Alyssa Vila, Salve Regina senior and Best Buddies supporter, knew that the actress would make a big impact on campus. Although she knew a lot about the actress already, she learned much more about Potter throughout the night.
“The thing that surprised me the most was when she discussed the hardships she had to face as a student and how she was afraid of people not accepting her, especially when she was young. But the thing I liked the most when she talked about that was how she learned to accept who she is and overcome the fear she has of people not accepting her,” Vila said.
Potter’s talk was followed by a question and answer period where she made many people laugh. She stated that her favorite subject in school was swimming because she’s “like a fish” and that her favorite type of dance is the slow, romantic kind. When asked about her love life she admitted to having a cute boyfriend that she wouldn’t mind marrying in the future.
She ended her moving speech by telling the audience to speak loud and out against bullying and to use all of their energy and power to “never stop daring to dream and reaching for the stars.”
