Granted, if it was any dog then I can understand but this dog was a service dog.  Da Marco was WRONG for refusing service to this deaf individual.  I really do hope this deaf individual steps up and files legal action vs. Da Marco.  By the ADA law, she should have been allowed the opportunity to bring her dog in.

Hopefully action will be taken in regards to this – and they are educated on this issue that this will not happen again.

~B

http://www.montrosecounselingcenter.org

*Additional Info: *This FREE* confidential group will be open to all
Deaf who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. No one
will be identified as HIV– or + and you do not have to be a client
at MCC. The group’s facilitator (LBSW) is hearing but is fluent in
American Sign Language. This group will consist of up to ten (10)
participants who may join at anytime during the 8 week group duration.
Participants will sign agreement of confidentiality upon entering the
group meeting.

Montrose Counseling Center
401 Branard
Houston, Texas 77006

*Donations are welcome.

Leann Randolph
Email: interpreters@montrosecounselingcenter.org

Last night meeting at Woodhaven church served a constant reminder of the issues that many deaf/hoh face after a long sought settlement between the Department of Justice and the City of Houston.

The truth is the City of Houston has continued to fail in the requirement that has been outlined in the settlement when it comes to meeting the needs of the deaf and hard of hearing individuals. That was one of the main reason to have the March, to bring awareness to the city council of Houston. Brian and Kathy and the other co-founders hope to bring that awareness to the City of Houston and ensure that the requirements are met in the 1998 settlement.

There were about 40 people at the meeting, and some were able to watch the meeting online. Some were there to prepare for the March and others were there to question the integrity of the March and the co-founder’s preparedness. In the meeting, there were more questions than answers and many felt uneasiness in the way the March has been planned. From our observations, we could see many of the audience members did not receive a satisfied answer and was more puzzled than before. However, the March Founders was adamant to go on with the March regardless and mentioned that Brian will be having a meeting with the ADA Coordinator, Robby Laws on the issue of the settlement agreement.

Some has expressed concerns on facts and evidence that could be presented to the City Council in regards to our situation.  Others has expressed that this issue is really a two way street, not just necessarily the City of Houston failure to meet our needs but because we had no one to really follow up with the City of Houston.

So as a result, many of those in the audience had the renew call for an establishment of an organization. An organization that will meet the needs for everyone in the deaf/hoh community. We ask for those to continue to participate and bring more awareness/voice in the establishment for a organization. Please keep an eye on the update on DPHHH.com for information.  Remember this is not about you, but about the deaf/hoh community as whole.  Updates will be coming soon about upcoming meetings in regards to the deaf/hoh community.

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Our next meeting officially is held at Woodhaven Deaf Baptist Church, located at 9920 Long Point Road, Houston, 77055. Again, it’s scheduled on Monday night, June 15 at 7pm for a final preparation for our June 16 march.

Everyone is encouraged to attend. Don’t forget to bring to the meeting (optional) as follows:

-One white cardboard (size 22” X 28”),
-Several markers (black, red, or blue ink is preferred, but if you prefer other colors, that is fine),
-One wood stick (wood sticks must be ¼ inch thick, according to the city’s rules for the march). These are for making signs/posters.

We also suggest a blue shirt to wear for our march in order to be recognized as a group of marchers for our own cause (can be light blue, royal blue, or navy blue). If you have any questions regarding our march, please email at HouDeafRights@aol.com.

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Folks,
This email caught my eye & I can’t help but smile at the similarities in the feelings expressed now and back during the first protest at Gallaudet University for a “Deaf President Now” in March, 1988…
I was fortunate to be there as a graduate student at Gallaudet and on the front lines as history was made…and I learned some valuable lessons in working with the media & politicians in general. There were folks who opposed the protest and those who supported it, but the important thing is that we put aside our differences and worked together for a common cause. I’m not sure that waiting to have a Deaf Awareness Week the most appropriate thing to do to get your legal issues addressed now…I’m also not saying that the Deaf Awareness Week isn’t important, it IS but you need to do much, much more than that…protecting your legal rights is a daily, weekly, monthly, year-round thing…not a onetime event during the year!

You need to have your act together – the Houston Deaf Rights group needs to organize and put out a list of Issues with concrete examples of each, i.e.: legal rights not being addressed or respected, discrimination, etc. What have you tried in terms of resolving these issues in the past? Again you needs dates & data to prove your case..

There is a HUGE amount of pre-planning and organizing to be done before your March — Be sure you have other members of the Deaf Community involved – Interpreters, CODAS, Parents of Deaf children, Deaf-Blind, Teachers from Deaf Programs, members of other disability groups, lawyers, etc…everybody knows somebody who know somebody else who has contacts or can help! They should all help you get the word out to the WHOLE Community, not just the Deaf groups, etc, about the March and be in the City Council Chambers when you speak to the Council.

When you march, keep it peaceful – be sure you have a city permit to march…make sure you are visible, wear similar colors or t-shirts with your slogan on it so people will know who you are
Alert the TV/News media in advance so they can be there to publicize your march – prepare a flyer to distrubute during the march, see if a local printing company can donate this for you…
Have ONE Spokes-person to address the City Council – be sure you know the protocol for signing up to speak, which is usually limited to 2-5 minutes, depending on their rules & respect that – be sure to request an Interpreter be there, and bring one along just in case! Prepare a hand out to give to the City Council Mambers which lists your concerns and what you want done to resolve them.

Present your information in a calm, professional manner, with clear “Talking Points” that show each issue. Appeal to the Council’s sense of doing the right thing, appeal to their sense that we are all on the same team, not a “us vs them” approach. Show them you want to help and work with the Council to improve things so Houston can be a model city, contact Advocacy Inc.and the Texas Governor’s Committee for Persons with Disabilities to get their ideas & support. I know the Houston Deaf Rights Organizers are great people and good Leaders, and I wish you all the best!!

Good luck with your Protest and Remember, “It’s always cheaper to provide access than go to court!”
Patti E. Singleton, Ph.D. drpatti7@aol.com

Granted they may NOT understand why, but its is not the point.  The point is we need to make our opportunities in a positive manner and have people to reflect off us in a positive manner.  For example I am going to say this – we are at fault for where we are.  As I wrote in my “Together we Stand, Divided we Fall” article.  We are just as responsible for this situation as they the hearing community is.  You ask why?  I’ll tell you why! 

What have we done in the last 20 years?  Have we made an effort to create an organization that could be a political and vocal voice for the deaf community?  No we haven’t.  Instead we whine and cry about what we don’t have.   You know from the late 80’s to the mid-90’s we had Deaf Awareness week – which was a wonderful way of exposing the deaf community to the City of Houston.  And keep in mind back then we dont have all the technology or media we have now.   But by having Deaf Awareness week and utilize this as our opportunity to educate the City of Houston on the people we have in Houston would yield in a much more positive manner.   And I know someone has been talking they are looking to start it up again this year!  *hands waving*  This – I believe would yield more recognition and in a much positive manner than having a protest.  Honestly from what I am hearing the community is divided on this protest.  And if the community is divided on this protest – then we will fail.  We will not look like a strong community. 

Keep in mind – everything takes patience – we have to educate the community and the people on our needs.  It took me almost two years to get my work to finally provide me a video phone for work.   And it was all on education because they don’t understand.    All I am asking is, take a step back – lets organize this deaf awareness week – get the media involved so we can utilize this as an opportunity to express ourselves.  (those of you who would like to get involved – please do so – Deaf Awareness Week can’t be done just by 1 or 3 people – it requires a COMMUNITY of you!

But what I do ask is, take a step back – pull back lets have Deaf Awareness Week, lets keep trying to educate the community and if next year comes around and we still are being fustrated.  Then lets come up with facts, come up with issues, come up with true dedicated information then we as WHOLE can go and protest.   I just ask of this from you!  Do not lose faith – keep the faith.  Lets work together in a positive way and focus on the positives.  A protest at this time is not going to help, lets do our part.  Create more information, create an organizaton who can help one another, educate the community, and if we are still not getting any positive results then we proceed. 

Remember Together we Stand, Divided we Fall.  Think about it and choose your path…

~B

This event is a fund raiser to help the Houston Xtremes travel to Southwest Deaf Softball Association Regional Tournament in Oklahoma in July.   And for the National Tournament in August to Florida.   So come and support your local deaf men’s softball team.  If you are unable to attend but would like to contribute you can do so by contacting us at coach@houstonxtremessoftball.com

Thank you!

Now here is what bothers me – we always say “We are Deaf, nothing else”   We can do everything hearing people can do but just can’t hear.  Okay if that is the case then why do we HAVE to suggest to change the rules all the time?  Why do we even have to modify it?  Why can’t we just play along the rules and just enjoy ourselves.   Well I’ll tell you why – is because we don’t think of ourselves up to the level as hearing people.   For as long as we keep doing this we will always be looked at as “You CAN’T”  because we can’t play by the rules like hearing folks.

Now this is from a sports perspective – now lets go into reality.   One of the major problems are we as deaf individuals, and parents (not all parents but some who I have encountered).   They reinforce our behavior – they reinforce our feeling of needs of being able to do things differently.   When we have parents who feel bad for their deaf child because the child can’t hear then they overcompensate the child by modifying things then the child learns to live in a modified world where everything is changed but not the same as hearing folks.   Granted we do have needs – accessibility needs.  But I’m talking about in real life – if we are provided an interpreter in a classroom then we should be able to do everything a hearing child can do.  But when we are put in an expectation that we can’t perform in the level of a hearing child then that is the result, we end up performing to the expectation of what they expect not being able to perform to the level.   Or I have met some parents who let their child behave in such way that would not be respectful or toleratable in public and I inquire about it and they are like well he is deaf and so we can’t get through him.  So its like “Hey come on!  You treat that child just like you would with a hearing child and expect respect and proper behavior”   Communicate with the child don’t just sit there and think well my child is deaf and he/she doesn’t listen to me.   Some of us were fortunate to have parents to raise us with high expectations and expect the most out of us.  But then there are some who don’t have that expectation so as a result the child fails.  And when the child is not able to play by the rules he/she will grow up expecting the rules to be changed for him/her because the expectation level is lower.  It is time for us to make that change!  Start with us, the adults – start playing by the rules and PROVE a POINT we as deaf individuals DO NOT need the rules to be changed!   So it all starts with YOU! 

~B