Tag: DPN

Five Years Later: Carl Schroeder’s Ongoing Influence

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Five years ago today, Carl Schroeder passed away. We need to remember the birthright what Carl did for Gallaudet University 30 years ago and today. He inspired the spectators on the night before the students and other people marched to the Mayflower Hotel. Even Fred Weiner shared this story for DPN25: The 7 Ducks Behind the DPN Movement produced and narrated by Benjamin Jarashow. Please see the picture of video below:

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Fred Weiner signs: “I knew there would be just disruption. We were in, ah, the auditorium,………I mean, Carl was talking to students. The very first time when we saw them, we thought, oh, my gosh there is no control here. The three of us went into the corner and started talking about this.

That’s actually the picture that you see published in “When The Week the World Heard Gallaudet. I mean it just exploded. It blew up. From that point on, I warned people, this is going to get crazy. If you pick Zinser it is over and there were people who questioned that. But I knew from that moment.” [You can find the video online]

The picture right here below.

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If it were not for Mayflower Hotel, it would not be Carl Schroeder. The people, who were part of the march, became the face of Deaf identity. It was a flip switch for a light bulb. As in the days of hearing oppression against Deaf people until 1988, seemed to change the history out into the open.

Carl Schroeder stirred Deaf America’s melting pot of language war and oppressors emerged. It was not just the pride of Deaf identity, Deaf people had been found themselves as targets of identity oppression for the hearing status—both on the campus and in real life.

He delivered the message as it was time to make Gallaudet—to break the glass ceiling and gave Deaf people to overcome outrage in the hearing world, which helped them to overcome the oppression movement.

It was one of the most important display of Deaf President Now (DPN) in America, who had long felt safe in the Gallaudet community even as they dealt with the struggles since Milan Resolution 1880 for the practice of rhetoric and Audism acts in Deaf community.

Carl Schroeder, your contribution to DPN and its congregation, was very important 30 years ago and today, as with Deaf America, the importance of storytelling will never disappear and respectfully, heal.

-JT

Copyright © 2018 Jason Tozier

This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.

Starbucks: Advocate of ‘Ban the Box’ for Deaf Returnees

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Guy Wonder. Deaf Artist.

There was huge news around about Starbucks announcing about first American Sign Language (ASL) signing store in United States for Deaf community and it is in Washington, D.C; it is perfect location to match our national intellectual movement. It is the Deaf community generates ideas that we all should make commitment to improve unemployment concerns. It is huge news.

First, I’d like to point out some important movement that had generated Deaf community in D.C; As Starbucks opened its first store in America: Seattle, Washington in 1971. The same year in 1971, Frederick Schreiber, former executive director for National Association of the Deaf (NAD) coined Deaf Studies, in his profound thoughts,

“If Deaf people are to get ahead in our time, they must have a better image of themselves and their capabilities. They need concrete exampled of what Deaf people have already done so they can project for themselves a brighter future. If we can have Black studies, Jewish studies, why not Deaf Studies?” (Note: Quoted in Charles Katz, “A Partial History of Deaf Studies, in Deaf Studies VI Conference Proceedings: Making the Connection (Washington, D.C.; College for Continuing Education, Gallaudet University, 1999. 120.)

ASL informs us that human beings have been around for many centuries before the writing culture merged. Deaf people are to get ahead in our time, signing hands are the reason why every day across the nation, including nation’s capital, and it offers life. Don’t forget Deaf President Now (DPN) in 1988. That time in ’88, Starbucks owned 33 stores.

Starbucks have around 8,000 stores. The first signing store in U.S. could be a huge project to discover the root causes of Deaf Studies. Like Schreiber said, “If Deaf people are to get ahead in our time, they must have a better image of themselves and capabilities…” and expand more signing stores across the country.

Starbucks is also one of largest companies in the country that would help former prisoners. It is called ban the box. When I lectured “Deaf Returning Citizens as Forgotten People” at California State University Northridge Social Justice conference sponsored by Deaf Studies Association in 2015, I explained about ban the box as well as Starbucks in that lecture. I also met the creator of “Ban the Box” at Yale Law Conference in 2014.

The District of Columbia has adopted a ban-the-box policy. Deaf returnees (former prisoners) who are living in DC are encouraged to get a job. In this time of crisis, it is Deaf leaders who hold out, by our very nature, the deepest vision of healing and peace that is possible for Deaf returnees.

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I hope Starbucks would teach Gallaudet University the same model that does not discriminate Deaf returnees or shame them in the name of hate and suffering and support ‘ban the box’. Same idea that when employers are being interviewed at Gallaudet, they are not required providing background check. I had asked several faculty members at Gallaudet that they never had background check at all. Irony, right? Privileges?

It is now becoming a central theme in the face of Gallaudet University. Deaf returnees must not be more invoked than deeply understood. Not everyone will agree with that, but it is essential for three critical reasons. 1) It is necessary for empowerment. 2) It is necessary for Deaf returnees. 3) It is necessary for the quality of higher education for Deaf returnees.

The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Enforcement Guidance on the Consideration of Arrest and Conviction Records in Employment Decisions Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964:

As a best practice, and consistent with applicable laws, the Commission recommends that employers not ask about convictions on job applications and that, if and when they make such inquires, the inquiries be limited to convictions for which exclusion would be job-related for the position in question and consistent with business necessity.”

Deaf returnees are struggling to find new ideas, avenues, directions, and motivations to change their lives around that is to be understood, appreciated, and used in growing pain stories. Higher education is the highest point of getting out of dark caves, and the critics are due first to the readers themselves, whose judgments can be traced not only to their past but also to their abilities and expectations.

As Starbucks is opening its first signing store in DC, it is something that will generate discussions in Deaf Studies classrooms for sure. Deaf returnees are encouraged to apply to work at this historic Starbucks and show that they can be hardest workers. After all, it is perfect location to match our national intellectual movement.

-JT

Copyright © 2018 Jason Tozier

This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.

 

Tim Rarus: Truth Will Set You Free

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Yes, I would never imagine I’d do this. 30 years ago, the world of social justice has changed the faces of Gallaudet University forever. It is the world’s only university for Deaf intellectuals. At the heart of the heart-beat from being colonized in hearing world as a Deaf person to Deaf-centered individual who can handle the oppressive world is a desire to create a social justice based on what works, and that should mean Deaf Studies that could shape and influence Deaf people today. There is always an invisible wall between the stage and the audience.

What the Deaf community who has been colonized in hearing world is something akin to a horror movie experience. It has been really long time, even today. First of all, this post is all about healing and set a good example how to unpack privileges or talk about why being colonized in the first place. I hope Tim can heal and tell the world a story why he had a change of heart and why he was not happy with the selection–but no choice, but to vote for Zinser instead. The whole story needs to be filled from the start.

Deaf President Now (DPN) in 1988 themselves participated in a new era in the history of Deaf community, both for the United States and for international stories in general. Where I was 30 years ago? I was a 14 years old kid living in Washington State, I got an invitation to attend Deaf camp for the first time in my life five months after DPN.

There were Deaf people all over and I was in awe for the first time. I still remember that just like yesterday. I would not be surprised if the majority of campers knew about DPN but me because most of them came from Deaf schools. I was shunned out of literacy by hearing oppressive world, which means I was colonized for their own selfishness. I was struggling for Deaf identity.

After reading couple of DPN books including The Week the World Heard Gallaudet by Jack Gannon years before I met Carl Schroeder who ended up being my mentor. There were two pictures of him in that book. He was Student Body Government (SBG) adviser during DPN 1988. He had seen it all. He told me many stories about it including Tim Rarus.

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I was completely surprised that Tim who was very much involved with SBG and he was on Presidential Search Committee and he voted for Elisabeth Zinser to be selected as president for Gallaudet University. No joke. No imaginary stuff. No bullshit. Yes, Zinser who does not had slightest idea about Deaf culture or had exposed to ASL at all.

Why would Tim vote for Zinser? It confused the university but also their intellectual life–their academic freedom. ASL and being Deaf, both are human rights.

I realized that even though Tim comes from Deaf family, was he also colonized also because of systematic oppression he had seen all his life? Many oppressed people even in Deaf community—can they also identify with the oppressed experienced by colonized people? As soon as Deaf people found out that Zinser was selected as president, it was not the same anymore. Gallaudet University we have known can never grow into a reality or see the light of the day. We got to know that, right?

Why all of sudden, a big change of heart for Tim and realized that Deaf people need Deaf people? Often, if Deaf people live in a colonized society, they deal with the colonizers because they had power and because of system how it runs today. Because Deaf people live in a society that the colonization is still running—which is a problem. When I took Methodology of the Oppressed long time ago, it woke me up big in an influential way. It has taught me an extensive way to recognize identities in my journey as Deaf person.

During the demonstration, Elisabeth Zinser attempted to talk with Tim Rarus but he refused it. Zinser could not understand him. What made he refused to talk to her? Did he realize that he made an honest mistake? The sign, GALLAUDET to imply an ongoing power struggles for the Deaf. We know that Congress appropriates Gallaudet so it is never Deaf-centered.

Tim will be in DC on coming Tuesday to be part of DPN 30th anniversary panel. Would Greg vote for hearing president? Would Bridgetta vote for hearing president? Would Jerry vote for hearing president? It would be nice if Tim would explain his reason why he voted for hearing president in the first place instead of Deaf president. Challenge colonization. Challenge plantation politics. Set a good example. Literature would be stronger by then. Truth sets you free.

-JT

Copyright © 2018 Jason Tozier

This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.

 

DPN30: Why Change of Heart?

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Deaf President Now (DPN)–changed the lives of Deaf community forever for the betterment. However, one of four student leaders for DPN–did the person wake up first thing in the morning and all of sudden, a change of heart realizing that it belongs to Deaf community?

DPN 30: Social Change and the Experience of Unemployment

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News is here. There is an article you should read about hardest working cities in United States. Washington, D.C. metro is the largest Deaf community and word that more Deaf people are expected to move and live in Washington, D.C. in time being. There is a website that specializes in Deaf Urbanism. It is worth your time reading.

Not long time ago, I learned that 1,000 people are moving to DC every month. Expect of big changes should you visit DC. When I first read this article this evening, it shows that Washington, D.C. is the fourth hardest working city and it is climbing fast. The questions we must be seen and examined ourselves. How can we make Deaf community economically, socially, and mentally? This might be something we need to remember. Within five years from now on, Will kind of culture District of Columbia at the point of the time?

Rachel Bowlby writes, “What is by definition one’s own, one’s very identity or individuality, is at the same time something which has to be put on, acted or worn as an external appendage, owned as a property nominally apart from the bodily self.”

There is plenty of research that shows Deaf people are hardest working people because they value the most. Since Gallaudet University, the world’s only university for Deaf is located in Washington, D.C.; The radicalizing of Deaf jobs had profound effects on Deaf professors, associate professors, and staff that they had been waiting for pay raise, none of this happening for long eight and half years. Finally they got very small raise last year. Soon, with days, Deaf President Now will celebrate 30 years to develop and intensify the bonds of Deaf community.

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Rewind. 2018. 2008. 1998. 1988. The creation of DPN was to create high employment opportunities for Deaf community. I believe.

Let’s take a look directly at implicit and an explicit political framework for Deaf community in the future. I am writing here that it is a huge deal right now, particularly as evidenced by the very title DPN (Deaf President Now) of one of the most famous history for Deaf community.

30 years later. Deaf community is still suffering the highest unemployment, and had been cooperatively owned by the oppressive system. In 1988, I was 14 years old living in Old Wild West, I never knew about DPN and been shut out of literacy forms, an imagined community of Deaf people, and now living in DC is hard to fathom that the unemployment is high, and expected better results.

Within Deaf people expected to be grow large in DC area, what about social, cultural, and economic literature to preserve Deaf accessibility? How can we make it Deaf-friendly city with the best accessibility possible? Aiming to be the best Deaf community in the world?

30 years later. What happened to the visions of Deaf identity in employment? The new forms of urbanism are already developing around the city. Will Gallaudet University pay raise for Deaf professors, associate professors, staff get every year to meet their living expenses? Oh, living in DC is expensive. It is also fourth fastest growing city in the United States.

Open captioned movies are on high demand to make a bold statement. Every weekend. In the Spring of 1988, for the special meaning devoted to Deaf community and national identity, and now in 2018, District of Columbia yet able to create more jobs for Deaf community. If Amazon chooses DC area, then will there Deaf Space be created? Who will redefine just who its minorities are?

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30 years later. We need to be reminding about the prospects of minority status. Will employment serve simply a predication, then or as an image of unemployment be hidden in the largest Deaf community? Add for employment opportunities for Deaf returning citizens to live comfortable in DC; For that, we must continue our dreams. We still have a dream. Right?

-JT

Copyright © 2018 Jason Tozier

This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.

References:

https://ggwash.org/view/66282/why-we-all-need-deaf-urbanism

https://wallethub.com/edu/hardest-working-cities-in-america/10424/

 

 

 

 

DPN 30th: Unseen Hero

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30 years ago, Deaf President Now (DPN) has changed the faces of Gallaudet University forever. The stories and pictures must be seen for an unseen hero that had inspired many students. Being radical is a good thing to advocate a social change for Deaf-centered Gallaudet University.

 

Rightful Presence in Justice: Challenging ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017 (H.R. 620)

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I am writing this out of my great concern to respond what Congress wants to pass so-called The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Education and Reform Act of 2017 [H.R. 620] this coming Thursday, September 14th. From the moment of its passage in 1990, it has quickly reached an unprecedented global scope, overwhelming the human rights formed by Deaf people because of Deaf President Now (DPN) in 1988 to the waves of marginalized people from shore to shore in America upheavals of earlier decades.

ADA became important for everyone including Deaf people and Disabled people. The doors were open. They were left out for generations. It reminds me of a movie called Music Within based on a true story. Richard Pimentel who lost his hearing during war in Vietnam then comes home and became oppressed after that then he became a disability rights advocate. One scene where he and his friend in a wheelchair went into a restaurant in Portland, Oregon and the waitress asked them to leave because they were not “standard” people according to a law called “Ugly Laws” so controversial that made people hate people who had disabilities.

The law continued to practice for almost 100 years from late 1860s until 1970s– several American cities followed the law where people were “unsightly” or “unseemly” to appear in public then it was removed from the law books. ADA of 1990 recognized the growing pain of ugly laws and gave those people with disabilities to have rights. No more hatred. Sandra Fredman in her book, Discrimination Law in 2011, writes:

Individuals with disabilities are a discrete and insular minority who have been faced with restrictions and limitations, subjected to a history of purposeful unequal treatment, and relegated to a position of political powerlessness in our society, based on characteristics that are beyond the control of such individuals and resulting from stereotypic assumptions not truly indicative of the individual ability of such individuals to participate in, and contribute to, society.

Tyler Ray, Americans Civil Liberties Union [ACLU] Washington Legislative Office and Vania Leveille, Senior Legislative Counsel writes on September 6, 2017:

H.R. 620 would completely change the way in which a business is required to comply with the ADA. Instead of requiring that a business comply proactively, the bill would place the burden on the individual who is being denied access. This bill proposes that after an individual with a disability is denied she must first notify the business owner, with exacting specificity, that her civil rights were violated, and then wait for six months to see if the business will make “substantial progress” toward access, before going to a court to order compliance. 

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The key word: “would place the burden on the individual who is being denied access”—isn’t that the same thing that applies to so-called Ugly Laws? The civil rights would be violated in the highest sense of oppression. The disabled people are at a higher risk of rejecting in a bias-motivated attitude. Why should Deaf people and disabled people suffer and deal with Eighth Amendment “nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” in the United States Constitution?

As bad as Congress brought the idea about wanting to pass unlawful H.R. 620, we must remind ourselves that the old-school politicians have since the last removal of Ugly Law in 1970s, at least moved in the direction of making strongest effort possible, through the eyes of public policy, to reduce inequality for Deaf and disabled people. We must also be aware of 1964 Civil Rights Act, and ADA that has carried the legacy in our society to keep and protect the rights of all our citizens. No matter what the cost is. The H.R. 620 is unconstitutional and inhumane!

-JT

Copyright © 2017 Jason Tozier

This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.

References:

Fredman, Sandra (2011). Discrimination Law [2nd ed.]. Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 96.

https://www.aclu.org/blog/disability-rights/congress-wants-change-americans-disabilities-act-and-undermine-civil-rights