KF ISSUE #10
THE DEAF WOMEN ISSUE
KISSFIST MAGAZINE
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Frank Gallimore
ART DIRECTOR Rosa Lee Timm
WEB DEVELOPER Damon Timm
a www.kissfist.com KISSFIST Magazine is published four times a year in March, June, September, and December by Pelican Ave Inc in Worcester, Massachusetts. All rights reserved. This is issue number 10, released on January 20, 2012. The opinions expressed by KISSFIST Magazine contributors are just that—opinions. While we strive to ensure that all information are obtained through reliable sources, Pelican Ave Inc is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information, and without warranty of any kind, express or implied. Pelican Ave Inc is not liable for any claims, losses, or damages of any kind, arising from the wording, text, graphics, or representations of any content published herein. We also reserve the right to refuse submissions or advertisment when deemed unsuitable.
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FROM THE EDITOR
KISSFIST
Long-belated Reader!
And so the Kiss-Fist Team returns after a year’s absence. In that time, a movie’s been made and two kids were raised through their first year of life. But we haven’t forgotten you, Reader, having read your questions and comments, wondering when Kiss-Fist might make another appearance, and in that time my sister Rosa Lee Timm has worked doggedly to finish this next issue with her usual creative flair. We’re proud to bring you the tenth installment of our little collective experiment. It rises out a time in which I’ve been getting to know my giddy daughter Opal, who just turned one; in which my sister Rosa, our current art director and future managing editor, has managed to raise a one-and-a-halfyear-old rambunctious boy of her own and has another kid on the way, all while polishing off her cinematic debut in ASL Films’ new hit “Versa Effect.” Kudos to her!
There are such brilliant women in our lives. We’ve brought a few of them together in this issue: artists, lawyers, poets and businesspersons of note, Black Pearls shining in and beyond their respective communities. These women inspire hope, ambition, and pride. Of course, they warrant more praise than a page in this humble mag allows, but let’s celebrate in our own way the work they’ve done to help build a more creative, more dynamic signing community, whether directly or indirectly. They challenge us to ask what is it to be a woman now. And through their efforts, they delight us in imagining all that a woman can be in the decades to come--dynamic leaders, lightning rods, sages of our age, women that girls like my daughter can aspire to become. In this issue, we honor that hope.
We’ve been lucky to have such a loyal and contributing readership through this tumultuous year. Thank you for your patience and your appreciation. So, without further ado, turn the page!
FRANK GALLIMORE EDITOR IN CHIEF
C KISSFIST
ARTISTS:
BUSINES
BOOKS: P
DEAF WO
PAINTING
THE PEAR
PHOTOGR POETRY:
FRANKGALLIMORE.COM
Contents
: P.34, 76, 78
SS OWNERS: P.42, 52, 62, 64
P.76
OMEN-LED ORGANIZATIONS: P.38, 56, 58
GS: P.46-49
RLS: P.6-7, 8-9, 12-13, 16-17, 20-21, 24-25, 28-29, 32-33, 36-37, 40-41, 44-45
RAPHY: P.10, 14-15, 18-19, 22, 26-27, 70 P.50, 54, 66, 78, 82, 84
ABOUT THE COVER This painting , Birth of a Deaf Woman, is painted by a deaf painter, Betty G. Miller.
“The Pearls”, a private affair nestled in Studio City, CA, recognized outstanding Deaf women across America on June 4, 2011. These Deaf women deserved the honor and have been extraordinary in their respective categories: First Ofs/Founders, Advocates, Artists, Businesswomen, and Hidden Pearls. To view the award recipients, please check the “Awardees’ section under The Pearls. Several years ago Sheena McFeely, founder of “The Pearls,” watched Oprah’s television special, “The Legends,” where Oprah honored outstanding African American women who serve as great role models in their professions. This inspired Sheena to establish “The Pearls”. Sheena states, “A pearl is an object of beauty, admiration and rarity, which these women are. This event will show not only to the world, but little Deaf girls everywhere it is possible to be a lawyer, actress, business owner, political leader, or animator. After all, each Deaf girl has a pearl within that is waiting to be revealed.” More information about the affair, http://vimeo.com/themprojects/thepearls
The M Projects is composed of three business arms: 1) Premier
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Although Sprint IP, Fed IP, Sprint IP using IM, VRS CapTel and WebCaptel can be used for emergency calling, such emergency calling may not function the same as traditional 911/E911 services. By using Sprint IP, Fed IP, Sprint IP using IM, VRS CapTel and WebCaptel for emergency calling you agree that Sprint is not responsible for any damages resulting from errors, defects, malfunctions, interruptions or failures in accessing or attempting to access emergency services through Sprint IP, Fed IP, Sprint IP using IM, VRS and WebCaptel whether caused by the negligence of Sprint or otherwise. Coverage not available everywhere. Sprint 4G is available in over 70 markets and counting, on select devices. Not all services available on 4G and coverage may default to 3G/separate network where 4G unavailable. The 3G Sprint Mobile Broadband Network (including roaming) reaches over 283 million people. Offers not available in all markets/retail locations or for all phones/networks. Other restrictions apply. See www.sprintrelaystore.com for details. Š2011 Sprint. Sprint and the logo are trademarks of Sprint. Android, Google, the Google logo and Google Search are trademarks of Google Inc. Other marks are the property of their respective owners.
Myrna Orleck-Aiello Deaf Entrepeneur
Myrna Orleck-Aiello is the President and CEO of TCS Associates, based in Wheaton, MD. TCS, founded in 1982, has built the core of its business around providing assistive technology products & services for people with disabilities. TCS also focuses on Section 508 compliance, communications solutions, and information technology consulting. TCS’ clients include State, Local, and Federal Government, Fortune 500 companies, Educational Institutions, NonProfits, and members of the community. Mrs. Orleck-Aiello is the first Deaf woman to be awarded the 8(a) Certification by the Small Business Administration, and as President and CEO of TCS, she is directly responsible for the
overall internal administration of the company, required to control fiscal responsibility, appropriate personnel management, and sound operational practices. Mrs. Orleck-Aiello has been honored by a number of Deaf organizations for her work in the community and she has the distinction of being the first deaf woman named Entrepreneur of the Year by Professional Woman’s Magazine. In 2002, Mrs. Orleck-Aiello was distinguished as one of ten successful Deaf business leaders around the nation by the Merrill Lynch Foundation and Gallaudet University. She resides with her husband in Bethesda, MD.
Moon Feris
VRS Founder
In 2005, Moon Feris co-founded Western Interpreting Network (WIN) and later added a Video Relay Service (WIN.tv). The region’s only Deaf-owned and Deaf-operated interpreting service, now provides tens of thousands of hours of communication services a year to deaf people in its region. WIN is set up to grow even faster over the next decade having established its systems with certified American Sign Language interpreters, Video Remote Interpreting, Video Relay Service, CART, and foreign language and document translation services. Born in Malaysia to Chinese and Australian parents, her family moved to Australia when she was just two years old. She has worked
for Queensland Deaf Society and Australian Communication Exchange in Australia, Royal National Institute for the Deaf in London and for Gallaudet University in Washington DC. She is now fluent in three sign languages. Moon and her husband, Eric, have two children Leif and Liam.
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER Stacy Abrams is the Deaf Mentor Program Coordinator at hte New Mexico School for the Deaf. Her program works with families with deaf children all over New Mexico (0-6) learning about ASL and Deaf Culture. This is a picture of her daughter, Mattea King, 4, who is also deaf, and a student at NMSD.
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Mara Ladines Fashion Designer
As an infant, Mara contracted a viral illness which caused her deafness. Nevertheless, from the age of six, she took piano lessons and continued to study the art until she reached collegiate level. Her musical talent gave her various opportunities to perform in different parts of the world. It also opened new doors for her as she cultivated her interest in fashion. After taking fashion design classes during her years at Burbank High and California State University, Northridge, Mara is now armed with a degree in Fashion Design and Production and is ready to fulfill her dream of establishing her own fashion business.
In her “By Mara” collection, Mara’s designs celebrate deaf culture and history as she aims to increase the public’s awareness. For her individual clients, she creates original garments that follow fashion trends within the cultural and social influences of the times. Mara’s designs combine simplicity and elegance with comfort and stylishness.
Rosa Lee Timm Art Director
Rosa Lee is a Deaf artist, known most recently for her solo performance work in The Rosa Lee Show and as co-founder of the word-of-hand magazine KISSFIST. She guides deaf youth in art movement and drama throughout the country and prominently appears on various DVDs/VHS tapes as a sign model. Currently, she spends most of her time with her son and her husband in New England.
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER Brandy Otto is a native of Austin, TX. She is an Associate Degree student majoring in Photography at Austin Community College. Portraits of people are what she loves to create. She specializes in capturing a person’s essence in photos. It thrills her to see someone light up when they see their true self in photos.
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Gertude Galloway Advocate
Gertrude Galloway was born in Washington, DC to Deaf parents. Along with two deaf siblings, she attended Kendall School, and then graduated from Gallaudet College with a BA degree in Education in 1951. Known as Gertie, she got married and had three children. She was an auditing clerk, keypunch operator and verifier in various aircraft companies. Among her accomplishments, she received an MA in Deaf Education from Western Maryland College, taught Mathematics at the Maryland School for the Deaf, became Assistant Principal of the Elementary Department, obtained a Ph.D. in Special Education Administration in 1993 from Gallaudet University, and acted as
a superintendent at the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf at Trenton, NJ. Meanwhile, Gertie participated in several organizations by being the president of the Maryland Association of the Deaf, lobbying for mental health services for the Deaf which led to the establishment of the Center in Maryland, serving as the president of three national organizations, the National Association for the Deaf (1980-1982), the Conference of the Educational Administrators of the Schools and Programs for the Deaf (1995-1997) and the Deaf Seniors of America, Inc. (1999-2005).
Claudia Gordon Lawyer
Claudia Gordon, the first Black deaf female attorney in the U.S., has been an advocate for people with disabilities since high school. It was her desire to address societal barriers faced by people with disabilities that motivated her to pursue a legal education and career. Since graduating from law school and being admitted to the Maryland Bar, Claudia has provided much education and legal education, conducting outreach and training to communities and organizations in both the U.S. and St. Thomas USVI. Claudia has a longstanding association with the National Black Deaf Advocates Association (NBDA), having served since 1989, and served
as a Vice-President. She has also provided advocacy leadership at the National Association of the Deaf Law Center; the Civil Practice Clinic at the Washington College of Law, Washington, DC Public Defender ServiceMental Health Division; the Black Law Students Association; the National Black Deaf Advocates Association; and the Consumer Action Network. Moreover, she was an independent consultant to the National Council on Disability (NCD) and recently left the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to work for the Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Program (OFCCP).
Photo credit: Brandy Ott
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Lizzie Sorkin Community Leader
Born and raised in California, Lizzie Sorkin decided to follow her dad’s footsteps and graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology from the School of Film and Animation in 2007. During her studies in Rochester, she was introduced to so many opportunities that opened the door for her. At one point, she took a break from school and studied abroad with Semester at Sea in the Fall of 2002. She has participated in the Deaflympics as a goalkeeper for the US Deaf Women’s National Soccer team in Australia and won the Gold. She is known for being the first Deaf woman to be a student government president at a predominately hearing University
with close to 18,000 students. Lizzie enjoys stamping the pages in her passport, reading, and making quirky videos. Her parents eventually moved closer to the District of Columbia where Lizzie now resides, and enjoys frequent visits to local DC venues! Currently, she is an employee at Gallaudet University in the Academic Technology Video Services department. Lizzie is also pursuing a Master’s in the Administration and Supervision program with the focus in Student Affairs at Gallaudet University, graduating in May 2011.
Ashley Fiolek Motorcross Champion
Born profoundly deaf, Ashley Fiolek began racing motorcycles at age seven and ascended the amateur motocross ranks. In 2004, at the age of 13, she won her first national title at the AMA Amateur Motocross Championships at Loretta Lynn’s. Between 2005 and 2007 she won 12 more national championships and more than 100 races. The year 2008 marked Ashley’s first full season as a professional. She competed in select world championship rounds in Europe and won the AMA/WMA Women’s Professional Motocross Championship. In 2009, Fiolek won the X-Games Women’s Moto-X Gold Medal and a second AMA Women’s Motocross Championship. For more information: http://ashleyfiolek.com/.
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER, DIONNE ANAYA Dionne lives in Santa Fe, NM with her husband and two phenomenal children Phoebe and Pierce. This is a picture of her daughter who is deaf.
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Karen Putz Deaf Blogger
Karen grew up hard of hearing and at the age of nineteen, she became deaf from a fall while barefoot water skiing. Shortly after becoming deaf, she transferred to Northern Illinois University, immersed herself in learning American Sign Language and graduated with a B.S. and M.A. in Counseling. While on campus, she advocated for ordering access at the local Dominoes restaurant and convinced the telephone company to install flashing lights in the dorms.
Karen is a writer for the Chicago Moms Blog and has contributed to Disaboom, Parenting Squad and the Hands & Voices Communicator. She also blogs at A Deaf Mom Shares Her World and Deaf and Hard of Hearing People at Work. Twenty five years after becoming deaf, Karen found herself back on the water in the spring of 2010 as she took up barefoot water skiing again. Karen Putz is married to Joe Putz and has three deaf and hard of hearing children.
Melissa Rich Advocate
Being an equal communication access advocate, Melissa Rich has been married for 17 years to a musician at heart and mother of four children, ages 17, 14, 13 and 8. Melissa graduated Magna Cum Laude from Baker College. Moreover, she worked with fellow deaf patron and the National Association of the Deaf ’s lawyer, Michael Stein, as well as Chicago’s own deaf lawyer, Howard Rosenblum, on Deaf/HH access issues at Lollapalooza, an annual musical festival in Chicago. As a result, Lollapalooza (C3 Presents) now has designated areas with qualified ASL interpreters in appropriate proximity, along with Deaf volunteers who are able to communicate in ASL.
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SARA SMANIA
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER I grew up from a big deaf family, 4th generation. I currently resident in St Louis, Missouri. Photography was always my hobby growing up and still is nowadays! My passion is to dazzle the world with something that they have never ever seen before with my unique style of photography. I love to bring out the best of the pictures by making them bold, bright, and artistic that lasts a lifetime! Our lives are full of colors, so why not make it even colorful! Enjoy life to its fullest! Want your photo taken by Sara Smania? Email her at funkyrosephotography@gmail.com
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Laura Lopez Educator
Born and raised in the city of Chicago to Mexican immigrants, Irma and Jose Lopez, Laura Lopez is the 4th child of their 5 children. From the day Laura was born she has been called “Lala�. Lala attended and graduated from Gallaudet University in 2004 with a double BA in Spanish and Family and Child Studies. Lala has worked in the education field for several years in Vermont before deciding to go back to school in Chicago, IL. She attended and graduated from DePaul University in 2009 with an M.Ed in Educational Leadership. She also worked at Vermont Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc, developing their new early childhood center, Little Arrows Early Childhood Center, as the Director of the program.
Erica Hossler Activist
You would be suprised to catch Erica Hossler at your first glimpse if you could. She is always on the go, just like her mother who set an example to be an avid activist in the Deaf Community. Hailing from Indiana, her hearing family discovered the core of her life: ASL. Thanks to the Indiana School for the Deaf, her family grew passionate in advocating for Bilingualism. During Erica’s Gallaudet University years, she was involved with Student Body Government & Protest. Because she loves people, she received her B.A. degree in Communication Studies & Sociology in 2007.
When Erica first got a job at Deaf News Network, her job was to create a new avenue of media: visually oriented TV shows for the Deaf community. At the same time, there was a new organization, Deaf Youth USA, targeting 18-30 years olds. Both of them inspired her by discovering the missing links in the Deaf world: leadership and media.
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Mary A. Rappazzo Digital Artist
Mary A. Rappazzo is a Los Angeles-based fine arts painter, digital artist, and graphic designer. Her recognizable, one-eyed signature style is expressed in bold statements using bright colors, figurative and representational images in idealized forms. She is drawn to themes involving human interaction, social justice, and people in the public eye, as well as creating stylized portraits from photographs of her clients’ family and friends. Mary’s paintings have been shown at several galleries in California and New York. Her work has garnered national awards and has been featured in several publications including the book Deaf
Artists in America: Colonial to Contemporary, by Deborah Sonnenstrahl. In addition to her work as a fine artist, Mary is a digital artist for Disney Consumer Products. Additionally, Mary contributes to fundraising efforts in the deaf community through donation of her art. She supports organizations such as GLAD (Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness), the California State University at Northridge National Center on Deafness, KODAWest, and the Hearing Loss Association of Los Angeles.
TL Forsberg Artist
TL Forsberg is a Canadian-born singer, actor and fashion stylist who’s art and life story was recently featured in See What I’m Saying. As a singer who uses sign language and fashion in her music, TL and her band The Kriya Project, were chosen to perform at the Alanis Morissette and Tori Amos concert, featured on Much Music, MTV (Fuse), City TV, The New Music and voted one of LA’s Best Kept Secrets by Music Connection Magazine. As a stylist she appeared on VH1’s reality TV series, SUPERGROUP as the rock bands’
celebrity stylist (Sebastian Bach, Scott Ian, Ted Nugent) and had guest appearances on Ozzfest 2006, San Diego’s 105.3 Rock Radio, and Hollywoodmusic.tv. Acting credits include: Gene Rodenberry’s Earth: The Final Conflict, Warner’s La Femme Nikita, His Bodyguard, Columbia’s Falcone, Exhibit A: Forensic Files and MGM’s Hendrix. She played Sarah in Children of a Lesser God at the Rubicon Theatre and was in Pippin at the Deaf West Theatre.
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sabinaengland.com
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Leah Katz-Hernandez Activist
Ms. Leah Beth Katz-Hernandez was born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1987. She is of Mexican, Japanese, and Jewish heritage. She attended American School for the Deaf, mainstreamed at a public school, and graduated from Maryland School for the Deaf in 2005. Her first public service experience began with serving in President Robert Davila’s Shared Governance Work Group in 2007. Her political activism blossomed when she attended The Washington Center’s Presidential Academic Seminar at the Democratic National Convention in 2008. At the convention, Leah started blogging and vlogging to share her experiences with her family and the site
quickly became a widely disseminated source of information to the deaf community. The blog, DeafCampaign2008.blogspot.com, established Leah’s presence in the “new media” world of social networking including blogs, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. When Obama was elected President of the United States, Leah again attended The Washington Center’s Presidential Academic Seminar at Inauguration 2009. She was honored for her work in encouraging deaf people to vote in the 2008 Elections with the award “Local Grass Roots Leadership Award” by the Latino Inaugural Celebration Committee at the Organization of American States.
Jules Dameron Filmmaker
Jules Dameron is a filmmaker with a Master’s degree in Film Production from the University of Southern California. Having founded Deaf Women in Film with the sole purpose of supporting, recognizing and helping all deaf women cultivate their careers, she’s also an avid supporter of all who are frequent users of American Sign Language, especially associated with the film and arts industry. Hailing from Minnesota, she extends a friendly demeanor towards all she works with.
In addition to Deaf Women in Film, Jules pursues her abiding love for directing films, having directed numerous short films. Jules is the CEO of her film production company, Damname Productions. She resides with her husband and three cats in North Hollywood.
Global Deaf Women Sofia Seitchik is a certified life and business coach who provides individual training and consultation. She connected her passion with her vision to create Global Deaf Women where she specializes in fostering the professional growth of business owners who have planted the seeds of their vision, letting their passions bloom.
Photo credit: Donna Frank
2011 GDW Retreat
Global Deaf Women works with Deaf Women small business owners to gain support, confidence and self-discovery. Our clients discover their passion and big vision - and increase their income through business strategy coaching, and walk out empowered at Power of Me retreats.
GLOBALDEAFWOMEN.COM
Global Deaf Women held a three-day retreat entitled “The Power of Me.” The retreat is designed to promote self-discovery among deaf women who may want a brief break from their busy schedules to reconnect with themselves. At this retreat, deaf women were able to share their ideas and connect with other deaf women like themselves and get to know themselves better.
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PHOTO CREDIT: CAT CASSIDY
Dr. Cheryl L. Wu Psychologist
Dr. Cheryl L. Wu is first generation American born Chinese, with an MA in Mental Health Counseling and her doctorate in Clinical Psychology with a Multicultural Emphasis. She grew up hearing, and as a young adult, due to injuries, had to deal with her own hearing difficulties as a result of Meniere’s disease. A licensed psychologist in CA and MD, she has focused her work with multicultural deaf/ hh children, youth, and their families for over 26 years in mental health, education, and
community based settings in the US, and abroad in Taiwan. Her interests in counseling and psychology are directed toward working with culturally diverse populations and providing diversity education training and consultation. She cofounded Cultural Intersections in Oakland CA., and currently is an Associate Professor in the Department of Counseling at Gallaudet University. Wu co-chaired the first national Asian Deaf Conference (1994).
Marlee Matlin Actress
Known as an Oscar winning actress, Marlee Matlin has been a vocal equal rights advocate throughout her career. In 1992, she was instrumental in getting Congress to pass federal legislation requiring all televisions manufactured in the United States be equipped with closed captioning technology. Recently, she along with the National Association of the Deaf were rallying the forces of change with appearances at the FCC and Congressional hearings and with constant communication with her 72,000 followers on Twitter.
movies, or in web videos. Recalling her first starring role at seven years old as Dorothy in a production of The Wizard of Oz, she spoke about her recent bitter disappointment when Netflix live-streamed the movie on its 70th anniversary. She sat down to view it with her five-year-old daughter for the first time…and Netflix failed to provide captions. The lack of captions was doubly insulting because, 20 years before, Matlin had lobbied to have The Wizard of Oz movie captioned for the first time.
In her FCC testimony, Marlee Matlin spoke to the frustration millions of deaf and hardof-hearing people have in not being able to understand what’s being said on TV, in the
Thanks to their lobby efforts on behalf of HR 3101, “The 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2009,” the landmark bill passed in 2010.
MEGG
Photo credit: Michael Davis
ROSE Megg Rose, deaf Esthetician from California, successfully owns her own Mobile Spa Business where she can travel anywhere performing facials, waxing, electrotherapy, lash extensions, airbrush tanning & make up throughout the state. For more information, visit www.meggrose.com
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Michelle Banks Actress
Michelle Banks is a native of Washington, DC, an award winning actress, writer, director, producer, choreographer, and teacher. Founder/ Artistic Director of Onyx Theatre Company (1989-2000). Her television/movie appearances: YAHOO! (commercial), 10-8 (ABC), Soul Food (Showtime), Girlfriends (UPN), Strong Medicine (Lifetime), Compenstation (movie), and See What I’m Saying (documentary) . Michelle co-directed a feature debut, Always Chasing Love, with Jadolphus CW Fraser. One of the thirteen actors selected for NYC’s 2008 ABC Diversity Talent Showcase, she has
appeared in numerous plays such as Big River, For Colored Girls Who have Considered Suicide When the Rainblow is Enuf, and Refelctions of a Black Deaf Women (one-woman show). One of the first two Deaf African-American actresses to interpret for the Broadway play, Having Our Say, by Emily Mann. Her most recent work was the direction of Phenomenal Woman that I am (2009 Deaf Women of Color Conference). Currently, she is writing and working on her projects.
Amy Edwards Animator
Amy Edwards was born in Jakarta, Indonesia. When she was 5 years old, she fell in love with Walt Disney Animation, and Cinderella in particular. Seeing the singing mice and birds create Cinderella’s lovely pink dress was enough to convince her to pursue a career in art. Her parents supported that decision and provided as many art supplies as she needed. They even entered her in a drawing contest at the age of 6 winning third place. Over the years, as she emigrated from Indonesia to Canada, and eventually to California, she remained focused on her dream. As a student at Alhambra High School, she became a cartoonist for the school newspaper. Each summer, she would work on her own projects including a 36-page fully illustrated children’s book, titled Giselle. For college, she attended California State University, Northridge, due to the school’s excellent reputation for serving deaf and hard of hearing students. Being a junior, Amy won a summer internship out of 400 applicants at the company of her dreams: Walt Disney Feature Animation.
Fortunately, Disney asked Amy to return as a full-time employee. She worked on two of their feature films: Atlantis and Home on the Range. Gradually, her supervisors began to notice her ambition and determination. When some of these supervisors left Disney, they asked Edwards to join the artistic team developing Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. This was the first film where she established herself as a CG artist. Four, Eight Below, Fever Pitch, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Open Season, Spiderman 3, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, Beowulf, and Bolt are fine examples of her work.
KISSFIST Betty G. Miller • Nudes by Nancy Creighton
A few years ago Betty had an art show and someone asked me, “Why nudes?” I didn’t have an answer for her then, but I’ve thought about it since. I don’t have a strong art history background, and this isn’t something I’ve researched.
I think that nudes are elemental. When we are nude, we are our most genuine self. The one thing all of us have in common is our bodies. And while there are individual differences, the basic framework is the same: two arms, two legs... Looking at it from a different perspective, when we see nudes in painting and sculpture, they are timeless. Other things may give a clue to when the artwork was created—the style of the clothing on the chair or other people; the style of the painter himself, so you’ll see if it was a Renaissance or Impressionist painter—but without those clues, they are us.
Betty is a Deaf artist, and most of her work is about the Deaf experience. If you didn’t know that, would these nudes still make sense? Or do you need to know that the painter is d/Deaf? For some of them, yes. The painting Say the Word is obviously “deaf” to those of us who grew up with those words in our hearing tests. The nudity in that painting could also depict a feeling— vulnerability. It comments on parents, doctors, and speech teachers who seem to equate speaking with something as important as saving the world. The natural, powerful nude in Birth of a Deaf Woman, however, is less obviously deaf. At the time it was painted, I asked Betty why that title, and she said “the woman is giving birth to herself.” In other work, there may be no connection with being deaf.
Take a look at this artwork and decide for yourself—does the nudity add to the message? Does the knowledge that Betty is Deaf and painting her worldview from that perspective make a difference? Or is it a work where the body is simply a timeless, genuine, and beautiful subject?
Betty G. Miller is often called “the mother of Deaf View/Image Art,” (De’VIA), a genre where the artist intentionlly works to express their deaf experience.
Nancy Creighton is a magazine/book designer and writer/editor. They have been partners for over 24 years.
Cover: Birth of a Deaf Woman, collection of Patti Durr and Stephen Jacobs Page 46: Say the Word..., collection of Karen Christie Page 48: Dance of ASL
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About Allison Tyler Born in Baltimore, Maryland, raised in a little suburb with two fun and loving brothers, the poet spent her youth dreaming of the west. She left her hometown as soon as her eighteenth birthday justified her adulthood in 1999 to travel, finally settling in Portola, CA in 2004 where she attended University of Nevada in Reno. She graduated with a B.A. in English.
The poet just completed her masters thesis entitled “A comparative study of colonialism in Carlisle Indian School and Clarke School for the Deaf: From 1860 1915.� She currently resides in Phoenix, AZ.
Purple Sun Colorful stories were for ears with powerful drums, Golden drums of exotic and smooth leather, well worn, Ready to make beautiful music, stories. My drums are old. They never worked, since the day I was born. They are not gold and no music is made from them. But my eyes are my ears. I can see birds chirping as they land on a branch Sunshine breaking through the dancing leaves. I can see a washing machine churning as it twirls blankets. I can see dogs barking ferociously as they smell a stranger passing by. I can see the yellow meadow humming with the delicate morning wind. I grew my own world of storytelling, I spoke to only me. I told myself stories outlined with moving mouths and lined faces. It was a coloring book where I filled in the colors. I may have colored the sun purple Instead of its true yellow. But it was my own story. Only I could understand it. I may have sloshed colors in the wrong places. I may have looked at the wrong picture. Yellow sky, purple sun, red meadow, and green ravens.
This is for you, Olin Fortney
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PHOTO CREDIT: LEE KOWALSKY
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DianaDeaf Cho Life Coach Deaf with delight in supporting and empowering deaf and hard of hearing individuals and groups, Diana Cho offers creative learning opportunities for enhancing individuals’ quality of life. She has experience with culturally diverse youth, college and adult populations, and worked with them in various capacities, some of which involved process facilitation; program design and delivery; collaboration; and individual and group conflict resolutions. Her approach includes a combination of her creativity, experience, education, and intuition, and depends on what she may light on at any moment. Diana enjoys travel and works, while studying spirituality.
For more information about Diana, please visit www.dianacho.info
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their quality of life. Coaching is not teaching or
(optional)
counseling; it is an act of sharing and empowerment. Diana can help individuals in a variety
Purpose
of areas including, but not limited to, career
To help you look at your unwanted conditions
development, leadership, relationships, transi-
and explore ways to move beyond to attain
tions, and communication.
what your heart wants.
Coaching can be done through video phone/
Benefits
call utilizing American Sign Language or in-
Become more aware of your conditions * In-
stant messaging and e-mail.
crease a sense of clarity and focus * Appreciate learning and the power that lies within.
People who are hearing are welcome to request coaching assistance, if they want to light
Topic Examples
on ways to best work with deaf and hard of
Your Choice: How could we have possibly
hearing people, or have unrelated questions.
ended up being where we are? What does our heart want? How may we align with THAT? *
“Before I received coaching from Diana, I was
Wellness for Interpreters * Rising Above Con-
confused and overwhelmed with the differing
flicts in Relationships. * Abandoning Ratio-
opinions offered by family and friends. While I
nalization. Any subjects you wish to learn are
appreciate the helpfulness from them, I strug-
welcome to consider.
gled for more than two years in making a decision, and after coaching with her, I now have a
For Who
renewed sense of direction.” S.S., Honolulu,
Anyone who genuinely wants to enhance the
HI.
quality of her/his life, regardless of age, race, literacy, occupation, or religion. *Personal or professional groups are welcome to request workshop(s).
DIANA ALSO PROVIDES GROUP COACHING AND MEETING FACILIATION. FOR MORE DETAILS, PLEASE VISIT WWW.DIANACHO.INFO
MY HOME The
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Never Ending Clutter Growing All around the Corners In crevices Caked with sticky juice boxes And graham cracker crumbs OR WALLS Covered with the Skritch scratch of CRAYOLAS Smatters of blue, black, red Orange, green, purple Lost socks and Tiny toys that Beep, whir, whistle AN ORCHESTRA Of mechanical contraptions Caught between the cushions And FILTHY carpets Or kitchen cabinets emptied Contents spilling, seeping, Assailing my eyes With The Clutter Never Ending My home: A child’s paradise
BY TAMARA COPELAND-SAMARIPA This poem was inspired by “Street Music” by Arnold Adoff
PHOTO CREDIT: MICHAEL SAMARIPA
Deaf Women United GROW LEAD SHARE PHOTO CREDIT: ADELE ANN EBERWEIN
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The mission of Deaf Women United is to promote the interests of Deaf and Hard of Hearing women in North America through education, advocacy, empowerment, and a support network.
PHOTO CREDIT: ALICE LO
Deaf Women United—2 5 years old and still going strong! Deaf Women United is an organization of, by, and for Deaf
Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and birthday gifts from those
women. Founded in 1985, its goals are to provide tools,
who want to give the gift of recognition to a special Deaf
information, a system of communal support, and train-
woman who has contributed much to the community.
ing in the areas of organizational management, personal
growth, and empowerment. Prior to DWU’s birth in 1984,
recognition award given to a Deaf woman who has gone
Marcella Meyer, then the Executive Director of the Greater
above and beyond to support and advocate for the empow-
Los Angeles Council on Deafness in California, and other
erment needs of Deaf women. These awards are prestigious
individuals, formed a committee whose efforts resulted in
and only one Deaf woman is selected every two years. Past
the highly successful 1985 Deaf women’s conference, “Deaf
recipients include:
Women United.” At this conference, the concept of a na-
1999—Marie Philip, 2001—Mabs Holcomb, 2003—Sha-
tional Deaf women’s organization was born and the name,
ron Kay Wood, 2005—Gertrude Galloway
Deaf Women United, Inc. was adopted.
2007—Vicki Hurwitz, 2009—Damara Paris, and
2011-Laurene Simms.
Over the years, DWU has evolved to meet the
Deaf Women of Achievement (DWOA) is a lifetime
needs of its membership. A national conference is held every
two years to bring Deaf women together for the purpose of
DWOA award, so please contact DWU if you would like to
networking and sharing resources through workshops and
nominate a Deaf woman for this award. You may contact
group activities. A mentorship program was developed to
Keri Darling, DWU Vice President at keridwu@gmail.com.
provide Deaf, Deaf-blind, hard of hearing and late-deafened
women with the opportunity to pair up with an expert
board officers. The backgrounds of these officers include a
in the area where growth was desired. This mentor would
Japanese-Canadian, Indian, Jewish-Italian, Latina as well as
provide support in the areas of professional development
working mothers, financial consultants, counselors, national
or personal goals (including tips for single or stay at home
managers in corporate positions, and educators. Board
mothers) and help the mentee succeed.
officers for the 2011-2013 years are: Alana Beal, President;
Keri Darling, Vice-President; Adele Ann Eberwein, Secre-
In addition, DWU worked closely with Gallaudet
Nominations are still being accepted for the
DWU is proud of the diversity within the DWU
Leadership Institute (GLI) to develop the first ever Deaf
tary; Shelley Oishi, Treasurer: Shilpa Hanumantha, Public
Women Leadership program, a successful and popular en-
Relations Officer; Sheli Barber, Fund Raising Coordinator;
deavor that continues today. This one-week program, taught
and Arlene Gunderson, DWU 2013 Conference Chair.
by Deaf women who are current or past DWU officers
and community leaders, provides participants with tools to
Northern California to celebrate the organization’s accom-
enhance their leadership abilities in an environment that
plishments over the years. It was a wonderful event with
facilitates input from their peers as well as other experienced
many prominent Deaf women, including Marilyn Smith,
professional Deaf women.
Genie Gertz, Nathie Marbury, Ella Mae Lentz, Bridgetta
Bourne-Firl, and many more!
Recognizing that Deaf women need to be ac-
Recently, DWU held a 25th anniversary gala in
knowledged for their contributions to the community, two
Our 2011 conference was held in Portland, Maine
distinct awards were developed by DWU. Modeled after
from June 29-July 3, 2011. You can view the pictures of the
the National Women’s Hall of Fame in New York, DWU
conference at our website, www.dwu.org.
established the Deaf Women Wall of Fame. Anyone can be nominated to the Wall of Fame for $50 and receive a
See you at our 2013 conference will be in San Antonio,
plaque with their name. Nominators can be anyone in the
Texas!
community as well. Wall of Fame nominations make great
Deaf Women of Color
CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, that is the only thing that ever has.”—Margaret Mead
deafwomenofcolor.com
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The A
CLICK HERE TO VIEW ASL VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE
I
t's widely known that women, in general, tend to put others first before themselves. They tend to their children, husbands/partners, families and then attend to themselves last. I'm not saying that this is true for all women. This is true for most women. So what I'd like to talk about today is why it's important for women, especially Deaf women, to put themselves first. You already know that it's a given if you don't take care of yourself, how could you expect to take care of anyone else? This has been preached by countless magazines, publications, articles to women everywhere. So, why is this even more critical for Deaf women? Women already experience gender battles on a daily basis, competing for equal pay, stature, and so on. But Deaf women experience double-standards in being a woman and being deaf. That itself presents two separate battles: gender and aural.
I myself am a Deaf woman who is healthy and fit, and I have girlfriends who share the same traits as I do. To be honest with you, there are very few healthy, fit, Deaf women out there. However, I see there are too many Deaf women who cry out, "I wish I could!" or "I should!" when the conversation comes to fitness. I had a such a chat with another female friend, in which I was talking about HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) and she stopped me in the middle of my sentence to ask me what HFCS was. She explained that she has seen that word before but couldn't really understand what it really meant and why it was not healthy. I took some time to explain the basics to her and I could see that a light bulb went on in her head. She got what I was saying. She replied back, saying she truly wished for "someone" to come and "ASL" everything to her and her female friends. Also, from my experience blogging via The Austin Betty, Deaf women often reach out to me by email, Facebook, Twitter, commenting on my blog asking me for advice, ideas, suggestions, and/or tips. This is one of the things I truly enjoy about doing The Austin Betty. This is also hard, because I can only reach out to so many Deaf women at one time. I know I'm not the only one—there are other female counterparts doing their part as well. Nevertheless, this still isn't enough. When I think of scope, I see the hearing community is so large, while the deaf community is small by comparison. The Deaf women's community is even smaller. In this sense, how many of these Deaf women are healthy & fit? I don't need researchbased data to say that the number is minuscule! Very FEW!
Austin Betty
Are You a Fit and Healthy Deaf Woman?
I personally would love to see a larger community of like-minded Deaf women, so that there are more opportunities for better support, information and resource sharing. Health and fitness is an ongoing hot topic, and you can find health/fitness related discussions in the media almost everyday! There's always something new, whether it's talking about the newest technology or the latest research findings. It's already difficult for me to keep up to date on those topics because I rely on the Internet alone. I often wonder what I'm missing on the radio or conversations at food stores, the gym, or when I'm To feel good, we need to eat well, take care of ourselves, get the rest our body deserves, give our bodies the exercise it needs. Before we know it, we will feel like completely new person on the inside.
out on my run. The other day, I was in the bread aisle browsing different brands, trying to determine which one was the most nutritional, when a woman approached me trying to initiate a conversation. When I gave her the universal "I'm deaf " gesture, she gestured back as if she were saying nevermind and went on her way. I wondered if she wanted to tell me something about the nutritional value of the bread loaf I was inspecting. I don't know. I'll never know.
So what should we as Deaf women do? We need to come together and continue building a community that's about fitness, health, and nutrition. When I say fitness, do I mean all Deaf women must be skinny? No. Not at all. By that I mean, we need to start taking care of ourselves, become informed, become aware, and become active. Doing so will lead all of us to feel good about ourselves. Like I said earlier, Deaf women experience double-standards. One must have great self-esteem in order to handle those obstacles on a daily basis. If we don't feel good about ourselves, how can we begin to handle these obstacles? How do we start feeling good about ourselves? I believe in a three-step process, starting from the inside (the mind). We don't need to be a Size 0. To feel good, we need to: eat well, take care of ourselves, get the rest our body deserves, give our bodies the exercise it needs (the body). Before we know it, we will feel like a completely new person on the inside (the spirit)! Adopting this mindset affects how we project ourselves to the outside world. This is why it is important for Deaf women to truly understand how health and fitness play a huge part in their lives. Remember, it's not only about us. There are young Deaf girls who need role models that are whole in mind, body and spirit. Let us be those role models for them!
ABOUT TAMARA SUITER-OCUTO, THE AUSTIN BETTY Tamara Suiter-Ocuto is an Austin transplant. When she is not giving career advice to high school students, she is thinking of ways she can share the wealth of being healthy & fit with the Deaf community by blogging as The Austin Betty. She lives near downtown Austin, Texas with her husband, Oscar, and their furry critters.
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URSULA SMITH
GET PAID TO PARTY
Independent Representative
By Ursula Smith
I was introduced to Silpada a few years ago by a friend and fellow teacher. I saw how fun it was to do home parties, make new friends and I just LOVED the idea of getting paid to party! It’s basically a home party business, like Pampered Chef, only there are no formal presentations, no quotas, and no inventory to buy or deliver. I have been a Silpada Representative for the last three years and the experience I have in the field has been such a blessing and makes my life much more fun! I also do fundraising for schools, organizations, churches and for anyone who is interested. Currently, I work full time at New Mexico School for the Deaf and took on selling Silpada Design sterling silver jewelry as a part time supplement to help make ends meet as a single mother with a deaf child. Not only is Silpada
a finacial help, it gives me the chance to meet and make new friends, which I love and I get to wear my own jewelry and advertise my business everywhere I go! All Silpada Designs handcrafted jewelry is the finest .925 Sterling Silver, no painted or plated fashion or costume jewelry. Complementing the beautiful Sterling Silver are colorful semiprecious gemstones and natural materials including Freshwater Pearls, Coral, tooled Leather, and much more. Everything comes with a lifetime guarantee and is the same quality as Tiffanys in NY, just at 1/3 of the price! Silpada Design is a fast growing company and I am looking for great people and I am ready to help you live life in style and even help you earn some money for FREE just for hosting a party!
ursularee@gmail.com
SILPADA DESIGNS
www.facebook.com/SilverJunkie
Pro-Choice I’m a woman and I am pro-choice. I’m for the power of a woman’s voice. I understand the decision isn’t easy. After all, life isn’t always peachy. I know because I faced this fork in road. The test result was “Positive,” I was told. It wasn’t the right time tho I had my man. The blip simply didn’t fit in my divine plan. So, I made my choice... Now that I’m a mother, I cannot help but wonder Will I see my baby in heaven? Today, is he a fetus or seven? I hope that someday we will meet again. I’d share stories and take away the pain, And I’d have nothing but eternity With him and the whole family. I’m pro-choice. I believe in a woman’s voice. But, I cannot help but wonder Now that I’m a mother... -Anonymous
Photo by Lynn Davis
Yesterday gone. Today beautiful. Tomorrow not written yet. - June Park
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KELLY MANLEY I am 32 years old and deaf/half blind. I am a Freelance Photographer. Photography has been a passion ever since I was 5 years old. It’s been really rough for years. Not many people would give me a chance to prove to them that the only thing I am perfect at in my life is in my ability to take perfect photos. I would love to share with people who might be similar to me that they can do anything in their lives, rather than worry that their VR counselor is telling them they can’t do it, or that it is impossible. Yes I have been told by many of my previous VR counselors that it is impossible for me or that it won’t be stable enough for me to make a living. But here I am. I will prove them wrong one day. Anyone can do it no matter whether they’re disabled: it doesn’t limit them. The photo to the right has a black spot on it. That’s what I see every single day but that doesn’t stop me from being who I am today.
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LeFors Tribe
by June Ann LeFors
Boy meets girl and they get married. As a newlywed, I’d take out my pots and gleefully sing, “I’m cooking for my baaaby!” Husband would come home to an aroma of spices and herbs. Forward 10 years of being a Domestic Engineer and 6 daughters, wife is now throwing pots on the stove and saying, “What’d ya wanna eat?” Waking the kids up in the morning, I have a routine. Right hand wakes up the girl on the top bunk bed, left hand for the bottom bed and the foot for the one on the trundle bed. I only have 10 minutes to get ready for part-time work but if I want more time, I get up 30 minutes earlier, an hour before if I hit the gym. Not surprised if the neighbors wake up to our “Let’s go!” in the morning when dragging the kids out of the house for school. Then it’s all quiet until noon time when
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Mom’s back home from work with the two youngest. There’s permanent marker circles on the toilet seat, nail polish on the door frame, and “Vote for me” written on a window....a mother’s job is never-ending. Scrub. Scrub. There’s laundry and dishes to do and I have two hours before the house is all wild again with the kids back. The kids resume to their play- trying out mom’s make-up is on their idea list. The pots are back on the stove and then it’s dinner time. We sit together...must. The girls squawk about their day with the younger ones looking like a clown-the make up. The homework gets done, bath time, then the clock chimes for bed time. And if you ask about the husband and wife: yeah, it’s no ordinary love, we still got it. Photos taken by Jillian Rivera
Deaf Wom
men Allies
Matt Dans
Cambridge, Ontario (CA) / Chicago, Illinois (US) From my humble beginnings drawing mouses and other random ugly looking human begins, I always found myself working to improve my craft and elevate my skill to another level. After graduating from Rochester Institute of Technology with a degree in Graphic Media and Advertising/Public Relations, I found myself working in the communication industry doing some visual communication and advertising. IMGmatters is an one man run studio based in Chicago. I strive to produce unique, creative and professional designs for my clients whilst also providing a strong personal and down to earth service with it. I believe the better we know a client and the deeper I can dig into their head the greater the outcome will be for the both of us. Plus, I love having friends ::smiles:: Promotional / Branding / Illustration / Graphic Design / Web Design / Web Management / Social Media Management / Visual Communication Consulting / and many more...
To learn more about IMGmatters & me and to see more of my work go to my website - IMGmatters.com
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Daniel Winship Daniel is a deaf artist from Maine. He studied Illustration at Ringling College of Art and Design. He does photography, woodworking, and illustration. For more information about his work, visit his blog at: danielwinship.blogspot.com
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k here
Part travelogue and part memoir, In Search of #6 is the story of the trials and trails of a man, a best friend, two bicycles, three states, four dispersed campsites, five tires, seven post-prandial naps, twenty-one dozen eggs, 1,100 miles, 15,000 vertical feet, and the search for a single kiss. It is a tale of love, friendship, lactic acid, Achilles Tendons, mistaken identities, false promises, broken dreams, large mountains, pungent flatulence, Heterosexual Life Partnership, childhood reminiscence, Umberto Eco, overused comic ploys, and considerable merriment. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll wish there was more, and you’ll certainly think twice about eating more than six eggs a day. Originally released as a audiobook/podcast in 2006, the author has been compared to the likes of Bill Bryson and David Sedaris -- which comes as no surprise to him, considering his devilish good looks and disarmingly handsome smile. Here are some of what people have said about the audiobook: “... loads of laughs. My wife is getting fed up with me chuckling to my self …” “... I guess I liked it or maybe I just had nothing better to do this weekend ...” “... every time you talk about biking uphill it just knocks the breath out of me and all of a sudden I’m struggling in sympathy. But other than that it’s been great entertainment...” “... Another perfectly lovely chapter. In fact I’ d say that chapter 3 is the perfect successor to chapter 4. I hope chapter 5 comes next ...” “...I’ve just read the first chapter of your opus … it was enjoyable and very well written, but I would have preferred less details about bicycles and more salacious information and graphic sexual prose ... I would have enjoyed this, because I could then have imagined your handsome, naked torso and would now be leaving work with a skip in my step and a whistle at my lips...”
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The Debate at Duffy's She said that sex was a yearning of the soul. He said it was a very compelling argument of the body, a compulsion. She said it was a spiritual compulsion. He said it was nothing if not carnal, carni, meat. This conversation took place in a bar. The background music was so loud it was in the foreground. The bodies on the dance floor were moving in ways that would interest even the dead if they could only remember how to live. There was a baseball game playing on television. On the table were two empty glasses, and the bottle's green phallus which she took in her hand and pulled toward her, pulling him toward her as she poured them both another drink. He drank deeply, felt the spirit filling his cup. Then he looked into her eyes and saw that she was beautiful, sexy, and at the bottom of the 9th, suddenly, surprisingly, irrevocably, right.
PAUL HOSTOVSKY Paul is an ASL Interpreter and a published Poet
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Poems by
Paul Hostovsky Click Here
FOR KF READERS
What would you like to see in KISSFIST?
Send photographs, illustrations, poems, short stories, or articles to submissions@kiss-fist.com
PROJECT HUMANITY Project Humanity is Facundo Element’s first multi-million dollar project aimed at developing a new framework that will in turn influence a paradigm shift in Western ideology.
The first tier of Project Humanity is a think tank that strives to redefine/reframe ‘d-e-a-f’. Anyone is welcome to participate.
Click on the image above to view a video about our vision
The second tier of Project Humanity is to produce a film mini series, depicting the newly developed framework. For the first time ever, ‘Deaf’ people will define themselves on a very public platform.
If you wish to invest or to host a fundraiser, contact our project facilitator, Kenya Lowe: kenya@facundoelement.com. For more informationabout Project Humanity and Facundo Element, go to www.facundoelement.com.
Click above to learn how to invest in Project Humanity
Checks can be payable to Facundo Element, PO Box 2255, Arvada, CO 80001. Facundo Element is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
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