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Christopher C. Wells is only 28 years old and he’s already this close to completing his doctorate in Chemistry at the University of Albany in New York. Wells, born deaf and legally blind from complications during his birth, aims to be a teacher of science in an university. His classes at the U of A are tailored to meet his low-vision needs, and with the provisions by the University, Christopher is able to move towards his dream at an amazing speed.
Only if Gallaudet University would learn from other universities that excel in services for the Deaf Blind. Isn’t it ironic that many of the universities listed in Wells’ article are hearing universities that accompany the expensive but beneficial equipment that would surely jumpstart and complete an educational future for Deaf Blind students? I hope the administration from Gallaudet and even NTID is listening.
Read more about Christopher C. Wells. Hat tip to Jamie Berke of deafness.about.com for her continious coverage of Deaf Blind issues and news.
Christopher C. Wells’ journey to doctoratehood:
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/education/85/8530education2.html
tactile love.
An extraordinary lady named Miss Dorothy Beam is featured in Canada’s Flair Magazine spotlighting the recipient of the Order of Ontario. Beam has just discovered she has Retinitis Pigmentosa, the disease which is also called Usher Syndrome, at a late age.
I met this woman only yesterday through mutual friends, and we had tea at the Manotick Tea Room. She and I had long, probing conversations ranging from “Why didn’t I like Jane Fernandes?”, her past tenure as President of the Ontario Association for the Deaf and a lot of wisdom in between. When she noted my fierceness about issues I was passionate about, she told me: Always think of diplomacy, act like it. Then people will listen and respect you. If you don’t act like it, then they will ignore you. You cannot attract bees without honey. Be sweet.
Oh my. This irresistibly sweet elder has captured my heart. In her lunchtime prayer, she prayed that God would look over me, and guide me through the right path and that people around the world would be affected wherever I go.
This is one amazing lady I will never forget. And it’s wonderful that she is “one of us” – meaning a member of the Usher Syndrome Club, haha.
tactile love.
To read the article:
http://www.flare.com/volunteer/article.jsp?content=20020101_000000_volunteer_2002_beam
Here’s a television news clip from the local news station in Baton Rouge, LA that features a lot of Deaf Blind people and their volunteer Support Service Providers at the Deaf Blind Rally in June. Dan Arabie, the guy giving a speech, is the ringleader for the rally. Subtitles are included.
Hat tip to June Delaune of La.
http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u124/ArabieFamily/DB%20Rally/?action=view¤t=68cfcd02.flv
tactile luv and fight, fight, fight.
Deaf people needn’t apply. No discrimination here. I am asking qualified Hearing people who have above average ASL skills to look further, especially if they are adventurous. Wimps also needn’t apply.
I am going to Nigeria, Africa this October for a two year volunteer tour, working with teachers and the administration of the Birnin-Kebbi School for the Disabled to develop a program that will finally allow the school to recruit Deaf Blind children to be educated there. I will be a volunteer under the Canadian Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO – www.vsocan.org) and will undergo intensive in-country training starting October 16th in the capital city of Abuja for approximately four weeks, then be relocated to the northwestern city of Birnin-Kebbi for two weeks of orientation.
\During the six to eight weeks of training and orientation in Nigeria, VSO United Kingdom has agreed to allow me to bring two “intervenors” or “Support Service Providers” to accompany me to Nigeria, to interpret the courses during the day and be my guide during the evenings (roaming the city).
Details of job:
Modest salary (enough to cover for food and expenses)
Medical Insurance coverage for two months
Flights are covered in full
Room will be provided by the VSO Nigeria offices
Interpret with another intervenor for the day, alternating time periods
Be a guide and the eyes/ears for me during off hours from training
Upon arrival in Birnin-Kebbi, the intervenors will educate and train Deaf and Hearing volunteers to be my intervenor for the rest of the year
Must:
be hearing with above average ASL interpreting skills
knowledge of Deaf Blind culture and able to educate/train others to be a SSP or intervenor
Passport ready
Available for two months beginning October 15
Can be American or Canadian
Once accepted, you will have to receive several vaccinations for malaria and other things. VSO will send you a package thru email or snail mail with full information. You will be considered a “volunteer” with us, but will be getting paid a modest salary plus a glowing recommendation once your stint as intervenor is over.
Adventurous, like to travel and can adapt easily
Email me at tactiletheworld@gmail.com
If you are interested, please submit a 10-minute webcam video, your full name and contact information (telephone number and email address).
Video requirements:
Tell me why you want to go, and why you are the person for this job.
DEADLINE: Friday, July 20 in the morning. I will submit a list of my recommendations to VSO after I view your videos and they will contact you immediately. This is serious business, no “i dont knows”. Time is crucial. Thanks!
SPREAD THE WORD ASAP!!!!!!!!
Are you a risk taker? Do you have high apathy? Do you really know how the Deaf Blind live, think, eat, communicate?
Then you should see what kind of challenge I have for you. Click on this and see if this easy, 5-minute challenge will open your mind a little more. Or rather, open your eyes.
Coco’s Challenge
July 4, 2007
I’ll be out of town this weekend. When I return, I want to see more than 40 comments here. I want to hear details. Stories, even.
I don’t really think a lot of people will do this. Not when history has proven over and over again.
Prove me wrong.
Tactile love,
Coco
Transcript done by Kate – many, many thanks!
TRANSCRIPT
Coco here. I have a challenge for you sighted people who have good vision – no eye disease, perfect 20/20 vision, or around that. It doesn’t really matter. Also the deafblind group – people with Usher’s Syndrome, full blindness, unclear vision, spots of vision, up-close vision – both groups are included in the challenge. Deaf blind who already know tactile sign, deafblind who don’t know tactile sign, sighted people who don’t know tactile sign, please get involved.
This is a challenge you can’t back out of. Once you commit to it you have to see ith through. Do it, okay? Ready? Are you ready for the challenge? Okay. It’s simple. Just five minutes, five little minutes of your time – that’s it, five minutes. Find a partner that can sign really well, get together with them and ask if they want to do the challenge. Go ahead and get two blindfolds, put them over your eyes, get close to each other, and TRY tactile signing. Tactile with sign language, ASL, for Americans, or BSL (British Sign Language), or GSL (German Sign Language), Hungarian [???]….ANY international sign language. Just sign language period. Take turns signing tactily.
If you don’t understand the signs, go ahead and fingerspell the alphabet. Slowly, patiently, take your time, don’t rush. Try to understand through touch. Take turns. Or you can do it in the dark without any light. That’s fine, it’s up to you. I challenge you because many many people see that I am an expert. “Coco, you are an expert! How?” they say. I just tell them that it only took me 2-3 weeks to learn the basics. It’s quite a challenge! Learn how to feel the alphabet plus signs. Now I can use one hand, but it used to be that I needed two hands to even struggle to figure out what was being signed. Like D-O-G, short, sits on the lap, and I still wouldn’t understand. They would sign again D-O-G, and by carefully feeling their fingers I was able to understand – dog. It was a struggle, but finally I could do it. Like YOU, now saying “But I don’t know tactile sign!” Just try.
It’s good for emergency situations too. What if the world’s electricity suddenly went out and the lights were out. Everything would be dark and you couldn’t wait until sunrise…everything’s dark. Where do you find the candles? How do you get by? You’d need a divverent mode of communication if you had no candles or light whatsoever. You need to communicate in such an emergency to know where to go. Think about it. You can talk and say “Coco, that sounds good, that challenge!” Go ahead and continue, or mock me. I can take it. Just do it right now, do it tonight, do it soon, and please let me know if you’ve done the challenge. Leave your stories in the comments on my blog. Come on! Good luck. Goodnight wherever you are around the world. Love ya!
I want to congratulate my friend and fellow Usher Syndrome buddy, Dan Arabie, of Lafayette, LA on a job well done planning a historic Deaf Blind Rights Rally in Baton Rouge, LA last month.
Arabie and several other Deaf Blind organizational leaders led the protesters into a rally to fight the state government on lack of Support Service Providers for the Deaf Blind citizens of Louisiana. Louisiana, for decades, has continued to ignore the plight of hundreds of helpless Deaf Blind people, depriving them of the funding for the necessities for independence, even from their own tax dollars.
Please go to www.deafbayou.com and check out the Historic Deaf Blind Rally link, as well as exploring the whole website. Dan is the webmaster, he can be contacted at lsucajundan@cox.net .
High five to you all in Louisiana, fight for your right to live as everyone else.
tactile love,
Coco
MINNESOTA FRINGE FESTIVAL presents
I Never Slept with Helen Keller
a new play by Deaf playwright Raymond Luczak
August 3 – 10, 2007
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Show Information: http://www.handtype.com/helenkeller/
Fringe Festival Information:
*********
Commentary: I was notified of this play through a Seattle friend and I was overcome with excitement. Raymond Luczak is a well-known Deaf writer, his name has floated around me several times. After reading his foreword for the play, I was truly blown away and affected by this sighted person’s take on DeafBlindhood and especially the stigma of being a Helen Keller typecast myself.
I have been told many times in the past few years since my “coming out” that I was the “next Helen Keller”. That scored some self-esteem points with me for a while until I learned who Helen Keller truly was, and the heavy stereotype that society spoke of that did not truly reflect the entire Deaf Blind community. Luczak says it all beautifully, especially when he speaks with passion of his involvement and education by, with and of the Deaf Blind community. Just by absorbing his words, I just know that this play he has written truly comes from his heart and soul.
The play will educate not only the attendees at this festival, but there is hope that this show or others will finally break the pedestal that people put us on. Especially when the one of the acting troupe, Jessica Eggert, has Usher Syndrome .
When someone, I forget who, told me that I should abandon the thinking that I would be the next Helen Keller, I actually took that as an offense. But he/she made me see that I’m not the shadow nor image of a successful and unforgettable decades-old role model, but I am my own for today’s generation. At last, I say:
I am the one and only Christine “Coco” Roschaert. Remember that, even as you meet other Deaf Blind people. They are their own person in their right. Learn from us, not from history.
I really want to go see this show. But I have no financial means to make it over to Minnesota. What a shame! I hope Luczak takes his show on the road, and I most definitely will be there in the future.
Tactile love, Coco
