'With Love As Her Compass: Nicole Adler's Path to Pride' Biography Released

Cover of new biography "With Love As Her Compass: Nicole Adler's Path to Pride"

New biography celebrates the journey of the first LGBTQ+ woman with Down syndrome to serve as San Francisco Pride Grand Marshal

REDWOOD CITY, CA, UNITED STATES, October 7, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Just in time for National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, the groundbreaking new biography With Love As Her Compass: Nicole Adler’s Path to Pride is officially on sale in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle eBook formats.

The accessible 100-page biography (8.5 x 11) captures the life and legacy of a woman who is changing perceptions about what is possible for someone with Down syndrome and has inspired countless others. Nicole Adler made global history in 2024 when she became the first LGBTQ+ woman with Down syndrome to serve as a Community Grand Marshal for San Francisco Pride.

But as Adler herself explains, that milestone was not the destination, it was the beginning.
“Being Grand Marshal showed me that dreams really can come true,” said Adler. “But it also taught me there’s no limit to what I can accomplish.”

The biography was developed through more than a year of interviews, personal Q&A sessions, reflections, and conversations with Adler and her family, friends, and colleagues. Each chapter highlights a different dimension of her life—from childhood and coming out, to her advocacy work, media projects, and her vision for a more inclusive future.

Adler’s parents, Debra and Glenn, reflected on their daughter’s journey. “From the very beginning, Nicole was born with a mission,” said her mother, Debra. “We knew her life would have meaning beyond measure, and this book captures that beautifully.”

Her father Glenn added, “Nicole’s honesty, courage, and heart are what set her apart. She inspires not just us as her parents, but everyone who meets her.”

Contributors to the book include community leaders and colleagues who have worked alongside Nicole in advocacy, education, and the arts. Suzanne Ford, Executive Director of San Francisco Pride, called Nicole’s Grand Marshal honor historic. “Nicole’s leadership represents the very best of Pride: visibility, authenticity, and love. Her story belongs to the world.”

Nicole is an accomplished advocate for human rights, with a particular emphasis on LGBTQ+ people with disabilities, who are marginalized.

Appointed at just 19 years old by Governor Jerry Brown, Adler has served on the California State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) since 2014, becoming a trusted voice for disability rights and system reform across the state. Appointed to a second term by Governor Gavin Newsom, Nicole has influenced critical policy conversations on housing, inclusion, and self-advocacy, always grounded in her belief in universal justice. As SCDD Executive Director Aaron Carruthers shares in the book, “She spoke up, saying, ‘I believe all people need housing. I can’t support creating housing for one group, even for people with disabilities. I am a humanist. All humans need housing.’” It demonstrates Adler’s core belief in creating a California for ALL.

With Love As Her Compass is intentionally designed to be accessible for people with disabilities, featuring large-print font, high-contrast colors, plain language, and alt-text descriptions for all photos.

Julia Ballantyne, the book’s author, explained the importance of telling Nicole’s story in this way:
“This biography isn’t just about Nicole’s past—it’s about her future, and about all of us. It’s a story that challenges bias, celebrates identity, and inspires action.”

With Love As Her Compass: Nicole Adler’s Path to Pride is available starting on Amazon. To learn more about Adler, visit nicoleforlove.com

Julia Ballantyne
Nicole For Love
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