[nfb-db] My trip to Seattle for the Washington deaf blind citizens meeting.

[Randy Pope]

(Sorry to send this message before its time. Randy)

Hi Maurice and all,

About HKNC itself, it really depends on the DB person who attended.  A good
number of HOH DB did have good experience with HKNC along with a very small
DB who's language is ASL.  Like many agencies there is always problems
arising and HKNC is no exception.

Rox has pretty much explained the situation in regards of inclusion of DB
people in the workplace.  However the core or heart of the problem is
service delivery for those ASL DB.  One is communication, lack of
understanding and respect of the Deaf culture's way of life as DB people.
In other words, there is a large group of ASL DBs who are proud of
themselves of being DB.  I'm not saying that they want to be DB but giving
the circumstances the feeling is that they have no choice but to accept
being DB as a culture group and be proud of it.  On the other hand, a good
number of HKNC staff tends to see DB as a medical condition that need
fixing. 

Seattle is one of several DB communities who believe DeafBlindness as a
culture.  Many of the DB in Massachusetts, Minnesota, DC and several other
DB communities also hold the same values as Seattle.  I'm one of those
people who hold the same values and proud of it, simply because it is who I
am being a DB person.

I do see a few progress being made and hope it will continue.  At the same
time I have seen that HKNC made one step forward and two steps backward.
It's my hope that the new ED will continue to move  forward with new
strategies that will benefit both HKNC and the DB people and not maintain
the status quo.

Hope this help.

With regards,
Randy Pope
randy.pope at aadb.org

-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-db [mailto:nfb-db-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of maurice mines
Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2014 12:08 AM
To: NFB Deaf-Blind Division Mailing List
Subject: [nfb-db] My trip to Seattle for the Washington deaf blind citizens
meeting.

Hello, I just wanted to drop everyone a line letting you know how a trip to
Seattle Washington went on, this was to attend the Washington state deaf
blind citizens general meeting.

I just would like to share some thoughts and asked a couple of questions of
the group to gain some understanding of a couple of issues. One I found
everyone to be very cordial. I found the volunteer interpreters to be
extremely helpful at times. Now onto the first of my two questions, is it
normal to have major problems toward applying people to find qualified
medical interpreting? My next question takes on a potentially much larger
issue, if one goes to the   website, www.deafblindpower.com ,  what do you
think of the site? Also is there really a large problem with Helen Keller?
Because if I'm reading the site right, the deaf blind coalition is
advocating for a deaf  blind executive director? Any thoughts on this one?
Also a lot of the updates on the site there's some discussion about the US
Department of Education as it relates to Helen Keller international, I know
that there are always two sides to every story, is there another side to
this story?

Aside from the things I've already mentioned, I noticed that the meeting
were quite in-depth on Washington state citizens internal operations. I
really do think this is a good thing. In closing, it is a very good thing
that I'm learning sign language, because before the afternoon session ended
the battery on my Bluetooth system that allowed me to hear the voice
interpreter using the PA system, the battery ran out. This of course left me
with hearing that some pieces of the voice interpreter and reading what the
interpreter was signing to me tactfully, of course since I am just learning
I missed quite a few signs, but put together with what I could hear of what
was going on I seem to keep it all straight in my mind. This also begins
what I think is the in-depth education on current depth blindness issues at
the Washington state level. I have already possibly, gotten approval to get
preliminary approval to attend their October meeting.

I hope all is well with everyone on the list, and I will be reading your
responses? Now here comes my signature file.

Sincerely Maurice mines.
Student accessibility aid.
Voicemail phone, 360-524-0791.
School/work email address, Maurice.mines at PCC.edu.
Amateur radio call sign, kd0iko.
Note I'm using Dragon dictate version 3 for the Mac to dictate the contents
of this document, or email.
Please excuse any errors as they may be the result of the software, or the
dictation process.


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