Hollywood Stars Join Denver Fashion Show Supporting Down Syndrome Research
Geena Davis, Christian Slater, Jessica Biel and other celebrity guests will join models with Down syndrome for the Nov. 7 fundraiser benefiting research, medical care and advocacy.
Hollywood stars, professional athletes and disability advocates will gather in downtown Denver on Nov. 7 for the 19th Annual Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show, an event celebrating people with Down syndrome while raising funds for research, medical care and advocacy.
Hosted by the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, the event at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel is recognized by the organization as the world’s largest Down syndrome fundraiser. More than 1,400 guests are expected to attend the evening of fashion, entertainment and philanthropy, which will feature models with Down syndrome sharing the runway with celebrity supporters.
The 2026 celebrity lineup includes Academy Award-winning actor Geena Davis, actor and producer Jessica Biel, former Denver Broncos running back and Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Davis, and television personalities Maria Menounos and John C. McGinley.
Golden Globe-winning actor Christian Slater is among the latest additions to the event, joining a roster that also includes Grey’s Anatomy actors Caterina Scorsone, Jason George, Alexis Floyd, Niko Terho and Anthony Hill; Olympic medalist Elana Meyers Taylor; and actors Beverley Mitchell, Shelley Hennig and Max Carver.
Denver television personalities Kim Christiansen and Phil Lipof will return as emcees, with appearances by Denver Broncos Cheerleaders Naomi and Renee.
Honoring advocates and celebrating representation
The evening will recognize actor, model and disability advocate Kennedy Garcia and television personality Maria Menounos as recipients of the 2026 Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award, the foundation’s highest honor. Named for the late music legend and longtime foundation supporter Quincy Jones, the award recognizes individuals whose advocacy has improved the lives of people with Down syndrome.
Garcia has helped expand disability representation in entertainment. She became the first person with Down syndrome to secure a recurring role on American daytime television, portraying Felicity Greene on “Days of Our Lives.” Her career also includes modeling campaigns for major brands and speaking engagements promoting inclusion and disability awareness.
Menounos, an Emmy Award-winning journalist and television personality, has supported organizations including Special Olympics and Best Buddies International.
The event will also celebrate Letizia Napoleone, the foundation’s 2026 ambassador. The 23-year-old actor and model from New York City has appeared in fashion campaigns and on international runways while pursuing a career in the performing arts.
“I am so proud to be a GLOBAL Ambassador and to represent people with Down syndrome all over the world,” Napoleone said in a statement released by the foundation. “Fashion has given me the confidence to dream big, work hard and be myself.”
Although the evening draws nationally recognized celebrities, its central attraction remains the models with Down syndrome, whose participation highlights the importance of representation and expanding opportunities for people with disabilities.
Funding medical breakthroughs and longer lives
Beyond the runway, the annual fashion-focused event raises money to address persistent gaps in research funding and health care for people with Down syndrome.
According to the foundation, its advocacy efforts have contributed to significant increases in federal research funding, from approximately $18 million annually in 2009 to more than $140 million today.
Funds raised through the fashion show support the foundation and its affiliated research and medical institutions, including the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and the Anna and John J. Sie Center for Down Syndrome at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
Through its affiliated institutions, the foundation supports more than 400 scientists and has provided specialized medical care to more than 2,700 patients from 40 states and 11 countries.
“What GLOBAL and its affiliates have accomplished in research and medical care is nothing short of remarkable,” McGinley said in the foundation’s event announcement.
“They’ve helped transform Down syndrome research around the world and changed what’s possible for people with Down syndrome.”
The foundation’s advocacy efforts recently reached another milestone with the bipartisan passage of the DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act in the U.S. House of Representatives on July 20 and the Senate on Aug. 6, bringing the legislation closer to becoming law.
Led by Colorado Sen. John Hickenlooper and Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran in the Senate, and Colorado Rep. Diana DeGette and North Carolina Rep. Richard Hudson in the House, the legislation would formally authorize the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) INCLUDE Project, established in 2018 to advance research into health conditions affecting people with Down syndrome.
The initiative supports research into Alzheimer’s disease, autoimmune disorders, heart disease and other conditions, while expanding opportunities for people with Down syndrome to participate in clinical trials.
The legislation honors DeOndra Dixon, a longtime foundation ambassador and the younger sister of actor and musician Jamie Foxx. Dixon, who had Down syndrome, was a dancer, performer and disability advocate who helped challenge stereotypes and promote inclusion before her death in 2020 at age 36.
Her advocacy also inspired the foundation’s Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award, which will recognize Garcia and Menounos during this year’s fashion show.
The legislation builds on years of advocacy by the Denver-based foundation and its partners to improve research funding, expand access to specialized medical care and address health disparities affecting people with Down syndrome.
An evening of fashion and philanthropy
The Nov. 7 celebration will begin with a cocktail reception and silent auction at 5 p.m., followed by dinner, a live auction and the fashion show at 6:30 p.m.
Featured auction experiences include a private dinner with Denver Broncos captain Alex Singleton and friends, a luxury stay at the Sie family mansion in Laguna Beach, California, and a premium golf getaway in Scottsdale, Arizona.
The event is co-chaired by Edit and Tamas Viski-Hanka and Alexandra and Sean Swierczewski, longtime supporters of the foundation’s mission.
Editor’s note: Individual tickets, model sponsorships and table sponsorships are available at globaldownsyndrome.org.
