Summary of meeting Waimea on 10 October 2015

Rodney Renusch behind this meeting papers

Rodney Renusch is one of the residents on the Big Island and found out there is still no local deaf association that has an affiliation with NAD. NAD is the National Association Deaf that supports the rights of deaf Americans. Local deaf associations in the Mainland are an affiliation with NAD.

NAD helps to build new local associations, but also teaches and provides workshops on what these associations need and visit+ there. California has deaf services such as deaf rights, deaf laws, deaf jobs, and deaf interpreters because of an affiliation with NAD.

The deaf residents of the Big Island want deaf rights, deaf laws, deaf jobs, and deaf interpreters but Renusch realized that some deaf people don’t know about the ADA. We are proud of our beautiful sign language so we need to break the barriers and show our voice to the Big Island community.

Renusch suggested that we establish a local deaf association; Big Island Association Deaf (BIAD). Hearing ASL users are also welcome to join this new association. BIAD has a lot of advantages. For example, under BIAD, we can give a deaf friendly symbol to restaurants, businesses and more. Also this new association can establish ASL courses for people who want to become ASL interpreters! One of the deaf residents said there are currently 5 interpreters; Tara, Polly, Hele, Michael and Marylove. Another example is a strong and political network between BIAD and business, government and services. Finally, BIAD is not only strong in Waimea, but for the whole island.

One of the residents said; there were problems in the past with the frequency and diversity of visitors at the gatherings. One diversity problem was changing the time. Before about 2010, a lot of deaf seniors joined the gatherings but later we saw them anymore.  Another problem is frequency. There were potlucks in 2013 that got a lots of visitors. However, one of the potlucks in 2014 got only a few visitors. In the past, Some deaf residents “disappear” in the jungle of the Big Island and become isolated voluntarily from the ASL community.

Renusch said that is not our problem. We need to plant a new seed and watch toward the future.

The deaf community is very small but we have big dreams. The motivation is important. Also on the mainland, deaf community is small and will stay small but we need to break the ice .

We need a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and publisher for BIAD so we will have a discussion AT the next meeting about the BIAD vacancies and first affiliation with the NAD. The next meeting is possible on Saturday, November 7 2015 in Waimea.

Membership in the NAD is not free so we should consider the cost.

Think please about it.  

Blogger; Thijs