Canadian 'Deaf Superintendent Now' Petition

Deaf News - Exclusive: Canadian protesters say Deaf students’ new superintendent who can hear must go - but not everyone agrees.

TORONTO STAR - A loud campaign advocating for a Deaf Superintendent circulated online and around the world, then didn’t get what it was fighting for.



The Provincial Schools Branch (PSB), which oversees the provinces four schools for the Deaf, announced last week it hired a hearing superintendent, Jeanne Leonard.



The announcement also said the branch hired Heather Gibson, who is Deaf, in a new position called “assistant to the superintendents.” Though that brings a Deaf person to an administrative level previously dominated by hearing people, some in the Deaf community say that’s not what they were asking for.



“It totally doesn’t make sense - there are qualified Deaf candidates,” Rose Etheridge, said through an interpreter at a protest Monday in front of the Ernest C. Drury School for the Deaf in Milton. “They’re trying to pacify us,” added Etheridge, whose Oct. 22 video calling for a Deaf Superintendent has hit 20,000 views. (The hashtag #PSBsuperintendent2015 followed the video and generated hundreds of posts from across the continent.)



However, two of the community’s most outspoken advocates - Barbara Dodd and Zak Smith, who was arrested last year for staging a protest over concerns about learning conditions in Ontario’s Schools for the Deaf - say they are satisfied with the appointments as a first step toward more Deaf leadership ... Read More: http://thestar.com/yourtoronto/education/2015/11/09/protesters-say-school-appointment-is-tone-deaf.html



Petitioning Deaf Superintendent Now:

We are protesting against PSB's decision to appoint a hearing person to superintendent position because we are a cultural and linguistic minority group who should be led by our own. We are also protesting for changes in their superintendent selection process, to ensure that it will be transparent, fair and inclusive. Sign up petition HERE.



You can find out more on www.psbprotest.ca, on facebook pages; PSBProtest, Deaf Ontario and Deaf Education Coalition, and follow both hashtags; #PSBsuperintendent2015 and #PSBProtest.



Follow #‎DeafSuperintendent2015

Twitter - https://twitter.com/hashtag/psbsuperintendent2015

Facebook - https://facebook.com/hashtag/psbsuperintendent2015

More Details on OAD Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/OntarioDeaf



Related Post: Canadian 'Deaf Superintendent Now' Movement



You might also like to see the post: #Deaf Canadians

Deaf Bussiness Owners Dealt With Prejudice

VIDEO [CC] - Deaf News: Deaf small business owners thrive after overcoming obstacles and prejudice of hearing people in the United States.

NEW YORK (AP) - Soon after customers arrive at Mozzeria for the first time, they notice something's different about the restaurant: Virtually every staffer is Deaf.



Owners Russ and Melody Stein are also Deaf, and have run their San Francisco restaurant since 2011. The business is thriving because customers love the food and the Steins have overcome obstacles Deaf people can face when they become small business owners - particularly lingering stereotypes and prejudice, and fewer resources than hearing entrepreneurs have.

"We have the same skills as a hearing individual," Russ Stein says. Running Mozzeria comes naturally to Melody Stein, whose family is in the restaurant business. "It's something I've always wanted to do," she says.



Deaf people have the same ambition and ability to be entrepreneurs and business owners as those who hear, says Tom Baldridge, director of the business administration program at Gallaudet University, the largest educational institution serving the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. There's a growing interest among Gallaudet students in entrepreneurship, matching the increase in business schools across the country. The university is expanding its entrepreneurship offerings beyond courses, and giving students experience in running businesses like campus coffee shops.



"A lot is happening right now beyond a few courses in entrepreneurship. We've hired a consultant who's going to guide us (and) infuse corporate entrepreneurship into all the academic disciplines," Baldridge says.



MIXED REACTIONS



The hearing world is still catching up to the idea of Deaf business owners. The Steins have encountered discrimination from people who hear and don't want to make accommodations to help those who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.



The couple has run into resistance when they asked for help at local government offices, including times when they were trying to get permits required for running a restaurant.



"We have had our rough moments," Russ Stein says. "There have been times when I had to ask for interpreters, and I was made fun of; I was looked down upon."



Vendors and other business owners who can hear are often startled or feel awkward when they first meet the couple. Some have assumed that because the Steins are Deaf, they didn't know what they were doing, Russ Stein says. Some have been impatient about using pen and paper to communicate, or have said offensive or inappropriate things.



"People ask, 'how do you drive?'" Stein says.



But most vendors adapt to working with the Steins. Mozzeria's wine vendor has become a true colleague, helping them learn more about the restaurant business.



And customers, most of whom can hear, seem happy to write their questions about items on the menu. Some seem awkward when they first come in, but they soon relax and enjoy their meals.



"They learn to overcome their fear," Melody Stein says.



OVERCOMING STEREOTYPES



Many Deaf owners have dealt with prejudice, including hearing people believing that the best careers for Deaf people are teaching or counseling other Deaf people.



Mara Ladines, who owns By Mara, a clothing manufacturer and store in New York wanted a career in fashion design, but some counselors in college tried to steer her toward being a graphic designer, a job that would require less communication with others.



"They believed a Deaf individual can't get a job in the fashion industry." she says.



Ladines insisted on taking design courses and got jobs in retailers including clothing store H&M. In 2008, she began designing T-shirts and other clothes with a logo that shows the American Sign Language sign for "I love you." She started the business online and it has grown to the point where she could open the store last spring; many of the people who walk in are hearing, and Ladines is able to communicate with them and make sales. By Joyce M. Rosenberg, Associated Press Business Writer



You might also like to see the post: #Deaf Business.

Growing Deaf-Owned Businesses In Austin

VIDEO: Deaf News - Austin, Texas A Top City For Deaf-Owned Businesses.

KXAN AUSTIN - The number of Deaf-owned businesses in the country is growing, and Austin is leading the pack.



Convo, a Deaf-owned telecommunications provider, reports there are more than 200 Deaf-owned businesses in the country, and counting. In the Austin-area there are 30 Deaf-owned businesses.



One of them is Silent Automotive, an auto shop that provides services to both Deaf and Hearing customers. The owners pride themselves on integrity, honesty and quality of service.

“Sound is caused by vibrations, sound doesn’t come out of its own. So we go to the car and feel the vibrations,” said part-owner, Joel DeChristofaro. “We have to be hands on and find exactly where the sound is coming from. Does take a little more time I assume, but I feel it gives us a clearer picture of what happens with the car.” Danny Blalock first started the business back in 2008.



“Because of communication. A lot of my [Deaf] friends have had bad experiences at auto shops, they felt they were getting ripped off,” said Blalock. “Our goal for our business is to keep growing; we’d like to hire more mechanics, Deaf mechanics, to give them opportunity to grow their resume.”



Blalock says the Deaf community continues to grow in Austin, Texas and is becoming more friendly for the Deaf community. Source



You might also like to see the post: #Deaf Business.

Deaf Canadians Petitioning Closed Caption Act Bill

VIDEO [CC] - Deaf News: Petitioning Closed Caption Accessibility Act Bill to Canada and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

TORONTO - Can you hear me? I cannot hear you. I am Deaf. Hearing is the only thing we can’t do… We can do anything else - and not hearing doesn't make us any less Canadian that everyone else! We love our beautiful country as much as you do. We love the quality of life here that is afforded to every Canadians, both citizens and newcomers.



Unfortunately, life for Deaf people in Canada is without many of the things you take for granted. We face much hardship, discrimination, inequality in employment, and poverty. We are not even able to enjoy our internet or technologies or facilities or events or anything you see and use in daily life. Sign up petition HERE.

To activate this feature, press the "CC" button.

Canada has not enacted a law similar to the US “21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act” which would provide an entitlement for Deaf citizens to access media online with mandated closed captioning. Without captioning, online content remains mostly inaccessible for us. In Canada, we are left out, falling behind the times in terms of modern accessibility; Technology changed and the rules didn’t. We have no clue what politician may say on videos or ads online. We are unable to watch any video online even ESPN, HBO, Netflix, MTV or our national new sites (CTV.ca or CBC.ca) because they choose not to provide closed captioning for some or all of its contents and are not required to do so.



Even more importantly, on the employment side, with all of the technological advancements available, communication barriers have been broken down. Today’s technology has revolutionized the workplace in terms of communications. With such a wealth of technology, incorporating the Deaf into a workplace environment should be fairly easy to do. You'd be thinking that it should have solved some of the unemployment issues, so did we!



In federal election 2015 that Justin Trudeau of the Liberal Party won the majority, we the Deaf note that none of the parties have addressed the issues of accessibility; none have developed any remedies for the issues facing the Deaf communities across this great country with exception of promising Accessibility Act but falling short of mentioning anything on our issues.



We are demanding that you develop an Accessibility Act that addresses the need to improve employment supports and opportunities for those with disabilities... Read More: https://change.org/p/to-stephen-harper-deaf-canadians-matter



You might also like to see: Canadian 'Deaf Superintendent Now' Movement



Related Posts: #Deaf Canadians

Deaf Hockey Documentary 'Ice and Quiet'

VIDEO: Campaign: Canadian Film 'Ice & Quiet' A Deaf Hockey Documentary.

TORONTO - Imagine living without hearing. You'd miss the sounds of the world - music, laughter, traffic noises as you try to cross the road, a friend shouting out in the street behind you, the roar of a crowd at a hockey game.



Even the whistle of the referee or call of your teammates as you tried to play. Would you even try to play?



But what if there was a way you could despite this? What if Deaf hockey was a thing?... Oh wait, it is. And it's got an exciting story we want to share with the world.

The Ontario Deaf Hockey Association was founded in 2011 to bring Deaf and Hearing individuals and athletes together and provide pathways in sport and hockey for Deaf athletes in the province. As our athletes prepare for the Deaflympics (yeah, that's also a thing), we're putting together a documentary about Deaf hockey to help build awareness of the sport and garner support for the love of the game.



And also just because it a fascinating topic, right?



As part of the documentary, we've partnered with many different organizations including the Hockey Hall of Fame, Glide, Karbon Sports, CrossIceHockey, Epic Toronto and Kobe Sportswear.



It's going to be an intriguing and arousing short documentary with game footage along with some fan interviews. But before we can put it all together, we need your help Raising CA$3,000 to cover things like equipment, location and interpreter costs. The remaining amount will be put back into the Ontario Deaf Hockey Association to ensure that the program's success to help athletes accomplish their dreams of playing hockey and representing their province and later, Team Canada at the Deaflympics. Sign up to donate HERE.



So if you love hockey, are curious about a different version of the game or just want to be involved in an exciting documentary that will score goals at film festivals, here's your chance to get involved. We've got some great perks for all your generous support and because we're still in production there's even opportunity to be interviewed on screen... Read More: https://indiegogo.com/projects/ice-quiet-a-hockey-documentary#/



You might also like to see: Canadian 'Deaf Superintendent Now' Movement



Related Posts: #Deaf Canadians

Deaf Short Film 'You & Me'

VIDEO: A short comedy film 'You & Me' now in pre-production.

A young Deaf woman meets a recently blinded man at a cafe. What follows is a funny and moving love story about life’s universal challenges and joys. This short is an excerpt from the feature-length screenplay.

Written by Hillary Baack & Alexander Baack

Produced by Alexander Baack & Hillary Baack

Directed by Alexander Baack (Hollywood Musical!)

Starring Hillary Baack (The East)

Music by D.D. Jackson



You & Me - Indiegogo Intro: The introduction of our Indiegogo campaign as well as the short film of the big meet cute!

You & Me from Force Studios. For more, visit: forcestudios.com/youme.

Petitioning NAD President Chris Wagner To Resign

VIDEO [CC] - Exclusive: Chris Wagner, president of National Association of the Deaf's board of directors, to resign from his position immediately!



This petition is to demand for Chris Wagner, president of the board of directors with National Association of the Deaf (NAD), to resign from his position since his views & special interests doesn’t align with the NAD’s mission statement along with the Deaf Civil Rights. Sign up petition HERE.



If Chris Wagner refuses to resign, with your support by signing this petition, we as the Deaf community of United States of America will demand for the NAD’s board of directors to take action against Chris Wagner and impeach him from his position. We need a leader who will support Deaf Civil Rights and take a stand against Deaf Schools, being dominated by audists who refused to respect Deaf children’s rights to education with American Sign Language.



Ever since the Hunger Strike started against Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (WPSD) for oppressing against Deaf people and taking away ASL from the rights of Deaf children, Chris Wagner has made it clear that he’s supporting Donald E. Rhoten, the superintendent of WPSD, over the Deaf community, which is a conflict of interest with NAD’s mission statement.



We have suffered oppression for over 200 years. We have had enough! Now is the time to stand up and make sure our voices are heard with support from NAD to empower the Deaf community and enable Deaf people with greater access to employment, to preserve ASL as a primary language for the Deaf children. The NAD needs to work with the Deaf community, not against itself, like Lincoln said, “A divided house cannot stand!” Sign up petition HERE.



NAD President Asks Community to Become Unified - National Association of the Deaf (NAD) President Chris Wagner asks the community to stop attacking each other and to work together.

To activate this feature, press the "CC" button.

Chris Wagner's description and transcript: This is probably one of the most difficult messages that I have ever had to give. It is evident that the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community is not unified, with all the different individuals and groups making strong comments against each other. There have been bullying incidents on social media as well. This breaks my heart. This kind of hostility is what gives hearing parents concerns about sending their children to a Deaf School.



We all know that these schools are the heart of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. Though I didn’t go to a Deaf school myself, I discovered my Deaf identity and American Sign Language through my journey as I became an adult. I know that Deaf schools are important. It is true, I envy people who grew up attending a Deaf school. And I am convinced that we must focus our energy on supporting these Deaf schools... Read More: https://youtu.be/oLBUT0xMVmY



If some of you not agreed with Chris Wagner's statement, then sign up petition HERE.



Related Posts of NAD: #National Association of the Deaf