Speaking with the Healthfirst HEART Connections: A Day of Inspiration and Connection
John and I had the privilege of speaking with the Disability Employee Resource Group (ERG) at Healthfirst, a managed care organization that serves the New York area. It turned into one of those moments that remind me why we do what we do.
Autism and the Value of a Life: A Response to Secretary Kennedy
Last week, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of Health and Human Services, issued a series of statements about autism that have sparked a national dialogue.
This essay is not just a critique; it is a vision for how we can think better, act better, and lead better. At its core, it is a call to replace fear with understanding and to reaffirm the dignity of every human life.
Everyone in Washington Says They Are Pro-Family, but Current SSI Policy is Anti-Family
Thank you Newsday for publishing this op-ed article. We hear from politicians of all stripes how much they love and support families. Let’s do a reality check and look at SSI. Current policy punishes people who want to work and, even worse, undermines marriage and families. SSI Limits To qualify for SSI a person must […]
Spreading Ideas, Sparking Dreams: Judging the Adelphi University Business Plan Competition for the Third Year
John and I had the honor of returning to Adelphi University for the third consecutive year to serve as judges for the annual Business Plan Competition, a Shark Tank-style event that gives student entrepreneurs the chance to pitch their ideas, win startup funding, and take real steps toward building a better world. And once again, […]
New York State Needs to Make Entrepreneurship an Option for All
Our economy depends on the contributions of entrepreneurs as they start new businesses, solve problems, create jobs and provide new tax revenues. States recognize the importance of entrepreneurship and provide programs and funding to support it. But one group is often left out: people with differing abilities. Entrepreneurship should be an option for everyone, including […]
Sock Guys, the Award-Winning Documentary Short about John, Mark and John’s Crazy Socks, Is Now Available for All to See for Free
Filmmaker Katie Turinski created Sock Guys, a documentary short, that tells the story about how John and his father Mark created John’s Crazy Socks. Before, you had to attend a film festival to see Sock Guys, now Katie has made it available on Vimeo for all to enjoy. People watch it and weep, laugh and walk away […]
Our Son Was Born with Down Syndrome. This Is the Line I Wish We Weren’t Told Repeatedly.
This article originally appeared in the Huffington Post. Our youngest son, John, was born in the middle of the night in a community hospital. Moments after his birth, I held our newborn in my arms as I had his two older brothers, bent over him and wept with tears of joy. He was so tiny, […]
An Open Letter to Elon Mussk on the Use of the R-Word
An Open Letter to Elon Musk Elon Musk has once again decided to use the R-word, this time to insult a person who disagreed with him on X. As the father of a young man with Down syndrome, an advocate for people with differing abilities and an employer of people with differing abilities, I felt […]
John and Mark X. Cronin Address Future Medical Professionals at the University of Houston
Too often, doctors and medical professionals struggle to communicate effectively with patients who have a disability and their families. This can translate into people with disabilities not receiving the care they need. The University of Houston College of Optometry is working to change this situation and they invited John and Mark X. Cronin, co-founders of John’s Crazy Socks, to address a class so they could better understand the needs and experiences of patients and their families.
John and Mark X. Cronin Inspire at the Together We Can Conference in Longview, Washington
John and Mark X. Cronin, the father-son duo behind John’s Crazy Socks, returned to the Together We Can Conference in Longview, Washington, to deliver an inspiring keynote address. Organized by Life Works/The Arc of Cowlitz County, this annual event celebrates individuals with differing abilities and their contributions to the community. Following their impactful presentation last […]
