Meet our Grand Marshal Sofia Sanchez

Sofia Sanchez is a Ukrainian American actress, model, and advocate. She first became known seven years ago for her viral video “Down Syndrome is Not Scary.” Sofia had her acting debut in the 2015 television series Switched at Birth and her first movie role came in the 2022 short film For Paloma. This past November, Sofia appeared in theatres across the country playing Wovey in her first major motion picture, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Her adoption story inspired three of her published Scholastic books You are Enough and You are Loved, and a third book, You are Brave, released April 2024. You may see Sofia's face in various Old Navy and Target print ads and commercials but what you remember is her vibrant personality the moment you meet her. You can follow her at sofia-sanchez.com or @the.sofia.sanchez on Instagram.

Watch Sofia's TED TALK on The Power ofBravery

Watch Sofia on ABC News: Down Syndrome is Not Scary