WASHINGTON (WXYZ) — Thursday is World Down Syndrome Day and in Washington D.C., a young woman from Troy is being nationally recognized for her advocacy work while still pushing for change.
In June, we introduced you to Allie Hayes, who is the inspiration behind the "Justice for Allie" bill in Michigan. Signed into law by Gov. Whitmer in December, the legislation protects vulnerable adults from sexual predators online.
Hayes spent six long years speaking out and advocating for the legislation after an online predator coerced her into sending sexually explicit photos when she was a teenager.
Last week, she received an advocacy award from the Arc of Oakland County and this week, she’s in Washington receiving another advocacy award from the National Down Syndrome Society.
“I feel like I was really heard, and it felt really good,” Hayes said of her recognition. "I felt empowered when I got it.”
But that’s not all Hayes and her family have been up to in Washington. On Thursday, she was at the U.S. Capitol still advocating for the vulnerable. She and her family met with lawmakers including Congresswoman Debbie Dingell to discuss a number of bills impacting people with Down syndrome.
“We felt great doing it," Hayes' father Mark said of their work in Washington. "It was a lot of work, but it really felt like we were making a difference.”
"The nicest thing is she brought me a bracelet, which I'm going to be wearing," Dingell said of her meeting with Allie Hayes. "She put pearls on it because she knows I love to wear pearls.”
Dingell, who’s leading another bill that the Hayes family is advocating for called the Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act, says she was touched by Allie and her story. While many states have a similar bill like Justice for Allie, there’s no protection in federal law.
“As a result of her meeting with me today, I'm going to be looking at a Justice for Allie bill at the federal level,” Dingell said.
While being awarded for their work thus far, the Hayes family and now members of Congress say their work is not done yet.
“We are left with a sense that there is still some work to be done," Allie Hayes' mother Dawn said. "We feel like we’ve taken it this far, we certainly can push a little harder.”
“We've got to protect young people like Allie to make sure people do not manipulate them, exploit them," Dingell said. "They’ve got a lot of good in them and we don't want someone to cause them harm.”
