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Inside Gallaudet - Gallaudet University
The theme “Rising to a Higher Level” had meaning for all parts of the National Black Deaf Advocates’ (NBDA) Eastern Regional conference, hosted by one of its chapters, the D.C. Area Black Deaf Advocates (DCABDA) and co-sponsored by Gallaudet University. Interest in entertainment, workshops, and activities soared, while the number of participants more than quadrupled that of the first bi-annual conference held in New York City in 2006.
NBDA President and Gallaudet alumnus Fred Beam served as conference co-chair and entertainment coordinator. Alumni Ruth Reed and Dorian Fletcher, president of DCABDA, also chaired the conference. Beam said the April 24-27 event actively involved all of the nearly 300 attendees. “All ages, from kids to senior citizens, came,” said Beam. “And they didn’t just come--they participated in every aspect of the conference, from volunteering to entertainment.”
Participants began arriving on Thursday, April 24. Friday’s highlight was the show “Night of the Stars.” This was an unprecedented event, Beam said. It marked the first time that so many African American performers from so many genres shared a stage. The featured artists included the National Deaf Dance Academy, dancer Warren "Wawa" Snipes, film and Broadway actor Michelle Banks, and the hip hop group Helix Boyz.
The full schedule of workshops on Saturday satisfied a range of interests. While everyone was welcome at any presentation, the workshops were marked for certain target audiences. Workshops such as “What Do I Need to Know (And Do) In Order to Become My Child’s Best Advocate?” were targeted to parents, “Video Relay Service Interpreting: Tools for Effective Dialogue with Culturally Sensitive Content” was geared toward deaf consumers and interpreters, and others, like “ASL and Choreography” and “Black ASL: the socio-historical foundations” were for the general community. The conference also offered programming for its younger participants.
Northern Virginia Community College interpreting student Darla Washington found “Black ASL” fascinating. Washington, who used to work as a teacher’s aide at the Kendall School, learned that the language flourished in deaf schools for black children during segregation, while the white schools were eschewing sign language and pushing the oral method.
So many interesting offerings, said Reed, began to pose a problem. “People are having a hard time choosing which workshops to go to!” She said from her post at the registration desk. At the next biannual conference, Reed—who also served as registration coordinator--hopes to see two full days dedicated to workshops.
Between these activities, participants could meet exhibitors offering information on products and services for the deaf community and learn more about issues like domestic violence and HIV/AIDS. Vendors’ booths sold clothing, jewelry, and food.
Another draw of the conference was that it took place on the Gallaudet campus, said Gallaudet senior Robin Miller-Oliver. Miller-Oliver had brought her two daughters—Alexandria, 12, and Jenna Nicole, 5--who each found plenty to do among the children’s activities on the quad.
“This is a great resource, especially for people on the grassroots level,” Miller-Oliver said. She added that it was also appealing to those who are more isolated or cannot afford to pay high entrance fees and travel to a different place they have never seen before. Gallaudet is “familiar ground,” she explained.
On Saturday night, a banquet featuring guest speaker Claudia Gordon closed the conference with a flourish. Gordon is a graduate of the American University’s Washington College of Law and currently serves as a senior policy advisor with the Department of Homeland Security’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. Gordon’s presentation was entitled “A Few Simple Steps on How to Be Happy in Your Life,” offering suggestions on how to achieve the theme of the conference by personally rising to a higher level.
As the conference came to a close, members of the eastern regional NBDA chapters were already thinking ahead. The 2010 Eastern Regional Conference is set for Philadelphia, Pa.
The theme “Rising to a Higher Level” had meaning for all parts of the National Black Deaf Advocates’ (NBDA) Eastern Regional conference, hosted by one of its chapters, the D.C. Area Black Deaf Advocates (DCABDA) and co-sponsored by Gallaudet University. Interest in entertainment, workshops, and activities soared, while the number of participants more than quadrupled that of the first bi-annual conference held in New York City in 2006.
NBDA President and Gallaudet alumnus Fred Beam served as conference co-chair and entertainment coordinator. Alumni Ruth Reed and Dorian Fletcher, president of DCABDA, also chaired the conference. Beam said the April 24-27 event actively involved all of the nearly 300 attendees. “All ages, from kids to senior citizens, came,” said Beam. “And they didn’t just come--they participated in every aspect of the conference, from volunteering to entertainment.”
Participants began arriving on Thursday, April 24. Friday’s highlight was the show “Night of the Stars.” This was an unprecedented event, Beam said. It marked the first time that so many African American performers from so many genres shared a stage. The featured artists included the National Deaf Dance Academy, dancer Warren "Wawa" Snipes, film and Broadway actor Michelle Banks, and the hip hop group Helix Boyz.
The full schedule of workshops on Saturday satisfied a range of interests. While everyone was welcome at any presentation, the workshops were marked for certain target audiences. Workshops such as “What Do I Need to Know (And Do) In Order to Become My Child’s Best Advocate?” were targeted to parents, “Video Relay Service Interpreting: Tools for Effective Dialogue with Culturally Sensitive Content” was geared toward deaf consumers and interpreters, and others, like “ASL and Choreography” and “Black ASL: the socio-historical foundations” were for the general community. The conference also offered programming for its younger participants.
Northern Virginia Community College interpreting student Darla Washington found “Black ASL” fascinating. Washington, who used to work as a teacher’s aide at the Kendall School, learned that the language flourished in deaf schools for black children during segregation, while the white schools were eschewing sign language and pushing the oral method.
So many interesting offerings, said Reed, began to pose a problem. “People are having a hard time choosing which workshops to go to!” She said from her post at the registration desk. At the next biannual conference, Reed—who also served as registration coordinator--hopes to see two full days dedicated to workshops.
Between these activities, participants could meet exhibitors offering information on products and services for the deaf community and learn more about issues like domestic violence and HIV/AIDS. Vendors’ booths sold clothing, jewelry, and food.
Another draw of the conference was that it took place on the Gallaudet campus, said Gallaudet senior Robin Miller-Oliver. Miller-Oliver had brought her two daughters—Alexandria, 12, and Jenna Nicole, 5--who each found plenty to do among the children’s activities on the quad.
“This is a great resource, especially for people on the grassroots level,” Miller-Oliver said. She added that it was also appealing to those who are more isolated or cannot afford to pay high entrance fees and travel to a different place they have never seen before. Gallaudet is “familiar ground,” she explained.
On Saturday night, a banquet featuring guest speaker Claudia Gordon closed the conference with a flourish. Gordon is a graduate of the American University’s Washington College of Law and currently serves as a senior policy advisor with the Department of Homeland Security’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. Gordon’s presentation was entitled “A Few Simple Steps on How to Be Happy in Your Life,” offering suggestions on how to achieve the theme of the conference by personally rising to a higher level.
As the conference came to a close, members of the eastern regional NBDA chapters were already thinking ahead. The 2010 Eastern Regional Conference is set for Philadelphia, Pa.