FLINT, MI – The “This Is Me” fashion show will return this month, bringing its eighth annual celebration of special needs children and their families to Flint.
The event set to begin at 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, at the Sloan Museum of Discovery, 1221 E. Kearsley St., will showcase local participants walking the runway in designs crafted by two new local designers.
“It’s always different each year,” said organizer Tracy Palmer. “Different collaborations, different relationships, different resources, and we’re just excited to be able to do that.”
This year, Palmer has partnered with 810 Munchies, a Flint restaurant created specifically as a safe, judgment-free space for families with disabilities.
Owner Steven Brewer will host a meet and greet for participants and their families from 4-6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, at his restaurant located at 3600 S. Dort Highway.
Brewer said he didn’t hesitate when Palmer approached him.
“Anything that has anything to do with the special needs community, I’m gonna hop on board and do it,” he said. “I’m the only special needs restaurant in the country.”
For the meet and greet, Brewer plans to close the restaurant to the public and set up what he calls a “sloppy dinner” — a table covered with chicken strips and fries where kids can freely dig in.
“I just want the kids to enjoy themselves,” he said.
Palmer said partnerships like this reflect the purpose of “This Is Me,” which she launched to give children and teens with disabilities a space where they can grow, express themselves and feel celebrated.
“At the beginning, they’re filled with fear and doubt,” she said. “Then you watch them grow and understand that they deserve to be celebrated.”
After eight years, Palmer said she’s watched many participants return and reach milestones once thought impossible, including a young boy named Aubrey whose family feared he wouldn’t survive infancy.
“He’s five years old now and talking and doing a lot on his own,” Palmer said. “Those things fill my heart with so much joy.”
She said the theme this year is simply freedom — letting participants be themselves.
“I think it’s important for people to accept you for who you are,” Palmer said. “This is me.”
Brewer said Palmer’s mission aligns with his own efforts to expand supportive spaces for families with disabilities.
“People like her are why I do what I’m doing now,” he said. “We’re just trying to make the best experiences in life for these guys and allow them to experience life the way the rest of the world does.”
Tickets are $20 for general admission.
For more information, visit www.trendsettersprod.com.