Rebecca Beayni's CV

Rebecca Beayni
8 Fairway Drive
Scarborough, Ontario
M1J 2R2
(416) 439-1494   
 Email: beayni@sympatico.ca

OBJECTIVES

Through her presence and love of the arts Rebecca will help broaden the community to see the value of people with disabilities while sharing her gift of visual art, dance, and music.

Rebecca will use her role as artist to empower individuals with and without disabilities to recognize, embrace and nurture the artist within.

AWARDS

• 2007 –recipient of the City of Toronto Social Justice Award (young adult category)
• An article about Rebecca was written in the winter 2008 edition of AMOI magazine under the section called “Trail Blazers”.
• Revel in the Light was chosen to be screened at the Abilities Arts Festival in Toronto in Nov. 2007

VISUAL ARTS

• 2000- Art Work was published by the International Society for Augmentative Communication (ISAAC) “Beneath the Surface”
• 2004- Painting, “Passion” was exhibited in a juried art exhibition “Connections” as part of the Abilities Festival
• 2004- Painting, “Passion” was chosen to be used for a poster advertising Ryerson University’s School for Disability Studies.  Rebecca was paid as a consultant for her work
• 2005- Completed a commissioned painting, “Freedom Flight” using laser art technique
• 2005- Helped found the Laser Eagles in Canada, a group of artists who paint using lasers and trackers. This is based on the A.R.T group in the United States.
• 2005- Guest artist at Spiral Gardens camp at Bloorview Kids Rehab Centre, Toronto
• 2007- Invited to be Artist in Residence at Centre for the Arts, Bloorview Kids Rehab-  participated in art show “Paint Me! An Exploration of Painting and Portraiture”
• 2007- Art displayed at “Prototype” art show in downtown Toronto
• 2007 – Rebecca’s painting and story were highlighted on a poster called “Women with Disabilities – The Creative Spirit” which was in celebration of Women’s History month in the elementary school system (published by Green Dragon Press)

LITURGICAL DANCING

Rebecca has danced with the Spirit Movers from L’Arche Daybreak since 2000 and has led workshops and retreats on her own along with her dance partner. The Spirit Movers have been invited to dance at various locations/events including:

• June 2000- Jubilee Mass at Air Canada Center
• October 2001- Markham Theatre for the Performing Arts
• January 2002- Police Association Breakfast at Colony Hotel
• July 2002- World Youth Day- Welcome of Pope Jean Paul II
• November 2002- Peace Conference- Metro Hall
• February 2003- International conference for Chaplains- Sheraton Centre
• Various Interfaith gatherings and high school retreats
• July 2004- took 2 week graduate course in liturgical dancing at Boston College
• March 2007 –danced at “Prototype” art show.  The dance was a spiritual dance called “Stretch” and was performed in a freight elevator representing the ability of God (the presence) being able to stretch to the common person providing comfort, regardless of the agony they are going through.  Rebecca represented “the unassuming, humble, all loving presence”.

WORK EXPERIENCE

• 1998-2000- Scarborough Historical Museum Day Camp- Assisted with leading tours and nature walks with children
• 2001-2002- World Youth Day Volunteer Office- Assisted with office work such as photocopying, packaging interoffice deliveries
• 2001-2004- Sheemaehn Day Care at U of T Scarborough Campus- Assisted with the children’s daily activities while teaching about the need for diversity and acceptance
• 2002-2004- Catholic Pastoral Centre- assisted with office work including photocopying, packaging and interoffice deliveries
• 2003- Children’s Peace Theatre- leader and performer with the theatre during several summer performances
• 2003-Present- Royal Ontario Museum, ‘Hands On Biodiversity’ Exhibit, Facilitator
• 2003-Present- Mustard Seed Drop In (Fontbonne Centre) Volunteer
• 2004- Community Mentor for Playfair Teams Project in the school system
• 2006-Present- Rosalie Hall- Child Development Assistant, Volunteer

PRESENTATIONS

Rebecca has extensive experience in presentations such as:

• April 2000- St. Patrick Parish, Markham “Stories are the Language of the Heart”
• April 2000- OADD Conference “Inclusion in High School- Rebecca’s Story”
• November 2000- George Brown College “Human Rights and Disability”
• March 2001- York University, Faculty of Education “Inclusion in the Classroom”
• April 2001- Emmanuel College U of T “Welcoming people into their faith community”
• May 2001- Centennial College, Developmental Service Work Program “Community Inclusion”
• May 10, 2002- York University Equity in the Classroom “The Welcome and Inclusion of People with Intellectual Disabilities in the Life of the School”
• April 30, 2004- Transitions Conference, Metro Toronto Convention Centre “The Path to the Future… My Future.”
• April 2004- Keynote address at Family Alliance Ontario annual conference at Horseshoe Valley Resort
• August 2005- presented to the caucus developing a draft convention on disability rights at the United Nations in New York City
• March 2007- Presenter at the ICE conference (Independence, Communication and Empowerment), Toronto
• May 2007- Presenter at the Canadian Association for Community Living and Community Living Ontario conference

VIDEO AND FILM EXPERIENCE

• 1998 United Way/Crown Life Fundraising Video
• 1990 “Removing Clouds from Disability” produced by Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy (OFCP)
• 1991 Vision TV: Profile on my involvement with my Church
• 1991 “Cerebral Palsy, a Lifelong Journey” produced by OFCP
• 1999 Youth Involvement Ontario video, assisted in producing this video
• 2002 On the Move- TV show about siblings
• 2003 Health on the Line- TV show about disabilities
• 2005 Launch of Rebecca’s video “Revel in the Light” which highlights Rebecca’s roles as teacher and artist. This video has been seen and changed hearts around the world.- film was selected to be shown in Toronto’s Diability Arts Film Festival, Toronto, 2007