Posts by Nicole Kristal

Growing up in South Florida, my best friend had an uncle with severe intellectual disabilities. I watched his mother and grandmother work tirelessly to care for them with dignity and respect. Every Christmas, Uncle Larry would visit. Despite his challenges, to us, he was simply “Uncle Larry.” We’d play with our new presents, the age…

Celebrating Creativity: Why Recognizing the Artistic Side of Individuals with Down Syndrome Matters When we think about creativity, most of us imagine painting a canvas, writing a story, or losing ourselves in music. Creativity is part of what makes us human. It’s how we share who we are, how we process the world, and how…

In June 2025, GiGi’s Playhouse Raleigh welcomed a new face to our Fantastic Friends program, Deive. Like many new participants, stepping into a new space with new people came with challenges. At first, Deive found comfort in quieter areas, like the sensory room, and would often need time to adjust before joining group activities. But…

May 2025 marked the one-year celebration of Gigi’s Fantastic Friends coming to Glenaire—a Senior Living community in Cary.  It all started in April 2024 with a concert by GiGi’s handbells performing and grew from that beginning. To highlight our year, we recently hosted a “Gigi’s In Review” event with a visual slide show of our…

At GiGi’s Playhouse, our mission is to foster global acceptance for individuals with Down Syndrome, creating opportunities for communities to learn, connect, and celebrate diversity. On Tuesday, February 3rd, 2025, we had the privilege of furthering this mission by engaging with a group of occupational therapy students at the University of North Carolina. Dr. Kathryn…