People with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) have the same risks for cancer as the general population. However, they may experience worse cancer-related results. I was part of a research team led by Dr. Julie Armin, a professor at the department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Arizona. Our team wanted to understand how state policies affect cancer experiences for those with IDD.

Francine is a 23-year-old woman who likes taekwondo and going to the gym. She has a great sense of humor and loves to make people smile. Like many people her age, she is considering the possibility of having children in the future. Francine also has Down Syndrome. The Sonoran Center’s Celina Urquidez and Jocelyn Watson sat down with Francine and her mother, Maria, to talk about how Francine is approaching one of life’s biggest decisions.

The Sonoran Center is proud to have been a part of the 2025 Self-Advocacy Conference. Taking place remotely on May 17, 2025, the conference was presented by the Southwest Institute for Families and Children with support from the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Council.

During the spring 2025 semester, my involvement in disability-focused programs like adaptive recreation, teen social groups, and inclusive camps has reshaped the way I view what meaningful support looks like for children and youth with developmental disabilities. These experiences have shown me how healing and transformative inclusive spaces can be, especially when they center joy, connection, and belonging.

On April 11 and 12, 2025, the 21st Annual American Indian Disability Summit and the 5th Annual Native Youth Disability Summit were held. The American Indian Disability Summit was held in person at the Desert Willow Conference Center in Phoenix, while the Native Youth summit was held virtually. Both summits provided an opportunity to network, share knowledge and skills, and address issues and challenges facing Native communities.

On April 2, 2025, the U of A’s Sonoran Center, Autistic and Neurodivergent Student Association (ANDSA), and Disability Cultural Center (DCC) held Neurodiversity Day. Taking place on the U of A mall, Neurodiversity Day was a chance for the community to celebrate neurodiversity, grow and share understanding of neurodiversity, and share helpful resources. 

During the Fall 2024 Semester, I had the opportunity to be an intern at the Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities. I worked with a team to gather resources and make information available in an easily understandable format for people with IDD. Learning to write in plain language was a very valuable experience because it will help me become a better health care provider.

On March 13th and 14th, 2025, participants in the National Science Foundation Improving Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative (NSF IUSE) throughout the Southwest came together in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Participants shared updates, learned from each other’s successes, and planned ahead for the future.

The Pregnancy and Parenting Support project exists to assess and raise awareness of the support needs of people with disabilities who are or want to become parents. To further that mission, we are amplifying the voices of parents with disabilities to share their experiences. This is Jordan's Story.

During my internship at the Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities, I had a great opportunity to work with Celina Urquidez and be a part of their Pregnancy and Parenting Project. The project truly opened my eyes about women with IDD who are facing misconceptions regarding reproductive health and sexual activity. As part of the project, I created a resource product that can be used by the community.