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<DIV>Hi Randy, this revelation isn't that different from most other deaf
culture. Regardless of disability we all have to accept who we are.
If given the chance to receive a cochlear implant most ASL deaf will decide
against it. </DIV>
<DIV>Where can we find common ground to help both the ASL DB and the DB?
We both have similar needs. We need to work together.</DIV>
<DIV>Blessings,</DIV>
<DIV>Cheri</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 4/17/2014 8:30:25 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
randy.pope@aadb.org writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>(Sorry
to send this message before its time. Randy)<BR><BR>Hi Maurice and
all,<BR><BR>About HKNC itself, it really depends on the DB person who
attended. A good<BR>number of HOH DB did have good experience with HKNC
along with a very small<BR>DB who's language is ASL. Like many agencies
there is always problems<BR>arising and HKNC is no exception.<BR><BR>Rox has
pretty much explained the situation in regards of inclusion of DB<BR>people in
the workplace. However the core or heart of the problem is<BR>service
delivery for those ASL DB. One is communication, lack
of<BR>understanding and respect of the Deaf culture's way of life as DB
people.<BR>In other words, there is a large group of ASL DBs who are proud
of<BR>themselves of being DB. I'm not saying that they want to be DB but
giving<BR>the circumstances the feeling is that they have no choice but to
accept<BR>being DB as a culture group and be proud of it. On the other
hand, a good<BR>number of HKNC staff tends to see DB as a medical condition
that need<BR>fixing. <BR><BR>Seattle is one of several DB communities who
believe DeafBlindness as a<BR>culture. Many of the DB in Massachusetts,
Minnesota, DC and several other<BR>DB communities also hold the same values as
Seattle. I'm one of those<BR>people who hold the same values and proud
of it, simply because it is who I<BR>am being a DB person.<BR><BR>I do see a
few progress being made and hope it will continue. At the same<BR>time I
have seen that HKNC made one step forward and two steps backward.<BR>It's my
hope that the new ED will continue to move forward with
new<BR>strategies that will benefit both HKNC and the DB people and not
maintain<BR>the status quo.<BR><BR>Hope this help.<BR><BR>With
regards,<BR>Randy Pope<BR>randy.pope@aadb.org<BR><BR>-----Original
Message-----<BR>From: nfb-db [mailto:nfb-db-bounces@nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
maurice mines<BR>Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2014 12:08 AM<BR>To: NFB Deaf-Blind
Division Mailing List<BR>Subject: [nfb-db] My trip to Seattle for the
Washington deaf blind citizens<BR>meeting.<BR><BR>Hello, I just wanted to drop
everyone a line letting you know how a trip to<BR>Seattle Washington went on,
this was to attend the Washington state deaf<BR>blind citizens general
meeting.<BR><BR>I just would like to share some thoughts and asked a couple of
questions of<BR>the group to gain some understanding of a couple of issues.
One I found<BR>everyone to be very cordial. I found the volunteer interpreters
to be<BR>extremely helpful at times. Now onto the first of my two questions,
is it<BR>normal to have major problems toward applying people to find
qualified<BR>medical interpreting? My next question takes on a potentially
much larger<BR>issue, if one goes to the website,
www.deafblindpower.com , what do you<BR>think of the site? Also is there
really a large problem with Helen Keller?<BR>Because if I'm reading the site
right, the deaf blind coalition is<BR>advocating for a deaf blind
executive director? Any thoughts on this one?<BR>Also a lot of the updates on
the site there's some discussion about the US<BR>Department of Education as it
relates to Helen Keller international, I know<BR>that there are always two
sides to every story, is there another side to<BR>this story?<BR><BR>Aside
from the things I've already mentioned, I noticed that the meeting<BR>were
quite in-depth on Washington state citizens internal operations. I<BR>really
do think this is a good thing. In closing, it is a very good thing<BR>that I'm
learning sign language, because before the afternoon session ended<BR>the
battery on my Bluetooth system that allowed me to hear the
voice<BR>interpreter using the PA system, the battery ran out. This of course
left me<BR>with hearing that some pieces of the voice interpreter and reading
what the<BR>interpreter was signing to me tactfully, of course since I am just
learning<BR>I missed quite a few signs, but put together with what I could
hear of what<BR>was going on I seem to keep it all straight in my mind. This
also begins<BR>what I think is the in-depth education on current depth
blindness issues at<BR>the Washington state level. I have already possibly,
gotten approval to get<BR>preliminary approval to attend their October
meeting.<BR><BR>I hope all is well with everyone on the list, and I will be
reading your<BR>responses? Now here comes my signature file.<BR><BR>Sincerely
Maurice mines.<BR>Student accessibility aid.<BR>Voicemail phone,
360-524-0791.<BR>School/work email address, Maurice.mines@PCC.edu.<BR>Amateur
radio call sign, kd0iko.<BR>Note I'm using Dragon dictate version 3 for the
Mac to dictate the contents<BR>of this document, or email.<BR>Please excuse
any errors as they may be the result of the software, or the<BR>dictation
process.<BR><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>nfb-db
mailing
list<BR>nfb-db@nfbnet.org<BR>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org<BR><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>nfb-db
mailing
list<BR>nfb-db@nfbnet.org<BR>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org<BR><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>nfb-db
mailing
list<BR>nfb-db@nfbnet.org<BR>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org<BR></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>