Dashiell Meier is a multifaceted filmmaker, disability advocate, and public speaker whose dedication to storytelling fuels a dynamic body of work across film scripts, storyboards, comics, and novels. As both a creator of live-action and animated shorts and a collaborator on screenplays, Dashiell champions authentic representation of individuals with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities in media.
Dashiell’s on-screen experience includes roles in film, theater, and commercials. He hosts the YouTube talk show Playing Favorites and is launching That Something Extra, an interview series featuring experts on Trisomy 21/Down syndrome.
As a filmmaker, Dashiell wrote, directed, co-wrote, and co-edited the short thriller Day 21, which screened at festivals such as HollyShorts, Heartland, and Voices Rising and earned him the Best Actor award at the 2025 Easterseals Disability Film Challenge. His impactful mini documentary, This Is Me, was honored with Audience Choice Best Documentary Short at the BraveMaker Film Festival. Dashiell’s advocacy work extends internationally, with speaking engagements at the United Nations, U.S. Department of Education, and Stanford University. Recognized as the 2025 National Down Syndrome Ambassador of the Year, he has also written and produced videos for the Center for Youth Voice, Youth Choice on supported decision making. As a Global Ambassador, Athlete Leader, and Health Messenger for Special Olympics, Dashiell is active in their Storytelling Program and does interviews for The Special Report, and was featured in their “Do Something Special” commercial campaign.
Away from the camera, Dashiell is an accomplished athlete, traveling nationally and internationally as a goalie for the U.S. National Down Syndrome Futsal Team and Special Olympics Unified San José Earthquakes. He has served on a U.S. Soccer Extended National Teams committees, representing Down syndrome Sports of America and served as the A.Y.S.O. national representative for EPIC soccer. Currently, Dashiell is developing a feature-length documentary on the history of Down syndrome and working on 3-2-1, an animated short. When not working or advocating for people with IDD, Dashiell enjoys movies, drawing, and creating comics.
DASHIELL, WELCOME TO ABOUTINSIDER. HOW WOULD YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO READERS WHO ARE GETTING TO KNOW YOU FOR THE FIRST TIME?
Thank you so much for this interview! I’m a disability rights advocate and an emerging filmmaker. I love acting and writing stories, and I’m in college majoring in film and media studies. I also have Trisomy 21/Down syndrome.
YOU WORK IN SO MANY CREATIVE AREAS, INCLUDING FILMMAKING, WRITING, DRAWING, AND EVEN CREATING COMICS. WHAT FIRST SPARKED YOUR LOVE FOR STORYTELLING?
I’ve always loved storytelling as long as I can remember. When I was little, I loved books and hearing stories, and as I got older, I watched movies and shows on TV and the internet. I am a super creative person, and I am always thinking of new ideas, so whenever I read a book or see a film, I get inspired and start writing or drawing. Stories are important because they teach us that life has so many paths and that life isn’t always easy. That’s something that’s universal in stories.
YOU HAVE BECOME A POWERFUL VOICE FOR THE AUTHENTIC REPRESENTATION OF PEOPLE WITH DOWN SYNDROME AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. WHAT MOTIVATES THIS MISSION FOR YOU, AND WHAT CHANGES WOULD YOU LOVE TO SEE IN THE MEDIA WORLD?
I am motivated to help all people with disabilities and without because I personally believe in a world where everyone gets along, everyone is included and there is no prejudice against any groups. Just unity and people coming together. That’s what we all want, or we should want. It’s what we give to the world that matters.
There are so many methods for advocacy, and for me, I love public speaking and making films to show we are so much more than the stereotypes about us.
I have been lucky to have a lot of opportunities in my life, and I want to use them to show that all people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities are fully human, no matter what our abilities.
For changes I want to see in the media, I hope to see more disability representation, and actually all minority groups. I would love to see people with Down syndrome and other disabilities in the backgrounds of films and television shows like classroom scenes, crowd scenes, working in shops, even as people on other planets. I feel like that would show that we are just regular people. We’re just like everyone else living our lives, and we don’t see that in the media very much. We need more people with disabilities behind the scenes, writing, directing, editing. I would love to see films about people with Down syndrome have people with Down syndrome helping create them.
YOUR THRILLER DAY 21 EARNED A GREAT RESPONSE AT SEVERAL FILM FESTIVALS AND EVEN WON YOU THE BEST ACTOR AWARD AT THE EASTERSEALS DISABILITY FILM CHALLENGE. WHAT WAS THE MOST MEANINGFUL PART OF CREATING THAT FILM?
With “Day 21”, I wanted to show that people with Down syndrome are awesome and we are an amazing community. When we come together, we are stronger. I loved making this film because I got to work with an amazing cast like Zack Gottsagen from “The Peanut Butter Falcon” and Sofia Sanchez from “The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”. Because of the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge, I got to meet so many awesome disabled people making films like comedian and actor Nic Novicki who started the challenge. I love being a part of the disability community.
YOUR DOCUMENTARY “THIS IS ME” WON THE AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD AT THE BRAVEMAKER FILM FESTIVAL. WHY WAS THIS PROJECT IMPORTANT TO YOU ON A PERSONAL LEVEL?
My films are part of my advocacy, so with “This Is Me”, I wanted to show people with Down syndrome have so much to give to this world. We need opportunities to be ourselves and our lives are worthwhile. We’re just as human as everyone else. I am really proud of this film because it’s the first one I made all by myself. I did the filming, the editing and even the animations! I learned a lot. It’s what I wish everyone knew about what it’s like to have Trisomy 21/Down syndrome, so I’m glad it’s playing at film festivals!
YOU HAVE SPOKEN AT PLACES LIKE THE UNITED NATIONS, THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND STANFORD UNIVERSITY. WHEN YOU SPEAK TO LARGE AUDIENCES, WHAT IS THE MESSAGE YOU MOST WANT THEM TO REMEMBER?
I want to remind people that people with intellectual disabilities are more than the harmful stereotypes about us. I also hope they remember to never stop fighting for a better world and always follow your dreams.
YOU HOST THE YOUTUBE SHOW PLAYING FAVORITES AND YOU ARE LAUNCHING THAT SOMETHING EXTRA. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT INTERVIEWING PEOPLE AND HAVING THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATIONS ON CAMERA?
I love talking with people and getting to know them better. I’m a good conversationalist. When we get to know someone, it’s like you’re learning about your connections to them. Our view on the world changes because we learn from other people. For “Playing Favorites”, I wanted to have a fun show talking to interesting people. For “That Something Extra”, I am interviewing experts about things that people with intellectual abilities and their families might want to know about. Of course, it will be fun too!
ALONG WITH YOUR CREATIVE WORK, YOU ARE ALSO AN ATHLETE WHO PLAYS ON THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL DOWN SYNDROME FUTSAL TEAM AND THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS UNIFIED SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES. HOW HAS PARTICIPATING IN SPORTS SHAPED WHO YOU ARE TODAY?
Playing soccer for Special Olympics and Down Syndrome Sports of America is a major part of my life. They have pushed me to become a better athlete. Sports can be more difficult for people with Down syndrome because we usually have low muscle tone. I also have made so many friends with the other athletes and coaches. Special Olympics made me into a leader and helped me understand more of what I am capable of. I love traveling with my teams, and that has made me want to go all over the world in the future.
YOU ARE WORKING ON A FEATURE-LENGTH DOCUMENTARY THAT EXPLORES THE HISTORY OF DOWN SYNDROME. WHAT INSPIRED THIS PROJECT AND WHAT DO YOU HOPE VIEWERS WILL LEARN FROM IT?
I am so excited for this project because it is my first feature that I am directing. It’s called “Worthy”, and it looks at why people think Down syndrome is a bad thing. I view my disability as a gift, not a curse. I was inspired by my love of history and a project I did in 8th grade where I learned about disability history. It’s not taught in schools at all, but it’s something everyone should learn, not just people with disabilities. A lot of amazing people are helping me, and I am learning a lot. I hope people take away from Worthy that in order to get past prejudice, we need to acknowledge the past, but look toward the future.
YOU STAY BUSY WITH FILMS, ADVOCACY, INTERVIEWS, AND SPORTS. HOW DO YOU FIND TIME TO RELAX AND ENJOY YOUR HOBBIES LIKE MOVIES, DRAWING, AND CREATING COMICS?
I always have time to do fun stuff because a lot of my hobbies are also what I do for my films and advocacy. As long as I am passionate about what I do and creative, I feel like I can be myself so I don’t really see it as work. Thank you so much for interviewing me!
If you would like to know more about Dashiell, don’t forget to follow him on Instagram @dashiellmeier
