While topics such as racism, sexism, and homophobia crowd our media, most have never even heard of ableism, and it mostly starts in the average middle school classroom. Ableism is discrimination of people with IDD (Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities). The one factor that sets ableism apart is that it is a lifelong struggle. Alan's talk gets at the heart of discrimination but from a very different perspective. Alan Raskin attends Calkins Road Middle school and is in the 8th Grade. He is actively involved in the Student Council as Vice President. He joined Best Buddies, a non-profit organization focused on ending ableism, one year ago and became president of the school chapter. He has been fighting against the discrimination of people with disabilities ever since. He also enjoys traveling, geography, and gardening. He lives with his Mom, Dad, and sister in Pittsford NY. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx