Pac Rim 2009 Info
Noted Speakers: Tanya and Michelle Ponich
Polly Arango | Fernando Cruz | Frank De Lima | Frank DeRuyter | Katharina Heyer | Cinda and Linea Johnson | David Johnson | Robert Mcruer | Leolinda Parlin | Tanya and Michelle Ponich | Joseph Ray | Suzanne Robinson | Loretta Ross | Dr. Neil Scott | Howard C. Shane | Charlotte Smith | Bethany Stevens | Damon Terzaghi | Amy Wilson
Tuesday May 5th, 2009: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM in Room 303B, on topic of Girls and Women
“Soul Sisters”
“Soul Sisters” Tanya and Michelle Ponich take their audience on a journey through their life together. Tanya is a 29-year-old with Down syndrome who shares her views on life, her abilities and what it means to be a woman with Down syndrome. Michelle, Tanya’s older sister, speaks candidly about her families’ experiences, what her sister has brought to her life and her role as advocate. Their mother, Rosalind Mosychuk, joins them to share her part in their journey.
Biography: Tanya Ponic
Tanya Ponich wears her hat as a self advocate everyday. She is an active volunteer in her home town of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada she physically trains at a number of city facilities where she has shown many people who know nothing about Down syndrome that standing up and being somebody is the only way to go in life; she also makes no qualms about telling people that she is Down syndrome. Among some of her larger accomplishments Tanya and her story have been at the center of many local andnational radio and television pieces; giving a face to our DS population. In 2007, Tanya was given to opportunity to audition for the role of “Phoebe” in the made-for-TV movie “The Memory Keeper Daughter” and in 2008 was honored as the Global Television Woman of Vision. She rounds out her role as self advocate by speaking to local, Canadian and US audiences. Tanya is a shining example of the abilities that all Down syndrome people possess and why our world would be incomplete without them.
Biography: Michelle Ponich
Michelle Ponich has been an advocate of people with Down syndrome from the time she was three years old. From this young age, Michelle developed a steadfast belief that our Down syndrome population plays a very important role in our society and has experienced first hand what these incredible people can teach us about ourselves and the world. Michelle has written and produced two national television and radio pieces on Tanya and has now added the published short story “Big Enough Dreams” to her repertoire. A dynamic and talented woman, Michelle’s many other accomplishments include being a Journalism graduate who has entered a career in the non profit sector. She is has studied voice for over 15 years and has years of dance and acting training to her lists of endeavors.
