Fredericksburg Girl Models at National Gala

Sophia Pineda of Fredericksburg dazzled the crowd this week during the Global Down Syndrome Foundation’s Be Beautiful Be Yourself Gala that featured a fashion show and a performance by Sheryl Crow. 

The event -- held on May 8 at the Ritz-Carleton in Washington, D.C. -- helped raise awareness about the condition that affects one in 691 babies, as well as highlighted the abilities of models like Sophia.

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Sophia, 9, was escorted by Congressman Rob Wittman, an advocate for the disabled. More than 25 children and teens with Down syndrome modeled fashions from Bloomingdales. They too were escorted by Congressional leaders and celebrities, which included Supermodel Beverly Johnson, Fox News' John Roberts, and CNN's Kyra Phillips.

In addition to enjoying modeling, Sophia loves performing and has danced as a Petite Mouse and the Arabian Gift Bearer in performances of “The Nutcracker.” She is in Brownie Girl Scouts and in the Special Olympics’ Young Athletes program. She has traveled to Capitol Hill to advocate for the differently-abled.

A message throughout the evening was that Down syndrome needs more funding for research to help people with the condition reach their fullest potential. Despite being the most frequently occurring genetic condition, affecting 400,000 people, Down syndrome is the least-funded genetic condition by the National Institutes of Health.