152. Eli and Jennifer - the meaning of love.

<p><strong>Jennifer White Cooper</strong></p> <p>Jennifer grew up in Kansas City and has lived in California all of her adult life. She has worked for more than three decades in the fields of education and disability. When her son, Eli, was unexpectedly born with Down syndrome, Jennifer made a conscious, maybe even forced, decision to ensure that humor was part of the journey of parenting Eli. Jennifer discusses utilizing humor in a way that allows her to cope, sometimes deny, and truly enjoy the breadth of experiences in being a parent to a child with a disability. More importantly, the humor has been a component of allowing Eli to own and celebrate all of who he is…Down syndrome included.</p> <p><strong>Eli Cooper</strong></p> <p>Eli is a 25 year-old artist and rocker living in Berkeley, California. He utilizes puns, inspiration from music and his sometimes, edgy personality in expressing himself through a variety of artist mediums. He exhibits and sells his work through: <a href="https://creativegrowth.org/" target="_blank">Creative Growth Art Center.</a> When the world isn’t in a pandemic, Eli also works as a disability awareness advocate. He’s spoken to thousands of students and has received several state and national awards.</p>