Join guest vlogger, Diana Herron, as she provides her perspective in response to Joey Baer’s vlog: “Think Global, Act Local.”

Transcript:

Q: Would you say we are “weak” on a local level?

A: I was wondering about that comment because, to me, it seems to make sense that if we are weak locally, it means that globally, we are weak also. So, it’s like asking ourselves, which came first, the chicken or the egg? Which comes first? So, I’m not sure what’s really meant by that comment. Yet, from my perspective, I think that each of us, locally and nationally, have some strengths and weaknesses too.

Q: What would you say are the strengths of the Bay Area organizations serving Deaf people?

A: I think our strength in the Bay Area is that we have a plethora of representative organizations. Even though we are ala mixtures of Deaf, hard of hearing, late-deaf, or deaf-blind people, it doesn’t matter. We all cherish the same things: Equal Communication Access. And, we all cherish ASL and signing. We want to see those things succeed. We are all contributing to these goals in different ways. We might not be exactly the same, but we are fighting for the same cause. For example, we at DCARA, make it our goal to go out often and work with the Department of Social Services to make sure that the many services out there in the world have communication access, and to recognize and accept ASL as the language of Deaf people. So, I think we are doing out parts in different ways. We don’t necessarily always have to focus on the Deaf education system or focus on Deaf children, even though I cherish and value sign language for children and see it as very important, but the issues are bigger than just ASL for Deaf children. The global issue is that ALL d/Deaf people have the right to language.

Q: Are we collaborating with other organizations and sharing leadership?

A: I think that’s a challenge because of our more fine-tuned philosophical differences. And, I think at this point, we are struggling to decide whether or not we can respect each other’s differences enough to really come together to work on the bigger issues. So, yes, I think we have shared leadership issues that we need to look at and explore and to improve.

Q: In your opinion, what are the bigger Deaf global issues?

A: The bigger issue, I feel is, first of all, is to respect each individual and each group for who we are. We all have beliefs and those beliefs are to be respected and not to be judged as in, “We are right! You are Wrong!” or “You are right and we are wrong.” We need to get rid of that judgmental part.

Q: How do we make a difference on a local and global level if we all have different organizational goals?

A: I think for some groups, it’s true, we might have different goals. I’ll give you an example. Deaf organizations such as schools for the Deaf, DCARA, CAD, the Coalition, Deaf-Hope, and all the other organizations like those, they come together for one clear purpose: The mission is to serve Deaf people through communication access — communication access through the use of signs. Then, for example, if you want to come together with the groups who serve late-deaf or hard of hearing people, then yes. It becomes a problem trying to work together because they are more interested in preserving their identity as a hearing person or an English-speaking person and they want technology development. While on the other hand, we want ASL. BUT, WE NEED EACH OTHER!! So, how can we get past that and rise to a new level and make equal communication access and human rights for our needs to communication access? Whether through supporting ASL or through technology, we need to come together and work on the bigger issues. That’s the challenge.

Q: How is your organization (DCARA) making a different locally and globally?

A: DCARA is making a difference because we serve a broader range of people: Deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, late-deaf, people of color, people of different sexual orientations, etc. Really, we serve a diverse group of peopl, including parents who have Deaf children or Deaf adults, or friends of deaf people. I think DCARA is really in a unique to really collaborate with the many different groups out there, on a local level or on a statewide level. For example, the Coalition collaborates with each other while representing their own small locations throughout the state. We also have national organizations like NAD. We also have RID. We have many, many different organizations that are representing their own groups. It’s a challenge, really. But we all need to really focus on cooperating and look for the similarities rather than fight about the differences.

Thank you Di!

Di: Thank you.

Posted by LaRonda on Saturday, April 26th, 2008 at 11:02 pm.