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In a First, Peruvian With Down Syndrome Runs for Parliament

Associated Press

   LIMA, PERU - Bryan Russell has Down syndrome and does daily speech
   exercises, putting pens and corks in his mouth to help build up low
   muscle tone there. He is also waging a long-shot bid to become a
   national Peruvian lawmaker, going door to door in Lima to ask for
   votes.

   Russell, 27, wants to use his campaign to raise awareness about people
   with developmental disabilities and he says he represents an
   alternative to the scourge of corruption in Peru that has brought down
   presidents and weakened democratic institutions.

   "I'm someone clean, honest, transparent," Russell said in an interview
   with The Associated Press. He spoke while sitting next to Amor, a pet
   dog he rescued from the street.

   The purpose of politicking, he said, is to "break the paradigm" that
   people with Down syndrome can't be independent.

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