[NFBF-Tampa] Caring for our NFB family

[Ineko Gary]

I am part of the NFB DEF LINE Division. And they always reach out to all the deaf blind members to see what kind of access we need.

I always tell them I need the sign language because my friend comes over at a certain time to do textile sign language. Meaning that handover hand.

She watches the interpreter on the screen, and then she will sign the meeting in my hand.

That’s how I also do when I have doctors appointment all the interpreters. I have no tactile, sign language handover hand. I will put my hand over my interpreter’s hand and they would sign normally. And then when it’s my turn to talk, I will just sign and interpreter will watch and tell the doctors what I’m saying.

Yes, there are a few reasons I stopped going. Certain members would always tell others how much I can. I can’t see which is not their business. They don’t know me and my loss of vision. Because they’re not my doctors

And that I am also deaf in both ears, and with hearing aids, turned up to the max I can pick up just a few words and so that’s how I knew when people would say to other people or wear a certain person would say to the one woman that was on the bus that I could see more than what I’m saying, which is unreal

Why I stopped going to meetings and went back to my JW For The DEAF cause they all do sign language. We have the fully hearing and fully decided that no sign language. We have the deaf and severely hard of hearing no sign language. And I am the only deaf blind in the congregation. And they all enjoy having my Guide dog Frisco.

And they do not walk up to me or judge me on what I can’t see. Or my hearing and my vision. Because they know that is wrong in Jehovah‘s eyes.

Also, when I had mentioned about letting HART plus they like it is, we’re calling out two hours ahead me and my friend thought it was a good idea. We wasn’t being smart or mean. We was just saying that if you’re able to ride the city bus go ahead and cancel two hours ahead of time and just catch the city bus. We was not being me or smart. Alec whoever told us that yesterday.

I as a deaf blind person who is totally blind and the left eye and losing vision or lost a hunk of vision. We only have light shadows and the red eye. We noticed a bunch of totally blind men and women rides the city bus. With their long white canes.

That’s why I only suggested that or no Not being a smart Alec or being mean.

So that’s why when Miranda was president I decided to stop coming and go back to the JW for the DEAF.

When I was there, I was just there like what’s going on in a meeting. I will purposely record the meeting and then send a recording to my sister and then she would text me to let me know what was being said. Or I would do the recording When someone was free. Let them hear it and then they would text me on what was being said. 

That took too much time and too long.


Again, I am part of the deaf blind, Division and the president over there sent out a group email on who needs sign language, who needs close caption. And who needs a transcript. I explain to the president, even though I cannot see the screen and the person signing. Sometimes my friend would come over and tactile the meeting. I told her the president that she just volunteers her time to come to my house and copy the interpreters on the screen since she no sign language even though she’s not an interpreter she does know sign language because she’s a coda so she learned through me how to do tactile sign language and she only does it for me.

> On May 20, 2025, at 12:45 PM, Barbara Gaw via NFBF-Tampa <nfbf-tampa at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
>  Good afternoon,
> 
> I’m sending this email to everyone because I think we should all be part of this conversation.
> 
> Ineko, I apologize for not ever, bothering to ask why you had quit coming to the meetings. Maybe you told others, or maybe you kept it to yourself. Still, I should have reached out to you. I had wondered why we didn’t see you at the meetings, but I’m sorry I never asked.
> 
> Now I would like to ask the leaders of our NFB chapter if what Ineko’s friend has told her is true. I am aware that there is a deaf, blind division as a part of the NFB, but that doesn’t solve the problem of how we can have people who are deaf, blind attend our meeting and be able to participate in person. Is it true that we can’t afford an interpreter for the two hours that we meet once a month? How can we feel comfortable having social outings if we exclude people due to accessibility issues? Has anybody ever bothered to find out how much that would cost?
> 
> The bottom line to be is, if we say the pledge every week about how we want to advance and raise up our lives to be what we want them to be. How can we exclude other members of our group for lack of accessibility?
> 
> 
>  If we are truly to be stronger together, then that means everybody.
> 
> Barbara Gaw
> 
> Sent from AOL Mobile Mail
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