“There are moments in life you never forget,” Jay Handlin, 61, said, smiling at the photo of his daughter in a graduation cap and gown.
“For me, it’s this one - Rachel holding her college diploma.”
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| Credits: Jayhandlin | Twitter |
Rachel Handlin, who has Down syndrome, had just graduated from the California Institute of the Arts, earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography & Media - a huge accomplishment, not just for her, but for anyone who’s ever been told they couldn’t.
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Jay shared the news online with a heartfelt message:
“This is my daughter, Rachel Handlin. Tonight, she earned her full Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Photography & Media from the prestigious California Institute of the Arts, @CalArts. Rachel has #Downsyndrome. I am officially the proudest father on the planet.”
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| Credits: Jayhandlin | Twitter |
Jay recalls introducing Rachel to great art and museums during their trip to Paris where he noticed an ‘electric charge’ in the little girl’s body.
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“She had an instant positive reaction to art,” he said.
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When she turned nine, the proud father and his wife then gifted her a Nixon Coolpix point-and-shoot digital camera, after which her creative skills truly began to surface.
“She’d take these photos of puddles or cracked walls, and they were beautiful,” Jay said. “She noticed what most people missed.”
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Over time, her interest in photography grew. She took classes, built a portfolio, and eventually applied to CalArts - where she made history as the first student with Down syndrome accepted into the Photography & Media program.
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| Credits: handlinrachel | Instagram |
“Rachel lived with her mother in the apartment so that she could focus on her studies without having to deal with struggles of independent living,” emphasized Jay.
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She worked hard for five years, attending classes, participating in exhibitions, and even starting a View Camera Club - a group for photography majors on campus.
On graduation day, Rachel stood tall in her cap and gown. Her parents watched with pride, overwhelmed with emotion.
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Jay later explained that very few people with Down syndrome graduate college, not because they lack ability, but because they’re rarely given the opportunity.
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But Jay’s ‘proud Dad’ post on Twitter quickly went viral, touching thousands of people who saw hope and learned that ‘nothing is impossible,’ even for parents or grandparents whose children are dealing with down syndrome.
“It involves families who refused to let their children’s futures be denied, who fought unfair odds, social biases, low expectations, and system stacked against them and somehow managed to win,” he emphasized.
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| Credits: handlinrachel | Instagram |
Now, Rachel is considering a Master of Fine Arts degree. Her story continues to inspire, proof that with support, belief, and room to grow, anything is possible.
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“She’s more than capable,” Jay said. “She’s extraordinary.”
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| Credits: handlinrachel | Instagram |
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