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A Conversation with Connor Long Actor, Advocate, and Athlete
by Fred J. Maahs, Jr.
You’ ve probably seen Connor Long, in a movie, or on the Red Carpet, or perhaps on a stage advocating for the rights of people with disabilities. At nearly 27 years old, he’ s already made a name for himself in Hollywood and in the lives of countless people with disabilities and their families. Connor is talented, smart, funny, insightful, and he happens to have Down syndrome. I first met Connor and his family when he was being honored for his work as an actor with a disability and as an advocate for people with disabilities during the Annual Convention for The Arc in 2016. The Arc is a national organization here in the United States that provides programs and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In a recent“ Zoom” interview with Connor and his father, Brian, we quickly picked up where we left off several years ago – acknowledging the progress that has been made with laws and programs for people with disabilities and recognizing there is still a lot of work to be done.