Miss-Delectable
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
- Messages
- 17,160
- Reaction score
- 7
Deaf women's organization turns 30 | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com
An organization that grew from a friendship between two women into the country's first organization formed by and for deaf women is celebrating its 30th birthday this year.
Deaf Women of Rochester, started in 1981 as a support group sponsored by the Mental Health Chapter of the Health Association of Rochester, is working toward goals that remain much the same today: bringing deaf women together for support, socialization and personal advancement.
"(DWR) is a wonderful organization that supports deaf women's growth," Joan Naturale, DWR board secretary, said. "It is an organization where networking occurs among a diverse group of deaf women. The organization also provides social events and helps deaf women develop friendships."
The organization grew out of the friendship of Sally Taylor and Vicki Hurwitz, both deaf, who started getting together in the 1970s with a few other deaf mothers to discuss raising children and other interests. The two attended a conference for and by deaf women in New York City in the late 1970s, and returned determined to organize an upstate event.
The local conference was "a hard sell," Taylor said, because the women didn't want to leave their husbands and children at home to attend. Adding to the challenge was that the deaf community viewed deaf workshops skeptically because many were run by hearing Ph.D. candidates seeking to collect data for research. At the time, Taylor also noted, it was difficult to find any deaf women with Ph.Ds to present at the conference.
But the women persisted and in 1979, 55 women from the Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse areas attended a conference at the National Technology Institute for the Deaf (NTID) at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).
Two years later, Deaf Women of Rochester was founded.
Taylor, Hurwitz, Joan Dickson and Pam Hatch were the group's founding members. With the support of Harriette Royer, who was the director of the Mental Health Chapter of the Health Association, DWR held its first official event, the 1981-82 Enrichment Series, which featured three workshops over the course of a year on the topics of dealing with conflict, coping with change and female sexuality.
Workshops have continued to be a staple of DWR. In October and November this year, DWR hosted three Empowerment Workshops, presented by Diana Cho in American Sign Language.
"It is extremely wonderful for deaf women to meet and learn and support (one another) together," Kathy Dollinger-Meyer said at Cho's Nov. 6 workshop on personal choice. The event was held at Barnes & Noble Bookstore at Park Pointe, adjacent to RIT.
"I first heard of DWR when I was a student at RIT," Cho said. "I have just joined the organization as a member this year. While continuing to learn about DWR, it is wonderful to see, through my membership, a variety of educational and entertainment opportunities offered to deaf women for empowerment and resources, sharing and support purposes."
In 1986, DWR began functioning as an independent group, and in 1990 developed by-laws and became an official organization under the Empire State Association of the Deaf (ESAD). The first DWR general meeting was held in May of 1991; 28 women met and approved DWR's by-laws and elected its first board of directors.
In 1994, DWR initiated its Woman of the Year Award. Hurwitz, whose husband Alan is president of Gallaudet University and past vice president and dean at RIT for NTID, was the first recipient; 17 women have received this honor to date, which is commemorated with a plaque.
Another milestone came in 1997 when the group hosted the national conference of Deaf Women United. This national deaf women's organization was founded in 1985, four years after DWR was formed. Because it was established first, DWR was given honorary membership in Deaf Women United when it began setting up affiliates around the country
"I am still inspired by the fact that DWR was founded before national level (Deaf Women United) was founded because Rochester has so many brilliant deaf women who saw the need to gather," Elissa Olsen said.
Olsen first became involved with DWR in the 1980s. She and Colleen Daviton organized DWR's first retreat. She's been involved with the group's retreats ever since, which are held every other year. "My passion is seeing other members of DWR thrive and grow," she said.
DWR's current board president Kathleen Sepanek first heard about DWR in 2000 from two friends. "(I) was attracted by the chance to grow as a deaf woman, for socialization, support, education, to make new friends, network." The group offers improved quality of life and the opportunity to connect with others who need information, Sepanek said.
DWR also offers outreach to its members. Sally Taylor and Sally Skyer, a veteran NTID counselor and instructor, developed "Hopes baskets," delivered to members who have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. The baskets contain items a woman can use to pamper herself, and Skyer offers an opportunity to talk.
This is an example of what Skyer calls the most important ingredient of DWR: "support of each other."
This basic desire of women to find support among their peers was what gave birth to DWR 30 years ago. That need persists as much as ever today. Taylor sees the groups' future in "continuing what we have been doing in terms of empowerment, support, networking, socialization. We've always tried to impress on deaf women how important networking is," she said.
An organization that grew from a friendship between two women into the country's first organization formed by and for deaf women is celebrating its 30th birthday this year.
Deaf Women of Rochester, started in 1981 as a support group sponsored by the Mental Health Chapter of the Health Association of Rochester, is working toward goals that remain much the same today: bringing deaf women together for support, socialization and personal advancement.
"(DWR) is a wonderful organization that supports deaf women's growth," Joan Naturale, DWR board secretary, said. "It is an organization where networking occurs among a diverse group of deaf women. The organization also provides social events and helps deaf women develop friendships."
The organization grew out of the friendship of Sally Taylor and Vicki Hurwitz, both deaf, who started getting together in the 1970s with a few other deaf mothers to discuss raising children and other interests. The two attended a conference for and by deaf women in New York City in the late 1970s, and returned determined to organize an upstate event.
The local conference was "a hard sell," Taylor said, because the women didn't want to leave their husbands and children at home to attend. Adding to the challenge was that the deaf community viewed deaf workshops skeptically because many were run by hearing Ph.D. candidates seeking to collect data for research. At the time, Taylor also noted, it was difficult to find any deaf women with Ph.Ds to present at the conference.
But the women persisted and in 1979, 55 women from the Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse areas attended a conference at the National Technology Institute for the Deaf (NTID) at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).
Two years later, Deaf Women of Rochester was founded.
Taylor, Hurwitz, Joan Dickson and Pam Hatch were the group's founding members. With the support of Harriette Royer, who was the director of the Mental Health Chapter of the Health Association, DWR held its first official event, the 1981-82 Enrichment Series, which featured three workshops over the course of a year on the topics of dealing with conflict, coping with change and female sexuality.
Workshops have continued to be a staple of DWR. In October and November this year, DWR hosted three Empowerment Workshops, presented by Diana Cho in American Sign Language.
"It is extremely wonderful for deaf women to meet and learn and support (one another) together," Kathy Dollinger-Meyer said at Cho's Nov. 6 workshop on personal choice. The event was held at Barnes & Noble Bookstore at Park Pointe, adjacent to RIT.
"I first heard of DWR when I was a student at RIT," Cho said. "I have just joined the organization as a member this year. While continuing to learn about DWR, it is wonderful to see, through my membership, a variety of educational and entertainment opportunities offered to deaf women for empowerment and resources, sharing and support purposes."
In 1986, DWR began functioning as an independent group, and in 1990 developed by-laws and became an official organization under the Empire State Association of the Deaf (ESAD). The first DWR general meeting was held in May of 1991; 28 women met and approved DWR's by-laws and elected its first board of directors.
In 1994, DWR initiated its Woman of the Year Award. Hurwitz, whose husband Alan is president of Gallaudet University and past vice president and dean at RIT for NTID, was the first recipient; 17 women have received this honor to date, which is commemorated with a plaque.
Another milestone came in 1997 when the group hosted the national conference of Deaf Women United. This national deaf women's organization was founded in 1985, four years after DWR was formed. Because it was established first, DWR was given honorary membership in Deaf Women United when it began setting up affiliates around the country
"I am still inspired by the fact that DWR was founded before national level (Deaf Women United) was founded because Rochester has so many brilliant deaf women who saw the need to gather," Elissa Olsen said.
Olsen first became involved with DWR in the 1980s. She and Colleen Daviton organized DWR's first retreat. She's been involved with the group's retreats ever since, which are held every other year. "My passion is seeing other members of DWR thrive and grow," she said.
DWR's current board president Kathleen Sepanek first heard about DWR in 2000 from two friends. "(I) was attracted by the chance to grow as a deaf woman, for socialization, support, education, to make new friends, network." The group offers improved quality of life and the opportunity to connect with others who need information, Sepanek said.
DWR also offers outreach to its members. Sally Taylor and Sally Skyer, a veteran NTID counselor and instructor, developed "Hopes baskets," delivered to members who have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. The baskets contain items a woman can use to pamper herself, and Skyer offers an opportunity to talk.
This is an example of what Skyer calls the most important ingredient of DWR: "support of each other."
This basic desire of women to find support among their peers was what gave birth to DWR 30 years ago. That need persists as much as ever today. Taylor sees the groups' future in "continuing what we have been doing in terms of empowerment, support, networking, socialization. We've always tried to impress on deaf women how important networking is," she said.
