DENVER, CO, March 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL) announced today that Emmy Award-winning, multi-platinum singer-songwriter Rachel Platten, and GLOBAL Ambassador Crystal Muro, will headline the 2026 AcceptAbility Gala on Wednesday, May 20, at the JW Marriott Washington, DC.
“The AcceptAbility Gala is an opportunity to celebrate the abilities of those with Down syndrome and new life-changing federally funded research. It is also an opportunity to educate Congress and the community about the transformative DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act that ensures we continue to elongate life and improve health outcomes for people with Down syndrome,” explained GLOBAL President & CEO Michelle Sie Whitten.
The annual bipartisan gala will honor Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Rep. Paul D. Tonko (D-N.Y.) who will receive GLOBAL’s highest distinction, the Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award. The prestigious award recognizes Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle who have gone above and beyond to support GLOBAL’s mission, advancing federal research funding, medical care, and public policy that improves and elongates the lives of people with Down syndrome.
Past recipients include Reps. Diana DeGette, Robert Aderholt, Tom Cole, Rosa DeLauro, Richard Hudson, Lois Frankel, Pete Sessions, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Katherine Clark, and Pete Stauber; and Sens. John Hickenlooper, Jerry Moran, Steve Daines, Roy Blunt and Tom Harkin.
Crystal Muro will be formally inaugurated as a GLOBAL Ambassador and deliver a keynote address. A longtime role model and self-advocate, Crystal’s resilience, warmth, and leadership embody the extraordinary contributions people with Down syndrome bring to their families, workplaces, and communities. From her years of volunteering at the Tustin Area Senior Center to her active engagement with the Regional Center of Orange County, Crystal exemplifies community engagement and service. An avid artist and natural performer, she is known for spreading happiness through her creativity and generosity. Crystal will be joined by her sister and long-time GLOBAL supporter, Liz Mahar, Deputy Vice President of Advocacy and Strategic Alliances at PhRMA.
The evening will be co-emceed by power-couple, John Roberts, co-anchor of America Reports on Fox News, and Kyra Phillips, award-winning correspondent and anchor for ABC News.
The AcceptAbility Gala begins at 6:00 p.m. with a reception and celebrity red carpet followed by dinner, a live auction, the integrated dance team RhythmXpress and soloist Robert Wallop — both from the DC region, and award presentations including the Tom Cole & Rosa DeLauro GLOBAL Advancement Awards which provide scholarship funds to promising post-secondary students with Down syndrome. Celebrity guests are expected to include three-time Emmy Award-winning former WJLA ABC News anchor Autria Godfrey, and six-time Emmy® Award-winner and NBC News’ chief political analyst Chuck Todd.
The evening will conclude with a performance by Rachel Platten. Rachel is an Emmy Award-winning, multi-platinum artist, songwriter, and activist whose music embodies empowerment, hope, and resilience. She first captivated the world with her breakout anthem “Fight Song” - an enduring cultural touchstone that topped charts globally, inspired movements, and has now been streamed over 3 billion times worldwide.
In 2020, she joined GLOBAL’s Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show where she captured the hearts of the Down syndrome community with her moving performance of another one of her hit songs, “Better Place.” Most recently, with the release of Fight Song (Rachel’s Version), Rachel launched a landmark new chapter — reimagining her most iconic Wildfire-era songs with renewed depth and resonance.
The AcceptAbility Gala raises critical funds to support GLOBAL’s life-saving advocacy, groundbreaking research, and specialized medical care for children and adults with Down syndrome. The event uniquely convenes policymakers from both parties, leading scientists from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), corporate leaders, celebrities, and the Down syndrome community for an evening dedicated to advancing inclusion, innovation, and improved health outcomes.
Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal condition, affecting an estimated 400,000 Americans, yet it has long been one of the least-funded genetic conditions at the NIH. With GLOBAL’s leadership bringing together multiple stakeholders, the NIH Down syndrome research and medical care budget has increased by $440 million over the last seven years.
The AcceptAbility Gala Board consists of prominent leaders in business, government relations, and the Down syndrome community including Jan Adams, Founder & CEO, JMA Solutions; John Ashbrook, Founding Partner, Cavalry LLC; Amy Best Weiss, Executive Vice President, Global Government Affairs, American Express; Kevin Brennan, Principal, Bluebird Strategies; Pasquale “Pat” DiFrancesco, Vice President, Advanced Advocacy; Emilie Eager, Director of Business Development, Julie Parker Communications; David Egan, Quincy Jones Awardee, self-advocate and author; Felicia Emry, Life Skills Director, Heaven on Earth NOW; Natalie Farr Harrison, Senior Vice President Government Relations, Avoq; Guy Harrison, Partner, OnMessage, Inc.; Liz Mahar, Deputy Vice President, Advocacy & Strategic Alliances, PhRMA; Erin Book Mullen, Principal, Williams & Jensen, PLLC; Matthew Perin, Head of Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs, Kroger; Cliff Riccio, Senior Vice President & Chief, Government Relations, NCTA; Julie Riccio, Director of Regulatory Affairs and Public Policy, PwC; Frank Stephens, GLOBAL board member, Quincy Jones Awardee, Ambassador, self-advocate and actor; Richard Waysdorf, General Counsel and Board Secretary, Global Down Syndrome Foundation; and Michelle Sie Whitten, President & CEO, Global Down Syndrome Foundation.
AcceptAbility Gala tickets, tables and sponsorships can be purchased online at www.globaldownsyndrome.org.
Members of Congress and congressional staff interested in attending should contact advocacy@globaldownsyndrome.org. Media inquires, photos, and B-roll are also available upon request to Shawn Flaherty at 703-554-3609.
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About the Global Down Syndrome Foundation
The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL) is the largest non-profit in the U.S. working to save lives and dramatically improve health outcomes for people with Down syndrome. GLOBAL established the first Down syndrome research institute and supports over 400 scientists and over 2,700 patients with Down syndrome from 40 states and 11 countries. Working closely with Congress and the National Institutes of Health, GLOBAL is the lead advocacy organization in the U.S. for Down syndrome research and care. GLOBAL has a membership of over 130 Down syndrome organizations worldwide, and is part of a network of Affiliates – the Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, the Sie Center for Down Syndrome, the University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center – all on the Anschutz Medical Campus, and the GLOBAL Adult Down Syndrome Clinic at Denver Health.
GLOBAL’s widely circulated medical publications include Global Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome, Prenatal & Newborn Down Syndrome Information, and the award-winning magazine
Down Syndrome World TM. GLOBAL also organizes the annual AcceptAbility Gala in Washington DC, and
the annual Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show, the largest Down syndrome fundraiser in the world. Visit globaldownsyndrome.org and follow us on social media Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
Attachments
- Emmy Award-winning, multi-platinum singer-songwriter Rachel Platten will headline the 2026 AcceptAbility Gala hosted by the Global Down Syndrome Foundation on May 20 at the JW Marriott Washington, DC.
- Emmy Award-winning, multi-platinum singer-songwriter Rachel Platten will headline the 2026 AcceptAbility Gala hosted by the Global Down Syndrome Foundation on May 20 at the JW Marriott Washington, DC.
