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Not many people relish the idea of speaking in front of a crowd, but for Brandon T. it feels like coming home. Brandon recently took the stage in front of hundreds at the Valley in the Rally, where he spoke passionately about Medicaid advocacy. “To be surrounded by people who wanted to come and learn — we all have a voice,” he said.
And Brandon uses his voice in every way he can. He sings, dances, and is a content creator and producer across Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Blue Sky. His YouTube channel, Big Time Golden, has cultivated a devoted following, and the sense of acceptance he has built there is something he holds dear. “It is a home and a safe space to come with positive energy,” he says. “It’s my way to perform and entertain and show them who Brandon T. truly is.”
Music is at the center of everything for Brandon. “I’m a vocalist — my voice is my instrument,” he says. “Dancing is my strong suit, but there is a lot more to me than being a dancer. Music is my number one, my therapy. It’s my way to escape. I sing to express how I feel inside.” On any given Friday, you can find him at Hudson Valley InterArts for Karaoke, singing his heart out and busting moves to the delight of his friends.
His ultimate goal is clear: “The dream I keep the faith for is to one day be a DJ or a music artist. This has been my dream since Day 1. Entertaining and performing means everything to me — it’s not the money or the clothes. It’s the feeling of the crowd washing over me.”
Beyond the stage, Brandon has been exploring his strengths at CBS for over a year, participating in art, and crafts at InterArts, as well as cooking, and gardening at Cultivating Dreams Farm. He also volunteers with Meals on Wheels, a role he finds deeply fulfilling. “It’s absolutely amazing to deliver meals to people in need. It’s my way to give back to the community.”
Family — both at home and within his CBS community — is the foundation of Brandon’s life. He and his dad share a love of watching wrestling together, a simple time of father-son bonding. And the community at CBS has become an extension of that family. “The members and staff make me feel good. We support each other to feel wanted and to feel loved,” he says.
Brandon closes with the philosophy he lives by, one that feels especially resonant this time of year: “There is a lot of negativity and crazy things in the world. Love, Peace, and Togetherness — that is what CBS is really about. The staff and management are 100% the best people I’ve ever met. Supportive. Caring. Loving. They take time with you. I don’t know what we would do without them.”
On World Down Syndrome Day, Brandon’s story is a powerful testament to what becomes possible when people are seen, supported, and given space to shine. Brandon is not waiting for the world to hand him his dream — he is already living it, one song, one smile, and one delivered meal at a time.
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