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'Dream Bigger' honors deaf Skokie lawyer :: News :: PIONEER PRESS :: Skokie Review
Purple Communications Inc. honored Skokie resident Howard A. Rosenblum, a deaf lawyer and communication equality advocate, Aug. 29 when it kicked off a consumer awareness campaign at the Crowne Plaza Chicago-Northbrook.
Lauren Teruel Ridloff, former Miss Deaf America, served as the event's emcee. She conducted an on-stage interview and question session with Rosenblum.
The "Dream Bigger" campaign recognizes trailblazers in the deaf and hard-of-hearing community and aims to celebrate the advances they have made. From breaking down barriers or establishing new status quo, the trailblazers were honored for improving the overall quality-of-life for all members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
Rosenblum and nine others in the deaf and hard-of-hearing community were chosen as this year's finalists. Each finalist was awarded a $1,000 cash prize from Purple Communications to be donated in their names to a non-profit organization of their choice.
Rosenblum chose the Midwest Center on Law and the Deaf, an organization he founded, as the recipient of his $1,000 cash prize.
"Growing up my parents told me I could be whatever I wanted to be," he stated. "A doctor, a lawyer, whatever, that I should just go for it. Now that I am a lawyer, I want to ensure that the legal and judicial systems are accessible to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community and that is why I created MCLD. With a fully accessible system, the deaf and hard-of-hearing community can realize their dreams as long as they give 100 percent to achieving them."
In October, Purple Communications will announce one of 10 finalists as the 2009 Trailblazer of the Year at the "Dream Bigger" gala in Washington, D.C. The winner will be chosen by online voting at Purple Communications -- Dream Bigger.
That person will best represent the essence of the "Dream Bigger" initiative, and will receive $10,000 to be donated in their name to their non-profit organization of choice, as well as an all-expenses-paid vacation.
"Howard's fight for fair and equitable communications access is exemplary. He is an inspiration to deaf youth everywhere, confirming that anything is possible with hard work and dedication. We are proud to honor him as one of our 2009 Trailblazers," said Brandon Arthur, vice president of marketing communications at Purple Communications. Rosenblum became the only deaf lawyer in Illinois in 1992. He has worked as an attorney for Equip for Equality, an organization that pursues accessibility rights for people with disabilities and founded the Midwest Center on Law and the Deaf in 1999 to try to bridge the gap between the legal/justice system and the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
To learn more about the "Dream Bigger" campaign, find out dates and locations for all events, view and read Trailblazer stories, and vote for the 2009 Trailblazer of the Year, go online to Purple Communications -- Dream Bigger.
Purple Communications Inc. honored Skokie resident Howard A. Rosenblum, a deaf lawyer and communication equality advocate, Aug. 29 when it kicked off a consumer awareness campaign at the Crowne Plaza Chicago-Northbrook.
Lauren Teruel Ridloff, former Miss Deaf America, served as the event's emcee. She conducted an on-stage interview and question session with Rosenblum.
The "Dream Bigger" campaign recognizes trailblazers in the deaf and hard-of-hearing community and aims to celebrate the advances they have made. From breaking down barriers or establishing new status quo, the trailblazers were honored for improving the overall quality-of-life for all members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
Rosenblum and nine others in the deaf and hard-of-hearing community were chosen as this year's finalists. Each finalist was awarded a $1,000 cash prize from Purple Communications to be donated in their names to a non-profit organization of their choice.
Rosenblum chose the Midwest Center on Law and the Deaf, an organization he founded, as the recipient of his $1,000 cash prize.
"Growing up my parents told me I could be whatever I wanted to be," he stated. "A doctor, a lawyer, whatever, that I should just go for it. Now that I am a lawyer, I want to ensure that the legal and judicial systems are accessible to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community and that is why I created MCLD. With a fully accessible system, the deaf and hard-of-hearing community can realize their dreams as long as they give 100 percent to achieving them."
In October, Purple Communications will announce one of 10 finalists as the 2009 Trailblazer of the Year at the "Dream Bigger" gala in Washington, D.C. The winner will be chosen by online voting at Purple Communications -- Dream Bigger.
That person will best represent the essence of the "Dream Bigger" initiative, and will receive $10,000 to be donated in their name to their non-profit organization of choice, as well as an all-expenses-paid vacation.
"Howard's fight for fair and equitable communications access is exemplary. He is an inspiration to deaf youth everywhere, confirming that anything is possible with hard work and dedication. We are proud to honor him as one of our 2009 Trailblazers," said Brandon Arthur, vice president of marketing communications at Purple Communications. Rosenblum became the only deaf lawyer in Illinois in 1992. He has worked as an attorney for Equip for Equality, an organization that pursues accessibility rights for people with disabilities and founded the Midwest Center on Law and the Deaf in 1999 to try to bridge the gap between the legal/justice system and the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
To learn more about the "Dream Bigger" campaign, find out dates and locations for all events, view and read Trailblazer stories, and vote for the 2009 Trailblazer of the Year, go online to Purple Communications -- Dream Bigger.