BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)- At just 17-years-old, Bailey Bastine is already a freelance photographer, an artist, and a published author.

Her work has had the opportunity to shine at the Museum of disABILITY History in Buffalo, where it’s on public display until January.

The exhibition is called “The Unspoken Voice,” and its message is being heard loud and clear.

“It’s really just her voice,” said Pam Bennett, Bailey’s mom.

Bailey is generally pretty quiet around strangers, but she has a lot to say. Bennett said this show has given her the chance to do just that.

“It has helped Bailey to become a lot more confident and she can stand up straighter, and we can both stand up straighter as a result of someone listening to Bailey,” Bennett told News 4.

Museum Director Doug Farley wanted to showcase work that sent a specific message for October, which is Down Syndrome Awareness Month.

“The timing was perfect,” he said.

“We just were in the process of working on a new exhibit in celebration of Down Syndrome. We were partnering with the Down Syndrome parents group in Western New York, and the fact that Bailey herself has Down Syndrome and she’s an artist, was just a perfect collaboration to being able to show how people with Down Syndrome really are achieving greatness in certain areas in their life.”

Also at the museum is a Down Syndrome appreciation gallery, filled with success stories from the Down Syndrome community.

Down Syndrome awareness and appreciation has grown in recent years, but Bennett feels we’ve still got a long way to go.

She hopes showcasing her daughter’s work is one more step in the right direction.Click here for more information about the Museum of disABILITY HistoryClick here for information about the Down Syndrome ExhibitClick here for common myths and misconceptions about Down Syndrome