Update Information on Deaf Protest

By Bradley Porche | Posted in Blogs | Jun.10, 2009 | 3 Comments

Here is the Department of Justice settlement between the United States of America, Rashad Gordon and Michael Edward against the City of Houston, TX. Again, this is only a settlement and does not emphasize a case law. Settlement Agreement

There will be another meeting taking place on June 15th at 6:30pm (location will be updated), you can find out more information on the Communication Access Now blog and there is an outline of explanations from the 5 co-founders.

Hope you find this informative and I would strongly encourage you to attend the meeting. I plan on having a real time streaming and archived video of the meeting posted so that more Deaf/HOH people will be aware of what is going on and eventually feel like they are “participating” . It will be from this account, UStream.tv broadcast and let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks!

Pre-Deaf Protest Meeting – Tuesday 9th

By Bradley Porche | Posted in Blogs, Politics | Jun.10, 2009 | 14 Comments

Tonight I had the opportunity to attend the pre-protest meeting at Memorial City Mall. The meeting finally started after a few minutes delay due to waiting for more Deaf/Hard of Hearing individuals to show up. There were approximately around 15 Deaf/Hard of Hearing individuals.

There were diverse individuals from different background, some were Deaf and Hard of Hearing, some had a strong conviction to protest and some were not sure of what was going on. Neverthless, Brian Determan, one of the co-founders of the Deaf Right Protest (the title of the protest has not been clarified) took the floor and explained the issue of why we should need to protest.

Several issues were brought up.  Some stated that it was a long struggle for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing individuals to gain access to interpreters and the city did not fullfill the needs of Deaf individuals. He said that he met with the city and the city coordinator said that there was not much Deaf awareness and did not know how to provide the support for the Deaf community.
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Share Your Hurricane Ike Experiences

By Julie Reese | Posted in Blogs | Jun.09, 2009 | Leave a Comment

We are already 9 days into a new Hurricane Season which began June 1st. The reason why I am here is to ask for your feedback and to hear about your experiences during Hurricane Ike or afterwards.

First of all, let me share a bit about my experience although it may be different from most of what you had experienced here. I was more fortunate than others, no doubt. I live in a mandatory evacuation zone in Galveston County, right on the edge of Clear Lake within 2 miles from Gulf Coast. My apartment home is situated on a marina so I knew I could NOT take any chances with a hurricane that HAD been forecasted to become a Cat-3 (at that time). I immediately packed up my bags and took my dog and evacuated to the west side of Fort Worth where my parents lived (where I hail from), which was a 5 hour drive from Clear Lake. Many of my friends had stayed in Houston and rode out the storm. I stayed up watching CNN all night worrying about everyone here in Houston. I even saw live coverage of boats rocking back and forth on Clear Lake on CNN as Hurricane Ike churned towards Galveston as a Cat-2. All the DARS offices closed for two weeks. Schools closed down. I returned a week later and was very grateful to see that my home that had been in the path of the eye was spared. Not even a scratch.  Unfortunately, many people’s homes around me had been destroyed.  Debris was everywhere and people threw out all their furniture on the side of streets.  Boats were tossed here and there.  It was very heart breaking because I had never seen anything like that in my entire life.
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Deaf Protest Meeting – Tuesday 9th

By Bradley Porche | Posted in News, Politics | Jun.09, 2009 | 4 Comments

I have volunteered to be a writer for the Deaf Protest/March Rally and there will be a pre-march meeting taking place today (June 9th) at Memorial City Mall (Food Court) at 7 o clock pm.

As a contributing member of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing community, I would strongly encourage you to attend and participate. Like Billy Koch previously said, “It takes a community.” A community is one of the most valuable thing a Deaf/Hard of Hearing individual can have because not only the support is there but knowing what is going on is important as well. I plan on attending, write (blog), and participate about the meeting and I ask of you to do the same to blog and participate. Therefore, the message will be heard through the blogosphere, Facebook, etc. One person cannot do it all but many of you have the will power to make a difference.
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Deaf Protest – One Guy’s Opinion…

By Billy Koch | Posted in Blogs, Politics | Jun.05, 2009 | 6 Comments

Okay folks – I just got an email about a pending protest that some deaf individuals are planning to have on June 16th.  Now I am going to have to admit, I am really bothered by this approach.  I am speaking from a personal level – this approach in my opinion will not reflect positively with us and the deaf community.  We, the deaf community have already been reflected negatively by the people from our two protests at Gallaudet.  The first one was acceptable and totally understandable – but the second one people were like again?? 

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! 
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Come Support your Local Softball Team…

By Billy Koch | Posted in Blogs | Jun.01, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Houston Xtremes Men’s Softball team will be hosting a BBQ fundraiser at Meyerland Park on June 6th.  From 1:00 p.m. to ?? Combo BBQ Plate can be purchased for $5.00 a plate

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!

My child is deaf…What do I do?

By Jay Jackson | Posted in Blogs | Apr.10, 2009 | 4 Comments

When I was in college, I went home to visit my parents for the summer. There, they had a couple who just found out their child was diagnosed with deafness. It was a surprise to them and they turned to the closest people they knew that had been in the same situation. Out of curiosity, I accompanied them on a trip to a nearby town to meet them.

They were faced with several options: to send him off to a school for deaf in another town, to teach him sign language, or send him to an oral school. They were daunted by the tasks all equally. As it was their first child, they were faced with an enormous responsibility: the education and mental growth of their child. I remember that we discussed my experiences growing up. I had grown up with sign language as my first language (not exactly ASL, but it was more of a mix between ASL and SEE depending on my interactions with family and friends). My parents were set on learning from the onset when they found out about my deafness as they believe it to be a best way of communication between me and them. I started out in a local deaf program before mainstreaming in second grade and above.
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Twitter – A New New Thing

By Bradley Porche | Posted in Blogs | Apr.07, 2009 | 6 Comments

What is up with Twitter being the new new thing? Actually, it is not new. It has been around since its development in 2006. What makes Twitter stand out from the rest is its’ pure simplicity. All you have to do is pick up your cell phone for a SMS text, go to a website, or use a third party API to twitter away. From the time you text (up to 140 character is allowed) and send, all of your friends know where you are or what you are up to. How awesome is that? Simple and practical for our everyday busy lives.
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Let’s Play By the Rules…

By Billy Koch | Posted in Blogs | Apr.06, 2009 | 2 Comments

As some of you folks might know, I am an avid sports fanatic.  I love sports of all kinds and I usually participate in various of sports along with other deaf individuals.   But it was kind of funny, I run a site for a particular sport, (and there was even a discussion about this in Facebook for another sport).  Well one of the discussion was based on how we keep changing the rules every year to benefit “US”.   Now that “US” really annoys me, keep in mind these are deaf people voting and modifying the rules here.   Well point being is for softball there are a few associations like the National Softball Association (NSA), Amatuer Softball Association (ASA), and United Sports (something – USSSA).   We have governing associations which we could abide by and follow.  Just say okay we will be following USSSA rules and just follow it.  But do we do that, no what we do is we say we will play by USSSA rules – modified.  (Modified to FIT us and our needs).  Now off to another sport – Golf – there is a sport USGA – United States Golf Association.  Simple follow the rules and play.   But no, we as deaf individuals want to modify the game to our needs.   Now going to both sports – I can’t tell you how many hours I have SAT in a meeting watching them argue and debate on how the rules were going to be made.  Which is ridiculous!  We already have set rules just follow it and be on your way and enjoy the game.  continue »

Together We Stand, Divided We Fall….

By Billy Koch | Posted in Blogs | Mar.26, 2009 | 14 Comments

Well you know I have lived in the Houston area for over 35 years and there is no other city I can imagine living in.  Houston has it all – Food, Sports, Entertainment, and more.  You name it – Houston has got it.  But there is one thing that Houston is definitely lacking – a true deaf awareness and services.

Seriously folks – sure we have what? three or four interpreting agencies here.  We have DARS here but they can only do so much.  But honestly we are really lacking on a true political social system here.   I mean seriously Houston has to be one of the most uneducated cities in the U.S. when it comes to accomodating the deaf employees.  Even the school systems here are not very beneficial for our future deaf leaders and followers.   How do we go about educating people/organizations our rights, our needs, and more.   It seems that Houston is more interested in socializing (which is good and fine) than really building a political team that can influence and encourage support for the deaf individuals.
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