Tag: Gallaudet University President
Nyle DiMarco Foundation: Changing the Imagination of Change
“For many of us who feel estranged from mainstream politics, there are rare, ephemeral moments of celebration.”- Arundhati Roy
If you read some of the blogs and v-logs lately in Deaf community about hate crimes, hate speech, and hate group—AGBell. It is clear that they represent a new, important form of democratic expression. They mark a fundamental shift in power away from public relations dominated by AGBell to AGBell survivors which now empowers the Deaf community. For example, the blogs and v-logs reach places that AGBell as well as its yellow journalism cannot touch today.
AGBell survivors are still alive as metaphors in our lives. It provided us with a vivid illustration of reasons why AGBell is doomed. It is not inconceivable that blogging and v-logging in Deaf community will turn out to be just as important as its founders of their own blogging sites initially supposed. It is really a big deal. The word, “hate” is rightfully true what is happening in Deaf community.
The organization known as Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, is now easily a hate group in the making, they are but self-touting, praising themselves as an embracer of American Sign Language (ASL) and its Deaf culture—and a self-conceiting telling how they has now become a spokesperson for Deaf people. There have been many revelations from AGBell about the last 130 years of so-called educational leadership. A great many of damages were done, and Deaf people were hurt.
Many people across the nation had caught up in the idea about Gallaudet University, and that the way Gallaudet University acts is best. With Nyle DiMarco bringing his sidekick, Gallaudet University president, Roberta “Bobbi” Cordano to White House Correspondents Association Dinner last Saturday, April 30th, 2016—it was more than a ripple effect! Within the mainstream media and politics who had been “cyberbullying” Deaf people for years and years where they suffer a form of hate, whether it is based or not. Love conquers over hate.
The world-view which has given direction to Deaf life and I believe that Nyle DiMarco Foundation is changing the direction where it is now. This world-view, especially with the media attacking Deaf community with hatred is now done and gives ASL and Deaf people a sense of belonging of “being at home with ASL” that needs to change the face of Gallaudet University, a sense of fulfillment unknown to academia. After all, the sidekick was a perfect economic opportunity.
Time for action. Any hatred messages spew by AGBell is urgent. We must act, and broad support is needed. We all have the democracy to write letters to Congress. And there is far more to politics than the mainstream of hatred over ASL and Deaf people, more in the margins where hope is most at home.
-JT
Copyright © 2016 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only including this copyright message.
NO, It is Not OKAY!
The Sun: Mother of all planets protects the Deaf Mother of All Souls.
Is Gallaudet always diverse and inclusive? In all of academics, it needs to be upgraded with a university president that is culturally Deaf. We need a president who is not afraid to attribute her or his own success in many traits. With years and years of a university president who is hearing does not have the tips where to guide Gallaudet University into the next generation and so. Also, it needs to change its pedagogy but it remains a place where Deaf people are oppressed.
With the potential hearing president taking the helm of Gallaudet University in 2016, Deaf people could not rekindle themselves as the Deaf community to claim Deafhood in higher education. Deaf people need to become highly sophisticated in their language and culture in the same manner as our hearing counterparts in their own language English.
An anonymous person wrote “Why it Would Be Okay if Gallaudet’s Next President is Hearing” sponsored through Gallaudet’s newspaper: The Buff and Blue is a coward. It is very dangerous topic—to reframe and ignore Deaf people’s pursuit of happiness to have a culturally Deaf president who is able to understand academically, economically, and politically.
Although Gallaudet University has a distinct history and traditions to be performed within the Deaf community, it has yet to stop marketing itself and treating Deaf people as its consumers. It should develop and share much needed characteristics, for example, culturally Deaf president who bleeds Deafhood in the right core of heart. No more Alexander Graham Bell ghosts!
Supposedly if the president has picked a hearing person to run the university, there is no way the president would not understand the needs and values of Deaf people to the public and to the world. Not only that but also would not understand the demand for new perspectives for ways of thinking, especially Deaf people in higher education. It is just impossible! The radical realization of hiring a Deaf president is the right thing. As long the president is not a member of Alexander Graham Bell Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
The author in the article writes, “We’re all going to witness a very rare moment in Gallaudet history very soon; a new president being sworn in.” it is the message that the author wants a hearing person. The key word: rare in Middle English back in 1350-1400 means thin or infrequent. Could it means that Deaf people are on thin ice and walk on eggshells and let hearing candidate takes the helm as president?
It is very easy to read between the lines and I know whom the author is. Deaf scholars have a full intention to change the world, simple. Nice try, coward. After all, Gallaudet University actually begins where Deaf people are. It means Deaf president. Period.
References: http://www.thebuffandblue.net/?p=13503
The image was done by the great David Call.
-JT
Copyright © 2015 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.
...And the Truth Shall Set You Free. 
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