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.