Volume 35 Issue # 4 Fall

Association of Late Deafened Adults
Summer 2019 Newsletter
Volume 35 Issue 3

In His Own Words… ALDA’s President Rick Brown

Presidents Letter – Fall 2019

We had a great convention in Kansas City. Others have talked about it and will talk about it. They are also talking about the next convention in Niagara Falls. So, I won’t take up space on either topic.

Instead, I want to talk about our advocacy efforts. In an Facebook ALDA Discussion Board post a while ago, Marylyn Howe wrote that she had heard about a coalition of deaf organizations discussing the quality of captions with the FCC and wanted to know if ALDA was part of this coalition. And Miguel Aguayo followed that up by wanting to know if ALDA is “just allowing other hearing loss/deafness organizations take the lead.” I’ll address those questions here.

First, with regard to the coalition, the name of it is Deaf and Hard of Hearing Coalition Advocacy Network or DHHCAN. It is an active and vibrant group of which ALDA plays a significant part. Monthly meetings are held in Washington, DC. Bernie Palmer was our representative to those meetings, but recently moved to Florida after retiring. So, Barb Martin is now our representative. In addition, John Waldo and I are actively involved in all drafts of submissions to federal agencies and Congress on topics of interest.

There are 15 organizations that belong to the coalition and space is not available to list them all. But, suffice it to say, HLAA, NAD and TDI are members. DHHCAN has been engaged in a host of issues affecting coalition communities. A partial list is, as follows: Formulated and distributed a policy on access and accommodations for all candidates for President of the United States.

Drafted and distributed a policy advocating accessibility to in-flight entertainment both with the Department of Transportation and with Congress.
Drafted and distributed a policy regarding better accessibility on subways.
Surveyed and pushed for captioning at sports venues.
Instrumental in getting General Motors to abandon its petition to waive real-time text requirements for its upcoming automated ride-hailing service.
Replied to comments to the FCC focused on expanding text-to-911 during natural disasters.
Replied to and fought FCC’s move to give more money to automated voice recognition firms at the expense of live captioning with regard to phone calls, without research as to their accuracy.
With regard to Miguel’s query as to whether ALDA simply lets others take the lead, the short answer is “no”. But I will give the long answer. DHHCAN is fortunate to have the Samuelson-Glushko Technology Law & Policy Clinic at Colorado Law to write up our submissions. But the drafts are written after active involvement of several people who, by email, discuss what the documents should say and how they should be written. John Waldo and myself play a significant part in these discussions. It is a collaborative effort. While there may be a “leader” in a particular effort, it changes depending on the topic. Obviously, there are some issues that are more important to certain coalition partners than others.

ALDA has been at the forefront of several issues. It has taken the lead on attempting to get captioning for Los Angeles Dodgers games, for example. It has also taken the lead with regard to getting live captions in Broadway plays. And, apart from DHHCAN, John has had amazing success suing theaters who had refused to caption. John has his own column. I advise everyone to read his column each and every time it appears.

We work with NAD, HLAA and others when it is in our interest, which is most of the time. We will lead when it is in our interest and we will follow when it is in our interest. One such issue is open captioning of films. NAD is very bullish on this issue and many in ALDA are as well. But we felt that a “one size fits all” approach would be politically unfeasible. So, John suggested a form ordinance be drafted that could be used by municipalities on a case-by-case basis. NAD is aboard with this, but it is John who is doing the heavy lifting.

So, you see, ALDA is a major player. It is our organization and we should all be proud of the important work we are doing.

ALDA 2019 Board of Directors

President: Rick Brown
Past President: Sharaine Roberts
Vice President: Cynthia Moynihan
Secretary: Kim Mettache
Treasurer: Matt Ferrara
Region 1: Wendy Ting
Region 2: Tina Childress
Region 3: Debbe Hagner
Region 4: Michelle Yook

Want to learn more about the ALDA or the ALDA Board? Click here

Happy Holidays to you and your family members and friends!

Advocacy Corner
John Waldo, Esq
Movies Our Way—A Do It Yourself Project

For many years, movies were basically inaccessible to the millions of deaf and hard of hearing Americans because they could not understand the dialogue. Years of court battles, some involving ALDA and some of its members, led ultimately to national regulations requiring movie theaters to provide individual viewing devices that display dialogue in writing as closed captions (CC), visible only to patrons with the viewing devices.

While a valuable step forward, CC consistently falls short of providing equal enjoyment for deaf and hard of hearing patrons. Here’s Deaf actor Nyle DeMarco explaining the reality of deaf and hard of hearing movie-going. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRi89x1cC-M

DeMarco not only describes the problem, but points to the solution – open captioning (OC) in which the captions appear on the screen, like foreign-movie subtitles. When OC is available, we can buy a ticket and walk into the theater without the need to check out special equipment, carry food such as a drink and popcorn, take any seat, and enjoy the movie just like those with normal hearing can. An admittedly unscientific poll undertaken by the Wisconsin Association of the Deaf in response to proposed 2010 federal regulations indicated that 95% of the respondents prefer OC to closed captioning.

OC showings are of no cost to the theater. The studios provide captions free, as part of the digital cinema package, to theaters. Theaters can simply order the OC package along with the regular CC package, and then activate OC for specific showings.

Federal Law Doesn’t Get Us to OC Movies

While the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) aims at providing “full and equal enjoyment” for people with all manner of disabilities, the law falls short with OC movies. For reasons not entirely clear, both houses of Congress said in reports the ADA law did not require theaters to show OC movies. In the first court of appeals case dealing with movie captioning, the court reconciled the statement with the language of the ADA stating hearing audiences “likely” find captions distracting which could justify a declaration that OC is not required.

The ADA on OC is disappointing. However, it provides a window of opportunity in stating the ADA does not override state or local laws that provide greater protection for people with disabilities. Advocates in Hawaii used this to successfully convince their legislature to require two OC showings each week of each movie in any theater with two or more locations in the state.

Advocates in the District of Columbia, including ALDA Regional Director Wendy Ting, are pushing for even more ambitious local ordinance with a proposal requiring a minimum of 12% of the showings of each movie be OC and specifically requiring at least half of those showings occur during “prime” weekend viewing time, defined as movies that begin after 6 p.m. on Fridays and after noon on Saturday or Sunday, and conclude before midnight.

At the same time, an online group called Caption Action 3 has now collected over 11,000 signatures on a petition asking for OC movies. The demand is there. Now it’s a question of how to translate that demand into concrete results.

ALDA’s Plan for Community-Based Advocacy

Local action can succeed in doing what the ADA does not do, and a systematic approach may be more productive than trying various ideas. Demographic data shows 12.7% of the adult population has a hearing loss that interferes with the ability to understand speech, and, based on survey results, 95% of deafened individuals prefer OC to CC presentations. We believe it is reasonable to ask that 10% of showings of each movie be OC. A typical-length movie is shown 31 times per week – four showings every weekday; five showings on weekend, Friday-Sunday (Friday is a weekend day in the movie-theater business). So that would equate to three prescheduled OC showings per week in each auditorium.

As a result of the above, ALDA and the National Association of the Deaf are partnering on a campaign to significantly expand the availability of OC through local ordinances. Recognizing that hearing audiences may avoid OC, we are not asking OC for all showings, rather to provide OC for three showings each week in each auditorium, one during prime weekend time (Friday after 6pm and ending before midnight and Saturday and Sunday from twelve noon until midnight), one during prime weekday hours (starting after 6 p.m. and ending before midnight Monday through Thursday) and a third showing at the theater’s discretion.

In asking for three OC showings per week in each auditorium, this often means there will be more than three OC showings of each movie. To provide maximum flexibility, we would specify that no two OC showing times overlap, and if the complex has so many auditoriums that overlap is unavoidable, that no two showings of the same movie overlap.

Minimizing the potential adverse impact to the theaters of an OC requirement requires a full array of alternative options for people who want to avoid OC. We think this is most easily done at multiplex theaters where patrons can often find a non-OC showing on the same day and often at about the same time – first-run movies are often shown in more than one auditorium. For that reason, our draft ordinance would apply only to complexes with four or more separate auditoriums.

The above arrangement would produce a fair and reasonable outcome. Deafened movie-goers would have three opportunities to see that movie in each auditorium during the week and those who wish to avoid captions would still have 28 opportunities to see that same movie in each auditorium. When OC showtimes are announced in advance, both those who need OC and those who want to avoid it will have ample opportunities to plan a movie outing they can find fully satisfying.

The Industry Opposition to OC

The movie theaters, led by the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), have consistently opposed OC. Their argument is that hearing patrons avoid those showings, attendance at those showings is consistently lower than at non-OC showings, and they have data to back up the attendance claims. But they then argue diminished attendance at specific showings equates to economic damage, and that is where we disagree.

We believe the question should not be whether OC attendance equals non-OC attendance, but rather, what impact OC showings have on overall attendance. We believe those who wish to avoid OC will attend a different showing or possibly a different movie, which is no loss in revenue. Additionally, some who attend OC showings, even if modest in number, who might otherwise not go to the movies represent new revenue the theater might not otherwise realize.

There are comparable situations in reference to revenue such as the average Monday matinee attendance which is considerably lower than average Friday evening attendance. Theaters still offer Monday-matinees. Despite smaller revenues, they are higher than if the theater was left dark.

Attendance Data

Here is how NATO uses and misuses OC-attendance data. The Hawaii legislature directed the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism to assess the impact of the OC mandate in effect in 2016 and 2017. The “study” looked at average attendance at OC showings and at other showings occurring at comparable times. The “study” determined that over the course of a year, just under 95,000 fewer people went to OC showings than non-OC showings. NATO then construed that number as lost theater revenue.

The above conclusion assumes none of the 95,000 people who prefer non-OC showings would refuse to attend a different showing of the movie or a different movie altogether. The Hawaii “study” recognized conceptually that at least some of the lower attendance at OC showings did shift to an alternate non-OC movie, but failed to collect the data to measure that possibility.

In D.C., in an effort to forestall the D.C. ordinance, a number of theaters there are now voluntarily offering OC showings. NATO engaged Ernst & Young to study the economic impact. The preliminary results are, as we would expect, attendance at individual OC showings is less than at non-OC showings, but when there is both an OC and non-OC showing of the same movie at about the same time, the overall attendance is slightly higher than would otherwise be expected. Again, we think a broader analysis of overall attendance patterns will find an overall increase.

An illuminating experiment took place in Rhode Island in 2017-18. To avert OC legislation, a number of multi-screen theaters began offering some OC showings. Multiplexes frequently show new releases in more than one auditorium, and one 16-screen theater tracked attendance data at OC showings and at non-OC showings of the same movie that began within half an hour of the OC showing.

Those results were extremely revealing. As NATO claimed would be the case, attendance at non-OC showings was significantly higher. But a full 15% of the tickets sold were for the OC showings. While NATO uses those numbers to argue that non-OC is the more popular choice, what those numbers also demonstrate is that there is a rather significant audience for OC showings.

Unfortunately, the report from that experiment did not indicate whether the total attendance at the paired showings – one OC and one not – was higher or lower than was typically the case before and after the experiment. Our frustration, candidly, is we think NATO has that data, but has not been willing to share it with us or its own members.

How Can You Start Getting OC Movies

We feel city ordinances are likely to be considerably more successful on the whole than state statutes, particularly in cities with progressive local politics and a significant deaf population. We suggest a group of interested local people – it need not be a large – ask to meet with one or more of their respective city council members and try to locate at least one member who would sponsor such an ordinance. We have drafted samples for several different cities and could share those with anyone interested.

It must be emphasized that these OC statutes and ordinances will not reduce or eliminate the requirement that closed captioning (CC) be available for every showing of every movie distributed with captions. The CC requirement is federal law, and no local ordinance can eliminate that requirement. Because the theater must select either the OC or CC option for any given showing, CC will not be available during an OC showing, as it will not be necessary.

The bottom line is this. There is some data to indicate that average OC attendance is lower than average non-OC attendance. But there is absolutely no data indicating that mandated, scheduled OC showings depress overall attendance. To the contrary, we think some modest number of scheduled OC showings is a true win-win – we have a reasonable opportunity to see movies our way, and people who don’t want captioning still have more than enough opportunities to see movies their way. A 10% OC requirement is fair, costs the theaters nothing, and makes many people happy.

What’s not to like?

Nurse On Call
Ann Marie Killilea,
MSN, RN, EdDc

Stay Healthy and Safe this Holiday Season!

Oh, it’s that time of the year…….

As the season changes and we are reminded of the times in our lives which mean so much, the good and the bad. During the year, we have been drawn various instances which have left people crying, hurt, or dead. This seems to have been an especially tough year with traumatic events happening throughout our country and the world. Through reflection and loss, we can all be made more aware of our own personal safety.

Personal safety has been described as one being in a safe state away from harm or danger. Our parents taught us at an early age to look both ways before crossing and stay clear of dangerous streets. Our teachers taught us to be open to new concepts and challenge the world around us, always reflecting upon the things of the past and how we could build upon it. As adults in a very busy world, we understand we cannot guarantee that everything we do will provide us with personally safety. And, as adults with hearing loss, our inability to hear everything in our surroundings can put us in immediate danger. There are variables in our day living with hearing loss that we are not in control of.

What Can We Do?

In Store Shopping: There those who walk through areas noting people who are alone, cannot hear, and have too many packages to handle. They “bump” into the person and quickly remove a credit card or phone. When this happens, it can lead the person feeling very vulnerable to other attacks and becoming more withdrawn.

To help prevent your own personal loss while shopping, I store my credit cards in my pockets under a long sweater or coat. I put my money in my pockets and take a bag I do not care about and put water in it. It will look heavy but will be of no value to the robber. If I am by myself, I will shop during the daytime and get a few items on my list. I don’t want to be fumbling and bumbling around with a lot of packages playing into the hands of a potential robber. Planning to go back to the store to shop some more may be a burden, but it may offset someone who might try to steal from you.

I make sure my batteries are fresh and that I do not have any article of clothing around my neck that will knock off my hearing device. Large fluffy scarves and big rolling collars look very nice, but there are times when the added clothing wreaks havoc with trying to keep hearing devices on. If your hearing device fails to work, or is knocked off, your lack of hearing will be a detriment to you and advantage to the robber. You need to make sure that you can hear well and always!

When leaving home, make certain there is plenty of gas in the car. How many times has it been said… oh, I am not going far and I will find a gas station… only to find there is no gas station is in sight. In addition, car maintenance is important so you do not have your car break down while trying to enjoy the season. Oil changes, washer fluid, and tires all need to be checked when the temperature changes. Not paying attention to these additional things in a car can affect our personal safety when driving.

If you are shopping with another person, make sure that person knows you have a hearing loss and may need some help. My friends intervene for me when I need it, and I help them out when they need it. That’s what friends are for.

Online Shopping Safety. Online shopping can also be a hazard. Some sites are filled with viruses waiting to infiltrate your computer or phone. Some sites track your spending. Others know where you live. Be careful when shopping online and do not open emails sent to you unless you know the address. When emails are sent to you confirming your purchase, make sure it comes from the address where your purchase was made.

Attending Parties: Again, make sure that your batteries are fresh. Make sure your hearing device has been updated, if possible, so that you can hear your best. Communication is important, for those who do not use ASL and have hearing devices, ensuring your devices are maintained and updated is important to keep you engaged.

Make sure that you dress in layers if possible. When visiting with an abundance of people, the room may get very hot and stuffy. Some people who are on certain medications may pass out due to the increased core body temperature. It is imperative that people dress for comfort and style, not just for the occasion. On the other hand, some places may be unexpectedly cold. Planning to bring an additional sweater or jacket may help to keep warm.

Impending Storms: One very important thing is to make sure you have enough batteries on hand and a supply of whatever prescriptions you may take. With batteries, it is important to have new fresh one to use by checking the date of expiration on the back. Stores will sometimes offer discounts on batteries that are either close to or may have exceeded their expiration date. Always check!

If your hearing device uses rechargeable batteries, make sure all your batteries are charged full and set to go. This includes your cell phone and any other devices as well! Sometimes losing electrical power during storms can produce havoc if your batteries and devices are not fully charged.

Own person. It is impossible to prevent the spread of certain germs. Good hand washing is one way to help stop the spread. Sometimes staying away from certain groups can help. Regardless, make certain you get your flu shot! While the current flu shot is created based upon last year’s flu, this vaccine does help increase the antibodies to help you fight off the current flu. Contact your physician to make sure you are not allergic to any of the ingredients of the current flu vaccine. Ask your physician if your other immunizations are up to date. It is important to protect yourself from these infections as they do spread quickly from one person to another.

While this is a short list of things to do to protect yourself, there are important steps to take to reduce stress and enjoy the holiday season. You are a very important person to everyone, especially those who belong to ALDA. Be careful, observant, and enjoy yourself during this time of year!

Best wishes for a happy holiday season and a wonderful new year!

Anne Marie Killilea, MSN, RN, EdDc

TREASURER’S REQUEST
by Matt Ferrara

FINANCE COMMITTEE

Volunteers welcome with the Finance Committee! If you or someone you know has suggestions for fund raising, please email: Treasurer@ALDA.org

ALDA, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organizations and any donations may be tax deductible. Some employers offer matching donations plans. If you have any questions regarding donations, please email: Treasurer@ALDA.org.

*******************************

Meandering Through A Hearing World

Cochlear Implant Considerations

By Linda Bilodeau

At some point, many individuals, suffering from severe to profound hearing loss, opt to exchange their hearing aids for cochlear implants, a momentous decision. When making such a choice one must consider what is involved: the initial evaluation and approval, financial requirements, weighing the risks of the surgical procedure and recovery time, selection of the implant and peripheral device(s), and the extent of the rehabilitation time period required.

Cost is one big factor. Cochlear implants carry a hefty price tag of somewhere between fifty and one hundred thousand dollars. Many private insurers cover the expenses related to the implant, peripheral devices, the surgical procedure, and rehabilitation. However, there is often a high co-pay. Further, insurance providers have specific criteria that one must meet before qualifying for an implant, which are usually outlined in the given insurance plan and one must go through several steps to be considered for the implant. All of which may not be covered by insurance.

Medicare has been covering cochlear implants since 1986. When I visited my audiologist not long ago, and he informed me Medicare changed their qualifying rules for cochlear implants. After performing my annual hearing test, he stated my hearing loss, though profound, may not meet the new Medicare rules largely because my hearing aids are helping me achieve Medicare’s definition of what constitutes good hearing. Just two years ago, I was told Medicare would cover my surgery completely.

For Medicare recipients, there generally is no copay. However one may still have out-of-pocket costs depending on the type of supplemental insurance they carry, whether or not they’ve meant their annual deductibles, and the number of peripheral devices they choose. More information can be found on the medicaire.gov website with a list of the criteria a patient must meet before receiving a cochlear implant. The language is vague and difficult to understand.

Regardless, for both private and medicare insurance, one should seek assistance from a cochlear implant specialist to help determine qualifications, coverage, and co-pays.

Deciding whether or not a cochlear implant is right for you is a big and exciting decision. There are factors to consider such as the time involved for evaluation, the surgical risks, lack of hearing in the operative ear for a period of time following the surgery, and a commitment of a long rehabilitation period.

While meandering through the hearing world, we become aware of our need to hear and communicate effectively. In order to work, conduct business, and socialize with family and friends, we can always consider the best and affordable technological options to help us hear and enjoy our lives.

“Never give up on your hearing” has become my motto!

CHAPTER and GROUP Happenings

Chapter/Group Outreach!

Thanks to our ALDA Chapter and Groups, we are reaching more individuals dealing with late-deafened, hearing loss concerns. Support your local Chapter or Group or consider starting your own today!

Per the new submission guidelines provided in the Fall issue of AN, chapter/groups can now submit their reports directly to ALDA News Submissions ansubmissions@alda.org.

The instructions for chapter/group submissions include “Submit articles, videos, and photos to ansubmissions@alda.org. The guidelines were established to provide the window for additional submissions about ALDA Chapter/Group Happenings.

Please advise if your chapter/group are using other outlets to share your news and events. Our new html-enabled newsletter easily allows this to occur.
Thank You!

One of Us
Karen Krull

This issue’s interview is with David Poland.

I first met David at the 2018 ALDAcon in Portland, Oregon. We happened to be on the same shuttle from the hotel to the outdoor mall with various lunch options, and he joined us for lunch. He was young, spirited and talkative. David was representing Gallaudet as an exhibitor, and was commuting back and forth from his home in Vancouver every day. He was born, raised, and still resides in Vancouver, Washington. He was officially diagnosed as no longer in the “hearing range” in 2011. David had experienced slow progressive loss since perhaps 1990 and his ENT later shared he had known David was going deaf since he first saw him in 2000, but had never shared the information.

David is single, never been married. He is three credits away from his MSW degree at Gallaudet and in October of 2019 began working at Clark College in the Disability Support Services Department as a Program Assistant helping remove the barriers so students can be successful in classes. He is the ALDA Social Media Chair and does a lot of volunteerism to advocate for the d/Deaf and hard of hearing in the meantime.

Continue to read on to find out why I consider David to be “one of us.”

KK: What book or books do you recommend others read?

DP: I like facts. If you are curious about how the Deaf Community and oral deaf got so divided, and want to know about the two men who were behind it, without any bias, I recommend finding online “Never the Twain Shall Meet.” It tells about their parents, themselves, their spouses, and how two friends became bitter enemies. Easy reading, not textbook-like! Also, “For Hearing People Only” is a good book for those curious about the ASL Deaf Community, and is a good reference for those who would like to meet with this group and not offend them. I would also add the Bible, but really that is a book best read along with others who have attended seminary so you do not misunderstand history.

KK: You simply cannot live without…

DP: I simply cannot live without BEEF! Give me steak, hamburger, ribs, corned beef, jerky, and mincemeat pie! I could never marry a vegan. I need cattle products around me. Cow is the best creation God made, and trees are a close second. A Brazilian steakhouse next to church is the most holy place I can be.

KK: Your little-known talent is:

DP: I have many talents, like gardening, that people know about. But my little-known talent that surprises people is, I am good at art. I can draw very well, and make things for my home.

KK: Hardest thing you’ve done is:

DP: The hardest thing I have ever done is to deal with my grandpa’s funeral. I was only 8. He promised if I was good and went with my mom to the mall he would catch up and we would ride the merry-go-round when he arrived. I have been waiting a long time.

KK: Your funniest hearing loss moment is:

DP: I guess the funniest of hearing loss moments for me was in a noisy restaurant in Portland, Oregon with a woman who was a friend of a friend I had just met. I thought she had said she should not be there with me eating cake, because “last year I gained 2 pounds!” I teased her about how two pounds is nothing, and that is when she said “I did not say TWO pounds, I said TWENTY pounds!” I laughed and said both look the same, and how the noises of the place made it hard to hear. She was a nurse and I had just told her about how d/Deaf people struggle to hear. So that was an unexpected example.

KK: When and how did you learn about ALDA?

DP: I had heard about ALDA before, but it was because on Facebook last year my alumni group for Gallaudet in the PNW said they were seeking a representative to attend that I found out more.

KK: Do you belong to an ALDA chapter or group?

DP: There are no ALDA groups or chapters in this area.

KK: Have you ever attended an ALDAcon?

DP: Last year in 2018 I attended my first ALDAcon in Portland, Oregon for Gallaudet.

KK: In what ways has ALDA enhanced your life?

DP: ALDA has enhanced my life by meeting friendly people who have English as their first language, who are not anti-ASL. I like the “anything goes” attitude, where my choice of communication style is A-Okay. Every place late-deafened people exist there needs to be an ALDA!

KK: Who or what inspires you the most?
DP: There are many who inspire me. It really is a tie between Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and Chad Ludwig of Oregon who used to be Oregon Association of the Deaf president. Both men have communicated with their own people, and to the elected with power, to advocate many times for freedom and equality. I cannot tell MLK, but I told Chad that he is on my Top Five list of role model men.

KK: People would be surprised to learn that you…

DP: People would be surprised to learn that I am directly descended from King Harold who died in the Battle of Hastings, Claudius Caesar who caused the Hebrew diaspora and ransacking of their Jerusalem temple, and Marc Antony and his Roman wife. I also have read a lot about these people, because the famous have a rich history!

KK: Your biggest pet peeve is:

DP: My biggest pet peeve is when people deny my Deaf identity or deafness by saying that because I talk good and appear to hear just fine that I am a liar and should not be given accommodations.

KK: Your favorite childhood memory is:

DP: My favorite childhood memory was going to camp and seeing the Deaf girl who I had been friends with at church. Geri caught tadpoles at the river with her hands. She said Deaf have fast hands. She taught me how to do the ABC’s in sign while we stood on the river rocks.

KK: Your favorite saying is:

DP: My favorite saying I came up with years ago: “It doesn’t matter if it’s in black and white. That doesn’t mean it’s true, or right!” We could apply that to YouTube auto-captions so easily!

KK: The bottom line is:

DP: The bottom line is d/Deaf is not a bad 4-letter word. Embrace it! Deaf people are 100% whole, and fully human, and deserve the same access and opportunity to achieve our dreams and participate in society as the fully hearing do. Deaf can do anything hearing can do, if we tear down those walls!

Announcing 2020 ALDAcon with the ALDAcon Chair, Kim Mettache
More information will follow in e-blast and social media platform postings.
Stay Tuned!

ALDA News Outreach!
This is an invite to share news for consideration to be in the Quarterly ALDA Newsletter

Submit your suggestions/articles/information to:
ansubmissions@alda.org

Everyone is welcome to present material for consideration

Volunteer Welcome!
2020 Committee outreach will be underway and include, but not limited to room for a limited number of volunteers on the:

ALDA News editors; contact AN Editor, Grace Avila, ansubmissions@alda.org

Finance Committee; contact Finance Chair, Matt Ferrera, treasurer@alda.org

Simply email and share why you would like to be a part of the team for consideration. Thank you to all our ALDA volunteers and the ALDA tradition where we learn, advocate ,support, make life long friends and have fun. Whatever Works!