Born this Way's Megan Bomgaars: How a Young Woman with Down Syndrome Became an International Star

Megan Bomgaars has Down syndrome, but that's not keeping her from living her dreams.

The 23-year-old, who grew up dreaming of a career as a dancer or singer, got to walk the red carpet for the first time last month at a Television Academy event honoring her and the rest of the cast of her A&E reality docu-series Born This Way.

"It was so new to me," Bomgaars says in the current issue of PEOPLE. "But I could definitely get used to it."

And that experience is just the latest milestone surpassed by the University of Colorado student.

Raised in Colorado Springs by her single mom, Kris, Bomgaars was never one to shy away from the spotlight.

"She believes in herself," says Kris, 46. "She won't let anything hold her back."

Megan says she made a lot of friends when she won a spot on her high school's nationally competitive cheerleading team, but her life really changed when she was given the class assignment to write and perform a speech.

• For more on Megan Bomgaars – including how her mother raised her and is adjusting to her daughter's increasing independence – pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday

The result was "Don't Limit Me," a speech that has now been viewed on YouTube more than 400,000 times.

"I'd never written a speech before," says Bomgaars. "I found my voice."

As the speech went viral, Bomgaars started fielding requests to speak around the world.

Last year, she was invited to the White House by First Lady Michelle Obama, and in March she traveled internationally for the first time to address hundreds at a World Down Syndrome Day event in Trinidad and Tobago.

"I do get nervous," Bomgaars says of being the center of attention. "But then I just look at my mom. She's the one who has helped me get through the big steps in my life."

Bomgaars' mother is also looking to help her daughter find financial independence.

After seeing other speakers selling products at their events, Kris and Megan developed Megan's handmade clothing line, Megology.

"We needed something that could provide self-employment for Megan," says Kris. "I knew most of the jobs Megan would be presented with in life involved cleaning up after people or minimal social interaction. Those wouldn't be a good fit."

There's one place Bomgaars says she feels is a good fit: Los Angeles, where she and her mother temporarily relocated while filming season 2 of Born This Way.

"I want to live in California," says Bomgaars. "But my mom doesn't want me to move away."

Bomgaars also hopes to one day start a family with her boyfriend of seven years, Brendan, who also has Down syndrome.

Kris worries about Megan's desire for motherhood and fears leaving her daughter alone when she dies, but she acknowledges her daughter "has the same dreams I did" and wants to help her daughter achieve those dreams.

And Bomgaars has a lot of dreams left to fufill: "I want to sing. I want to produce TV. I want to write a book," she says. "I think I can do it all."

Born This Way returns Tuesday to A&E.