Escuela Creer Down ( school for children with down syndrome)
People with downs syndrome are often represented as carefree fools. When I photographed at the  Escuela Creer Down ( school for children with down syndrome) in Oaxaca mexico, I wanted to portray that people with Down's syndrome are aware of the world that surrounds them and that they are not simpletons. Upon entering the school I took my place sitting in the class whilst being greated by students ranging in age from 4 to 38 . One of the students, 10 year old Luis Angel sauntered into class late and it became clear he was the coolest kid in school. After sizing me up he grabbed my hand and took me to play a 45 minute session of catch. I spent 5 days photographing Luis, I met his mother who explained to me that though he has mild Downs he does not qualify for mainstream schooling. She is a single mother- Luis's father was a chef on a morning TV program in Mexico who has not lived with the family since Luis was born.  The nature of Downs Syndrome meant Luis was a happy child but life is undeniably hard for a child with his disability and some aspects were heartbreaking for me to see.  Nevertheless, Luis had a definate tenderness about him, the image of him cradling the other girls face came when she was being bullied by a classmate.