Sonya Iverson Highliner, Teacher, Traveler, Storyteller Turkey Sonya Iverson, PhD Highliner | Teacher | Traveler | Storyteller Using Slacklining to Connect Cultures Home Bases: Bay Area, California Bozeman, Montana Copenhagen, Denmark Hats: Founder – Crossing Lines: US & Iran Slackline Exchange President – Slackline U.S. (501c3 Non-Profit) President – International Slackline Association Biotech Consultant – in vivo Designs Height: 5’7” / 170 cm Weight: 127 lbs / 58 kg Telephone: +1 406 209 9692 Website: www.crossinglines.us/sonya Email: [email protected] Instagram: @slackerscientist Current Sponsors: Mountain Hardwear Denmark Poland Turkey Norway Czech Republic China Oregon Colorado California Montana Utah Massachusetts Utah 4/7/2017 The Story Crossing Lines: US & Iran Slackline Exchange began as a project between two American women and two Iranian men with a plan to visit each other’s homes to highline, make a film, and share our view of each other’s countries. We picked up a couple extra members and in 2014, we traveled to Iran to join our Iranian teammates. During that 3 week trip, we established new highlines with the Iran Slackline team and hosted the first Iranian International Highline Festival, in collaboration with the Iranian Mountaineering Federation. We’re planning a return trip to Iran for October 2017 and making arrangements to bring the Iranian team to the U.S. to highline in Yosemite and Moab, the places where highlining was born and evolved. Now we’re working with an amazing production company to share our story (Wingate Motion). Sports offers a unique medium for communication; adventure sports even more so. There is art in what we do. Inherent symbolism. Highlining is an especially artistic, visually striking medium that never fails to start a conversation. A photo or video of Americans highlining in Iran initiates a different conversation about a difficult topic. With Crossing Lines, we are changing the conversation. We’re using highlining to connect the western world with the true Middle East; the beautiful landscapes, the incredibly hospitable people, and friendships that cross borders. Iran Iran Now we’re expanding Crossing Lines to help those displaced by the Syrian civil war. In 2008, before the war began, I spent three months living in Aleppo, Syria as a visiting scientist at an international research station. For the past 6 years, the city has been a war zone. More than 5 million people from Syria are registered refugees, having fled the war that has wreaked havoc on a beautiful country. We believe slacklining can help refugees integrate into their new countries by connecting them with local slackliners and bringing them into a vibrant, healthy, and accepting community. Learning a sport with a mixed community also offers a playful atmosphere to practice language skills and learn about each others cultures. We started in Lebanon, teaching slacklining to approximately 150 students in Beirut at a school full of Syrian refugee children and low-income Lebanese kids, through a partnership with a local circus arts program. Now we’re coordinating with slackline teachers and organizing partnerships with refugee resettlement organizations to continue this effort worldwide. March, 2017 Teaching slacklining at a school of refugee and low-income children in Beirut, Lebanon Slacklining is more than just a balance art or sport. It is also a wonderful community builder. Slacklining offers a challenge, encourages playfulness, and is a great way to connect diverse communities. Lebanon Lebanon Invited Guest / Speaker: Youth in Action, Switzerland (2015) Bern City Slackline, Switzerland (2016) Urban Highline Festival, Poland (2015, 2016) China Shenjianxu Highline Meeting, China (2016) Highline Access & Anchors in America, California (2016) SlackFlix & Chill, Oregon (2016) Multiple invitations for 2017 Other Events Attended: GGBY, Utah (2012, 2016) Bern City Slack, Switzerland (2015) Trans Alp Waterline Tour, Switzerland (2015) Girls Only Slackline Festival, Czech Republic (2015) Cosumnes River Gorge, California (2015) Turkey Joshua Tree New Year’s, California (2015) Festival Rigger / Organizer: Iran Crossing Lines Highline Festival (2014) Turkish Highline Carnival (2015, 2016) Urban Highline Festival, Poland (2016) Move Copenhagen, Denmark (2014-2017) Other Rigging Experience: Malmo Festivalen Performance, Sweden (2014) Bella Sky Highline Performance, Denmark (2015) Teaching: Move Copenhagen, Denmark (2014-2017) Roskilde Festival, Denmark (2014) Midi Music Festival, China (2016) Teach weekly classes during summer Estimate 3000 people taught over 6 years Denmark Danish National News, DR www.dr.dk www.bostonmagazine.com Outdoor Retailer Daily Winter 2017 Outdoor Retailer Daily Winter 2017 www.snewsnet.com.