If you are interested in volunteering and assisting please feel free to show up the meeting, or email us at daw@deafhouston.org.  We’re looking forward to making 2010 a successful DAW event!  And we can’t do it WITHOUT you!

Houston Community College
San Jacinto Building
2nd floor Suite L321
1300 Holman
Houston, Texas 77004
June 26th, 2010
10 am – 12pm

Please email brad.porche@ghdc.us for parking decal before Tuesday 6/22/10.

See you folks there!

Related posts:

1. Deaf Awareness Week 2010 – Meeting May 22nd 10am – 12pm
2. Next Protest Meeting – Monday at 7 p.m.
3. Deaf Awareness Week 2010 – Meeting April 17 2-4 p.m.

WHERE:
AMC Studio 30 – Houston
2949 Dunvale Rd
Houston, TX 77063
(713) 977-4431

WHEN:
5/21/10 Friday: 11:00am, 1:20pm, 3:30pm, 5:50pm, 8:15pm, 10:30pm
5/22/10 Saturday: 12:40am, 11:00am, 1:20pm, 3:30pm, 5:50pm, 8:15pm, 10:30pm
5/23/10 Sunday: 11:00am, 1:20pm, 3:30pm, 5:50pm, 8:15pm, 10:30pm
5/24/10 Monday: 11:00am, 1:20pm, 3:30pm, 5:50pm, 8:15pm, 10:30pm
5/25/10 Tuesday: 11:00am, 1:20pm, 3:30pm, 5:50pm, 8:15pm, 10:30pm
5/26/10 Wednesday: 11:00am, 1:20pm, 3:30pm, 5:50pm, 8:15pm, 10:30pm
5/27/10 Thursday: 11:00am, 1:20pm, 3:30pm, 5:50pm, 8:15pm, 10:30pm

Source

Related posts:

1. UPDATE – Taste of Technology in Houston

• The Deaf community is not important enough to hear Family Life’s message or
• Family Life’s message is not important enough for the Deaf community to hear.

Period. Whether that is the intent behind their actions matters not since this is how the actions are perceived by the community.

He made certain to tell me that even though they do not provide interpreters, they do “other things.” When I asked what these “other things” were, he replied that they let interpreters volunteer their time sometimes at the conferences. I asked if his speakers, stage crew, light and sound crew, and other staff members volunteered their time as well, to which he replied no. Let me first say, that anyone who really knows me knows that I volunteer my interpreting services probably more often than I should, so I am not opposed to volunteering. It should not be expected, though. Interpreters provide a valuable service and it is a lot to ask of someone to give up two to three full work days as a volunteer. Not only this, but there is no quality control standard over most volunteers. Oftentimes this means an uncertified and/or unqualified signer is pulled in to interpret without any knowledge of our Code of Professional Conduct. These paying Deaf patrons want to know when they attend a conference over a sensitive matter such as marriage that they can trust their private matters to not be leaked back to the very small Deaf community. At least with a professional interpreter, they have a better chance of receiving this standard of service. Although volunteer interpreters can also be professional interpreters, oftentimes volunteer equates to unqualified.

Carl also informed me…wait for it, this is the kicker…that Family Life is gracious enough to waive the registration fees for the interpreters. Ummm…huh? I told him that would be the equivalent of the college I teach at waiving tuition fees for me to teach. Do they charge their other staff members registration fees? Of course they do not because the staff members are working. They should be paid, not pay to work. At a $129 per person or $258 per couple (not including hotel stay) registration fee, there is no reason that this organization could not afford to pay for interpreters. I reminded Carl that if they really had faith in God as an organization, they should trust that He will provide for their interpreting funds just as He has provided for many of their other initiatives.

I asked Mr. Boykin this, “If you were on trial in a court in China, do you think it would be sufficient if you were provided a volunteer English interpreter?” The answer is of course not, especially with imprisonment or worse at stake. How much more imperative is it for someone to have clear communication when it come to saving a marriage and to the eternal life and death message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Can you tell me, according to the Christian faith, any message of import above that of salvation? I think not.

Sadly, after all of this, I realized that my time and breath had been wasted because Mr. Boykin’s response was just to say that it was an “unfortunate situation.” I let him know that it was unfortunate because Family Life would no longer have my support, the support of my family, the support of my extended family, nor that of many of my friends. How can I support an organization which so blatantly is discriminating against an entire people group? It pains me to speak ill words of a Christian organization because, having been an atheist until the age of nineteen, I know that these types of incidents are exactly what turn people further away from the Christian faith and misrepresent the whole. Despite that, I think it is important to bring all things to the light to allow people to see and make judgments for themselves. Thanks for listening and perhaps one day this Christian organization and others like it will learn what it means to love.

Leyel Hudson
Interpreter and Professor of Interpreting
leyelhudson@gmail.com

Related posts:

1. Pre-Deaf Protest Meeting – Tuesday 9th
2. Deaf Protest – One Guy’s Opinion…
3. 2009 Christmas Drama “Deafville USA II”

We are thrilled to announce that RID has approved CEU credits workshops in business and personal development related topics.

Not only that: you will also have a great opportunity to meet with Deaf professionals, business experts and new Deaf customers for your own interpreting business venture. You will also enjoy breakfast and lunch meals, networking with other participants and gather new ideas for your professional and personal growth!

Do not wait, go to http://deafbusiness.org

…And register for workshops. ASL Interpreters who completed at least 7 workshops will be added on Deaf Business ASL Interpreter Directory and Friendly Business Interpreters Network statewide and nationwide.

Related posts:

1. Business Convention & Expo of the Deaf Speaker
2. FREE Admission to Business Expo for the Deaf
3. Tax Deduction on Business Travel – Howard Knight

This event is for those who make a family income of $49,000 or less or individual income of $29,000 or less. If you meet the above requirements and would like to partake in this event, please e-mail Kaitlyn Tracy at Kaitlyn.Tracy@cityofhouston.net

WHEN:
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Thursday, April 8, 2010

TIMES:
12noon- 3PM

WHERE:
Lillian Beard Deaf Connection Center
9920 Long Point
Houston 77055

Related posts:

1. Deaf & Hard of Hearing Positive Interaction Program
2. Deaf Positive Interaction Program 8/3/10
3. Houston Black Deaf Advocates – General Meeting

The Committee structures its work into ten broad issue areas. They are Access, Communication, Education, Emergency Management, Health, Housing, Recreation and the Arts, Transportation, Veterans and Workforce.

The Committee wants to hear from its citizens with disabilities, family members, caregivers and professionals in the field of disability issues. We want to know what YOU think are the major needs and issues facing Texans with disabilities. Your feedback is needed and welcomed.

If you have any data that you want to include with your comments that helps bolster your feedback, please do include it or a link to it with your survey comments. The survey will be posted until September 30, 2010. The information will then be consolidated and considered as the Committee drafts its biennial policy recommendations for the 82nd Legislative Session which begins in January 2011.

This survey is anonymous. Please distribute widely to your community. Thank you for your participation in this important survey. YOUR OPINION Matters!

This survey is available in:
* English:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/citizeninput

* Spanish:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/encuesta_de_ciudadanos

It is also available in Word, in large print, by U.S. mail, by telephone, and by RELAY Texas 711. Call our office at 512-463-5739 for assistance or email us at GCPD@governor.state.tx.us

Angela English, LPC, LMFT
Executive Director
Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities
512-463-5742 or Relay Texas 711
aenglish@governor.state.tx.us
http://governor.state.tx.us/disabilities

ADA listserve:
http://listserv.tamu.edu/archives/texadac-l.html

Joyce Williamson
National President
Visually Impaired Employee Workforce (VIEW)

Related posts:

1. Thesis Survey for Deaf Texas Residents
2. National Council on Disability Houston Quarterly Meeting
3. Dr. Singleton’s Response to One’s Man’s Opinion to Protest

Synopsis
Do you want SUCCESS? Catch this opportunity for a SUPER training on May 28, 2010, Friday! “SECRETS OF WORLD CLASS” Meet Steve Siebold – World Class Keynote Speaker and Trainer.

The 6-hour program is an awakening to expose participants to the process and show them there’s a higher level of emotional competence and mental performance.

Mental Toughness University is a comprehensive mental training process that moves individuals and teams from good to great. Mental Toughness trains people how to control their thoughts, feelings, and attitudes, before, during, and after a performance. Especially under pressure.

One Day admission:$150
Four Days admission:
$259 Special Discount!
(Original price $299)
The Four Days registration includes meals, admission to all general and breakout sessions, trainings, ceremonies, dessert reception, and expo.

REGISTER HERE!

More info about Steve Siebold: CLICK HERE!

When
May 27-29, 2010 from 9am to 5pm.

Where
2nd floor in the Omni Houston Hotel at Four Riverway in the Galleria area of Houston, Texas

REGISTRATION FOR FREE ADMISSION TO EXPO : CLICK HERE!

FOR EXHIBITORS: CLICK HERE!

Your feedback and suggestions are important to us. Please check our website: http://deafbusiness.org Business Convention and Expo of the Deaf Org. Committee

Source

Related posts:

1. Business Convention & Expo of the Deaf Speaker
2. Business Convention and Expo of the Deaf!
3. Reminder! Welcome Reception, May 26, 2010!

My first reaction was to disagree with him. I initially focused my attention on the fact that he’s got the credentials and experience to get any promotion available for him, or easily get a new job within a matter of days. His degrees show many qualities that a successful professional ought to have, which most companies would definitely want. Then it struck me. I was ignoring a piece of information that made his argument valid: his disability playing against him to achieve his goals. And that is what got me thinking.

Truth be told, any kind of disability do work against smart people in many ways. First, getting a good job is challenging as it is. Scratch that. Getting ANY kind of job during economic recession is difficult. I never really realized the adversities presented in the process: some decide to hide the fact that they have a disability to improve their chances of getting a job. Others don’t, but companies often do not call when they realize that candidates use a relay service. Hearing people have many challenges during the face-to-face interviews. How do those really go for people with disabilities? I cannot begin to imagine. The possibility of frustration from one after another is just one of a few examples of all the problems that people face in order to get in.

Second, the work environment is a jungle on its own.  With many ways of discrimination, such as bullying, omission, un-equal remuneration and lack of opportunities to advance, are just a few where disadvantages are reflected.  It doesn’t matter if you have the experience, the know-how or the credentials with the conviction, people are likely to take you for granted, maybe even toss you to the side.

Still to this date, I believe that companies are very passive when dealing with this situation. They need to step up and make an effort to be more disabled-friendly. Like Bangalore, where companies are understanding that the disabled are a great resource, and are changing their culture to take advantage of this talent.  Below is a snippet of an article from a firm at Bangalore.

“Of late, Bangalore’s private firms, including IT companies, are showing considerable amount of interest in training and recruiting persons with disabilities,” said M Srinivas, chief executive of the Karnataka chapter of National Association for the Blind.

“However, one thing has to be kept in mind — companies don’t recruit disabled people out of sympathy, but because they are efficient,” Srinivas said.

Now consider this deaf friend of mine who has a lot of experience in the computer field, and worked for several companies in the industry. I’m quite sure he had helped companies in ways that they may never realize. Of all the companies he has worked for, only ONE company was really disabled friendly.

Creating this type of environment is hard and takes time. But in the long run, it’s a good change for both disabilities and business alike.  The variation of possibilities and such diversity could dramatically improve and impact companies’ outlook regardless of products or services they provide.  This is especially in the realms of technology where deaf people heavily rely on.  There’s just too much talent wasted, and if done right and put to good use, the rewards for the effort would be much more than compensated.  I, Oswaldo Rodriguez, am a hearing person and never understood what it took for disabled people to get and maintain a good career until now.  I am currently working with a deaf person, and he has proved himself time after time. He’s one of the most valuable assets of the company, and nobody takes him for granted. Not even himself.

Related posts:

1. Barriers we live in…
2. The Case for H.R. 3101
3. DARS 101: Reducing the Barrier in the Workplace

A woman was trying to escape her apartment when the flames blocked the stairs and she became trapped on a second-story balcony. That’s when neighbors said Darell McCollough (At 1:18 min on the video), a deaf man who lives across the parking lot from the burning building, sprung into action.

McCollough jumped in his white Jeep and drove it over to the flaming structure, stopping just under the balcony. He urged the woman, Lorenda Flanagan, to jump over the railing.

“He kept screaming at her, telling her to come over, come over the side. The lady finally got up on the railing and actually jumped off onto his hood and when she hit the hood she slipped and fell down to the concrete,” neighbor Stanley Dowlearn said.

Flanagan was not hurt. “I’ll thank him every day, every day I’ll wake up I’ll thank him,“ she said. “I’ll pray for him every day I wake up.” Neighbors described McCollough as the kind of man who would give you the shirt off his back and said he always has a Bible on the dash of his SUV.

“He’s very religious, and he’ll help anybody he can,” Mike Montgomery said. “He’s a very good person.”

There was no official word on the cause of this fire, but investigators speculated that it may have started on top of a stove kept on overnight by someone trying to stay warm.

Through an interpreter, McCollough told 11 News that he was just thankful that everyone was OK.

“Thank Jesus for saving those people,” McCollough said in sign language. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”

Source

Related posts:

1. Darrel McCoulough

Have you ever wondered… Who decided that we needed a specific certification to interpret in a Court setting? And whose idea was it to establish a separate set of qualifications for Medical interpreting? And while we’re at it, why is it that K-12 interpreters must be certified, but not interpreters working in colleges and universities?

Advocating change in policy and legislation is working within an established system in order to create change in organizations, service systems, laws, and policies. Although it is more work, a systems advocacy effort is needed when policies or laws present a problem for a group of individuals and the problem is expected to recur continually. Where this effort is directed depends on the nature of the problem and which organization (or organizations) has authority over the problem area.

This workshop will address the stages of systems advocacy and provide participants with the tools to impact public policy and legislative change. Systems advocacy efforts can be demanding and challenging, yet an exciting undertaking. The process requires care, thought, and commitment, but is an endeavor where the payoffs are well worth the effort

DATE/TIME:
Saturday, January 16, 2010, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

PLACE:
Houston Community College (HCC) Adminstration Building
3100 Main, Houston, TX 77002
Conference Center, Room A

PRESENTER:
Billy Collins – BS and MS, University of Arizona, BEI Master and Court, RID CSC and SC:L
Winner of the 2009 ADARA Legislative Award

CEUs: 0.6 approved for BEI and eligible for RID PINRA credits

COST:
$25.00.

LUNCH:
will be provided by GHID while we host a membership meeting. If you can not attend the workshop, but have an hour to spare in the middle of the day, we welcome you to attend the membership meeting and share lunch with us. The meeting will start promptly at noon.

REGISTRATION:
Go to GHID website and register on-line, by mail, or in person at the door.

You may also register and pay at the door on the day of the event. However, space is limited, so we encourage you to register now and assure yourself a seat at this workshop.

Related posts:

1. Workshop: Independent Contractor & Sticky Terp Situations
2. UPDATE – Taste of Technology in Houston
3. Houston Deaf Forum