[Nfbf-l] FW: Deaf-Blind Berkeley resident appointed to national organization's board of trustees. The Daily Californian (1/26)

[Darlene Laibl-Crowe]

FYI 
 
Subject: FW: Deaf-Blind Berkeley resident appointed to national
organization's board of trustees. The Daily Californian (1/26)
 
Awesome stuff! 
 
From: Benton, Ashley E [mailto:ashley.benton at dhhs.nc.gov] 
Sent: Monday, February 02, 2015 9:46 AM
To: Benton, Ashley E
Subject: FW: Deaf-Blind Berkeley resident appointed to national
organization's board of trustees. The Daily Californian (1/26)
 
Check out this article.  We love to hear when Deaf-Blind people make great
strides and do great things! Keep it coming!
 
See link below!
 
Ashley Benton, LCSW, MSW
Deaf-Blind Services Specialist
N.C. Department of Health and Human Services
Division of Services for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing
4900 Waters Edge Drive
Raleigh, NC 27606
Phone: 919-859-8526 (receptionist)
Fax: 919-233-7083
VideoPhone: 919-741-4511
 <mailto:Ashley.Benton at dhhs.nc.gov> Ashley.Benton at dhhs.nc.gov
 <blocked::http://www.ncdhhs.gov/dsdhh/> http://www.ncdhhs.gov/dsdhh/
  _____  

http://power.aapd.com/site/R?i=fy9g3EdW12UeMdJpxGk-XQ

 


Deaf, blind Berkeley resident appointed to national organization's board of
trustees


Ariel Hayat/Senior Staff
By Amy Jiang <http://www.dailycal.org/author/ajiang/>  | Staff
Last Updated 1 day Ago
Berkeley civil rights attorney Haben Girma was appointed the first deaf and
blind board trustee of Helen Keller Services for the Blind on Thursday.
Founded in 1893, Helen Keller Services is a national organization that is
based in New York and helps visually impaired, blind or deaf and blind
individuals lead independent lives. Girma, who grew up in Oakland and San
Leandro, attended Lewis & Clark College for her undergraduate degree and
became the first deaf and blind graduate of Harvard Law School in 2013.
She currently works to improve access to technology and education as a
Skadden Fellowship Attorney at Disability Rights Advocates, a nonprofit
legal center for disability rights located in Downtown Berkeley.
"I'm passionate about disability rights work because it's a background in
which I have personal knowledge, and I can use that knowledge to help
others," Girma said.
Girma first became involved with Helen Keller Services four years ago
through Deaf-Blind Young Adults in Action, a leadership program organized by
a subsidiary organization, the Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind
Youths and Adults. The center's executive director, who met Girma through
the program, asked her to join the board to offer a new perspective as a
member of the deaf and blind community.
"She's someone we've admired for many years and a wonderful role model,"
said Sue Ruzenski, executive director of the Helen Keller National Center.
"We are all excited and thrilled that she's going to be a part of this, and
we're looking forward to opening new doors."
As a trustee, Girma's responsibilities include voting on key issues such as
the creation of new programs and strategic plans for expansion in the next
five years, Ruzenski said. Ruzenski cited Girma's work in advocacy and her
connections in the disability community as strengths she would bring to the
position.
"I think she's going to be a big asset to that national group, bringing her
perspective," said Larry Paradis, executive director and co-founder of
Disability Rights Advocates. "She has forged her way into the front line of
people with disabilities."
At the Disability Rights Advocates office, Girma has no trouble scheduling
meetings, responding to emails and navigating the workplace, according to
receptionist Glenda Beamon. Girma, who has limited hearing and vision,
trained herself to communicate verbally by speaking at a frequency she can
hear.
"Everyone has their own challenges, and they'll find their own ways to
adapt," Girma said. "Some people adapt better than others, but we all have
the capacity to adapt."
At her current job, Girma has engaged with UC Berkeley students who have
disabilities and has identified barriers they face, Paradis said. She has
worked on existing cases and identified new ones, and she is one of the key
attorneys in a case against Scribd to make e-books accessible to blind
readers.
"Technology has changed the lives of people with disabilities," Girma said.
"Our role as lawyers is to make sure that developers know to build
accessible technology."
Stuart Seaborn, a senior attorney at Disability Rights Advocates, praised
Girma's "bright outlook" and willingness to find solutions.
"We're used to working in a narrow area . but I think Haben approaches it
from a more global perspective," Seaborn said. "It could be because she's
coming in fairly fresh out of law school, but also, she has had to think of
new solutions her whole life, and she brings some of that creativity to her
practice."
Contact Amy Jiang at ajiang at dailycal.org  <mailto:ajiang at dailycal.org> and
follow her on Twitter @ajiang_dc <https://twitter.com/ajiang_dc> . 
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