Guest guest Posted April 8, 2008 Report Share Posted April 8, 2008 passing this sad news on from another list. Gundula > > http://www.patriciaebauer.com/2008/04/08/melissa-riggio-dies-at-20-inspired-chan\ ges-in-bookselling-publishing/ > > Riggio dies at 20; Inspired changes in bookselling, publishing > April 8th, 2008 > > Riggio, whose life helped prompt the publishing industry to pay > more attention to the expanding market of people with disabilities and > their families, died Monday of leukemia, her family announced today. The > daughter of & Noble CEO Steve Riggio, she was 20. > Ms. Riggio, who had Down syndrome, was the inspiration for & > Noble's creation of a special section of books about children with special > needs. In an interview with the New York Times in 1991, Mr. Riggio said he > realized after his daughter's birth that books about children with > disabilities were scarce and often difficult to locate. > That year, when Ms. Riggio was three, the company celebrated the > nationwide debut of its " Children with Special Needs Collection. " It > contained about four dozen titles about disabilities like autism, cerebral > palsy, dyslexia and speech and hearing impairments, most of which were not > widely circulated. > Mr. Riggio said at the time that he hoped the company's efforts would lead > to the publication of more books about childhood disabilities. " We want to > encourage publishers, " he told the Times. " We want to get out the word > that our company is behind these books. If publishers know there is a home > for them in our stores, that they won't be relegated to a few shelves in > libraries, they are more likely to publish them. " > Today, a search of the company's website reveals almost 3,400 items in the > company's " Children with Special Needs " collection. > Ms. Riggio (at left, with her father) lived in Bernardsville, New Jersey, > with her family and was a 2007 graduate of Bernards High School, where she > was crowned prom queen at her senior prom. She shared her feelings about > her life in an essay in National Geographic Kids magazine in January of > 2007. The essay, titled " I Have Down Syndrome - Know Me Before You Judge > Me " conveyed a powerful message of self-advocacy, acceptance, inclusion > and optimism. > " Even though I have Down syndrome, my life is a lot like yours, " Ms. > Riggio was quoted in the article " as told to " Buchholz. " It's true > that I don't learn some things as fast as other people. But that won't > stop me from trying. I just know that if I work really hard and be myself, > I can do almost anything . > " I can't change that I have Down syndrome, but one thing I would change is > how people think of me. I'd tell them: Judge me as a whole person, not > just the person you see. Treat me with respect, and accept me for who I > am. " > An avid poet and aspiring songwriter, Ms. Riggio collaborated on several > songs with British singer-songwriter Fuller and Townshend, a > family friend and lead guitarist of the Who. A haunting recording of her > lyric in " The Ring " can be heard on the website of the National Down > Syndrome Society (NDSS), where her father serves as vice chair of the > board of directors. Ms. Riggio's essay and music were also featured by > & Noble in Down syndrome awareness events held last year in > approximately 500 stores across the country. The songs are available for > download at www.riggio.net. > In May 2003, Ms. Riggio received the Self-Advocate Award from the NDSS; > Senator Hillary Clinton (left) was honored at the same event. > Ms. Riggio was employed as an office worker at the Somerset Hills YMCA in > Basking Ridge, New Jersey, and had plans to enter a post-secondary > educational program. She is survived by her parents, Steve and > Riggio, sisters and , her grandmother, Lena Riggio, and a > large extended family. > The obituary notice provided by her family can be viewed here. > Following are some of Ms. Riggio's lyrics: > The Ring > Words by Riggio > Music by Fuller > > I'm in the Ring outside > I'm following my belief > I'm looking at the sky > I saw God following my heart > I'm an ordinary woman > > The Ring is falling down my way > The wind is blowing me away > The Ring is falling down, down my way > The wind is blowing me away > > And so I came back to > The center of the Ring > Am I just a broken angel? > God has sent me here to heal > To be an ordinary woman > > http://www.riggio.net/ > > http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Stories/PeoplePlaces/Downsyndrome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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