[NFB-DB] HLAA IMHO

[Catherine Miller]

Janice:  I agree with you, HLaa's resources are not very accessible.  And I need the resources they have.  HLAA is a consumer organization for people who are hard of hearing, just as NFB is a consumer organization for the blind.  HLAA has sponsors who give them lots of money, and the sponsors make great products with the latest technology, based on what HLAA members say they need.  HLAA is the collective voice of people who are hard of hearing.  They are focused self advocates who have learned, just like the NFB, to get what they need to make their lives better.

Their resources are not accessible to us because they have not yet heard our message.  I wrote an email to them about their assistive technology train-the-trainers program, and I got a reply acknowledging the need to serve the DB and stating their willingness to work with DB people to modify their train-the-trainers curriculum to accommodate us for a future grant cycle.  

But you know what?  That won't happen until more of us inform them of our interest in what they offer.  It's much easier to go around complaining about how dismayed we are about the inaccessibility of their resources.  Our job, in fact the reason we are here, is to educate them.  They are not intentionally inaccessible.  They want to help, but Number 1, the government keeps putting off their responsibility to establish and enforce Internet accessibility standards, and Number 2, there is still a tremendous majority of DB folks who have no voice.  They haven't yet heard our message.

This is a wake-up call.  There's a lot to complain about; but let's stop complaining and allow our frustration to fuel our action.  There are countless opportunities to announce, in a positive manner, the resources that we want to access.  Technology has provided a viable means to obtain the assistive devices that enable us to communicate.  Let's bridge the gap by reaching out to the people who control those resources.  I can't do it alone.  Our Division needs to be the collective voice of the DB Nation.  Let's focus on what our needs are and find the gatekeepers of the resources that can meet those needs.  

People with hearing loss understand what it's like to be isolated.  They are compassionate people, and we are walking parallel journeys.    

Congratulations, Janice, on making the effort to attend HLAA for one day.  I know it's not easy, and you are expending precious resources to investigate something you're hoping will be worthwhile.   I hope your experience there will be as profound as mine  two years ago at my first HLAA Convention.  Don't miss the exhibits all.

Best,

Cathy