DEAF WORKERS OF ORANGE COUNTY PROJECT -- DEAF WORKERS WEEKLY BULLETIN -- November 14, 1998 Greetings, Nevada's hot? Yeah hot in the summer months that is. I'm really baffled that suddenly Nevada becomes a hot place for people with hearing disabilities. At least Deaf Nation Newspaper decided to move their business there. Nevada would be THE LAST PLACE in the United States I would ever suggest any a Deaf owned business to move to. Why? According to Randi King of Southern Nevada Center for Independent Living, there has been no Deaf advocate in the past seven years and the Disability community is fired up against Las Vegas for many reasons including denying a limousine with a wheelchair lift a permit to operate in the city. They also showed it when the Disability Caucus of California decided to show Las Vegas their own medicine by supporting the Proposition 5 which allows California Indians to build and operate Casinos on their tribal lands. Over 400 volunteers from the disability community including 90 Deaf people showed Las Vegas what we felt about the way we are treated in Nevada. We gave them the message when we helped Proposition 5 defeat Nevada interests. Richard Roehm ---- DC LIBRARY AND OTHERS TO HONOR SOPHIA FOWLER GALLAUDET The District of Columbia Public Library and the Alpha Chapter of Phi Kappa Zeta Sorority, Gallaudet University In Observance of Clerc-Gallaudet Week (December 6-12, 1998) Present The Deaf Woman Behind the Establishment of Gallaudet University Sophia Fowler Gallaudet (1798-1877) Mrs. Gallaudet Inspired the April 8, 1864 Law Signed by President Abraham Lincoln Enabling the Columbia Institution for the Deaf -- Now Gallaudet University -- to Grant College Degrees to Deaf Students. ********************************* Tuesday, December 8, 1998 * 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. Main Lobby Martin Luther King Memorial Library 901 G Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. After the program there will be a reception to thank volunteer tutors from 6:00 - 8:30 pm in Room A-9 at the Library. For more information, call or write: Library Services to the Deaf Community (202) 727-2145 TTY/Voice Email: LibrDeafDC@aol.com ---- ASSOCIATION FOR THEATRE AND ACCESSIBILITY PRESENTS CONFERENCE Press Release Promoting Creative Power May 27, 28, 29 & 30, 1999 will be the first ever Coalition Conference presented by the Association for Theater and Accessibility. A collaboration of different arts organizations will come together to strengthen professional development for artists and administrators, while providing a forum for networking and exchanging ideas. Disciplines represented include: filmmakers, dancers, musicians, artists, sign interpreters, audio describers and actors. The conference will be held at the Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles California at the same time as the Art & Soul Festival presented by Very Special Arts. The conference will include educational tracts, seminars and general sessions. Gail Williamson, from the Media Access Office, is putting together a workshop on "Pitching a story and putting it together as a treatment", hosted by Bert Pearl, co-executive producer of Touched By an Angel. Actor Rick Boggs is developing some programs including, "What's Appropriate? - A discussion of images of people with disabilities in the media." Other possible conference topics include: Funding Sources and How to Find Them; The Internet and the Arts; What Makes a Professional; Quality Art and Quality Artists; The Business of Acting; The Audition Process; The role state and local arts councils play in ADA issues; Diversity on Stage; Access in Action; Access Alliance. The Association for Theatre and Accessibility has been producing national conferences for 12 years. "It is my hope that people will venture beyond their own disciplines. Maybe some musicians with disabilities will check out a wheel-chair dance class, or a theatrical sign language interpreter may have coffee with the producer of a hit television series." said Debby Barri, Conference Chair. Participating Organizations include the National Arts and Disability Center, Corporation on Disabilities and Telecommunication, Media Access Office, Short Center Repertory, and others.... If you would like to participate in this exciting conference please contact ATA c/o Beth Stoffmacher, National Arts & Disability Center, 300 UCLA Medical Plaza, Suite 3330, Los Angeles, CA 90095-6967; phone: 310/825-5054; fax: 310/794-1143; e-mail: bstoffmacher@mednet.ucla.edu. ---- RIGHT TO INSURANCE PROJECT SEEKS PEOPLE VICTIMIZED BY INSURANCE COMPANIES Right to Insurance Project Disability Rights Advocates has initiated a "Right to Insurance Project" designed to ensure access for people with disabilities to health, life, disability and long term care insurance. We would appreciate hearing about your problems obtaining and/or retaining adequate insurance. If you would please e-mail us with the following information: (1) the names of the insurance company/ies you have had problems with, (2) the precise nature of the problem and the impact this has had on your life, (3) the type of insurance at issue. If you cannot e-mail us, please fax (510) 451-8511; mail: DRA 449 15th Street, Suite 303; Oakland, CA 94612; or telephone Helen Coster at (510) 451-8644. Your Name: Your Mailing Address: Your E-Mail Address: Name of insurance company with which you have had problems: Please describe the nature of the problem, when it occurred, and the impact this has had on your life: Please indicate the type of insurance at issue: ---- ASSISTED SUICIDE CONFERENCE DENOUNCED BY DISABILITY LEADERS On the other hand people with disabilities weren't invited to the "California Conference on Physician-Assisted Dying." Fortunately Debbie Kaplan, Paul Longmore and other disability rights leaders will be going anyway: Press Conference Disability Rights Leaders Denounce Assisted Suicide Conference Friday, November 13, 1998, 11:00 a.m. UCSF, Medical Science Building Cole Hall, 515 Parnassus, San Francisco Speakers Include: Deborah Kaplan, Executive Director, World Institute on Disability Telephone: (510) 763-4100 Paul Longmore, Professor of History, SFSU Telephone: (415) 585-4370 On Friday, November 13, 1998, prominent disability rights leaders will denounce the California Conference on Physician-Assisted Dying being held at the University of California, San Francisco. Speakers representing over 200 organizations and individuals from the disability community who oppose legalization of assisted suicide and euthanasia will challenge the way that the conference organizers have misrepresented the perspective of the disabled community at this exclusive, invitation-only political organizing event. The organizers of the California Conference on Physician-Assisted Dying have created the illusion that they are open to critical perspectives. Yet rather than inviting leaders of any major disability rights organizations to present their views, the conference planners have included a presentation from one of the few public figures from the disability community who agrees with their agenda and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Death with Dignity National Center. In fact, a very large majority of disability organizations and leaders in California are opposed to legalizing physician-assisted suicide. "We are aware of attempts to characterize our perspective as that of an irrational fringe element," said Deborah Kaplan, executive director of the World Institute on Disability, "and the only response we can provide is that this character assassination sheds more light on the accusers than the accused." It comes as no surprise to disability activists that a diverse constituency of groups overwhelmingly turned down the Physician Assisted Suicide Initiative in Michigan on November 3. Demographic analysis of the opposition to the initiative shows that African Americans and older people also are very skeptical of the reliability of any safeguards to protect against abuse. "In contrast," notes Professor Paul Longmore, "proponents of assisted suicide can be characterized primarily as the four W's, the 'white, well-off, worried well.' In our current health care system, assisted suicide is an issue at the core of a class struggle." Fred Fay Chair, Justice For All jfa@mailbot.com HTTP://www.mailbot.com/justice ---- NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY SEEKS YOUR INPUT National Council on Disability Media Advisory NCD #98–257 November 13, 1998 Contact: Mark S. Quigley 202-272-2004 NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY TO CONDUCT HEARING ON PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES IMPACTING PEOPLE WITH PSYCHIATRIC DISABILITIES WASHINGTON—The National Council on Disability (NCD) will hold an open hearing on public policy issues impacting people with psychiatric disabilities in Albany, New York, on Friday, November 20, 1998, from 3:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. (est), at the Albany Marriott, 189 Wolf Road, Albany, New York. Written testimony will also be accepted until December 11, 1998. Send testimony by mail to NCD, 1331 F Street, NW, Suite 1050, Washington, DC 20004-1107, by fax to 202-272-2022 or by e-mail (kblank@ncd.gov). NCD is an independent federal agency currently coordinating a multi-year study for the President and Congress on the enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other civil rights laws. For more information, contact Mark S. Quigley at 202-272-2004. Mark S. Quigley Public Affairs Specialist National Council on Disability 1331 F Street, NW, Suite 1050 Washington, DC 20004 202-272-2004 Voice 202-272-2074 TTY 202-272-2022 Fax mquigley@ncd.gov http://www.ncd.gov ---- CONNECTCUT THEATRE GROUP SHOWS PREVIEWS OF SPRING 2000 NEW YORK--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Nov. 11, 1998--The Tony Award-winning National Theatre of the Deaf showcased scenes from its three 1998-99 touring productions and offered a preview of its Spring, 2000, show "The Unwritten Song," an original production being written by Romulus Linney, at an informal performance event at The Sky Club in New York Tuesday night. Laurence Moskowitz, President and CEO of Medialink Worldwide Inc. (Nasdaq: MDLK - news), and a National Theatre of the Deaf Board member, hosted the event. The Connecticut-based National Theatre of the Deaf showcased their latest works before representatives from New York City-based theatre and media organizations and corporations. Playwright Linney was in attendance, as were director Ping Chong and composer Genji Ito, who have been laying groundwork for next season's "Unwritten Song" production with National Theatre of the Deaf actors and Artistic Director Will Rhys. The Deaf and hearing actors who make up The National Theatre of the Deaf company presented the scenes in the theatre's signature style, Sign Language combined with spoken words. The troupe was joined in performance last night by three former National Theatre of the Deaf actors: actress/writer Carole Addabbo, who is Mr. Moskowitz's wife; Camille L. Jeter, who now heads The National Theatre of the Deaf's Education and Outreach programs; and composer Ira Mitchell who will appear in the theatre's upcoming holiday show. Also performing was Tandy Cronyn, a long-time friend of the theatre and former staff member, who is the daughter of Hume Cronyn and the late Jessica Tandy. National Theatre of the Deaf founder David Hays and his wife Leonora were among the 100 invited guests at the performance and party. Hays, who now serves on The National Theatre of the Deaf's board, attended with several other Board members, including its president, attorney Richard Rieder of Essex, CT. This year, for the first time ever, The National Theatre of the Deaf is dedicating its entire season to young people with its 1998-99 "Tour For America's Children." The troupe is performing a repertoire of three plays for children of all ages all across the country, hoping to reach a quarter of a million young people. This "Tour for America's Children" is sponsored by Braun, Inc. Contact: The National Theatre of the Deaf Laine Dyer, 860/526-4971 (Voice) or 860/526-4974 (TTY) ============================================================== DEAF WORKERS OF ORANGE COUNTY Orange County, California Richard Roehm President Internet : Deaf@activist.com Deaf_Workers_OC@usa.net Website Nesmuth@worldnet.att.net Http://www.i-sphere.com/eyedeaf/dwoc.htm =============================================================== Circulation Information Direct Email subscribers : 44 Indirect Email Subscribers : 39 Feel free to redistribute this newsletter in it's entirety and if you are planning to add a mailing list as a subscriber then let me know for my records. Thank you. =============================================================== Deaf Workers of Orange County will continue to aggressively pursue justice, fairness, and equality for the Deaf Community. =============================================================== Education is the best gift that lasts a lifetime! 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