Down Syndrome International’s 2018 #WhatIBringToMyCommunity Campaign

A longtime senior management executive, Jessamy Tang has held positions such as market manager of ESPN/ABC Radio in Pittsburgh and owner and operator of Boston’s first 24/7 ESPN radio station. Jessamy Tang serves as co-founder and board member of the Down syndrome and developmental disability-focused The Matthew Foundation, and she also serves on the board of London-based Down Syndrome International.

A core responsibility of Down Syndrome International is organizing and chairing the United Nations’ World Down Syndrome Day Conference, which is held on March 21 each year at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. 

The campaign associated with the 2018 event centered on the hashtag #WhatIBringToMyCommunity. Stories shared through social media using the tag brought attention to the meaningful contributions that people living with Down syndrome are able to bring to workplaces, schools, and to the cultural and social fabric of society. The stories told showed that limits to participation in civic activities for those with Down syndrome are often defined more by the opportunities offered (or lack thereof) than by a person's physical or psychological limitations. 

With the call-to-action campaign integrated within the full scope of Down Syndrome International messaging and materials, the hashtag approach effectively broadened participation to anyone with a device and a compelling story to tell.

Celebrating World Down Syndrome Day

A senior management executive with significant experience in media and entertainment, Jessamy Tang served as president and general manager of ESPN 1250, an AM radio station in Pittsburgh. At the station, a division of ABC Radio, she increased audience share by nearly 50 percent. While with ESPN, she also negotiated ESPN’s first interactive television agreement. Jessamy Tang is also a board member of Down Syndrome International (DSi) and actively supports a number of Down syndrome organizations. In both 2012 and 2013, she served on the organizing committee for the World Down Syndrome Day Conference at the United Nations and was Chair of the organizing committee in 2013.

World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) has been celebrated for the past eight years and has been officially observed by the United Nations since 2012. With events across the world, the day unites global voices to recognize and advocate for the rights of individuals with Down syndrome. World Down Syndrome Day has included conferences at New York’s U.N. headquarters, as well as events around the world in person and on websites, blogs, and social networking sites. WDSD takes place every March 21 in recognition that Down syndrome results when a person has 3 copies of chromosome 21.

Jessamy Tang Lends Support to MIT’s Venture Mentoring Service

As a sports media executive for ESPN and then an executive of an ESPN Radio affiliate, Jessamy Tang received recognition for her successful leadership at stations in Pittsburgh and Boston. In addition to her former service with ESPN, Jessamy Tang actively participates in charitable and educational causes, including serving as a mentor for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Venture Mentoring Service (VMS).

MIT graduates often launch successful companies, and the institute perceived a need for partnerships between would-be entrepreneurs and experienced business operators in a rapidly changing market. MIT students, faculty, alumni, and staff are all eligible to be entrepreneurs. Qualifying criteria requires the formed business to operate in the Boston area. Entrepreneurs initially meet with two or more mentors who gain an understanding of the new business. These mentors identify areas that need work and then offer guidance.

Mentors act in an advisory capacity only, and entrepreneurs take full responsibility for all business decisions. The VMS program expects entrepreneurs to provide realistic and complete information about their proposed ventures.

DRLC Helps Those with Disabilities

Jessamy Tang is a pioneering media professional and the former president and general manager of ESPN Radio 1250 and Radio Disney in Pittsburgh and ESPN Radio Boston. Prior to these roles, she led the development of ESPN-branded radio station under ABC Radio due to the business relationship between ESPN and ABC Radio. Jessamy Tang serves on a number of nonprofit boards, including the board of the Disability Rights Legal Center (DRLC). 

DRLC is an organization that provides disability rights advocacy and assistance to people with disabilities facing discrimination. One of the beneficiaries of DRLC’s work is Sunjay Smith. 

Sunjay was hit by a car when he was six years old, leaving him with quadriplegia. After the injury, his family had to fight hard to get him an education. School districts thought he was too disabled to be educated, but he defied the odds and graduated high school. 

He wanted to go to college, but had difficulty finding accommodation to take the SAT because of his paralysis. The SAT board was not sufficiently helpful, and testing centers denied him accommodation. That was where DRLC came in. The organization negotiated with the SAT board, persuading them to accommodate Sunjay. He took the test, did well, and was admitted to University of California, Riverside. 

During his time at the institution, he served as president of the Student Disability Union and did plenty of work for people with disabilities in the community. Even though he continued to face disability discrimination at the institution, Sunjay once again beat the odds to graduate summa cum laude with a 3.9 GPA. After his graduation, Sunjay expressed deep gratitude to DRLC for its help in enabling him to take the SAT.

Sports Radio History

Jessamy Tang served as the director of enterprises at ESPN, overseeing the company's relationships with new technology companies and keeping it in the forefront of sports and entertainment technology. In the 1990s, Jessamy Tang led ESPN to success through the creation and development of sports radio stations.

Sports radio has grown and developed for about a century. Early sports radio, rather than providing live broadcasts, reported results of events such as boxing matches and professional baseball. In the 1920s, the focus shifted to play-by-play descriptions, bringing sports into the living room rather than requiring lengthy travel to see sporting events in person. For a long time, however, this was the only medium in which sports radio was provided.

Beginning in the late 1980s, pure sports stations began to develop. Rather than simply covering games, these stations provided sports talk shows, news on sports, sports scores, and speculation at all hours. Groups like ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio give listeners the chance to listen to and call into sports-related programming, increasing engagement. Many stations also employ local sportscasters to host shows during periods without a nationally-syndicated program, providing distinct local flavor and more location-specific sports coverage.

World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) and the WDSD Conference

A hedge fund executive, Jessamy Tang also serves on the board of trustees of Down Syndrome International. In this role, Jessamy Tang has chaired the World Down Syndrome Day Conference at the United Nations since 2013.

Created by Down Syndrome International and recognized by the United Nations since 2012, World Down Syndrome Day raises awareness about the condition while acknowledging the contributions that people with Down syndrome make to their communities every day. Communities all over the world celebrate the occasion with local events. In 2016, activities will include free portrait photography in Canada and a formal ball in Lancashire, England.

The World Down Syndrome Day Conference at the United Nations invites speakers both with and without Down syndrome to share their insights and experiences. In 2015, the conference addressed the theme “My Opportunities, My Choices - Enjoying Full and Equal Rights and the Role of Families.” Speakers and panelists used this theme to express the need for family and community support in advocating for individuals with Down syndrome. In March 2016, the conference will convene again to discuss the theme “My Friends, My Community,” an exploration of the importance of inclusive environments for children with Down's syndrome.

Down Syndrome and Its Effects on Children

A former executive for ESPN and ESPN Radio, Jessamy Tang devotes a lot of time to non-profit organizations. As the mother of a child with Down syndrome, Jessamy Tang supports numerous organizations that assist children and parents affected by Down syndrome.

Down syndrome causes more learning disabilities than any other birth defect. It also causes developmental disabilities. Children with Down syndrome exhibit several common facial characteristics, including somewhat flattened features. They often also exhibit truncated necks, smaller than normal heads, and eyes that slant upward. Other common physical signs include weak muscle tone and short fingers. Children with Down syndrome also grow at a slower rate than their peers.

A genetic abnormality causes Down syndrome. Most individuals with the disease have three copies of chromosome 21 in their cells instead of two. Some individuals have the extra chromosome in only some of their cells and this condition is referred to as Mosiac Down Syndrome.