Interpreters with Deaf Parents
Protest @ AGBell Convention Completed
From Ella Mae Lentz:The protest's over... For now. After handing out more flyers, more kick-outs from the booth area, more meetings w/ the police, etc., we wrapped up the protest w/ a meeting. Videos of the meeting should be up Sunday evening, July 29.
We accomplished a few things over the weekend: a) unifying the Deaf community across the world. We received so much support and could feel it from everywhere! b) raised awareness across a wider spectrum- from passerbys to AG Bell participants to some media. While media didn't come today, they have been alerted and now they know there's a story in this protest. Some media outlets ARE following up. And, c) we served notice to AG Bell that we are gonna pay attention to the idea AND system of banning ASL from Deaf babies from now and on until ALL Deaf children are proficient in both languages and have a happy relationship w/ their parents. We are growing STRONGER!
We will go to the ASL Festival at Gallaudet University at 4:30 today and talk w/ everybody there, and continue to raise awareness. We all are flying home tonight/tomorrow.
We exchanged e-addys and made plans for next year's campaign at the much bigger AG Bell conv in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (late June 2008, I believe). See you there! The DBC will be posting year-round preparing us all for next year's protest. Mark your calendars and keep an eye on our future announcements after tomorrow's vlogs.
Your community can kick-off your year-long fundraising campaign, just like there were 84 Tent Cities world-wide last year. Your community can send your people to Milwaukee next year. Me, I'm gonna get 50 Bay Areans or more- see if you can beat that #? :)
This weekend was the first time in nearly 100 years that AG Bell HEARD us loud 'n clear.
We thank you so much for your participation, donation, and support. Please keep the fire going for the years to come. Yes, this is long-term, and we will not rest until every Deaf child has full access to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.
"A small step, but a giant step for Deafkind", says Patrick Rosenburg, Marriott Gateway's non-customer for 1 year.
FOR ALL DEAF CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS!
For further information, go to John Egbert's sites-
http:// www.agbell.info
and http://blog.deafread.com/egbertpress
or http://blog.deafread.com/egbertpress/2007/07/22/deaf-bilingual-coalition/.Another site is Amy Cohen Efron's vlog called "The Greatest Irony"posted July 25 on her site: "The World As Eye See It"
If you wish to support these efforts -
Donations to Deaf Bilingual Coalition can be made through the
California Association of the Deaf
www.cad1906.org
Go to "support for Deaf Bilingual Coalition" link on left.
PayPal is accepted.
Protest @ AGBell Convention July 27 & 28
From: dme@tmail.comSubject: IMPORTANT: Protest @ AGBell Convention
Dear friend, Tomorrow morning I fly out to Washington, DC, to join John Egbert's campaign to have ALL Deaf babies sign. We will be campaigning in front of the Alexander Graham Bell Association convention in Arlington, VA. Thursday, July 26th- the Deaf Bilingual Coalition gathers at Gallaudet. Friday & Saturday, July 27th & July 28th- we will be at the AGB Convention, with media attention, etc. We want all Deaf babies to be proficient in both ASL and English. We are puzzled at the irony of the wildly popular "Baby Signs" where hearing babies are taught to sign before they speak. However, with the AVT (Audio Verbal Therapy, where signing and any visual cues are strongly discouraged), Deaf babies are not signing. If it's good for hearing babies (increased IQ scores, reading readiness, confidence, etc.- check Amy Cohen Efron's "The Greatest Irony" vlogs for more information on this), then it should be good for Deaf babies.I am asking your help with the following; -forward this e-mail -spread awareness of our campaign -hold discussions on this special event (increase our consciousness) -watch blogs & vlogs closely the next 3 days and afterwards -respond rapidly to e-discussions (we will be extremely busy with the campaign.. to busy to rapidly respond) -donate to The Deaf Bilingual Coalition to cover expenses (possibly to cover interpreting fees, Xeroxing pamphlets, and any other overheads)- you can donate through www.cad1906.org (California Association of the Deaf)- go there and click on the left side. Even $5 will help us a lot.
For further information, go to John Egbert's sites-
http:// www.agbell.info
and http://blog.deafread.com/egbertpress
or http://blog.deafread.com/egbertpress/2007/07/22/deaf-bilingual-coalition/.I will try my best to keep you posted over the weekend. If you are interested, page me at dme@tmail.com , and I'll inform Colin of your interest. (He'll be the contact person while I'm gone this weekend).
For our Deaf children. For their success and happiness.
David Eberwein