NADmag Fall 2018

NADmag Fall 2018 | Volume 18, Issue 2

A Publication of the National Association of the Deaf NADmag | Fall 2018

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ABOUT THE Š 2018, 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.

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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.

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.

THE BOARD

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.

Secretary Jenny Buechner

For more information, visit www.nad.org.

Publisher NAD

ABOUT DESCRIBED & CAPTIONED MEDIA PROGRAM Described and Captioned Media Program 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.

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NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THE DEAF

President Melissa Draganac-Hawk Vice President Richard McCowin

Region I Liz Hill Steve Lovi Region II Linsay Darnall, Jr. Kevin Ryan

Treasurer Michelle Cline

Region III Steve Hamerdinger Holly Ketchum

Appointed Members Alicia Lane-Outlaw Benro Ogunyipe

Region IV Amy Gomme Martin Price

EDITORIAL TEAM

Editor in Chief Lizzie Sorkin Editor Anita Farb Advertising / Sales Donna Morris

Desktop Publishing Jill O’Leske, Graphic Designer www.impactdesign.biz Guests Zainab Alkebsi CSD Riverside Josh Feldman & Shoshannah Stern Jay Isch Awet Moges Rossana Reis Melissa Elmira Yingst

RECURRING

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From the President // Melissa Draganac-Hawk From the CEO // Howard A. Rosenblum School Spotlight

// California School for the Deaf – Riverside

Deaf Culture Today Donor List In Memoriam

FEATURES The Caption Experience: Caption Quality Matters Zainab Alkebsi

Behind the Scenes with This Close Lizzie Sorkin

Social Media Considerations Rossana Reis

Creating Change Through Conversations Melissa Elmira Yingst

Accessing Your Own Base Jay Isch

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FROM THE PRESIDENT

Working together towards greater accessibility and equal employment

BY MELISSA DRAGANAC-HAWK It is my pleasure to report that the 54th biennial conference in Hartford – the birthplace of formal education for the deaf in America 200 years ago – was a resounding success with more than 2,000 registered attendees. The Council of Representatives included 139 delegates and 53 alternates from 80 different affiliate organizations including nearly all state associations and many organizational affiliates from across the country. Over 200 informative and educational workshops were provided during the conference, as well as 77 exhibitors. Throughout the conference week, we recognized 27 extraordinary individuals and presented them with NAD awards.

At every biennial conference, the NAD gains new energy through the deliberations of the delegates at the Council of Representative. These delegates have two important tasks: electing a new Board of Directors; and voting on the top five priorities for the NAD to address during the two-year term.

I am honored to be re-elected as President and am committed to serving the deaf and hard of hearing community with the new Board. Jenny Buechner joins me in being re-elected to her second term as

Secretary. Other people serving on the Board are: Richard McCowin: Vice President, Michelle Cline: Treasurer, Liz Hill: Region I Rep, Kevin Ryan: Region II Rep, Steve Hamerdinger: Region III Rep, and Amy Gomme: Region IV Rep. Four Regional Representatives remain on the board and their term continues until 2020: Steve Lovi: Region I, Linsay Darnall, Jr.: Region II, Holly Ketchum: Region III, and Martin Price: Region IV. After the conference ended, the Board approved the selection of Alicia Lane-Outlaw and Benro Ogunyipe as Appointed Board Members.

The delegates from the Council of Representatives chose as the top five priorities for the 2018 - 2020 term: 1. Restoring the Deaf community’s confidence in the sign language interpreting profession by strengthening our partnership with interpreters; 2. Establishing a Task Force with Deaf Seniors of America (DSA) on all aging-related issues; NADmag | Fall 2018

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FROM THE PRESIDENT

The media is a powerful way for us to advocate for our interests and achieve our goals. We cannot afford to allow others to speak for us.

Only we can share our own stories and explain what we want.

3. Focusing on systemic barriers in Vocational Rehabilitation services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; 4. National Parent Campaign; and 5. Campaign to spotlight the oppression of Deaf people within the justice system.

The Board has already met to discuss how we will address these important and relevant priorities and we are setting up various committees to assist with this work. Our work is not limited to the priorities, and we are mindful of everyday issues that impact the lives of deaf and hard of hearing people.

Rapidly changing technology has become a main concern for our community. Over 13,000 devices are connected to the Amazon Alexa service, while more than 2,500 devices are used with Google and Apple voice services. Many new devices are entirely voice-based, e.g., Echo and Dot, and many more technologies are adopting such approaches that are completely inaccessible to us. This problem will become more and more widespread in the next few years, and we must work together to ensure that we are not left behind.

In addition, we need to make sure we are involved in all discussions and decision-making with respect to technology, media, politics, and many other areas of life. For example, I recently was part of a group interview for a radio show in Philadelphia to discuss language deprivation, American Sign Language, and how parents can support their deaf and hard of hearing children.

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I had two sign language interpreters for the live group discussion and the radio channel provided a transcription of the interview on their web site post-interview. Even with these accommodations, it was not a good way for a deaf person to be part of a radio interview. The lag time in interpreting was not a good fit for radio shows, which prefer continuous talking without any pauses. More importantly, deaf and hard of hearing people were not able to “listen” to and call into the radio show, even though the topic was very important for our community.

Despite the difficulties of radio interviews, we must strive to be seen and “heard” throughout the media.

The media is a powerful way for us to advocate for our interests and achieve our goals. We cannot afford to allow others to speak for us. Only we can share our own stories and explain what we want.

We have much work to do to give every deaf and hard of hearing child a quality education, every deaf and hard of hearing adult satisfying and meaningful employment, and all deaf and hard of hearing people and their families full access to services. This will require hard work from all of us as we work towards a world of equitable media and accessible technology that is inclusive of all deaf and hard of hearing people.

NADly Yours, Melissa

Melissa Draganac-Hawk has been on the NAD Board of Directors since 2008 and now serves as President for 2018-2020.

FROM THE CEO

Howard, along with the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, met with Senator Bob Casey’s staff during Capitol Hill Day on March 1, 2017.

BY HOWARD A. ROSENBLUM Throughout United States history, oppressed people have needed to fight for new civil rights. Examples include: the war to end slavery, the civil rights movement for people of color, the Native American civil rights fight, the women’s struggle for the right to vote, the battle for LGBTQ rights including samesex marriage, and the disability rights action. For each fight, the only way to gain new civil rights was to change public perception by showing everyone the injustice experienced by each oppressed group.

More recently, it has been easier to change public perception through television shows and social media. When television shows included more diversity and provided positive stories about oppressed groups, people became more accepting and tolerant.

We can learn much from how LGBTQ rights have progressed with the help of the media. Throughout history, every country and government has discriminated against LGBTQ people. The first documentary about LGBTQ was shown on U.S.

television in 1961. Gerry Studds, the first person to become openly LGBTQ while serving in a federal elected position, was elected in 1973 and came out as gay in 1983. In 1977, Billy Crystal acted as a gay character with a major role on the television show “Soap” which had never happened before. In 1988, the very first poll was taken in the U.S. asking people if they support same-sex marriage; only 10.7% of the U.S. public supported it, while 67.6% opposed it.

In 1997, Ellen DeGeneres became the first leading character to come out on a prime-time TV series in her show, “Ellen.” Since then, there have been many shows with leading characters that are LGBTQ. Beginning in 2012, for the first time since polling on this began, a majority of the U.S. public supported same-sex marriage. Barack Obama became the first president to express support. On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that same-sex couples have the fundamental right to marry. At that time, polling showed that 60% of the public supported same-sex marriage and this support increased to 67% by May 2018.

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FROM THE CEO The change in public perception came from how the media showed the LGBTQ community. For 22 years, GLAAD has issued an annual “Where We Are On TV” report. This report looks at how different people are shown on television shows. For the 201718 television season, the report shows that 6.4% of primetime roles are identified as LGBTQ. The report also states that 40% of roles are people of color. And yet, only 1.8% of roles are of people with disabilities.

The LGBTQ community and people of color have experienced hate and oppression and have used the media to try to change society. The public generally views people with disabilities as inferior and unable, and using the media can change this.

Deaf and hard of hearing people have experienced audism. Historically, the government has refused us basic civil rights such as education, employment, the right to marry, the right to have children, voting, property ownership, the right to drive, and access to services. We have gained new rights through laws such as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Yet, no deaf person has ever been elected to federal political office, and this reflects this country’s view of us as incapable of political leadership. If we really want people to respect us and treat us as equals, we must change their perception of us through the media.

In 1967, NBC provided a one-hour special on TV showing the National Theater of the Deaf, which included famed actors: Bernard Bragg, Gil Eastman, Phyllis Frelich, Audree Norton, Howard Palmer, June Russi, Ralph White, and Lou Font (as the interpreter). A year later, Audree Norton was likely the first deaf person in a role on the primetime TV show, Mannix. From 1971 to 2002, Linda Bove showed many viewers the beauty of American Sign Language in a recurring role on Sesame Street. In 1980, Phyllis Frelich was the first and only deaf person to win a Tony for her role in Children of a Lesser God on Broadway and Marlee Matlin became the first and only deaf person to win an Oscar in 8

1986 for the same role in the movie version. Matlin remains the youngest to win an Oscar for a leading role and she has gone on to have lead roles in several movies and television shows. Deaf West Theater, through its leaders such as Ed Waterstreet, has created many theatrical productions and brought two acclaimed deaf-centered performances to Broadway, Big River and Spring Awakening. From 2011 to 2017, Switched at Birth showed more deaf actors in one television series than all of the previous television shows combined. In 2017, the hit movie Baby Driver, showcased C.J. Jones in an important role. Now, This Close is the first television show written by and starring deaf artists Shoshannah Stern and Joshua Feldman.

However, even with more deaf roles on television and in the movies, we also see that many of those roles are performed by hearing actors. This is unacceptable. Moreover, it is rare for any TV show or movie to be written, produced, or directed by deaf and hard of hearing people. If the public is ever to understand who we are and our culture, it is important for us to be the storytellers as well as the actors. Otherwise, the stories that are told are false and portrayed falsely.

Change is coming. #deaftalent has become a rallying cry for deaf actors, writers, producers, directors, artists, and more to be our storytellers. This includes the full scope of the deaf and hard of hearing experience, including those who also experience life as LGBTQ and/or people of color. We can learn from other oppressed groups and their use of the media; we must form our own media campaign to change public perception so that we are finally seen as equals. Let us show our talent, change the narrative, and claim respect and equality!

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

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SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT

Why is media important?

CALIFORNIA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF – RIVERSIDE

Media helps me decide what to buy at the store, I enjoy media.

CHRISTIAN JIMENEZ 8th Grade

ANDRE STOKES 5th Grade

If disaster starts, the media informs us and we have more time to survive from the disaster.

XAYLEENA MARQUEZ 5th Grade

DEZMEN SOTO 9th Grade

ENZA VISCO 9th Grade

TY WILLEY 7th Grade

If there were no media, we would hate. We wouldn’t understand Deaf culture. We wouldn’t understand other cultures.

Media is important because it helps communication and gives recognition to others to become inspired and feel positive; it makes the school better.

It’s easier to broadcast, communicate, inform and share information than physical communication because words get twisted easily if shared through spoken conversations. The media can keep the words intact and broadcast without effort.

Some people may be completely lost in the world’s system, but with media, they can be inspired and they should be able ELIJAH ANDRADE to get an idea of what it’s like in the real world.

12th Grade

Being alive on this planet is important, so we deserve to have global knowledge, knowing what is going on. It is also educational for me as a pupil.

GABRIELLA RODRIGUEZ 12th Grade

We can keep ourselves connected to the world and be aware of what’s going on within our deaf community.

Media is the main way to feel connected with the world since it is common for the deaf community to be left in the dark as the world goes on.

Media helps me visualize, expand my creativity and best of all, acquire languages even further.

LILY DESIMONE 11th Grade

NADmag | Fall 2018

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FEATURE

The Caption Experience: Caption Quality Matters

BY ZAINAB ALKEBSI Captioning first appeared on television in the 1970s with open captioning on “The French Chef ” with Julia Child. In response to feedback that not everyone wanted to see the captioning, decoder technology for displaying closed captions was developed in 1974.

The use of this technology was not required until the passage of the Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990 (TDCA). This law says that television receivers with screens 13 inches or larger contain a built-in chip designed to display closed captions. In 2010, the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) broadened this requirement to include all devices capable of receiving, playing back, and recording video, regardless of size. The equipment must also enable consumers to customize closed captions in different ways including: font, size, color, background, transparency, and edge attributes.

In 2006, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) created rules that all broadcast and cable television programs must include captioning. Four years later, the CVAA also broadened this requirement to include programming that is shown on television with captions and re-shown on the Internet.

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In 2014, the FCC established closed captioning standards that broadcasters and captioning providers must follow. Through these standards, the FCC is trying to make sure captions are high quality and meet the needs of deaf and hard of hearing audiences. These standards cover accuracy, synchronicity/timing, completeness, and proper onscreen placement. What does that mean?

• A ccuracy – The captions must match the dialogue and also should include environmental cues such as audience reactions, sound effects, music, and so forth. The captions should identify the speakers and the speaker’s tone. The captions should also provide appropriate punctuation and capitalization to show the flow of the dialogue. Instead of using the wrong word that sounds the same but has a different meaning, appropriate homophones should be used; for example, using “their” instead of “there.”

CAPTION QUALITY MATTERS

Captioning performance standards are important for accessibility.

The goal behind these standards is the video should be equally understandable to the person using the captions as it is to the person hearing the audio.

Captions must be displayed word for word, meaning not censored or paraphrased.

• S ynchronicity/Timing – The captions must be delivered at the same pace as the dialogue, meaning not too behind or far ahead of the actual dialogue, and at a readable speed.

• C ompleteness – The captions must be complete for the entire program from beginning to end. For example, the captions should not be cut off before the end of the programming.

• P lacement – The captions must not block important visual content on the screen. For example, captions often block important on-screen information, such as scores and other data from sporting events, breaking news text on news programming, weather updates, speaker names/ titles, and others. All of these are important for understanding a program. Without being able to see both the captions and the visuals, the viewer is missing out on critical information. Furthermore, the captions must be positioned correctly so they do not run off the edge of the video screen.

These standards apply to television programming, including all programming that is shown on television with captions and re-shown on the Internet (as required in the CVAA). If you see poor quality captions, you can file a complaint with the FCC within 60 days of the captioning problem. You may do so online (https://consumercomplaints.fcc. gov/hc/en-us) or through the FCC’s ASL hotline: 844-4-FCC-ASL (844-432-2275).

Julius Barnathan was a longtime ABC executive responsible for many technical developments in the television industry, including closed-captioned programs for the deaf.

The NAD also supports that these standards be applied in social media as well. However, there are no regulations in place for captioning on social media right now since the FCC does not include third party platforms in its captioning rules. Captioning performance standards are important for accessibility.

The goal behind these standards is the video should be equally understandable to the person using the captions as it is to the person hearing the audio.

The captions should allow the experience to be the same. However, despite this goal, the current best practices in these rules are vague and insufficient because of new captioning technologies and new platforms. The NAD believes technology-neutral metrics should be developed, which will go a long way towards making sure these techniques are used to address consumers’ needs.

NADmag | Fall 2018

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CAPTION QUALITY MATTERS

The NAD is not alone in its efforts. The NAD is a representative on the FCC’s Disability Advisory Committee (DAC). The DAC allows members with interests in accessibility issues to exchange ideas and reach agreement on issues with the Commission.

The current DAC is reaching the end of its term and is asking that the next DAC group explore these issues in more detail. Along with the DAC’s efforts, Dr. Christian Vogler, a current DAC member representing Gallaudet University, received a grant for captioning metrics research, a project that will run from October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2023.

In light of this grant, it is important to explore caption performance standards. In addition to this, another part of the DAC report asked for the review of consumer concerns, technical challenges, and opportunities for best practice sharing among different points of delivery regarding caption placement.

In 1977, Sharon Earley was the Director of the Caption Center for WGBH-TV Boston.

We must continue towards full, equal access to video programming. It is not only about providing captioning – caption quality matters.

Zainab Alkebsi is the Policy Counsel at the NAD.

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FEATURE

Behind the Scenes with “This Close”

BY LIZZIE SORKIN It is powerful to watch a show about deaf people on television, even more so when the cast is authentically deaf. It isn’t often that a deaf person gets to say, “There’s people like me on TV.” Not only that, but hearing people get to enjoy the show and better understand our community. Hearing people may not understand the little inside jokes that deaf people can appreciate, yet they will get a small scratch-on-the-surface glimpse into our world.

Shoshannah Stern and Josh Feldman are the creators behind the Sundance Now mini-series This Close, originally The Chances (and what’s even more OG, the show was actually first titled Fridays before The Chances).

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I reached out to Shoshannah and Josh to give us an idea of their process and the importance of this show.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Do you think your deaf lens gives you an advantage? Does deaf gain come into play in the pre/production/post-production aspects?

Shoshannah: It helps that we both have the same sort of lens, not just as deaf people, but as people.

Josh and I have almost identical taste in material.

We typically gravitate toward the same sorts of films, television shows, and books. So, while we definitely verbalize often with other people around us, presenting this show from a very specific perspective, we also present this show as a piece of work that we would like to see apart from that specific perspective.

Because it’s imbedded in who we are as people, that transfers to the writing and the discussions we have with the rest of the team about how to execute the story we’re telling. We feel really lucky that people who are incredibly talented and experienced have gravitated toward working with our show and helping to bring our story to fruition. We love going in the editing bay to help our brilliant editors with framing and putting takes together. They’re so good

Actress Shoshannah Stern as Kate Bailey with actor Nyle DeMarco as Ben Genovese in This Close.

In reality, it’s hard to step into other people’s lives, but television and film allows us to do that. at their job because they’re passionate about the story they’re telling even though it’s not necessarily their story. We’ve had people with us learn very quickly and it’s one of the most awe-inspiring things about what we’re doing – we’re spreading knowledge and a connection with the deaf experience with our team behind the camera, while hopefully working on a story that does the same thing for audiences onscreen.

Josh: Deaf gain can be quite handy on set when there needs to be quiet for certain scenes that are being shot, so deaf and signing people who are around and aren’t in the scene, are able to communicate!

You talk about “of and by” deaf people, why is this important – especially in Hollywood?

Shoshannah: I think that we are now seeing a very exciting and necessary time in our lives when we realize it’s not enough just to have stories about minority communities, so that they’re seen—they have to be felt, too. One of my favorite television shows is Queen Sugar, because I felt that everything about that show was different, from the lighting they used, to the actors they cast, to the specificity of the story they’re telling. Authenticity isn’t something you see, it’s something you feel. And I think while people are inherently curious about other people, NADmag | Fall 2018

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FEATURE

they’re also wanting to see themselves in the process.

So, when you represent a specific community, you’re showcasing the similarities everyone has with that community. In reality, it’s hard to step into other people’s lives, but television and film allows us to do that. The only way to do that is to step into their lives as they truly are, not their lives from the viewpoint of someone outside the community.

Josh: It’s important because in Hollywood, as soon as the story is told, that’s it. There’s no going back, no changing that story and how it was told. It’s really important to get in from the ground up and before the story is told so authenticity can be ensured. This not only applies to deaf stories, but any story about any minority experience. Any minority story should be “of and by” people from within that community.

It is interesting that most of the funders who originally backed your idea on Kickstarter were hearing, why do you think that is?

Shoshannah: I really don’t know, I can’t speak for that. I think that people are growing tired of the content they’re getting, and they crave something new. I know I felt that way. I felt like almost all of the stuff I was seeing out there were glossy remakes of something that’s proven because there’s so much money involved that the powers that be don’t want to take risks. I understand that from a business perspective, but people don’t watch television because

Actress Marlee Matlin and actor Josh Feldman discuss scenes from new mini-series This Close featured on Sundance Now. 18

Actor Josh Feldman, Creator, Writer and Executive Producer of This Close, plays the role of Michael Rosen.

it’s not risky. They want something different, but familiar. Viewers like risks; they like different. I think that’s why our little project we made for $250 on YouTube somehow had so much resonance.

Josh: As evidenced by the constant barrage of new shows in the television landscape – I think there were close to 500 shows on air last year, across cable, network, and streaming platforms – people are hungry for new stories. Ones they haven’t quite seen before. I think that’s why we had, and continue to have, such great support from the hearing community.

What does (or would) it look like when Hollywood focuses on people and not their disability? Do you feel that Hollywood focuses on the people in and behind This Close, or the disability?

Shoshannah: In the very beginning, we said that we did not want our show to be referred to as the deaf show or the show about deaf people. But during the process we learned to embrace it, and even take pride in it. People are many things. If we try to separate ourselves from any one part of us, it makes it that much harder for the other parts to function. We also have learned that control is really an illusion. People see what they want to see. There are a lot of different people in Hollywood, and they all see different things in the show, which is kind of the point.

BEHIND THE SCENES

I get asked a lot about how I handle being a mom and having a show, you know, stuff that men don’t get asked. But it is what it is. I am a deaf woman who is a mom and I have a show and that’s the way it is. In the end though, it’s been a pleasant surprise and we’ve been met with a very warm welcome. The way we are framing our story may have a lot to do with it.

Josh: I think hearing people are surprised when they watch the show and they lose themselves in the story, because they’re expecting to be constantly thinking “I’m watching a show about deaf people;” with all that happens on the show, they get lost in the story.

So this makes them realize, when they cross paths with someone who’s a little different in the real world – that we lead lives as full as they do.

Josh: We knew there would be no getting around the fact that hearing people would immediately think, about our show, “that’s the one with the deaf people.” But I think when they actually see the show, that really isn’t at the forefront of their minds as much. That’s because we have authentic writing and producing – when we don’t have deaf writers or producers telling the story, the disability becomes front and center.

Do the “higher ups” edit or change what is authentically deaf to fit a hearing audience?

What do you think hearing people get from This Close?

Shoshannah: Again, hearing people are all very different. Some connect to the show because they know some ASL or want to. But most have just happened to find the show and for various reasons, connect to the story we were telling. I think underneath it all, we are all more alike than we think. That’s part of the story we are trying to tell.

Shoshannah: No. We knew from the beginning that we were making a show for two audiences. We have a Director of Artistic Sign Language on set and during post-production to ensure this.

Josh: No, the network really lets us take the lead when it comes to the deaf/hearing angle. They give us notes when it relates to the story and character building, but when it’s a deaf/hearing issue, they allow us to take the lead and educate them.

Lizzie Sorkin is the Director of Communications at the NAD.

Not too long ago, we witnessed Nyle DiMarco break barriers winning America’s Next Top Model and Dancing With The Stars. Christine Sun Kim has over 1.5 million views of her “The Enchanting Music of Sign Language” video on TED. Awet Moges published a graphic novel Pantheon. Melissa Malzkuhn was selected as one of 20 fellows (out of 20,000 applicants) in the inaugural Obama Foundation Fellowship. However, this isn’t new. Many other #DeafTalents are out there breaking barriers and redefining the system. Bringing shows like This Close that normalizes deaf and hard of hearing people to the mainstream and contributes to system change.

Support #DeafTalent and check out This Close; you can download Sundance Now and binge away!

You’ll find yourself relating to the show somehow in some way.

NADmag | Fall 2018

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FEATURE

#ImageVideoDescriptions:

Social Media Considerations NOTE FROM EDITOR LIZZIE SORKIN

The purpose of NADmag is to share resources, encourage change, and to advocate for deaf and hard of hearing people’s rights. This specific article asks us to consider ways we can become more inclusive on social media within the deaf community. For example, as a deaf, white, sighted able-bodied person active in mostly deaf, sighted, abled social media spaces, I usually do not have to think twice about accessing videos with American Sign Language (ASL), videos, or images and be able to relate and connect with others. Social media content is easily available for me and I can easily join others on comment threads and share my thoughts. I realized my world could become larger if I connect with people whose lives are different from mine – i.e. DeafBlind and DeafDisabled folks who do not have the same access to videos with ASL, videos, and images.

I started researching and came across some guidelines to make social media spaces more accessible. I fumbled at first, yet with practice and supporting one another, it becomes second nature. I learned that genuine inclusivity is an intentional process, a journey to explore and seek out resources that expand my knowledge and understanding – and to not expect those more marginalized to “teach me.”

Rossana Reis, a DeafBlind, DeafDisabled person, with the support of online comrades, developed a series of Facebook Notes that provide tips on how we can be more inclusive on social media. Please join me in striving for a more inclusive experience online, for anyone and everyone. An excerpt was re-printed with permission and was originally published on January 7, 2017 as a Facebook Note.

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SOCIAL MEDIA CONSIDERATIONS

BY ROSSANA REIS Average Video Viewing Time

Depending on the source you post, the average video length produced for social media purposes is 2 minutes and 42 seconds. However, the average viewing time is less – between 24 seconds and 2 minutes. This depends on the context of the post such as ads, movies, professional, non-professional, and so on.

With this in mind, I suggest the following: • A im for a medium amount of description, not too dense and not too sparse. Prioritize what is obvious to least obvious. The trick is to not have a very long description for an extremely short video; dense descriptions may be a spoons (see sidebar on the right) concern for Blind, sick, and disabled readers. Yes, even some nonblind disabled folks read image/video descriptions (i.e. due to sensitivity to various colors, video camera handling, artistic transitions of scenes, etc).

• C inematography (filming) jargons may not all be necessary (camera angles such as zoom in/out; scene changes can be identified by description of next scene like “at coffee shop” or “at the park”, etc.). The key is to not distract too much from the focus of content.

• “ Sentences” may not need to be complete sentences. Not all words, verbs and articles (a/ the) may be needed if there is the same subject/ object throughout. Some words may be redundant/ overlap significantly. For example, “creation” and “development” are close in meaning. Perhaps choose one; the key is to just make sense.

SPOONS is credited to Christine Miserandino, 2003: The spoon theory is a disability metaphor used to explain the reduced amount of energy available for activities of living and productive tasks that may result from disability or chronic illness.

“Spoons” are a visual representation used as a unit of measure in order to quantify how much energy a person has throughout a given day. Each activity requires a given number of spoons, which will only be replaced as the person “recharges” through rest. A person who runs out of spoons has no choice but to rest until their spoons are replenished.

Other #ImageVideoDescriptions guidelines and related Facebook Notes: • How It All Began (In English; ASL vlog pending) • Seen, Not Unseen (In English and ASL) • General to Specific (In English; ASL vlog pending) • Skin Color (In English; ASL vlog pending) • Gender Free Ways to Describe (In English and ASL) • W hat Genuine Inclusivity Looks Like On Facebook Notes are shareable, public, and may be edited/ updated for clarity. Non-Facebook users may provide feedback at this email: imagevideodescriptions@ gmail.com.

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FEATURE

CREATING CHANGE THROUGH

CONVERSATIONS

BY MELISSA ELMIRA YINGST As someone who has grown up with my heart and roots in the Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, Hard of Hearing and Late-Deafened community, I’ve always believed that stories bring us together. Everyone has a story, but not everyone has the opportunity to share that story, and this is where the power of open dialogue comes in. So, I decided to create MELMIRA, a show that cultivates the sharing of stories and learning from each other.

For as long as I can remember, I have always loved stories. As a child, I would take articles from my grandmother’s gossip magazines such as National Enquirer and create my own versions. I was often

the narrator in school productions rather than one of the characters. I remember the first time I saw Deaf Mosaic, featuring Deaf anchors Gil Eastman and Mary Lou Novitsky and decided that I wanted to be just like them.

It wasn’t until I was a student at Gallaudet University when I finally got the chance to share stories oncamera. I was an anchor for the campus news show, “What’s Up Gallaudet?” and I gained hands-on experience in finding campus stories, connecting with people through interviews, and giving them a platform for their stories. Admittedly at that time, I didn’t think Deaf people could actually have NADmag | Fall 2018

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FEATURE

careers in news journalism because of the lack of job opportunities, so I went onto another passion of mine, psychology, where I could still connect with people.

Over the years, I continued dabbling in journalism with Ground Zero in NYC (an underground news outlet covering real-life topics in NYC) and writing for KISS-FIST magazine. While living in Phoenix, I got my first real opportunity at video journalism as an anchor for the Deaf and Hearing Network (DHN), an online news outlet via ASL, captions and English voiceovers. Thanks to a great mentor in my co-producer and a lot of hard work among the

team, my proudest moment with DHN was winning a 2015 Gracie Award as Anchor of the Year from the Alliance for Women in Media.

I remember what it felt like investing so much time and energy into DHN, and the devastation and heartbreak when the funding ran out. Fortunately, I transitioned to D-PAN TV, another news outlet, where I did investigative reporting, as well as Deaf Entertainment News with TruBiz, a branch of entertainment journalism under D-PAN TV. Working with the D-PAN team in Los Angeles was a dream come true, a place where our skills came together and crafted ideas in getting ourselves out there.

Meanwhile, I became a community curator with Convo Communications, a Deaf-owned video relay service provider, which afforded me the opportunity to build and strengthen relations with the community. I also became active with two organizations, Deaf Women United and Council de Manos, which helped me develop a stronger sense of identity as a Latina Deaf person. I gradually realized I could use my experiences to spread awareness and support other women in overcoming societal expectations. Staying true to my own heritage while discovering my roots helps me stay grounded and genuine in my delivery style.

Working with the D-PAN team after moving to Los Angeles was a dream come true for Melissa.

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In all my work with DHN and D-PAN, my favorite stories were always the ones where I connected with others on a personal level, creating a space where they could share their stories. There existed a sense of vulnerability in their openness, which allowed me to relate to them on many levels. With DHN and DTV News, it was more about what was happening in the world that was presented through media. I did have some opportunities to focus on human stories,

MELMIRA

which I always really enjoyed. In 2017, I realized that the time had finally come for me to truly delve into something I was and am passionate about: bringing together everything I love into one place — the Deaf community. I had a desire for sharing connections within and with the community, celebrating womanhood, especially when it comes to defying societal expectations, and bringing awareness to hidden narratives within the community, especially with people of color. It’s also important for me to share my journey as a Latina Deaf woman with other people.

Members of the Latinx community share stories with Melissa.

“Everyone has a story, but not everyone has the opportunity to share that story, and this is where the power of open dialogue comes in.”

Through all my experiences in media, I also realized that there was no space for Deaf women of color, particularly Deaf Latinas to create their own narrative. We already live in an oppressive world where many of us are fighting to get a platform. It’s only recently that many have been able to emerge and share their stories. While there are many Deaf news outlets out there, many are with a white perspective, lacking the voices of marginalized communities.

People, understandably so, tend to shy away from social justice issues because they’re afraid to talk about it or don’t want to face conflict. I realized that it really was up to me to create that space.

news-based, sharing straightforward information).

Dialogue is where we can come together to learn about issues that our community faces. Social media, especially when being ASL accessible, is a powerful medium that has the ability of pulling everyone together, regardless of where they are located and keep everyone close being in tune with current issues our community face. That’s where MELMIRA comes in. I want every individual to realize that MELMIRA is an opportunity to engage in healthy dialogues and learn together. We don’t always have to agree on everything, but at least talking about it is a step forward.

Social media also is a compelling tool these days that allows for these conversations to take place. There is a difference between dialogue and monologues (more

I’m thrilled and grateful to have two wonderful companies that believe in me, whose mission aligns with my true sense of valuing the Deaf, DeafBlind,

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MELMIRA

DeafDisabled, Hard of Hearing, and Late Deafened communities, allowing me to take part of my work time to do this. Convo and D-PAN, Melmira’s two sponsors, are both Deaf-owned businesses that truly invest in the Deaf ecosystem. The fact that I can create my own content and have it shared with the world, and that this is entirely made possible by Deaf-owned businesses is a beautiful example of the Deaf ecosystem.

It is also important to me to make MELMIRA represent me in the truest sense as possible. I loved working with Dozanu Innovations, a Deaf woman-owned business, to create my logo, which shows my fist in the middle of a red rose with my actual signature. The rose has always been a part of my Latina identity, and is connected to my mom, grandma, and great-grandmother, who all love roses.

The rose also signifies passion, love and honesty that’s a part of us all. The fist, on the other hand, signifies the word “resist.” I believe the best way to resist oppression is to bring dialogue to the forefront in order to create change.

A question I’m often asked is why I chose “MELMIRA” as the name of the show. The answer is simple: it is who I am. Elmira is my middle name, and so the name is a combination of my first and middle names. My screenname many years ago when I was on AOL and then Xanga was Melmira, and I often shared stories on these platforms as well.

MELMIRA, which launched in June 2018, is definitely not a one-person job; I couldn’t do everything myself. There are so many individuals involved, especially when making the videos accessible. Convo and D-PAN provide support in captioning, creating transcripts, and voicing.

For episodes that discuss issues within the Latinx community, Spanish captions and transcripts are also provided. I also use Latina influences on my editing, 26

Deafies in Drag share what it’s like to deal with stigmas of being drag queens.

and my closest Latina best friend is the one who provides my voice-overs.

Episodes are varied in content. Some consist of oneon-one interviews with individuals sharing important experiences such as living with HIV, the taboos of being drag queens, gender-inclusive bathrooms at the NAD conference, the fears of having conversations about sex, and so on. Others are fun experiences such as trying a Cannabidiol (CBD) cocktail; that episode garnered a lot of further questions that will be answered in future episodes. I’ve also done episodes challenging stigmas in society such as breastfeeding in public and women who choose to not hide their gray hair. I always aim to gather different viewpoints to share with the community, hopefully initiating dialogue.

I of course hope people enjoy watching MELMIRA, but above all, I hope it brings a much-needed conversation to our community. One of my favorite quotes that I abide by comes from Darian Burwell, a Deaf woman I look up to. She said, “If you don’t talk about it, it becomes toxic.” I have seen many issues in the Deaf community, with what’s going on in our world, become toxic. As a close-knit community, we often don’t have the platform for diverse voices, and I want MELMIRA to change that.

MELMIRA

For example, with the gray hair story, I had so many women come up to me with their stories of how they either chose to go gray or decided to keep on dyeing their hair because they weren’t ready to go gray. I saw that dialogue sparked through social media as well as in-person. The best part was seeing everyone come to terms with either embracing their gray hair or doing what they wanted to, regardless of societal expectations.

Not all the dialogue has been positive, though. I’ve had my fair share of opinionated reactions, such as reactions to gender-inclusive bathrooms and sharing Deaf Mexicans’ perspectives on the United States.

While some of the negative comments can be hard to swallow, I look at the negativity as the opportunity for further growth. At least people are talking about the things that need to be discussed.

In addition to one produced show a week which is released every Thursday, I do reflection v-logs once a week as well where I share my personal thoughts on a story I did, as well as the surrounding circumstances of that story. For example, after a story on bodypainting, in my follow up vlog, I shared my innermost feelings about body image and how it was quite nerve wracking for me to get half-naked. As a result of opening myself up in those situations, I’ve had so many people reach out to me sharing THEIR own personal stories, which to me, is the best kind of response. It’s an honor to have people trust me to share their stories with me.

I also want to do many more things such as develop an ASL version of “podcasts.” For a long time, I’ve envied the concept of podcasts, where hearing people can take lectures and/or talk shows, and download them and listen whatever they want. Most podcasts are real talk, unscripted, which I’m all about. I haven’t perfected the concept YET, but I did an ASL SIGNCAST with Rachel Posner of Deaf Out Loud, a show on A&E, where we used a videoconferencing platform for an interview and I posted it unedited, adding transcript and captions, pushing for more “real talk” which our community needs more of.

With all the things I’ve learned in the past few months, I’m ready to push MELMIRA even further.

With so many plans, such as more ASL podcasts, I look forward to bringing unique topics out in the open, with the end goal of making changes in our community together through collective dialogue.

Melissa Yingst may be found at www.facebook.com/ MELMIRA or on Instagram at @melmira. Her shows may be seen on YouTube and www.DPAN.tv.

Melissa Yingst is a Chicana, Activist, and Media Personality.

Dialogue through video conferencing is one of the ways Melissa connects with the community.

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FEATURE

Accessing Your Own Base

BY JAY ISCH Three years ago, in early September of 2015, a movement was formed by a group of seven Deaf individuals hungry to bring attention to the misfortunes of the Deaf community at large. The group called for a National Rally in front of the White House in an attempt to jumpstart the push for our agenda to improve accessibility in three core areas; Communication, Education, and Jobs on the Facebook platform. The effort was successful in mobilizing over a thousand people that joined them for this rally on the Facebook platform. While they may have failed to garner the needed attention from the mainstream media, this rally reignited the passion of hundreds, if not thousands, of Advocates for the Deaf community, including myself.

Shortly after the White House rally, the Deaf Grassroots Movement (DGM) was formed, and to this day, DGM has been successful in using Facebook to communicate, mobilize and inspire others to raise alarms to common issues that have negatively impacted us for decades.

The Deaf community is a very diverse group of individuals with those who identify themselves as Deaf, deaf, DeafBlind, Hard of Hearing, DeafPlus, signers, non-signers, cued speech users, and more. Facebook creates a unique opportunity for them to connect, either through commenting on a post or responding to vlogs. The majority of the Deaf community are attracted to vlogs since that gives them the option of conversing in a nondiscriminatory manner.

Jay Isch (far right) with Governor John Bel Edwards (far left).

In an auditory-based society, access to information is very important if we want to “keep up with the Joneses�, and lead a decent life. If we do not have access to information, we will not have the tools to live, to contribute to society in a meaningful way, to advocate for the rights of the deaf, for ourselves and/or our community from the every-day social injustices. Those who are Deaf and prefer access to videos limit themselves in such a manner when communicating on Facebook or any other social media outlets.

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DGM has provided that access for those who have been inspired to take the initiative to improve the lives of their own and their communities with little to no resources afforded to them.

Katy Daniel-Rivera, DGM State Representative of Florida.

Terrence Sanford, DGM Assistant State Representative of Texas.

While it is not perfect, DGM has provided that access for those who have been inspired to take the initiative to improve the lives of their own and their communities with little to no resources afforded to them. Today, even with rapidly advancing technology, access continues to be a problem for the deaf due to a lack of understanding, a lack of awareness or sensitivity, or just plain ignorance, and as extreme as to purposely shield the deaf from certain information that may benefit them.

This creates an incompetence that stigmatizes our community on a daily basis.

Facebook was one of the best things that has ever happened for the Deaf community because we were able to connect in real time and communicate visually. DGM exploits this to reach people far and wide to either, inspire or educate, about the misfortunes of our community. We are a very small minority and together, with access to a visual-based media platform such as Facebook, we hope to change the world for the better by speaking up to the social injustices so our children do not have to.Â

Sean Markel, DGM State Representative of Maryland.

Jay Isch is Deaf, Deaf-bred and Deaf-educated in the northeast, a passionate award-winning Deaf advocate in the deep south with a continuing successful record in progressive systemic changes as a leading DGM activist, and as a Governor-appointed Commissioner for the Deaf, as well as being Deafinitely loud.

For more on Jay: www.deaffocus.org.

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DEAF CULTURE TODAY

THE ART OF STORYTELLING

BY AWET MOGES INTERVIEW BY LIZZIE SORKIN What is the source of your inspiration?

The source of inspiration has a lot to do with my connection to mythology. In the age of pre-closed captioning and pre-internet, I grew up on books on mythology and thus, comic books. My love for this ancient wisdom went beyond the books. It wasn’t just the stories of gods and heroes, or the accessibility of the material, but a fascination with the hidden subtext of all cultures. This childhood attraction is very difficult to articulate; it is much closer to raw sensations – deep wonder, enhanced awareness, rich imagination. My attraction was obviously a deep one that was independent of other people. My parents did

not infuse this desire, for that is a more superficial connection. This connection was a reflection of my own unique individuality. As I grew older, I lost touch with these signals from my inner self, buried deep under all the other stuff I got into over the years – video games, films, socializing, education.

My inspiration depends on me to reconnect with this source and return to my origins, to what impacted me as a young boy. I do that with the old books from the local library and the classic comics from the 1980s.

What does your illustration process look like, from start to finish?

The illustration of a graphic novel is actually dependent on the writing process, which is quite simple. First, I imagine the story as a theme or a message. Then I open my sketchbook and write down the story in outline form and flesh out a rough idea of what should happen. This is the most difficult step – transforming the shapeless vague idea into a single thought that becomes the master-key or maxim for the book. Then I develop the outline into events, chapters with their own story arcs or multiple storylines.

First crack the code. Then structure it. The map – the code and the structure – must be made before I set out to walk the territory.

After the plot is roughed out, the dialogue is last.

I use everything that happens in my life as material for the dialogue. Anybody or anything I’ve read – or anything that happened to me is useful for A black and white scan of Awet’s imagination “exploding his brain.”

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DEAF CULTURE TODAY

writing. Pantheon was born out of a frustration with the apparent failure of comic books in general to render our ancient mythology properly. I majored in philosophy in order to be able to write the dialogue of ten-thousand-year-old characters properly. There was absolutely nothing glamorous about writing.

George Orwell said that writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout with some painful illness. I was driven to write Pantheon – I had a very important truth to share, a truth that other people needed to read in order to articulate themselves.

Then the art begins. I develop the layouts for the sequential art with thumbnails – a series of simplified rough drawings of four planned art pages in a standard 8” by 11” sketchbook. Since I hold a lifetime’s worth of comic book lore in my head, this process is almost second nature, as if I could transform the storyline into panels, much like a storyboard. I then start drawing on a 11” by 17” professional comic book page with pencils. This is the breakdown stage where I divide the page with panels and rough figure drawings, where the reader’s eye can travel across the page in a roving manner.

The more art that fits this path of eye, the better the sequential art tells the story. Next, I use mechanical pencils to add detail and cross hatching and mark off areas for heavy black ink. I then use India ink to finish the pencils. Once the ink dries I use a black eraser to remove all evidence of pencils before I go back and add missing ink lines with marker and fill in large black areas with heavy duty markers.

Then finally, I scan the finished art at high DPI and send the files to the professional colorist. After they complete colors (flats first, then light, and shading last), I add lettering and borders.

What does “accessibility” look like for you at Comic Con or your book showings?

For me, accessibility at comic conventions means every deaf person has the ability to converse with 32

From Awet’s three volume work, this was colored by Nicole Serra.

anyone at any time. Usually this means interpreters are stationed at panel discussions, but from experience this is only for a group of deaf people who have the same interest at a fixed location.

At the Emerald City Comic Con last March, they hired two interpreters to work at my booth for all four days. This helped me interact with potential customers and interested parties tremendously. I was able to be interviewed by a film crew, pitch my book to people walking by, explain the product and make small talk. I realize the logistics are next to impossible in accommodating every single deaf person who happens to visit a convention, but this is the purported goal of ADA – no person left behind no matter what their disability entails.

DEAF CULTURE TODAY

The difference between a comic book and a graphic novel is form and content.

What are some of the things you learned when you published Patheon.

Even though Pantheon was the third book under the Pood Paw Prints label, it was the first graphic novel and everything was new. Every day brought a new challenge. Editing the dialogue to better fit the artwork, changing pages and panels to make the story flow better. We underestimated the necessary time it took to put the book together. We were actually a week away from not making the launch date at Emerald City Comic Con. I assumed that a year would be enough for the colorists to finish all 80-plus pages, but not everyone worked at the same pace. The biggest factor was the people we worked with; we had great professionals who made the book a success. Everyone involved with the book contributed. We worked on each problem together and solved them together. It did not matter how much we prepared for it, (and we had been preparing for years!) we actually had to do it to learn how the industry worked, to roll with the punches and get up every time and throw ourselves back in there. The biggest takeaway was that if we talk, communicate, and come to a decision, we can overcome any problem.

Explain the difference between a graphic novel and a comic book.

The difference between a comic book and a graphic novel is form and content. While they appear to be similar because they both consists of sequential art -comic books are published in pamphlet or magazine format and serialized periodically, as opposed to graphic novels which are published as a long-form with greater length and narrative complexity.

Moreover, where a comic book usually consists of superheroes and franchise characters addressed to a younger crowd, graphic novels consist of a larger range of subjects with mature themes. Sometimes several comic books are re-published in a trade paperback that looks like a graphic novel, because the story has a definite beginning and an ending. Trade paperbacks are often called graphic novels, adding to the confusion. Pantheon is a graphic novel because it does not contain franchise characters owned by a corporation, and the story is intended for the sophisticated reader with some background in science fiction and fantasy as well as some philosophy and mythology. That makes it somewhat less accessible than the standard comic book, which is published for the sake of subscription. The form does not matter if a great crew is working on it. Some of the best comic books are just as good as the finest graphic novels.

What is your favorite writing instrument?

I don’t have a favorite writing instrument – I have a range of preferences when it comes to art. I usually start thumbnails or rough sketches with number two pencils. Then I move on to mechanical pencils for detail and finishes. Then I start inking the art page with calligraphy dip pen, because India ink is still the best and richest black around, and works best with a wide range of paper quality. I vary nibs for cross hatching and thicker border lines. I finish the ink with markers of various thickness. Erase the paper of stray pencil marks and fill in the missing spots with the markers – sometimes with Manga markers or Sharpie for thick black areas (blocking).

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DEAF CULTURE TODAY

What do you think about a deaf Comic Con?

Illustrated by Awet and colored by Marianovella Sinicropi.

A deaf comic con would be amazing. There needs to be enough talent and product to justify a convention in its own right. I will start attending Deaf conventions, and hopefully this will inspire a new generation of artists to make their own comics and graphic novels. Then some enterprising forward-thinking person with deep pockets and the right connections can set up the first deaf comic convention.

What do you do when you have writer’s block?

Writer’s Block is a common excuse for people who do not want to work. However, every creative type of person runs into a difficulty – they may get creatively blocked because they have become bored with themselves. The artist or the writer has already done what they know how to do, but they become stale and incapable of making any progress. This is the moment of challenge, a dare to try something different, an experimentation that does not rely on any proven techniques, one that demands a new approach that finds a new way to create something different from before. This is the most important part of the creative process. When I find myself in a rut writing a story, I switch gears, and go back to the art, or vice versa. To get my mind away from the problem, I focus on a different task. Somewhere in the subconscious, a solution is found. This cannot be forced. The Muse comes only when you are working.

Have you thought about getting into animation?

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I have thought about getting into animation, but in the field of 3-D model sculpting because that is the current trend of animating anything beyond the limitations of live video. Moreover, I want to develop 3-D model skills in order to create figurines of the characters from Pantheon and perhaps animated shorts for potential projects down the road. Software today works much faster than it used to in the past, and it is much easier to translate my designs to 3-D models.

What advice do you have for other people who wish to publish their work?

The only advice I have for others is to always work on their craft and continue to promote their work everywhere. That will attract like-minded people to their work and develop collaboration. In this age of social media, we cannot afford to be paranoid and hide our work from the world. If we are truly creative, we can make more work than anybody can steal. It is more important to share our work and get noticed than it is to retain ownership and never show it until it is too late.

Awet Moges is a Deaf Eritrean-American graphic novelist.

DONOR LIST

The list below recognizes donations made by individuals and organizations to the NAD from January 2018 – May 2018. 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.

Annual Fund Campaign – General Patti Alford, A Anonymous, FON Thalia Aoki, FON Thomas and Dianne Armato, BI Jane Barnett, A Joshua Beckman, BVIII Michael Bourcier, FON Graysen Boyd, FON Tanja Brady, FON Stephen and Dorothy Brenner, BX Lucinda Brooks, P Daniel Brown, FON Meredith Brown, BI Sandra Buchholz, P Frank Burckardt, FON Varapat Chensavas, FON Yoshiko Chino, P Nancy Chirau, A Hobert and Connie Clanton, BII Ed Cohen, FON Joan Corley, C Juan Carlos Cornejo, A Abigail Coyer, A Zachary DeLaRosa, FON Kyle Dillon, FON MIchael Dowds, A Melissa Draganac-Hawk, BX Marion Dramin, BII Eric and Linda Drattell, BI Ruth Dubin, S Susan Dupor, C Roger Essi, FON

Cindy Faatz, FON Gloria Farr, C Elizabeth Fazzolari, C Stephanie Feyne, S Rita Finke, A Megan Floyd, FON Pamela Gannon, C Jack and Rosalyn Gannon, BXI Phyllis Genest-Stein, A Molly Glauser, C Edward Gonzalez, FON James Gordon, FON Roberta Greene, P Jennifer Greenfield, BI Star Grieser, S Charles Grote, BII Jennifer Guilds, FON Vicky Hamrick, FON Tom and Kathryn Harbison, BII Brian Harrison, FON Laurel Hochschild, FON Hollis Hoffnung, BI Kristine Hoge, FON Karen Holte, BIV Charles Hubbs, FON Eric Huggins, FON Jim Hynes, C Rae Johnson, BIV Vilas Johnson, BIX William Johnson, BI Priscilla Jones, S Nancy Kaplan, A Peter and Nancy Kensicki, BII Holly Ketchum, BII Elizabeth Ketterer, FON Henry and Sandra Lee Klopping, BV

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

Alan Lam, FON Norman and Maedora Larson, BIII Milton and Joy Lee, BXIX Irene Leigh, BIV Brenda LeMieux, BI Jean Lindquist Bergey, BII Jackie Lobland, BI Steve Lovi, BI Betty Lynch, BIII Bruce Makowski, BI Richard Manning, FON Cathleen Markland, P Yvette Marley, S Frank Mazzola, A Sasha McArthur Black, FON Betty McKown, BII Jon Meredith, FON Barbara Miller, S Ronald Moore, FON John Munn, C James Munro, A Stacy Musick, A Zachary Nachsin, FON Jerry Nelson and Nancy Bloch, BLIII Gloria Pagan, C Leonard Peacock, BVII Klaudia Persson, FON Krista Pohlmeyer, FON Larry Puthoff, BII Janet Pyers, BI Roman Rampinini, FON James and Joan Revell, BIII Jonathan Ricks, FON Salwa Rosen, C Clarence and Karen Russell, BII

Bonnie Sandy, BV Suzanne Sattergren, S Wendy Schneider, A Phillp Scholly, BI Brian Schwab, FON Navika Sharma, FON Geneva Shearburn, P David Sheneman, BI Allison Siphron, A Gregg Spera, A Beverly Stokem, P James Toma, FON Lillian Tompkins, P Betty Van Tighem, BXIV Dan Veltri, C Alyce Vespa, BI Karen Vlach, A Brenda Walker, A Betty Witczak, BII Allon Yomtov, C Amazon Smile Donations, FON American Charities, FON BGE, LTD, FON Fidelity Charitable, FON IBM Corporation Employee Services, FON Laurence W Levine Foundation, Inc., FON NAOBI Metro Challenge, FON Network For Good/Facebook Donations, FON TisBest Philanthrophy, FON United Technologies, FON Your Cause, FON

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DONOR LIST Nancy J. Bloch Leadership & Advocacy Scholarship Thelma Covello, P Roy and June Delaune, FON Gina Donofrio, P Dion Fitzgerald, FON Melany Goodall, FON Kevin Kelley, FON Patrice Kidd, P June Ann Lefors, A Susan Lefors, A Steve Lovi, BI Richard Malcolm, BI John and Robin Meehan, FON John Mitchiner, BI Pete and Lena Morreale, FON Brendan Murphy, C Lawrence Petersen, BIV Heidi Reed, BI Donna Reitz, BI Richard Star, FON Fatima Silvestre, A Diane Stains, FON Frank R. Turk Youth Leadership Scholarship Thelma Covello, P June Eastman, BII Lawrence Petersen, BIV Annual Fund Campaign – International Alan and Daisy Cartwright, A Annual Fund Campaign Law and Advocacy Thalia Aoki, FON Sandra Buchholz, P Thomas Bull, BI Jane Carino, FON Sara Collins, C Robert and Donna Davila, BVI Michael Gallagher, FON Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Hill, BI Stephen Hlibok, BV Kristina Hoge, FON Eric Huggins, FON Linda Lamitola, BI

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Natalie Lavric, FON Bruce Makowski, BI Carla Mathers, BI Janet McBryde, FON Judith Meador, P Kenneth Mikos, BVI Sharon Morency Bryant, BII Joseph Mulcrone, BI Teika Pakains, BI Timothy Riker, S Daniel Roche, S Juti Seshie, C Gregg Spera, A Diane Stains, FON Gary and Joan Stephen, BII Denis Tucker, S Natalie Van Eman, P D. Wayne Walters, BII Steven Weigandt, BII Samuel Williamson, BI Anna Witter-Merithew, C

CODA Juti Seshie, C

Annual Fund Campaign – Youth Leadership

Desmond Juarez Anna Romero, FON

Thelma Covello, P Joseph Duke, FON Eric Huggins, FON T. Alan and Vicki Hurwitz, BXXVI Julie Magruder, A Brendan Murphy, C Gail Nickowitz, FON Gary Olsen, P Alice Pascall-Speights, A Lawrence Petersen, BIV Arlene Rice, P Stephanie Zito, A

Cindy Lister Joseph Duke, FON

In Honor…

Company of Children of the Lesser God production on Broadway Kristine Hoge, FON Dr. LeWana Clark Dion Fitzpatrick, FON Heidi Reed, BI Gregg Spera, A Diane Stains, FON Jody Steiner, A

Education Stephen Hlibok, BV Gregg Spera, A

In Memory…

Andy Blackton Brian Schwab, FON Henry C. Bull Thomas Bull, BI

Larry D. Evans William Johnson, BI

John and Joan Burke Mary Jo Burke-Kelly, A

Brian Hewitt/FedEx Employee of the Month FedEx Employees Credit Association

Jill Cannon Laura Seitter, FON Katie and Neal, FON Jonathan and Debbie, FON Brad and Whitney, FON

Caroline Jackson, Qingqing Wu, Marco Tarantino Sara Collins, C JMU ASL Club Blair Harper, FON

Mission Bend Christian Academy ASL Class Janet McBryde, FON Murray Family Joshua Krautmann, FON Sophie Ross Gail Nickowitz, FON Myracle Scott Scott Bennett, FON Second Annual Andy Blackton Memorial Strength Challenge Brian Schwab, FON Tate and Sarah Tullier Dawson Ellis, FON Freda Woodward’s Birthday Ellison Woodward, FON

David Paul DeHart Jennifer Daddezio, FON Eva Hart Deborah Lane, FON Jeanette Imonti KPMG, LLP, FON Jeremy Joseph Duke, FON Warren Kornberg Susan Tober, FON Virginia Luke Betty Moers, BIV Audree Norton Ken Norton, BV Faye Outler Teri Massey, FON David O. Riker Timothy Riker, S Pauline Scott Caroline Greene, S Betty Moers, BIV Ronald and Melvia Nomeland, BVI Orville Northcutt, S Marjorie Norwood, BI Joseph and Kay Francis Rose, BVI Richard and Luisa Soboleski, BI Bodil Tvede, BI

DONOR LIST

IN MEMORIAM

Donald K. Shelley Kristen Robbins, FON

Helen Ting Cynthia Yep, FON

Stanley Gerald Siegel Jane Johnston, FON

Lettie J. Tracy Gary and Cheryl Cassel, FON John and Constance Garber, FON James and Debra McDonald, FON Patricia Prescott, FON Sonja Steuber, FON

Marie Kamuchey Smith Evelyn Kamuchey, BIX William J. Stifter Joann Bula, FON Linda Hoseth, FON Rae Johnson, BIV John and Maureen Kirk, FON Betty Moers, BIV Ronald and Melvia Nomeland, BVI Herb and Roz Rosen, XXXIV Linemark Printing, FON

Bernard Bragg, Benefactor IX Gerard “Bummy” Burstein, Benefactor XXVII Jill Cannon, Friend of the NAD Dennis Coakley, Friend of the NAD Donna Davila, Benefactor VI William Fansler, Benefactor II Liz Halperin, Advancing Member Warren Kornberg, Friend of the NAD Virginia Luke, Benefactor II Jean Ann Matthews, Sustaining Member Billie Moehle, Benefactor I Faye Outler, Friend of the NAD William Schornstein, Sustaining Member John Schuchman, Benefactor II Pauline Scott, Benefactor IV Donald K. Shelley, Friend of the NAD Stanley Gerard Siegel, Friend of the NAD William J. Stifter, Benefactor VIII Lettie J. Tracy, Friend of the NAD

REMEMBERING BILL William “Bill” J. Stifter passed away May 24, 2018 in Maryland. Bill attended the Minnesota State School for the Deaf and pursued a college degree at Gallaudet University, graduating in 1952. He worked for the Government Printing Office and at the National Association of the Deaf. After endless hours of volunteer work he was hired as a Part time employee in July 1993. Although his main focus was maintaining and repairing offices at our building located at 814 Thayer Avenue, he also helped with the membership department. During the NAD Conferences he assisted at the Registration desk and the NAD Exhibit booth. He decided to “semi retire” when the NAD moved to its current location on Fenton Street since he and his wife Alyce had moved to the Eastern Shore. During his time here at the NAD he loved talking about his wife, children and grandkids, golf, woodworking and University of Maryland basketball. He was a treasure and will truly be missed.

– Written by Tom and Donna

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

NAD Office Manager Sean works with a student to develop a storybook on National Deaf Youth Day March 6, 2018.

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