NADmag Spring 2021

NADmagNADmag

A Publication of the National Association of the Deaf

ABOUT THE ©2021, is published by the NAD (USA), and is sent as a national membership benefit.

For membership information, contact Member/Donor Relations at nad.info@nad.org or complete the contact form at: www.nad.org/contactus

Subscriptions: Libraries, schools, and similar institutions may subscribe to NADmag. For more information, complete the contact form at www.nad. org/contactus

Requests for Permission: Materials in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without written permission. Complete the contact form at www.nad. org/contactus or email nad.info@nad.org

Advertise in NADmag: For more information, go to www.nad.org/ advertise or email nad.info@nad.org

Publication of an advertisement in the NADmag does not imply NAD endorsement of a product or service. The NADmag is not responsible for advertisement contents. The National Association of the Deaf and the NADmag do not endorse or recommend any article, product, service, opinion, advice, statement, or other information or content expressed by third party authors. The views and opinions of such third party authors who have submitted articles to the NADmag belong to them and do not reflect the views of the National Association of the Deaf.

ABOUT THE NAD

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) was established in 1880 by deaf leaders who believed in the right of the American deaf community to use sign language, to congregate on issues important to them, and to have its interests represented at the national level. These beliefs remain true to this day, with American Sign Language as a core value. As a nonprofit federation, the mission of the NAD is to preserve, protect, and promote the civil, human, and linguistic rights of deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the United States of America. The advocacy scope of the NAD is broad, covering the breadth of a lifetime and impacting future generations in the areas of early intervention, education, employment, health care, technology, telecommunications, youth leadership, and more.

For more information, visit www.nad.org

ABOUT DESCRIBED & CAPTIONED

1447 E. Main Street, Spartanburg, SC 29307 800.237.6213 / 800.237.6819 TTY 800.538.5636 F info@dcmp.org / www.dcmp.org

The DCMP is funded by the U.S. Department of Education and administered by the NAD.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THE DEAF 8630 Fenton Street, Ste. 820, Silver Spring MD 20910 301.587.1788 / 301.587.1789 TTY nad.info@nad.org / CFC Number: 10356

MISSION STATEMENT

To preserve, protect, and promote the civil, human, and linguistic rights of deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the United States of America.

CONTACT / LEARN MORE

To contact the Board of Directors, complete the contact form at nad.org/contactus. For information about the Board, visit nad.org/board

THE BOARD

An unforgettable year …

BY MELISSA DRAGANAC-HAWK

On March 13, 2020, we had no idea that we would be locked down for many months due to COVID-19. The pandemic drastically impacted deaf communities and changed our lives in both fundamental and challenging ways. The ensuing governmental actions shone light on critical barriers for deaf and hard of hearing people in regards to public health and community engagement.

Information in ASL about COVID-19 and the vaccine has been shared through social media. As a national population, awareness of this disease has increased and continues to increase, yet confusion remains on how to use that information locally. There is no clear central place where deaf people can find information if they want to be vaccinated. Each locality determines their own procedures such as eligibility periods, “walk-in” clinics, and online applications, often with accessibility as an afterthought. An elderly couple I know recently went to the conference center in a major city that is undertaking a massive vaccination effort with

plenty of coverage on TV news. They reviewed the eligibility requirements as shown on screen, but when they arrived they were turned away because only residents within the city qualified.

Schooling at home has been difficult for many deaf children. Time needed by school administrators at the beginning of the pandemic to work out logistics for remote accessibility services cost weeks of lost time for deaf children in various educational programs. Not all children had any or fast enough Internet to support online classes. That lack of adequate home Internet seriously compounded the loss of education time for these children. Additionally, many deaf children experienced academic and emotional setbacks because they do not have sufficient language access at home and struggle with profound loneliness.

During this pandemic year, there has been an explosion in the number of webinars that have begun to incorporate accessibility features such as

FROM THE PRESIDENT

captioning and sign language interpreting. This has made resources available to a much larger percentage of our community who, in the past, had to rely on physically attending conferences, which is expensive and time-consuming. For stakeholders in the deaf community, some of the accessible training topics included: Anti-Bias, Social Justice, Racial Justice, Black ASL (BASL), DeafBlind, LGBTQIA, and so on.

Lastly, our biennial Council of Representatives Meeting (COR) was entirely virtual in late Fall of 2020. Initially, it seemed impossible to host a proper Council with 140-200 delegates through Zoom. There were so many logistical challenges to work through, so we had several dry runs. Experimenting with different Zoom features helped us understand the process and how to best streamline components of the meeting. The NAD staff recently hosted a webinar on the lessons and best practices we learned

so that state associations and affiliates can host their own virtual business meetings, too. A short article sharing tips is included in this issue.

I know we have all persevered through this year of COVID-19 and hope that we can all return to a world where we can once again interact safely without health risks. In addition, I would like to recognize and express support for members of our community who have been personally affected by racism, hatred, oppression, and all forms of injustice.

NADly yours, Melissa S. Draganac-Hawk

Melissa Draganac-Hawk has been on the NAD Board of Directors since 2008 and now serves as President for 2020-2022.

FROM THE CEO

ENGAGING FOR EQUALITY

BY HOWARD A. ROSENBLUM

On April 1, 2011, I began working at the National Association of the Deaf as its new Chief Executive Officer. April 2021 marks ten years since that new beginning, and it’s been quite the journey. We have accomplished a great deal in those ten years, and it is important at this milestone to take note of what successes we have had and what more we have to do.

Last August, the NAD celebrated its 140th anniversary, which means the past ten years represents the 14th decade of the NAD. The work that has been done in the past decade was only possible because of the groundwork laid over the previous 130 years by those who came before us to establish the strong organization and civil rights that we have now.

The past decade has had many challenges and victories for the NAD, and it has been my honor

to work alongside the NAD staff and Board as we navigated these years. Fortunately, we have been able to grow our staff to do the needed work. The work we have innovated in the last ten years involved all areas and this article highlights a few: litigation, policy work, corporate relations, education, youth, and communications.

Litigation

Lawsuits are often the only way to break through stubborn barriers. However, lawsuits are only possible with a strong team of lawyers on staff as well as partnerships with law firms. During these past ten years, we have expanded the legal staff from three attorneys to seven – comprising of one legal director, four litigators, and two policy counsels. We also developed partnerships with law firms across the country so that we can pursue lawsuits in any state.

Nancy Bloch, right, and Bobbie Beth Scoggins, left, welcomes Howard to the NAD.

FROM THE CEO

Given that deaf and hard of hearing people need legal assistance for all kinds of issues everyday everywhere, we determined new ways to address this issue. We created many advocacy letters for consumers to advocate on their own, as well as, sent out many demand letters directly to discriminating entities with favorable resolutions without litigation. We also redesigned the NAD Law and Advocacy Center to create a referral system to direct every person who contacts us to an accessible lawyer in the relevant area of law and state. The NAD litigators are able to focus on “impact cases” – those that would change the system for all deaf and hard of hearing people across the country. We have engaged in many impact cases over the last ten years, with several that have significantly transformed the law.

In 2011, we filed NAD v. Netflix to ensure accessibility of the new frontier of video streaming services. Our success in this case was a first of its kind as it was the start of applying the ADA to web based services. This led to all video streaming services to be 100% captioned, and this has had a tremendous impact worldwide given the reach of Netflix. We expanded these rights to university websites in our 2014 filing of the NAD v. Harvard and NAD v. MIT cases, which ultimately settled with captioning mandates in 2019 and 2020, respectively.

In 2016, we brought a lawsuit that resulted in mandating text-to-911 for all 911 call centers in Arizona, and we are working to ensure that there is full text-to-911 in every part of the country.

The NAD continues to bring many lawsuits against hospitals and medical centers to compel them to provide qualified in-person sign language interpreters for deaf and hard of hearing patients and

companions. We have also won several cases that secured the right of deaf people to study in the area of their choosing, particularly in medicine. We are also advocating for full access (such as Videophones, interpreters, visual and tactile alerts, and more) for deaf people in prison in various states as well as in federal prison.

And the decade ended with a tremendous precedent when we filed and won a lawsuit to compel the White House to provide ASL interpreters during coronavirus briefings. This was the first disability discrimination lawsuit against any President. In January 2021, the White House announced they would include ASL interpreters in all press briefings, in addition to coronavirus briefings.

Policy Work

However, sometimes the faster and better solution for improving our lives is to create new policies and amend the law or regulations. Building upon the work done by previous policy committees consisting of volunteers with subject matter expertise and our policy counsels, we established the Policy Institute in 2018 to more aggressively address this area. A major goal of this institute is to anticipate the barriers that can come with new technologies and work to ensure accessibility ahead of them.

Much of our significant progress has been with a coalition of organizations led by deaf and hard of hearing members to convince the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to address quality concerns with captioning, relay services, text-to-911, and accessible technologies. We have also worked extensively with the Department of Transportation (DOT) regarding our concerns with captioning on airlines, trains, buses as well as the

We created many advocacy letters for consumers to advocate on their own, as well as sent out many demand letters directly to discriminating entities with favorable resolutions without litigation.

FROM THE CEO

accessibility of self-driving cars. In addition, we convinced the DOT to grant Commercial Drivers Licenses (CDLs) to more than 400 deaf truckers and continue our work to remove similar barriers for deaf employment.

Our policy work encompasses many other government entities such as the Department of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Labor, the Access Board, and many others.

The Policy Institute has also taken on the role of developing position statements in many areas, including recent important guidance materials for best practices during the challenging times of the coronavirus pandemic. We are also developing rankings that will help showcase “the most accessible…” in various industries and fields as part of a way to praise those who do well and bring awareness to those that are inaccessible.

Corporate Relations

Collaborating with corporations is the ideal way to improve accessibility for our community, particularly as they work on new projects, products, and innovations. Such collaboration often comes in the form of consulting on the corporations’ products, services, employment, and outreach. This work has included corporations in diverse industries such as: telecommunications relay, telephone networks, TV networks, tech companies, banks, hotels, airlines and car manufacturers. By working with them before they launch programs and products, we aim to ensure that such innovations are fully accessible to all of us.

One of the most meaningful partnerships we have had in the past decade has been with the National Football League (NFL) which has worked with us to ensure that during the pre-game of the Super Bowl, the ASL performer is a true Deaf talent. It’s been our honor to bring so many professionals that have really made the Deaf Community proud.

Education and Early Intervention Deaf education has been the number one issue for the NAD since its founding in 1880, and we have continued that advocacy. Our efforts have sought to advance improved early intervention and educational services for all deaf and hard of hearing infants and children, including those who are DeafBlind or have other disabilities.

Over the last ten years, we began the Education Advocates program with training and collaboration with at least one Education Advocate in every state, and this has been a huge strengthening of our efforts for deaf education which has both federal and state systems to navigate.

Through the NAD’s advocacy, the reauthorization of the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Act in 2017 now mandates the inclusion

Collaborating with corporations is the ideal way to improve accessibility for our community, particularly as they work on new projects, products, and innovations.

Howard chats with the staff and interns during lunch.

of Deaf adults as part of early intervention family support in all states, provision of information about visual language, and tracking all deaf babies and their language acquisition.

We are thankful to the leaders of LEAD-K for creating a model state bill that promotes language acquisition and measurements. We are working with state associations and Education Advocates to pass LEAD-K bills in their state.

The NAD has been part of the development and promotion of the Cogswell Macy Act, led by the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD). If passed, this federal bill would add stronger language to the federal special education law on behalf of deaf, hard of hearing, DeafBlind, as well as blind and visually impaired students.

The NAD has also sought to work with schools and programs for the deaf to maintain high standards for their deaf students, protect them from any adverse legislative actions in their states, and to encourage the hiring of deaf and hard of hearing superintendents to lead them. We will not stop our

efforts until every deaf and hard of hearing child has appropriate language acquisition from birth and receives quality education throughout their life.

Youth Programs

Instilling leadership skills within our deaf youth is part of our mission. Our youth programs have continued the long existing programs of Youth Leadership Camp (YLC) and the Jr. NAD. In 2019, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of YLC! And this coming Fall will be the 60th anniversary of the Jr. NAD program! Both of these programs have undergone many changes to adapt to today’s world, including increased representation and inclusion as well as the use of technology to expand the outreach and messaging. Recently, we launched the Jr. NADmag and each issue is primarily completed by a designated Jr. NAD chapter!

In 2017, we established and began celebrating National Deaf Youth Day. In 2019, we created a Mock Interview event where we have representatives from our corporate partners, as well as deaf businesses do practice interviews with deaf high school students across the U.S.

FROM THE

CEO With so many barriers to break through, we must continue to advocate in all areas, including education, employment, and accessibility.

A mock interview event for deaf high school students was conducted by a team of corporate partners and deaf businesses.

FROM THE CEO

The past decade saw a transformation of the Miss Deaf America Pageant program into the Youth Ambassador Program, which is open to all deaf American youth between the ages of 18 and 30. We have continued the always exciting College Bowl with the original three: California State University at Northridge (CSUN), Gallaudet University, and National Technical Institute of the Deaf/Rochester Institute of Technology (NTID/RIT). In the past few years, the competition expanded to include new teams from Southwest Collegiate Institute of the Deaf (SWCID), University of Minnesota, and University of Texas.

Communications

In just ten years, technology has revolutionized how people communicate with one another. Such changes have both challenged and inspired us to transform the way NAD communicates among the staff and Board, with its members, and the general public. To address these communication challenges, we have built a team of communications and social media staff. Since then, our social media engagement has exponentially increased.

Today, anyone can reach out to the NAD by phone, email, or on online form – or even a Facebook message! We know that being able to contact the NAD easily is critical and we have worked hard to achieve this goal. We continue to commit to responding to every message, comment, email, and letter.

Communication with members is now primarily done by sending emails, posting to our website, and sharing on social media platforms. NAD.org continues to be updated to keep up with the latest technology trends, accessibility issues, and to ensure the ease of mobile-friendly viewing. The twice a year NADmag is still going strong for our in-depth stories and past publications are now available online! We have explored ways to share information in entertaining and appealing ways through different video campaigns.

During the past year, like a lot of other organizations, we’ve had to switch to providing workshops and trainings online. We also successfully pulled off our first ever virtual Council of Representatives with over 150 delegates last Fall.

Entering the 15th Decade

As I continue to work with the NAD staff and Board beyond my first ten years, the NAD enters its 15th decade. I have enjoyed the constant and hectic excitement that comes with the oldest national civil rights organization. With so many barriers to break through, we must continue to advocate in all areas including education, employment, and accessibility. However, we also must be vigilant in ensuring that the amazing possibilities of the future are fully accessible to us. Thank you for being members and supporting the NAD as we continue to tear down those barriers together!

Howard A. Rosenblum, Esq. has served as the NAD Chief Executive Officer since 2011.

Video campaigns such as these offer expanded content with increased engagement.

What do you wish teachers knew when teaching you virtually?

WISCONSIN SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF

Math is hard. I would have liked to play more math games.

I wish teachers could be more patient and encouraging so that new students could become comfortable with American Sign Language.

I love school but I’m tired, watching the computer all day is hard work.

It is hard doing homework when I have many other responsibilities at home. It is easier to do homework in the dorm.

Staying home doing virtual work is easier and less busy for me than in person. Virtual instruction is easier on my family because it’s much less driving as I live an hour and half away. I wish virtual instruction would continue next school year.

I wish teachers gave us 10 minutes at the end of class to talk with each other because we do not have that opportunity while we are virtual.

Students need something that actually keeps us engaged. For example, one of my teachers adds humor to the lesson and that keeps us engaged. I feel more motivated to attend rather than skipping class.

Virtual learning does not replace the real things such as sports and that virtual learning is not for everyone. I wonder if anyone understands that. I wish teachers knew how much I miss seeing them in person.

I wish teachers would realize how powerful it can be when we could just have a random conversation, not just related to school stuff. So that we could feel like we are “closer” to home (WSD) rather than away from home (WSD). The relationship is pretty powerful stuff. This kind of relationship is what makes us like we are a “family.”

MARIAN PIFER 2nd Grade

MALAIKA DRAYTON 6th Grade

MEI GAVIN

6th Grade

KARIBELLA OUIMET

8th Grade

AUSTIN CASTILLO 4th Grade

CAITLYN BUCHMAN

12th Grade

JONAH JAHNKE 9th Grade

MALAKAI SANDERS 10th Grade

JOHNATHAN KELLY

12th Grade

Living Through the Pandemic

AN INTERVIEW BY SARA FAIR

The COVID-19 pandemic affected all of us. What about the stories that aren’t being shared? I interviewed Isidore Niyongabo with the National Black Deaf Advocates (NBDA), Tara Invidiato from the American Association of the Deaf-Blind (AADB) and Natnail Tolossa , a college student attending NTID/RIT, to share their perspectives on how things have changed around them during the past year.

What was the most significant change within the Black Deaf community that you have seen?

ISIDORE: The most significant change that I have seen in the Black Deaf Community during the pandemic is a renewed connectedness and the new spirit of sharing information and resources virtually. There are many people we now know who are members of our Black Deaf Community that we did not know in the past. Also, we have seen an increase in contact from the mainstream world, Deaf and hearing alike, offering support, sharing resources, and also asking for us to be more involved than before. We are now able to reach out to more people than in the past and I have seen an increase in people joining our organization both through our local chapters and as members on the national level. I haveThere have been many birthday celebrations than we normally would have if it was in-personI do hope that this will continue post-COVID.

How have your studies been impacted by COVID?

NATNAIL: In normal times, I learned effectively. But with COVID going on, I don’t receive the same resources and time.

What should the rest of the deaf community know about the Black Deaf experience during COVID?

ISIDORE: Like any minority group in America, the Black Deaf Community has been heavily impacted by the Health Disparity on our population. COVID added more challenges for us in the area of education

and employment. A large number of Black Deaf Students did not have equal access to education once everything went virtual. If you were black with additional limitations such as being Deaf Blind, students were not given equal opportunities by some universities when it came to prioritizing who could stay on campus and who could receive additional accommodations. Some accommodations that used to be reasonable pre-COVID were no longer reasonable for Black Deaf people and that had a negative impact on our overall experience. On the employment spectrum, our people are mostly frontline workers and many are at high risk of contracting the virus. Fortunately, COVID related deaths were not high among NBDA members, at least those we know.

Experience under the pandemic became worse when we had to deal with the renewed force of police brutality, including the death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and other innocent Black souls. The Black Deaf community experience was had to survive the pandemic while fighting for our justice, and healing.. What we shared was the increased connectedness through virtual events and a new family type of community that developed during the pandemic and through the Black Lives Matter movements, including our renewed vigor in our fight against systematic oppressions in our own Deaf community.

While we got some love and support from many people in regard to Black Lives Matter, and the search for partnership in the area of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, we were completely neglected in the area of COVID and related educational support for our students. Even worse, we didn’t get any small grants that we applied for from some leading organizations in the Deaf Community. Everyone should know that NBDA can gladly offer

resources when the world needs it, but it would have been nice for us to get some reciprocal support when we needed it most.

Do virtual classes give you the same benefit as inperson classes?

NATNAIL: For me, I would say no because I learn better when I interact with my classmates in person.

What should state associations and affiliates/ organizations do better to support DeafBlind people during COVID?

TARA: It is our strong belief that every agency and organization that caters to, serves, manages, and trains DeafBlind people would benefit from having an advisory council, committee of members, and consultants to better improve quality of services provided to communities.

What kind of autonomy was taken away from the DeafBlind community during the pandemic?

TARA: Strict social distancing rules were being imposed by state governments which meant that DeafBlind people who use Support Service Providers (SSP), also known as Co-Navigators (CN), were not allowed to use their services to read their mail, navigation to run errands of daily independent living, and computer/technology/braille training, to name a few. Thus, in-person collaboration became a red-tape prohibition. Everything had to be forced upon DeafBlind folks to get some kind of assistance online through virtual means, such as Zoom. This created stress and frustration, and left them feeling incapable of adapting without a very good pair of eyes nearby.

AADB cannot speak for the entire population of DeafBlind folks, but the primary loss inf our community is the opportunity to meet in person for hands-on social gatherings. Most of our events occur once a month for people to hang out, and be immersed in tactile signing and ProTactile communications. This is the backbone of our culture. For a year, that piece of went missing - we’re able to feel truths simply by touch. The Deaf community, on the other hand, get to enjoy vision-based language of ASL through FaceTiming or Zooming without many barriers.

What would you suggest colleges consider improving on (not necessarily just your college but ALL COLLEGES) during the pandemic?

NATNAIL: I would suggest using clear masks because this can give a bit more access to understanding than the cover-up mask.

What are new resources that came up during the pandemic?

TARA: The DeafBlind communities try to adapt and adjust to new ways every day and to conform to online solidarity was the key to keeping connected with others. So, new programs developed. Deafblind advocates themselves created educational, cultural, social events on Zoom: DeafBlind Support Access Network (DBSAN) and DeafBlind Community Access Network of NJ (DBCANNJ) would host Bingo games, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune and would have DeafBlind Women History panels Educational Police Assistant Awareness, and such.

With gratitude to Isidore, Tara, and Natnail -- we must remind ourselves there are more stories from others that have been affected by the pandemic. It is important to ensure that we, as members of the deaf and hard of hearing community, include others at the table when making decisions, especially when it affects them.

As we go begin our second year of the pandemic, we should continue listening, supporting, and improving key areas that are lacking within our community and start supporting and elevating the Black Deaf community’s stories. Support equitable K-12 and postsecondary education. Don’t leave the DeafBlind community behind as technology advances. Follow and listen to different communities on social media, subscribe to their e-mails, and donate to organizations that need your support.

Sara Fair is the Content Coordinator at the NAD.

What do you wish the deaf community knew about COVID-19?

The COVID-19 pandemic affected many of the prior in person health education programs, including the few that were available for Deaf and hard of hearing individuals. As a result, the virtual Deaf Health Talks (DHT) was developed in 2019 and now hosted monthly on the third Tuesday from 8-9:15 p.m. EST. These presentations offer the Deaf and hard of hearing community an accessible health education platform in American Sign Language along with English captioning. The DHT virtual events provide a rare opportunity to learn about varied health topics including COVID-19 while permitting the ability to ask questions to health experts, most who are DHH. The DHT is hosted initially on Zoom but simultaneously uploaded as a Facebook Live event. The set up additionally allows for post event recordings in which others can later watch or share with their peers. The University of Michigan Department of Family Medicine, MDisability, Partners in Deaf Health, Michigan Deaf Health and the Michigan Medicine Interpreter Services partner together to provide this monthly free event for any Deaf and hard of hearing community member. The mission of the virtual DHT is to create an accessible online health education program that tackles many of the Deaf and hard of hearing community’s health inequities. For more information, please contact Dr. Michael McKee, mmmckee@med.umich.edu , or sign up for our email listserv to learn about future virtual Deaf Health Talks and resources at http://eepurl.com/gllaLn.

COVID-19 is the worst pandemic the world has seen since 1918, and quite frankly, it couldn’t have happened at a better time. Significant advances in science and technology over the past century have allowed us to learn about this virus and identify preventive and curative treatments as quickly as humanly possible. Advances in computing have also made it easier for people to access and share information related to COVID-19 via social media. However, social media has also made it easier to spread misinformation. It can be challenging to tell the difference between factual and false information without a background in science and medicine, especially when much of the factual information provided by major scientific and health institutions worldwide is not accessible in ASL. Fortunately, several social media channels such as Health Signs Center, Atomic Hands, and our channel, Deaf in Scrubs, have collaborated to provide access to evidence-based information in ASL via popular social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter. We hope that more deaf people know these resources to keep themselves and their families safe, especially those who may be more vulnerable to the devastating effects of COVID-19. To have doubts about the vaccine is a serious issue, especially within the deaf community. People must understand that the currently available vaccines have undergone rigorous testing and have been found to be very safe and effective. It is also essential to understand that we need people to get vaccinated as quickly as possible. If the virus is given more time

to mutate, it will have more opportunities to make the vaccines worthless. The virus cannot live long outside of a host, so it relies on unvaccinated people for survival. The fewer unvaccinated people there are, the lower the chances for the virus to spread. For the Deaf community to survive, we need to help and protect each other by getting vaccinated as soon as one is eligible.

is to take care of your health by staying up to date on your preventive health care. This is where your primary care provider is important; they can inform you what check-ups you may need and how you can reduce risk factors for COVID-19 and other diseases that may run in your family. Please reach out if you have any concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccines save lives. Following the preventive guidelines is an act of love and respect for your community!

Partners in Deaf Health, Inc. (PDH) is a non-profit Deaf health advocacy group based in Rochester, NY. We are entirely volunteer-run by Deaf and hearing ASL-fluent people dedicated to improving access to health information for the Deaf community. One way we do this is by supporting the creation of partnerships between the Deaf community, agencies, researchers, and health care providers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred a lot of people into action! Organizations such as PDH have worked hard to provide access to health information through direct access with informational vlogs and workshops in ASL. Others have pushed legislation to ensure speakers hosting press releases are accompanied by an interpreter. We still have a lot of work to do and we need more people doing this!

We want the Deaf community to know that PDH is only one piece of the puzzle. It is very important to find a primary care provider (doctor, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner) if you do not have one and to maintain your relationship with them. Health care providers are still the best source of medical information because they will consider your medical history and provide advice tailored to you.

In addition to wearing masks, social distancing, and getting the COVID-19 vaccine, one of the most effective ways to combat the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 came when we least expected it and it changed all our lives. The beginning of 2020 was probably one of the most confusing and complicated times, with searching for accessible information and trying to modify our lifestyles. But we already know it, we’ve been through it. Rather than wishing what the deaf community knew about COVID-19, what we wish the world knew, though, was that we were here the entire time and that we are not an afterthought. We may all agree that our community rose up together through the battles during the pandemic. From Wawa giving a remarkable performance at the Super Bowl to amazing deaf interpreters making the nationally broadcast inauguration accessible, we’re more visible than ever. We’re telling the world the deaf community is here, and here to stay.

What we must recognize about our community is how intersectional we are and how important it is for all of us to love and respect one another. With new public health preventive measures, combating xenophobia (Stop Asian Hate), supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, and many more, it was a tough year for all of us, if not draining, but it was also an important and educational year. The coronavirus is a public health issue. Your wearing masks and maintaining social distancing saved lives. Racism is a public health issue. Your ongoing support, speaking out, and practicing anti-racism behavior also impacted lives. These are life situations that not only make a difference on our physical health, but also mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and socially.

We still must continue our fight for justice and equity for all, because YOU ARE IMPORTANT. All through history, we’ve fought together towards accessibility and equity. The year of COVID-19 gave us some important strengths; you’re now a more knowledgeable person, a stronger person, and you’re a rockstar. Our role in public health does not stop here. We must continue to fight for a more equitable world for all.

Love to all, Health Signs Center (@HealthSignsCtr)

WHAT DO YOU WISH THE DEAF COMMUNITY KNEW ABOUT COVID-19?

Problems with accessibility during the COVID-19 pandemic: What can you do?

During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic many changes happened to our day-to-day life. For example, the pandemic changed the way we access information, and as many situations became virtual, it changed the way we receive health care and how we work. Even with all these changes, deaf and hard of hearing people continued to have accessibility needs. In 2020, the NAD received many more calls and emails about problems with accessibility.

If you experience a problem with accessibility, what can you do? Let’s explore some options!

BY ANNA BITENCOURT AND ZAINAB ALKEBSI

Telehealth

Access to health care remains very important especially with a health pandemic. However, most doctors moved their appointments from their offices to a virtual telehealth setting. As a result, how deaf and hard of hearing people communicated with their doctors also changed.

Medical offices are required to make sure that communication with deaf and hard of hearing patients is effective even when providing medical care virtually through telehealth.

What are the possible accommodations for telehealth appointments and what can you do if a medical office is not providing what you need for effective communication?

Possible accommodation options for telehealth appointments

It is best if your doctor’s telehealth system allows you to see your doctor and the interpreter on the same screen .

If you prefer captioning, then your doctor’s telehealth system should allow you to see your doctor and the captions (CART) on the same screen

If your doctor’s telehealth system does not allow #1 or #2, then as an alternative, you can use two computer screens: one to see the captions and/or the interpreter, and a second screen to see the doctor. This way still requires that the interpreter or caption provider be able to be part of the conversation either through the telehealth platform or by phone.

Possible accommodation options for telehealth appointments (continued) …

4

If Options 1-3 are not available, you can use Video Relay Services (VRS) or captioned telephone services to call your doctor. NOTE: Your doctor cannot force this option on you if there are other options available.

In addition, doctors’ offices must make sure that:

1. The video feed is high-quality, clear, and large enough to display the interpreter’s face, arms, hands, and fingers, and the deaf person’s face, arms, hands, and fingers. In addition, the audio is clear and audible.

2. The interpreter or captioner is qualified.

• A qualified interpreter is someone who can interpret effectively, accurately, and impartially, using the necessary vocabulary. In addition, the deaf person must be able to understand the interpreter and the interpreter must be able to understand the deaf person.

• Depending on the laws of the state where the service is provided, the interpreter may be required to be licensed to work in that state.

If a doctor’s office is not providing what you need to have effective communication with your doctor during your telehealth appointment, what can you do?

1. First, bring your complaint to your doctor and nurses and other office staff and administrators. Be specific in explaining the problem and ask how your complaint can be resolved.

2. Share the NAD’s advocacy letter for health care providers with the office. The advocacy letter explains the responsibilities of medical

offices to deaf and hard of hearing patients. Download and/or print the NAD advocacy letter from the NAD website. If you need help finding the NAD advocacy letter, you can contact the NAD.

If this doesn’t work . . .

1. File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). There are strict time limits for filing a complaint and you should contact the DOJ for that information as soon as possible. Do not delay!

For more information about filing a complaint with the DOJ contact:

U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Rights Division 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20530-0001 Phone: 202-514-3847 TTY: 202-514-0716

To file a complaint by email, you can email your complaint to: ADA.complaint@usdoj.gov.

2. File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) if the medical office accepts federal financial assistance (such as Medicare or Medicaid). There are strict time limits for filing a complaint and you should contact HHS for that information as soon as possible. Do not delay!

PROBLEMS WITH ACCESSIBILITY DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: WHAT CAN YOU DO?

For more information about filing a complaint with HHS contact:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

200 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20201

Phone: 1-800-368-1019

TTY: 1-800-537-7697

To file a complaint by email, you can email your complaint to: OCRMail@hhs.gov

3. File a complaint (lawsuit) in state or federal court. There are deadlines for filing complaints in court. These deadlines are different in each state. Do not delay! For more information about filing a lawsuit in state or federal court you can contact the NAD.

Employment

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many jobs went remote. Instead of meeting with your boss and coworkers in person, you may have been working from home and meeting with others through a video conferencing system (like Zoom or GoogleMeet, for example).

Your boss is required to provide accommodations even if you work from home. Employers must pay for accommodations including interpreters, captioning, or if you are DeafBlind, large size captioning, a screen reader, or a Communication Facilitator (CF).

Many jobs now require workers to wear masks in the workplace. Masks that block the mouth are a communication barrier for many deaf and hard of hearing employees. Your boss should give clear masks or clear face shields to all workers who work with you. Sometimes, if your job can be done from home, your boss may be required to allow you to work from home until there are enough clear masks or clear face shields for all co-workers. Even during a pandemic, your boss must also provide other accommodations,

such as interpreters, captioning, typed or written communication, or assistive listening devices.

The accommodations can vary depending on what you need. Your boss should work with you to understand what kind of accommodations you need. What works for you may be different for another deaf or hard of hearing person.

With the right accommodations, deaf people can perform their job duties even during a health crisis. If your workplace is not accessible, what can you do?

1. First, talk with your boss. Be specific about what accommodations you need for each work task. Put your requests in writing and document your boss’s response to each request. Keep a record of these conversations.

2. I f your boss ignores your request, contact a manager or supervisor and the human resources department. Let them know about your requests in writing and document their response. Keep a record of these conversations.

3. Share the NAD’s advocacy letter for employers. The advocacy letter explains the legal rights of deaf and hard of hearing employees. Download and/or print the NAD advocacy letter from the NAD website. If you need help finding the NAD advocacy letter, you can contact the NAD.

If this doesn’t work . . .

File a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) office in your state, and do so immediately, as many states have a deadline of 180 days. While some states allow more time, it is important to file sooner than later to be safe and not miss any deadline.

If you work for the federal government, file a complaint with your agency’s EEO office within 45 days.

Employment complaints have strict time limits, and there are usually no exceptions for delays. You should contact the EEO/EEOC for that information as soon as possible. Do not delay!

To find your local EEOC office or for more information about filing an EEOC complaint, contact:

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Phone: 1-800-669-4000

For Deaf/Hard of Hearing callers: 1-800-669-6820 (TTY) 1-844-234-5122 (ASL Video Phone) Email: info@eeoc.gov

For more information about filing an employment discrimination complaint, you can contact the NAD.

Picture-in-Picture (PIP) Placement

Even though it is not required by law, TV networks still should show the ASL interpreter on screen. Keep in mind that this depends on whether the government agency does the right thing and provides an interpreter like they are supposed to. The interpreter will sometimes be in person but sometimes Picture-in-Picture (PIP) is used. What should you see?

ASL Picture-in-Picture (PIP) and Captioning

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires broadcasters and cable operators to make local emergency information accessible by captioning for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. This rule means that televised audio emergency information must be provided in a visual format. However, the FCC does not require ASL access. What does that mean for you?

The PIP interpreter should provide accurate interpreting that matches the content you are seeing. Also, the PIP should be big enough for you to see and not be blocked by other information. If you have trouble seeing the interpreter or do not understand the interpreter, you can choose to do the following to file a complaint:

Email the TV station or network. Here is a list of commonly watched television networks:

ABC: closedcaptioning@customercare.abc.com

CBS: closedcaption@viacom.com

Cable News Network (CNN): IPClosedCaptioning@turner.com

C-Span: captioning@c-spanarchives.org

FOX: closedcaptioning@foxnews.com

MSNBC: affiliate.operations@nbcuni.com

NBC: closedcaptioning@nbc.com, affiliate.operations@nbcuni.com

PBS: closedcaptioning@pbs.org

Filing a complaint is telling a story about what is or isn’t happening. In this case, it is a story about what you are seeing or not seeing with an ASL interpreter on TV. If you can take a picture or video of the screen and attach it in an email complaint, you can show the TV station or network what you are seeing.

PROBLEMS WITH ACCESSIBILITY DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Captioning

What should you see? You should have the ability to change the color and size of the captions on your television or video player such as a computer or smartphone. For example, you should be able to make the letters and colors of the captions visible against a background and the video you are seeing. There are also captioning requirements TV stations must follow. For example, the captions must be accurate, complete, and timed to match the audio. The captions should not be blocked by other graphics, and the captions should also not block the view of the video such as by being placed in the middle of the screen. The captions should be readable with minimal to no errors.

If you aren’t seeing this or have other issues with the captions, you can choose to do any or all of the following to file a complaint: Email the TV station or network.

File a complaint with the FCC: dro@fcc.gov or call via videophone: 1-844-432-2275

If you can take a picture or video of the screen, go ahead and attach it in your email to show what you are seeing or not seeing with captioning on TV.

Deaf and hard of hearing people are entitled to equal access and rights in both times of good health and during pandemics. The NAD is committed to working with all of you to fight to preserve and protect and promote our civil, human, and linguistic rights no matter the situation.

During this past year, we have developed all these resources to ensure our rights are protected throughout the coronavirus pandemic. These

resources are available on our NAD coronavirus website: nad.org/coronavirus. If you need more information that is not available on this web page, please contact the NAD!

Thank you Robin Stoller, Mark Metrey, and Ethan Sonnenstrahl for your contributions to this article.

Anna Bitencourt is a Senior Attorney at the NAD.

Zainab Alkebsi is the NAD’s Policy Counsel and also chairs DHHCAN.

Deaf and hard-of-hearing people are entitled to equal access and rights in both times of good health and during pandemics.

Virtual Conference Tips

BY ANGELA ELLMAN

So, your organization has decided to host a Virtual Conference or is perhaps considering it? Fear not, we have some tips for you. Hosting a virtual conference is a huge undertaking, but it does not have to be difficult as long you have a plan in place!

Create a Conference Committee!

Set up a small team who will be responsible for running the conference on a virtual platform. Be sure to select your committee members carefully. All or most need to be tech-savvy and familiar with virtual platforms. Virtual conference planning requires a team. One person cannot do it all.

Make a Wish List!

Brainstorm your meeting wish list ideas with others such as your Board members or those who are invested in conference planning and your committee. Envision everything you want for the meeting, such as:

a. How many participants

b. Schedule

c. Type of sessions such as workshops, team-building activities, business meetings, caucus, networking opportunities, etc.

d. S ession interaction types: will attendees just sit and watch or will they be able to interact with presenters and network

e. E ase of navigating the platform for your attendees and staff

f. R egistration procedure

g. Will voting be required

h. How will attendees access the sessions

i. Will breakout rooms be needed

j. Will you have live stream and/or recorded sessions

k. How will accommodation requests be handled

Wait, this costs how much?

Developing a virtual budget is so much easier than face to face conferences! Things to consider in a budget: Virtual platform fees, accommodations, tech support, accessibility materials, swag boxes, shipping fees, equipment rental, and some extra cushion for any surprise expenses.

Find a Platform!

Did you make your wish list? Choose the platform that works well with all or most of your meeting wish list plans. Your final meeting plans and budget have a lot to do with your decision making. Ask platform services to offer demos and information to verify they can meet your needs. If your needs are unable to be met by a specific platform, they’re not worth your time! Invest your time in platforms that feel nice to you, tick off the items on your wish list, and ensure their sales and support team are easy to work with.

Study and Learn!

Did you decide on a virtual platform? Great! You need to embrace your platform and become very familiar with the settings. The platform will become

your “Best Friend.” Study everything: settings, how to use the platform, attend training offered by the platform and do a lot of testing! Go ahead and use it for meetings if you can so you can become more and more familiar with it. Always continue to keep up to date on new technologies and subscribe to their updates. Keep testing to figure out what works and what doesn’t work. Virtual platforms are always changing things for the better (or for the worse) so it is important to stay on top of all updates that are being released.

When do I do all of this stuff?

Create a timeline that includes testing, training, purchase of upgrades, registration, submitting presentation materials and tasks. This will help your committee stay on track and ensure things keep moving to accomplish your goal.

Create a Workflow!

It will be your lifesaver! A workflow is a planning document that shares what exactly is going to happen during your virtual event. It’s a task list and contains all information and links for that session. If you have multiple sessions, each session needs their own planning document. The workflow can include the following information: panelists, details, interpreters, capitioners, talking points, presentation links, description of webinar, tasks, social media, and much more. Make sure your planning document includes a list of terminology, links to presentation slides, and a list of presenter’s names -- interpreters and captioners can use this information to do their job better than without.

Wait? I have to do what?

Again, you can’t do the virtual event by yourself. You need to decide and assign roles! A basic list could consist of the following: Host, Visuals Support, Help Desk, Registration, and All-around support.

You need everyone trained how to use the platform and prepare to step in to fill a role if there are problems to troubleshoot. Depending on session needs, you may need more support and help with things like voting, breakout room monitor(s),

For more information, check out the NAD’s ‘How to Host a Virtual Conference’ video training: nad.org/how-to-host-virtualconference-recordings!

attendee check in monitor(s), participant feedback monitor, environment facilitators, etc.

Accessibility is Inclusivity!

Plan your virtual event inclusively, with interpreting and captioning in mind. If a Deafblind person registers, ask them what works best. We recommend consulting with a DeafBlind accessibility organization to make the experience even more inclusive.

We encourage you to provide voicing and captioning. If interpreters are only there to voice, they can keep their screen off. Consider including Deaf Interpreter(s) to be shown on screen to platform interpret for a presenter who isn’t signing or to provide clarification of a complicated subject. Consult with interpreters and captioners on how to make the process seamless. Keep in mind, some platforms have captioning ability,

VIRTUAL CONFERENCE TIPS

while others do not. Even if a platform has captions, I encourage you to provide Streamtext that allows users to adjust the captioning settings to their preference (this does not cost extra). Some captioners are able to feed caption into the virtual platform and Streamtext at the same time.

How do we make things exciting?

Make use of the virtual background features! Be mindful of attendees’ variations in device preferences while watching sessions and accessibility limitations. Presentation materials need to be clear, simple, with contrast, and easy to follow. Some devices have limited features or are small which makes it difficult to use. Check what the limit is for the maximum number of videos that can be shown at the same time and easily viewed by participants. Encourage presenters and facilitators to include polling and unique team building activities to keep the participants engaged. Assign a committee member(s) to take on the role as a Visuals Support to show images, videos, presentations, launch polls and so on. Make sure the Visuals Supports’ device(s) are able to show images and videos. Testing is key.

Virtual Fatigue is a thing!

Build in frequent breaks throughout your schedule. It may seem easy because everyone gets to participate from home but it really isn’t. With face to face conferences, attendees clear out their entire schedule and plan for childcare and other things. Now with virtual conferences, it may not make it any easier to adjust the home environment for a productive virtual session or to find reliable childcare. Your attendees wear many hats and are often juggling a few things at the same time. Make it easy for them to remain engaged. We encourage at least 15-30 minute breaks for every 1 - 1.5 hours to allow people to get moving, go to the restroom, grab a snack, or do errands around the house. They will appreciate this!

Do your members know how to participate?

Consider ways to prepare your participants for an enjoyable virtual experience. Prepare housekeeping tips on how to use the virtual platform, ask

questions, how to turn on audio, and so on. Keep it short and sweet. Make sure everyone checks for platform updates and have all materials they need. Provide training if possible.

Whoa! Don’t go! I need more tips!

• S hare any necessary content with participants before the conference. The more content and prep materials are available to them ahead of time, the less issues will come up during the conference.

• S et up a private channel(s) for your team. Your team may want to be able to chat privately and virtually to keep things running smoothly. Your conference chair, presenters, and facilitators may also want a private channel. If you use the same virtual platform, you may need to buy additional licenses to be able to host several rooms at once.

• S et up a Dry Run (practice run) with presenters, interpreters, committee, and anyone else who has a role in your event. This is a wonderful opportunity to work out any bugs and hiccups prior to the event.

• Pinning and multi-pinning is a great way to do teambuilding activities, (not all platforms have this feature).

• B e mindful of background, internet stability, and lighting.

• Consider hybrid virtual sites. Some people may not have reliable internet access and/or devices. Provide this in several ways: 1) set up a location where people can meet and participate, with COVID restrictions in mind. 2) People can also go to their friends’ home to use their internet access and/or devices. 3) Organizations can also rent or lend devices to participants.

• I nstead of a conference tote bag you get at in-person conferences, consider mailing a box of sponsorprovided brochures and fun freebies . Don’t forget to send the box to your virtual event volunteers too!

Angela Ellman is the Conference Coordinator at the NAD.

Challenges for the Well-Being of Deaf/Hard of Hearing Students as They Transition from Virtual to In-Person Instruction

NATIONAL DEAF EDUCATION CONFERENCE (NDEC)

School closures and social isolation have impacted many students since the COVID-19 pandemic hit worldwide a year ago. This sudden shift to virtual learning created many challenges for schools in how they served students. In addition to the changes of their learning experiences, the concerns of mental health challenges are emerging as many students lost access to services that were offered by schools. The COVID-19 pandemic may worsen existing mental health problems and lead to more cases among children and adolescents because of the unique

combinations of public health crisis and social isolation and the economic recession. (See Reference #3 on page X.) Deaf and hard of hearing children may have some issues exacerbated by the lack of language access at home as well as reduced access to be among peers.

Educators will face a pressing issue: how can they help students recover and stay on track on top of potential existing mental health issues. Some students may feel prepared to tackle the new school

Engagement ensures the well-being for Deaf and hard of hearing students.

year head-on; however, others will still be recovering from the pandemic and may still be reeling from trauma, grief, and anxiety. There are several strategies educators may use to help their students adapt to the new school year in person by focusing on relationships with the students first. Educators can act as a powerful buffer against the adverse effects of trauma by helping to establish a safe and supportive environment for learning and should prepare for a greater range of variability in student learning than they would expect in a typical school year. Low stakes assessments such as exit tickets and quizzes may help educators determine how much extra support students will need and how much time should be spent reviewing the previous year’s material as well as what new topics can be covered. Educators can also work to ensure that the students on the margins get the support they need by taking students’ knowledge and skills and differentiating instruction by giving them choices connecting the curriculum to their interests and providing them multiple opportunities to demonstrate their learning.

(See Reference #1 on page X.)

Deaf and Hard of Hearing students are more likely to experience language deprivation due to minimal access in communication while learning virtually. They may face lifelong detrimental consequences across all areas of development and functioning, including but not limited to language dysfluency, fund of knowledge deficits, and related negative outcomes in cognition, learning, mental health and physical health. (See Reference #2 on page X.) Students who do not have access to language at home may struggle more compared to others when returning

to school. Language capacity has an impact on their everyday lives.

Students who experience linguistic deprivation will need more experience socializing in a visual, accessible language, with the support of visual aids, such as pictures and symbols. This is necessary before moving on to cognitive demanding tasks in which language fluency is needed, such as academics, advocacy, and autonomy. Additionally, when considering assessments and evaluations, the IEP team needs to acknowledge the effects of language deprivation in assessments. We encourage appropriate modification of the assessment timeline and the understanding that these assessments may not show the entire picture. While we understand that assessments must maintain reliability and validity, we urge the assessors to recognize the unique circumstances at this time.

Healing from trauma happens within relationships fostered by communication. Educators are encouraged not to expect students to open up freely about their feelings and/or experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Educators are also encouraged to provide a supportive and nurturing learning environment by incorporating social and emotional learning practices regardless of what type of learning mode is being used in the classroom. According to the Maslow Hierarchy of Needs for positive return to in-person learning educators need to focus on five hierarchies: (1) psychological water breaks, meditation, temperature checks, and snacks; (2) safety - interacting with others nonjudgmentally, affirmations, worry drop box, and compliments;

Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing students are more likely to experience language deprivation due to minimal access in communication while learning virtually.

(3) belonging - service project, celebrations, and discussions; (4) esteem - expert day and student showcases; (5) self-actualization - reflections, critical thinking, and journaling.

Educators must be mindful that students may have experienced trauma during school closures. “Trauma” can be defined differently person to person. Even students who do not have mental health issues symptoms may have experienced “trauma”; extended stay-put orders and quarantine caused massive change to students’ normal lives which produced a varying array of emotions and feelings. (See Reference #3 on page X.) All students were placed in a position of possible fear and loneliness due to disconnecting from normal social outings due to measures to stay safe. Social connections are vital so that students develop proper psycho-social skills. (See Reference #3 on page X.)

It is important that schools include mental health professionals such as social workers, psychologists, and counselors to work with teachers in identifying issues that may be evident with students. Students may feel more comfortable sharing with someone outside the classroom. They are trained health

professionals who can provide more extensive support for the students’ social/emotional needs. School should be a place where students feel safe and comfortable. Students should be achieving and thriving.

Educators will need to adopt a “whole child” mindset so that their students may feel supported and understood to make it through these challenging times in their lives experiencing COVID-19 pandemic, sudden shift to learning virtually and returning to in-person learning.

is one of the membership sections of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD).

Mutual Aid

BY SHIRA LEITSON-GRABELSKY

A couple of weeks after the pandemic sent the world into a series of crises, mutual aid networks became more noticeable. My thoughts about mutual aid networks blossomed after seeing many references to them, as well as CashApp and Venmo handles dropped on Twitter. These networks addressed immediate pandemic-related needs and in doing so, spotlighted many pre-existing inequities such as racial disparities in health care, unequal access to information, challenges in accessing food, and more.

Mutual aid networks have been around for decades in various communities and for a range of purposes. There are mutual aid groups for disaster relief, housing, technology needs, as well as for medical and legal resources. They address societal needs and grow out of neighborhoods and communities where the need is great for collective care. For example, the Okra Project works with Black trans people to provide legal and medical resources available in the community, as well as home-cooked meals with cultural roots.

During the coronavirus pandemic, for example, mutual aid groups worked to exchange resources to ensure that the elderly got groceries by organizing rides, grocery pickups, and deliveries. Disability communities in San Francisco and other cities similarly joined forces to address food access needs. Later on, their efforts shifted to focus on helping one another ensure access to information about the election and to voting sites.

Watching these networks unfold on social and mainstream media increased my curiosity about how they work. What I learned revealed to me a very beautiful concept. I wanted to learn the whys, hows, and wheres of mutual aid groups and consider some questions. Upon learning that mutual aid networks are deeply rooted in communities of color, that they respond to and resist white privilege, and that mutual aid organizations were not always formal or even called “mutual aid,” I wondered what I could find out about mutual aid in the Deaf, DeafBlind,

Access to Activism gathers essentials for distribution.

DeafDisabled, Hard of Hearing community of intersecting identities and whether those networks are structured according to social and cultural values and tendencies. To that end, I reached out to Ashanti Monts-Tréviska, founder of Cascadia Deaf Nation (CDN), Cesar Rocha, founder of Access to Activism (A2A) and Jimmy Gore, President of the Louisiana Association of the Deaf.

First, I did some basic research and learned that mutual aid is an organizational theory is rooted in justice. It suggests that everyone has something to contribute and something that they need, and that when people come together in an equitable way, everyone can benefit from mutually supporting one another. The theoretical foundations of mutual aid originate from Peter Kroptkin who noticed that Siberian wilderness animals banded to survive. In 1902, Kroptkin wrote about how this form of cooperation contributed to the evolution of a species to survive various conditions.

As opposed to charity work that focuses on service for the sake of service or gaining attention for future profit, mutual aid groups are non-hierarchical in operation and distribution of resources, often with strong ties to community or cultural values. Cascadia Deaf Nation (CDN) is a cooperatively-owned social enterprise for the Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) Deaf community. CDN’s Ashanti MontsTréviska states that CDN’s energy is rooted in their experience growing up as a Black Indigenous CubanAmerican with deep familial roots in community sharing.

Mutual aid often responds to inequities or areas of need because of systemic deficits in laws, programs, and funding on local and national levels. If governmental structures were already in place prior to the winter storm that struck Texas in February 2021, for instance, the mutual aid efforts that emerged may not have been necessary.

Mutual aid networks emerged due to lack of existing infrastructure to address the collective wellbeing of the community through redistribution of essentials such as food, milk, and warm clothing. Mutual aid networks tend to be stronger in areas with strong social capital such as in neighborhoods in which people know each other or can connect to others with greater ease.

Austin’s Access to Activism (A2A) and Austin Mutual Aid (AMA) collaborated to facilitate a mutual aid network for the Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, Hard of Hearing community. I chatted with Cesar Rocha about his involvement in mutual aid, which began with activism in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in Austin. He then became involved with “Stop the Sweep,” a community response to law enforcement’s harassment of people who are unhoused and living in tents, often as a result of Covid-19. Together, Rocha’s network and AMA helped ensure that information was increasingly conveyed in clear and respectful ways to those who are Deaf and houseless regarding imminent dangers and housing opportunities such as hotel stays.

Revolutionizing the meaning of liberation of the person through whole people and communities is highlighted in CDN’s logo.

Through Rocha’s familiarity with the existing resources and areas of need, the Deaf community in and around Austin received support through AMA and A2A’s collaboration. A2A has also worked with Off-The-Grid Missions, an organization that organizes emergency preparedness and disaster relief in Deaf communities around the world. Rocha shares deep gratitude for his team, who made it possible to provide the Deaf community with its needs during the storm. He envisions that in the future A2A will become a stronger mutual aid network as more and more people know that there are ways to take care of one another within the community.

Rocha explained that some people prefer to communicate with him directly as opposed to through the online form, and that could be for a range of reasons. I contemplated whether the face-toface or tactile nature of sign languages make it harder for people to ask for help as it removes the potential for remaining anonymous. He emphasized that it is okay to ask for help and that he sees many benefits of connecting people within the Deaf community with each other: mutual benefit ensues and there is a sense of relief when connecting through ease of communication.

Some organizations may make community connections possible in different ways. MontsTréviska shared insight about how familiarity about what mutual aid is can and has influenced how CDN fosters community care. CDN has gone through various permutations of mutual aid in its efforts to determine how to best share resources, as MontsTréviska describes, “with respect,” in the spirit of mutual aid.

In the spirit of community support, Jimmy Gore, president of the Louisiana Association of the Deaf (LAD), describes a part of LAD’s programs as efforts to redistribute resources. In response to Hurricane Laura in 2020, LAD raised funds that were re-

distributed to those who experienced the brunt of the disaster. They have also done a toy drive, food drive, and are now doing a book drive to bring reading material to communities and schools in various areas of the state.

I wondered why mutual aid networks may not be prevalent or if they perhaps look different in the Deaf community, due to the various social service agencies and state associations that already exist. Gore explained that this is a possibility, and that we are all still learning about what egalitarian sharing and distribution of resources looks like in different areas of the community.

Deaf Action Center is helping Louisiana Association for the Deaf collect books to donate to children in the deaf community to promote literacy skills.

I am still learning about mutual aid networks. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to explore this concept and share my learning process with some others along the way. Monts-Tréviska shares that “mutual aid changes people...and needs to stay, and not just be around because of the pandemic.” I look forward to discovering yet more ways we can collectively build our social networks to care for one another.

Organizations mentioned in the article: theokraproject.com access2activism.com cascadiadeafnation.co lad1908.org facebook.com/AustinMutualAid offthegridmissions.org

Shira Leitson-Grabelsky is an educator living in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Deaf Employment Summit Webinars

BY ZAINAB ALKEBSI (NAD), THOMAS HOREJES (GU), DENISE KAVIN (NTID), JOHN MACKO (NTID), KRISTY RAMOS (CSD), AND HOWARD A. ROSENBLUM (NAD)

Deaf and hard of hearing people have always struggled to get jobs and get promoted. The National Association of the Deaf (NAD), the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD), and Gallaudet University have for several years discussed how they could work together to improve employment opportunities for all deaf and hard of hearing people, including those who are DeafBlind or are deaf with other disabilities. One idea was to do a “Deaf Employment Summit” inspired by former Senator Harkin’s November 2018 Employment Summit for People with Disabilities.

The NAD, NTID, CSD, and Gallaudet originally planned the Deaf Employment Summit to be an inperson event in May 2020. However, the pandemic led us to pivot towards a series of virtual webinars with a focus on employment opportunities and barriers for deaf and hard of hearing people. Starting in May 2020, we conducted four successful webinars and are currently planning our fifth.

Our goal in hosting these Deaf Employment Summit webinars is to get more deaf and hard of hearing people into the workforce through education of both employers and employees, and by making the workplace more accessible. It was our hope to improve employment participation rate of deaf and hard of hearing people by the year 2030.

The webinars have given us an opportunity to address the unusual challenges of working during the pandemic including as front-line essential workers using masks or as remote workers dealing with video conferencing platforms. However, we plan to eventually host the summits in-person to continue the dialogue with employers regarding employment in the post-pandemic world.

All of the webinars emphasized the need for adapting, being open, and flexible to the constant changes while always complying with the legal standard of “effective communication.”

Our goal in hosting these Deaf Employment Summit webinars is to get more deaf and hard-of-hearing people into the workforce through education of both employers and employees, and by making the workplace more accessible.

WEBINAR 1

Working Remotely

The webinar series began with “Working Remotely: Best Practices for Deaf and Hearing Employees” and was hosted by NTID on May 21, 2020. The panelists included: Claudia Gordon – Director, Government and Compliance at Sprint; Kelly Murphy - Associate Accounting Manager at The Dow Chemical; Thomas Chappell - Senior Associate, Infra Sysdev at Prudential; David Heafitz - Vice President at Prudential Financial. The panel was moderated by Dr. Denise Kavin, Assistant Dean and Executive Director, Division of Outreach, Placement and Special Projects at NTID.

The panelists, two deaf and two hearing, discussed some of the challenges of pivoting from working in the office to working from home during the pandemic. The panelists focused on some of the best practices and technologies for communication and staying in contact with co-workers while staying safe.

The panelists discussed the importance of making sure the work from home environment was set up properly. Larger screens made a big difference and deaf employees need the ability to request additional equipment. The panelists pointed out the additional strain on deaf employees when looking at screens all day instead being able to multitask and just listen. “Deaf fatigue” is something panelists wanted

colleagues to recognize. The prominent topic was Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) and its usefulness as a tool for impromptu situations but not as a replacement for real-time captioners and ASL interpreters.

WEBINAR 2

Front-line Workers Communicating with Customers

On September 10, 2020, the NAD hosted the second webinar of the series, which was entitled “Deaf/ Hard of Hearing Employees During COVID-19 Best Practices? Masks? Communicating with Customers?”

The panelists were: Kevin Meyer, Sales Associate at the UPS Store; Carolyn Neumann, Visual Display Manager at Kohl’s Department Store; Kevin Smith, Sales Service Associate at United States Postal Service and, Laura Young, Overnight Stocker at H.E.B. The moderator was Zainab Alkebsi, Esq., Policy Counsel at NAD.

The panel discussed how communication has changed during the pandemic, including how face coverings hinder communication and the inability to simply pass phones and pens back and forth.

Panelists mentioned how clear face masks were helpful in some ways but sometimes fogged up and weren’t always available for customers. Key takeaways included: patience goes both ways in communication and the importance of asking the employee what

works best for them. Being flexible was also an important piece of advice. It can be frustrating, but being willing to have patience and asking for clarification was key. So much new information was coming out so frequently about coronavirus safety that adapting to changes was also important.

WEBINAR 3

Hiring Deaf and Hard of Hearing Employees

“Hiring Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Employees Now and Beyond” was then held by CSD on December 3, 2020. The panelists were: Samantha Moreno, Recruiter at HEB’s Disability Bridges; Regina Kiperman-Kiselgof, Assistant Director at NTID Center on Employment; Anjali Desai-Margolin, Career Center Consultant at Gallaudet University; and, Angel Enriquez, Senior Manager at Amazon’s Global Diversity Equity and Inclusion Organization. Kristy Ramos, Director of CSD Works, acted as moderator.

The panel discussed overcoming challenges both for the employer and the prospective employee during the interview and on-boarding process. One consideration that most panelists agreed was critical was that, for deaf or hard of hearing applicants who wanted an interpreter, an interpreter should be provided at the interview and on-boarding stage.

Also, it was important to give the deaf or hard of hearing applicants time to meet with the interpreter before the interview. For remote interviews during the pandemic, the panel emphasized the importance of using whichever platform that the deaf or hard of hearing applicant or employee indicated was the most effective for their communication needs and to keep the lines of communication open. Each person has their own individual needs and it is best not to assume that one approach works for everyone.

The panelists also discussed tips for the interview process. During the interview process, it is important

WEBINAR

for candidates to be confident, to explain what they need to succeed at the job, and to be careful to keep the interview focused on the job-related topics. Once hired, it is helpful for the employer to provide cultural competency trainings for all employees and to remember that better communication benefits everyone. Being compassionate and open-minded leads to better communication for all.

The panelists shared great resources, such as the Job Accommodation Website – ASKJAN, CSDWorks, and the NAD’s employment portal.

WEBINAR 4

Accommodating Deaf Employees

Gallaudet University hosted the fourth webinar, “Do’s and Don’ts of Accommodating Deaf Employees: From an Access Service Perspective” on March 11, 2021. The panel included: Pat Graves, Founder and CEO of Caption First; D’Lisa Robinson, Co-Founder and Interpreter Manager of Accessible Integrated Media (AIM); Mark Alan Morrison, Founder and CEO of Diversified Sign

Language Services; and Brianne Burger, Advanced Learning Director, Deaf in Government (DIG). The moderator was Dr. Thomas Horejes, Associate Provost for Student Success & Academic Quality at Gallaudet University.

The seminar began with Howard A. Rosenblum, CEO of the NAD, laying the basis of the effective communication mandate within the workplace. Employers should invite diversity in the workplace and give everyone an equal opportunity to participate. It is important to ask the deaf employee what is best for them as not every deaf person is the same in their communication needs and modes. It is not “one size fits all.”

Each deaf person is unique and so is each interpreter. Whenever possible, effort should be made to ensure the interpreter has the same racial and/or gender as the deaf person. In addition, it is important to ensure that the interpreter has appropriate dress, knowledge of the workplace vernacular, and other considerations. Also, as much preparatory information as possible should be shared with the interpreters and captioners before any meeting or interview. This preparation should include the content of the meeting, the spellings of terminology and names, as well as information about participants including the deaf employee. If there is a minimum time for contracting with interpreters, be creative in ways for the deaf employees to use that time.

The panelists explained why there might be a need for more than one interpreter or a combination of real-time captioning and interpreting. The audience was reminded to check in afterwards and ask the deaf employee about how their experience was and understand that it is really each employee’s perspective that matters.

The NAD, NTID, CSD and Gallaudet are all committed to

working collectively to achieve the ultimate goal of full employment for all deaf and hard-of-hearing people.

WEBINAR

Achieving Full Employment

The NAD, NTID, CSD, and Gallaudet are all committed to working collectively to achieve the ultimate goal of full employment for all deaf and hard of hearing people. There is much more to do to accomplish this including: optimal early intervention; improvements in deaf education; more effort towards both college preparation and vocational training; enhanced opportunities for internship and work experience; and enlightening employers. The Deaf Employment Summit is just one step towards this dream of full employment for all,

but it is a significant start towards partnering with employers to start expanding opportunities for all deaf and hard of hearing people.

A special thank you to Robin Stoller, NAD volunteer, for her assistance writing the article.

Additional Resources: rit.edu/ntid/nce/des

Zainab Alkebsi is the NAD’s Policy Counsel.

John Macko is the Director of NTID Center on Employment at RIT/NTID.

Dr. Denise Kavin is the Assistant Dean and Executive Director, Division of Outreach, Placement and Special Projects at RIT/NTID.

Dr. Thomas Horejes is the Associate Provost for Student Success and Academic Quality at Gallaudet University.

Kristy Ramos is the Director of CSD Works at the Communication Services for the Deaf.

Howard A. Rosenblum, Esq. has served as the NAD Chief Executive Officer since 2011.

The list below recognizes donations made by individuals and organizations to the NAD from July 2020 – January 2021. Donors are listed under the designated fund. If a fund is not designated, donors are listed under the general fund. Individual donors are recognized by their level of giving. Organizational donors are recognized by their member type. Individuals and organizations who are not members are listed as friends of the NAD.

There is a Donor Key on the right for individual giving levels and organization member status. Roman numerals following Benefactors (B) identify cumulative donation amounts in $1,000 increments.

Bequest

The NAD expresses great appreciation for the generous bequest from:

The Estate of Robert DeVenny

The Estate of Louis A. Wagner Jr.

Annual Fund Campaign –General

Maxine Adjei-Dadson, FON Kevin Agnew, FON

Karen Aguilar, S Ellah Allman, FON Jeffrey Amundsen, FON

Joseph Amuso, FON Glenn Anderson, P Mary Anderson, A Mark & Marla Apodaca, BVIII

Savanna Arral, FON Anonymous, FON Glenna Ashton, BVII

Luce Aubry, S Steve Baldwin, P

Dallas & Margaret Barker, BII

Jennisey Basart, FON Edwin Batchellor, FON

Timothy Beatty, BII

Dorota Beca, FON

Maryssa Becker, A Ethan Bernstein, FON Kevin Bianco, P

Christopher Majeri & Kim Bianco Majeri, P Anna Bitencourt, A Sasha Black, FON

JeVonn Blackwell, FON Alex Blake, FON

Aaron & Adria Bloom, FON

Jarlath Bloom, FON Marcy Borneman, A Michael Bourcier, FON Philip & Judith Bravin, BXVII

Craig Brenner, FON

Daniel Broderick, FON

Gregg Brooks, BII

Marianne Brown, BI

Meredith Brown, BIII

Roger Brush, FON

Jeff Bundy, FON

Frank Burckardt, P Mike Burns, FON Pamela Cancel, A Mirtha Castellano, FON Howard Chabner, P Steven & Nancy Chough, BIV Erin Clepper, FON Rosalie Cohen, FON Leigh Coit, FON

Aletha Cooke, FON Liz Cunningham, FON Jordan Dabney, FON Jordan Dailey, FON Ken Danti, FON

Wyleane Darden, A James de Groot, FON Rosemarie Deans, FON Marie Desrosiers, C Nida Din, S

Valerie Dively, P Caitlin Donnelly, FON

Gina Donofrio, P Alok Doshi, BI

Thomas & Laurie Dowling, BV

Melissa DraganacHawk, BXVIII

Noelle Dupuis, FON Jaimie Eager, FON

DONOR KEY

B = Benefactor ($1,000 and up)

P = Patron ($500-$999)

S = Sustaining Member ($250-$499)

C = Contributing Member ($100-$249)

A = Advancing Member (up to $99)

SA = State Association Affiliate

FON = Friends of the NAD

OA = Organizational Affiliate

Gail Edwards, P Andrew Egerstrom, FON Kinga Evans, FON Anita Farb, BXI Elizabeth Fazzolari, S Shane Feldman & Julie Tibbitt, BIII Megan Floyd, FON Daniel Frame, C Andrew Galuskin, A Joseph Gambino, FON Alex Gauger, A Sean Gerlis, BIV Stephen Gershman, FON John Godich, BI Michael Goldberg, BI Harvey & Astrid Goodstein, BXXVII James Gordon, FON Esther Griffin, P Judy Hait, A Mary Hamil, FON Denise Hanlon, BVI Margaret Hansen, FON Thomas & Kathryn Harbison, BII

Judy Harkins, BI Ray Harris & Rachel Stone, BIV Jacob Harris, FON Robert & Evie Harris, BXI

Caroline Hartley, FON Sabine Hebeisen, FON Mark Heflin, A Michael Henderson, S Elizabeth Henry, FON Albert & Peggy Hlibok, BXI Jennifer Hobson, FON Pamela Holmes, BIII Kimberly Hope, FON

Lia Horyczun, FON Jeanetta Hubbert, FON Charles Hubbs, FON Min Ji Huh, FON Wanda Hull, BII Paz Ibarra, FON Caroline Jackson, P Aaron Janik, A Kaj Jensen, FON Margaux Joffe, FON Esther Johannesen, FON Rae Johnson, BV Vilas Johnson Jr, BX Helen Johnson Peterson, BII Judy Jonas, C Priscilla Jones, S Kristian Karl, FON Charlotte Karras, C Laura Keen, A Sierra Keliher, FON Skylar Kellogg, FON Dorothy Kelsay, BlI Holly Ketchum, BVI Christine Kim, S John Kirsh, BI Laura Koons, FON Kairi Korin, FON Donald Kovacic, P Lee & Bonnie Kramer, BVI Alice Kurs, BII

Christopher Kurz, C Poorna Kushalnagar, C MaryLynn Lally, S Alan Lam, FON Betty Lawson, BI Grace Lazarz, FON Eric Leckfor, S Milton & Joy Lee, BXXI Diane Lessing, BIII Mitchell Levy, P

Lily Lew, FON

Kristie Licata, FON

Rebecca Lichtner, FON

Nisha Ligon, FON

Alyssandra Lopez, FON

Daniel & Joyce Lynch, BVII

Lauren Lynch, FON

James Manning, FON

Jesse Marion, FON

Yvette Marley, S

Carla Mathers, BII

Samantha Matthews, FON Andre McCoy, C

Marge McHenry, S

Betty McKown, BIV

Kathryn McLaughlin, FON

Brian McMahon, S

June McMahon, BIII

Melissa McManus, FON

Kristi Merriweather, A

Kenneth Mikos, BXII

Robin Mills, P

Winchell & Ruth Moore, BI

Judith Mounty, BIII

Harold & Mary Mowl, BIX

Dana Mulvany, C

Susan Murray, FON Sarah Nguyen, FON

Alexander Nichols, FON Monica Nordby, C

Esteban Nunez, FON

Sylvia Nystrom, BII

Idowu Ogungbayo, FON

Benro Ogunyipe, P

Margaret Opalka, FON

Sara Orlinsky, FON Michael Padden, FON Gloria Pagan, S

Jada Palmer, FON

Christine Pape, FON Char Parsley, BI

James & Susan Pedersen, BXXXV

Lydia Perrone, FON

Klaudia Persson, FON

Courtney Petri, A

Valerie Phillips, FON

Jennifer Pierson, FON

James Potter, BVI

Maranatha Prenger, FON Beth Prevor, P

Martin Price, C

June Prusak, P

Larry Puthoff, BII Gilda Radwan, FON

Kirti Rajwekar, FON

Emily Rake, FON

Khadijat Rashid, BI

Scott Ratafia, P

Leanne Reay, S

Jane Refela, FON

Tiffany Richardson, FON

Charmaine Ridgely, FON

Janice Rimler, P

Glenn Robinson, FON

Christopher Rohrs, FON

Ed Romano, C

Lisa Rose, C

Allan & Judith Rosenblum, BlV

Helene Rosenblum, BI

Howard Rosenblum, BXXIII

Nicholas Ross, FON Byron Rowe, Bl

Michael Ruble, FON Bonnie Rudy & Karen Naughton, BXI Catherine Russo, C

Hala Saif, FON

Melanie Sams, A

Catherine Sattler, FON Katherine Savage, FON Charissa Sawyer, A Kathy Say, P

Sarah Scannell, FON Courtney Schatz, FON Daniel Schreiner, BIII

Aimee Schwintz, FON

Peter & Debra Seiler, BII

Sam Sepah, FON

Jeffrey Sharlein, FON Adrienne Shaw, FON Nancy Shugart, BI

Jerry & Bonnie Siders, BI Pamela Siebert, BI

Arthur Smith, S Barbara Smith, S Melissa Smith, P

Joanne Snyder, P

Emily Sorenson, FON

Valerie Spence, A Ronald Sperry, BII

Jonnie Staggs, C

William Stauffer, FON Justine Stiftel, FON

Victoria Stuard, A

Stephanie Summers, C Christopher Susek, FON Ronald Sutcliffe, BXX

Richard Tashijan, FON

Stephen Tasker, FON Reagan Thomas, FON Doris Thompson, FON Diana Thorpe, BI Debbie Timmermans, FON Kayla Tuchler, FON Gwendolyn Umbach, FON Francis Van Shaneyfelt, P Gary Viall, BII Katherine Vieceli, FON Christian Vogler & Krystallo Tziallila, BI Katie Waltz, C Taylor Watts, FON Carolyn Weeramantry, FON Andrew Weissman, FON Katharina Weiten, FON Jamie Wernlein, A Breanna Williams, FON David & Doris Wise, BI Jennifer Witteborg, C Irene Wu, FON Jennifer York, A Kelsey Yost, FON Dan Zigmond, P Lauren Zook, FON Amazon Smile Donations, FON American Charities, FON Benevity, FON Communique Interpreting, Inc., FON Comcast Corporation, OA Enterprise Holdings Foundation, FON Facebook Donations, FON Frontstream, FON Hamilton Relay, Inc, OA Hormel Foods Corporation, FON IBM Corporation Employee Services, FON Lutheran Church Missouri Synod North Wisconsin District Deaf, FON

Lyft, FON Network For Good, FON Target % Cybergrants, FON Your Cause, FON

Nancy J. Bloch Leadership & Advocacy Scholarship

Glenna Ashton, BVII

Judith DeSalvio, C Peter & Debra Seiler, BII Christopher Tan, FON

Frank R. Turk Youth Leadership Scholarship

Ethan Bernstein, FON

Philip & Judith Bravin, BXVII

Anna Lynch, A James & Susan Pedersen, BXXXV

Peter & Debra Seiler, BII

Sharon Sinkler, P Roger & Connie Smedman, C Jessica Smolen, A Frank & Marlene Turk, BXVI

Annual Fund Campaign –Education

Advocacy

Alex Blake, FON

Philip & Judith Bravin, BXVII

Joshua Clardy, FON

Rubi Flores, FON Amy Freeman, FON Donald Galloway, BI Joseph Gambino, FON Rochelle Gillis, BII

Jennifer Greenfield, BI David Grocki, A Stephen & Tawny Hlibok, BV Robert Hoffmeister, BI

Richard & Nancy Horowitz, BVIII

Min Ji Huh, FON

Shirley Jackson, A Brittmarie LaBissoniere, FON Mahamosa LLC, FON

Alyssandra Lopez, FON Lauren Robertson, FON Michael Ruble, FON

Amie Scruggs, FON Peter & Debra Seiler, BII Holly Silvestri, FON Roger & Connie Smedman, C Jennifer Strickler, FON

Annual Fund Campaign –International

Alyssandra Lopez, FON

Annual Fund CampaignLaw and Advocacy

Karen Aguilar, S

Eric Albro, C

Karen Atwood, A

Mandy Bracken, S

Phil & Judith Bravin, BXVII

Daniel Broderick, FON

Gerard & Judy Buckley, BXVII

Heidi Burghardt, P

Jill Clancy, FON

Jordan Dabney, FON

Jordan Dailey, FON

Robert Davila, BVIII

Lori Drake, FON

John Erickson, FON

Irene Garcia-Benavides, A

Harvey & Astrid

Goodstein, BXXVII

Brian & Rebecca Greenwald, S Thomas & Kathryn Harbison, BII

Jacob Harris, FON

Jennifer Harris, FON

Jonny Hinkley, FON

Richard & Nancy Horowitz, BVIII

Lia Horyczun, FON Norman & Catherine Ingram, BV

Helen Johnson-Peterson, BII

Raymond Kenney, BI

Donald Kovacic, P

Alice Kurs, BII

Catherine Lanser, C

Anne Leahy, C

Darcie LeMieux, BI

Jacqueline Lightfoot, P

Alyssandra Lopez, FON

Elisa Mlynar, C

Lissette Molina Wood, BIII

Teresa Moon Flaherty, P

Sharon Morency Bryant, BIII

Hope Neer, FON

Lynn Null, BVII

Stephanie Pearl, FON

Valarie Phillips, FON

Ella Schultz, FON

Amie Scruggs, FON

Toby Silver, BI

Roger & Connie Smedman, C

Arthur Smith, S

Ronald Stern & Hedy Udkovich Stern, BII

Justine Stiftel, FON

Christopher Tan, FON

Joseph Vieira, P

S Wajid, FON

Barbara White, BV Stephen & Melanie Williams, BIII

Annual Fund Campaign –Youth Leadership

James Paul Beldon, A

Willette Crews, FON

Christopher Drescher, FON

Colleen Evans, FON

David Fiorillo, A

Lisa Goga, FON

Shira Grabelsky, S

Marla Hatrak, S

Lia Horyczun, FON

T. Alan & Vicki Hurwitz, BXXVI

Millicent Knudsen, FON Karen Leslie-Henry, C Alyssandra Lopez, FON June McMahon, BIII

Brendan Murphy, C

Phillip Perez, FON

Joseph & Kay Francis Rose, BVII

Doug Sampson, S Roger & Connie Smedman, C Lizzie Sorkin, P

Mark Summers, C Frank & Marlene Turk, BXVI

Betty Witczak, BII Barbara Wood & LeWana Clark, BX

In Honor…

Jessica Belwood Katherine DeWitt, C

Azra Bibi Jill Clancy, FON

Nancy J. Bloch

Shane Feldman & Julie Tibbitt, BIII Lynn Null, BVII

Adeline Brock Marisa Stoll, FON

Frederick M. Cardenas

Maurice Cardenas, FON

Amina Cogley Leigh Coit, FON

Amelia Dahl

Steve Baldwin, P Mari De Boshir Inna Hoover, FON

DeafBlind Interpreters

Alice Ann Friends, S

Harolyn Farber

Eugene & Barbara Lanton, FON

Jordan Francisco Aliza Ali, FON

Barbara Garrett Holly Silvestri, FON

Kory Geller Kristian Karl, FON Gernith Jill Clancy, FON

Carolyn Gershman

Stephen Gershman, FON

Harris-Peters Family Elizabeth Finn, FON

Annie Harvey Heather Zack, FON

Mr. and Mrs. Albert Hlibok Donald Galloway, BI

Elizabeth Horowitz Richard & Nancy Horowitz, BVIII

Wanda Hull Lynn Null, BVII

Benito Jauregui

Esteban Nunez, FON Phillip Perez, FON

Michael Kimmel Thomas Kimmel, FON

Amelie Koeb Gary Koeb, FON

Sophie Larner Helena Martins, FON

Maya Anand Srinivasa, FON Kaylee Mariah Miller Martin Kreisler, FON

NAD Staff Steve Baldwin, P Kim Namjoon Sage Sharkey, FON

Susan Rake Emily Rake, FON

Nancy Rarus Donalda Ammons, BIII

Lauren Robertson’s great grandfather Lauren Robertson, FON

Howard Rosenblum Karen Aguilar, S Howard Chabner, P Edward Peltier, P

Kayla Sabina Jesse Marion, FON Patricia Scherer Alice Mosur, FON

Ella Schultz’s Birthday Ella Schultz, FON

Christian Smooth Sytonia Reid, FON

Lizzie Sorkin Christine Kim, S

Steven Stephen Jennifer Jaramillo, FON

Shoshannah Stern’s portrayal of Eileen Leahy in Supernatural Ellah Allman, FON Mary Anderson, A Dorota Beca, FON

DONOR LIST

Maryssa Becker, A Erin Clepper, FON Steph Cousins, FON Catina Derosia, FON Caitlin Donnelly, FON Lori Drake, FON Noelle Dupuis, FON Jaimie Eager, FON Tammie Ellis, FON Rubi Flores, FON

Margaret Hansen, FON Jacob Harris, FON Jennifer Harris, FON Caroline Hartley, FON Kimberly Hope, FON Paz Ibarra, FON

Kaj Jensen, FON Skylar Kellogg, FON Liliana Kemna, FON Millicent Knudsen, FON Roxanne Koogler, FON Kairi Korin, FON Katie Kotarek, FON Margarita Lapina, FON Kayla Litton, FON Alyssandra Lopez, FON Lauren Lynch, FON Samantha Matthews, FON Hope Neer, FON Sarah Nguyen, FON Christine Pape, FON Maranatha Prenger, FON Kirti Rajwekar, FON Ash Sal, FON

Catherine Sattler, FON Katherine Savage, FON Sarah Scannell, FON Amie Scruggs, FON Leslie Simonin, FON Emily Sorenson, FON Liz Spencer, P

Debbie Timmermans, FON Kayla Tuchler, FON

Gwendolyn Umbach, FON Catharine Willey, FON Breanna Williams, FON Lauren Zook, FON

Christina Stevens

Marie Giglio, FON

Peter Strickler & Family Jennifer Strickler, FON

John Evan Torkelson

Joshua Clardy, FON

Kaiden Wade

Sade Washington, FON

Peter Yee Ed Romano, C

In Support…

DeafBlind Section

Dorota Beca, FON James Paul Beldon, A JeVonn Blackwell, FON Kinga Evans, FON Alice Ann Friends, S Joseph Gambino, FON Jacob Harris, FON

Lia Horyczun, FON Darchelle Love, A Gabrielle Newman, FON Aron Pleysier, FON Anand Srinivasa, FON Christopher Tan, FON Aiswarya Vincent Kodiveedu, A

Deaf Culture & History Section

Michael Azrelyant, A Steve Baldwin, P

Dorota Beca, FON James Paul Beldon, A Leigh Coit, FON Richard Collatos, FON Joseph Gambino, FON Shira Grabelsky, S Alice Hagemeyer, BIII Jacob Harris, FON Lia Horyczun, FON Roxanne Koogler, FON Alice Kurs, BII

Brendan Murphy, C Gabrielle Newman, FON Alexander Nichols, FON Patricia O’Hara, FON Celeste Owens, S Michael Ruble, FON Christine Simonsen, FON Roger & Connie Smedman, C Arthur Smith, S

Carolyn Wetz, FON David Windham, FON So Speechy, LLC, FON

NDEC/Education Section

Ellah Allman, FON James Paul Beldon, A Rubi Flores, FON Joseph Gambino, FON Patrick Graham, A Jacob Harris, FON Stephen & Tawny Hlibok, BV Lia Horyczun, FON Chandrika Khera, A Nancy Maguire Heath, A June McMahon, BIII Alexander Nichols, FON Michael Rubie, FON

Interpreter Section

James Paul Beldon, A Mark Blakeney, A Alice Ann Friends, S Joseph Gambino, FON Marie Giglio, FON Lia Horyczun, FON Darchelle Love, A Celeste Owens, S Michael Ruble, FON Arthur Smith, S Anand Srinivasa, FON Aiswarya Vincent Kodiveedu, A S Wajid, FON

Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Transgender Section

Ellah Allman, FON James Paul Bendon, A Elizabeth Finn, FON Joseph Gambino, FON Courtney Gasway, FON Jacob Harris, FON Lia Horyczun, FON Darchelle Love, A Lauren Lynch, FON Michael Ruble, FON Arthur Smith, S Katherine Vieceli, FON Aiswarya Vincent Kodiveedu, A S Wajid, FON Sade Washington, FON Heather Zack, FON

Senior Citizens Section

Donalda Ammons, BIII

James Paul Beldon, A Thomas & Laurie Dowling, BV Joseph Gambino, FON Jeffrey Howard, C Alice Kurs, BII

June McMahon, BIII Alexander Nichols, FON Roger & Connie Smedman, C Tovah Wax, S

Youth Section

Ellah Allman, FON

James Paul Beldon, A Colleen Evans, FON Joseph Gambino, FON Stephen & Tawny Hlibok, BV Lia Horyczun, FON

Alexander Nichols, FON Jennifer Pierson, FON Michael Ruble, FON Anand Srinivasa, FON Marisa Stoll, FON S Wajid, FON

In Memory…

Bob Alcorn

Barbara Babcock Kirsch, A

Barbara Baerwaldt Doris Thompson, FON

Wanda

Christopherson Joyce Cheatham, FON

Mary Contestabile

David & Susan Rush, FON

Judy Kay Douglas Cowen

Aron Pleysier, FON Neil Pruitt, FON

Ted Dover

Amy Freeman, FON Marleen Dubin Richard Collatos, FON

Bill & Glenda Ennis

John Ricciardi, BII

Rosemarie Fitzmaurice

Linda Dowd, FON

James Foster

Jane Refela, FON

Merv Garretson

Lissette Molina Wood, BIII

Alfred & Betty Hoffmeister

Robert Hoffmeister, BI

Edie Hotchkiss Pat McCullough, P

Joseph F. Insana Jr.

Frank & Patricia Beam, FON Joseph & Dianne Pielecha, FON

Sharon Ann Jackson Christine Simonsen, FON

David LeMieux

Darcie LeMieux, BI

Francis George Lippert Mary Napolitano, FON

John Mathews

Roger & Connie Smedman, C

Robert McMahon June McMahon, BIII

Don & Hertha Neumann Richard Hall Jr, S

Ryan Norse Leon & Helen Staniec, FON

Barbara O’Hanlon

Aaron & Adria Bloom, FON Lisa Goga, FON

Christopher Rohrs, FON Carolyn Wetz, FON

Irene Wu, FON

James O’Hara

Patricia O’Hara, FON

Don & Agnes Padden Barbara White, BV

Herbert Pickell

Susan Hocker, FON

Leonard Peacock, BVII Tovah Wax, S

Philip J. Raimondo Jr.

Frank & Patricia Beam, FON Mark Berch, FON

Joseph & Marie Camoratto, FON

Elliott & Nancy Kirschbaum, FON

Thomas & Carol Nerney, FON Dick & Kay Noble, FON Ethan & Rachel Seidel, FON Sandra Von Moltke, FON

Delight Rice

Ronald & Catherine Hirano, BXVI

Lilly Rattner Shirey Mary Boxer, BI Thomas Holcomb, BII June McMahon, BIII

Agnes Sutcliffe

Stephanie Aronson Hightman, FON Philip & Judith Bravin, BXVII James & Nora Carlson, FON Jay Dunn, FON Darlene Ewan, C Alice Hagemeyer, BIII Rae Johnson, BV Joseph & Kay Francis Rose, BVII

Bob & Patty Shalberg, FON Ronald Sutcliffe, BXX Carl Terry Brittmarie LaBissoniere, FON

Joan Villane

Kristie Licata, FON

James & Dorothy Wiegand Sharon Sinkler, P

Guy Wonder Kenneth Mikos, BXII

IN MEMORIAM

Robert Alcorn, Friend of the NAD

Barbara Baerwaldt, Friend of the NAD Carl Brininstool, Benefactor III Wanda Christopherson, Friend of the NAD Linda Cooper, Contributing Member Judy Kay Douglas Cowan, Friend of the NAD James Foster, Contributing Member

Louis Frisino, Contributing Member James Griffin, Sustaining Member

Joseph Insana Jr. , Friend of the NAD Sharon Ann Jackson, Contributing Member David LeMieux, Friend of the NAD John Mathews, Benefactor I Robert McMahon, Benefactor III Hertha Neumann, Friend of the NAD Jane Norman, Benefactor II Ryan Norse, Friend of the NAD Barbara O’Hanlon, Friend of the NAD James O’Hara, Friend of the NAD Herbert Pickell, Benefactor IV Philip Raimondo Jr., Friend of the NAD Drucilla Ronchen - Sustaining Member Brent Shiver, Sustaining Member Agnes Sutcliffe, Benefactor XX Carl Terry, Friend of the NAD Joan Villane, Friend of the NAD Elke Weinbrenner, Contributing Member Dorothy Wiegand, Friend of the NAD Guy Wonder, Friend of the NAD

8630 Fenton Street, Ste. 820 Silver Spring, MD 20910