My Art, My World

Rita: Do we have any boxes?

Mom: Sure, Why do you need a box?

Rita: My teacher says I have to think outside the box!

Approaching her daily life with enthusiasm and humour, Rita rides public transit to her job working at a university coffee shop. She takes yoga and folk dance classes and enjoys drama and music at a day program, and she practices using sign language. In My Art, My World, Rita shows us her love for the world through her great passion: making beautiful and fun works of art.

Proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to organizations that enhance the lives of people with developmental disabilities.

Rita Winkler is a young woman with Down syndrome. She was born in Calgary, Alberta, and currently lives in Toronto, Ontario, with her mother Helen. Rita works in the Coffee Shed in New College at the University of Toronto, part of the Common Ground Cooperative, a social purpose enterprise. Rita also attends the Dani-Toronto day program. She is particularly proud of being able to travel to Dani and Coffee Shed independently, using public transit.

In her free time, Rita enjoys social media, listening to music, watching movies, writing newsletter articles, and being with friends and family.