Lexington’s Cohen to retire after 35 years

December 1, 2000

Orginally appeared in Silent News, December 2000.

Dr. Oscar P. Cohen, Superintendent and Chief Executive Officer of the Lexington School for the Deaf/Center for the Deaf, announced his retirement effective at the end of the 2000-2001 academic year.

“This year marks Lexington’s 135th year of serving the deaf community. It is also my 35th year at Lexington,” Cohen said. “Reflection has allowed me to recognize that now is the time for me to bring the same commitment I have had for Lexington to some of the other causes and interests in which I have been involved for years but have not been able to give my full attention.”

Cohen, whose father attended Lexington, graduated from Hunter College with a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in teaching the deaf from Columbia University’s Teachers College. He also earned a doctorate in administration from Columbia.

Cohen began working at Lexington as a science teacher, and served in several capacities, including director of the residence programs and principal.

Lexington has served many purposes in his life, Cohen said. “Lexington has been important to me in my professional and personal life. In fact, when Lexington moved to the current campus, I lived with my wife and children in an apartment in the residence hall.”

Cohen was asked to assume the superintendent/CEO position in 1996 by Lexington’s board of directors. During his tenure, Cohen brought many changes to Lexington. He said, “I am most proud that Lexington has played a role in bringing about higher expectations for deaf persons through raising standards and confidence that all deaf persons can learn and can excel in ways perhaps we did not think possible.”

One of the notable achievements of recent is Lexington’s release of results from a study using the Mediated Learning Experience model. “This is a system that empowers teachers and parents to become more effective ‘mediators’ in children developing critical thinking skills.” Results show that students using this approach have significantly increased literacy and writing skills.

Another achievement Cohen is proud of is the emerging multiculturalism and diversity at Lexington. “We have been sensitive to different factions and perspectives in moving Lexington from an oral/aural only school to one that embraces the value and richness of sign language as a language and an essential means of communication,” he said. “We have also moved from a predominantly ‘non-cultural’ to cultural model of deafness. For example, Lexington’s board has 10 out of 24 trustees who are deaf. When I first arrived at Lexington, there were none.” Racial diversity also has increased both at the administrative and academic levels.

Philip W. Bravin, president of the Board of Trustees at Lexington, said, “Cohen has made Lexington a special place for all students, parents, clients, and staff during his 35 years of service. He has transformed the school into a model urban center of education and service. We wish him continued success and will miss his leadership and innovation.”

Cohen has served in a variety of leadership positions, including president of the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD) from 1994 to 1996, and currently serves as chair of the New York State 4201 Schools Association. He has three grown children, including one who wrote the acclaimed book, Train Go Sorry, and eight grandchildren.

The Lexington Board of Trustees is currently establishing a search process for a successor by the summer of 2001.

“As I explore new opportunities, Lexington will always represent a significant influence in my life,” Cohen said. “I will leave Lexington at the end of this academic year with the knowledge that I have been part of a community made of people, staff, students, and families full of unparalleled energy. Together we have made Lexington a special place.”

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Filed Under: Deaf education, Notable People, Silent News

Game show not covered by ADA

December 1, 2000

Originally appeared in Silent News, December 2000.

Deaf people sue for access; Judge says no

To get on Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, people must first battle a lengthy series of questions through a web of touch-tone phone commands. For a group of deaf people in the Miami area, this is what frustrates them.

Frank Zavala, a representative with the Miami Center for Independent Living, who has sued Who Wants to be a Millionaire?,  said, “The only way to be on is you have to call and answer questions. But here’s the catch. It’s a voice phone, [and] you can’t use relay nor a TTY. It’s ironic that they close-caption their show, but the deaf/hard of hearing can’t be on.”

The center filed a lawsuit against the show. Michael Lanham, the lawyer representing the center, said in an e-mail, “The basis of this action deals with a person’s mandatory use of a touch-tone phone, coupled with an automated telephone system or device that cannot be utilized by the deaf community (either through the state switch or by a TDD), the upward mobility impaired (cannot use their fingers or cannot push the numbers on a touch-tone phone), and some in the vision-impaired community (cannot see or utilize the phone).”

When asked why he accepted this case, Lanham responded, “Well, first, this process is wrong—it discriminates, and second, it’s treating certain disabled individuals like third-class citizens. And as a lawyer who lives with a disability everyday and who knows and specializes in rights for people with disabilities, I felt I had to try to eliminate a barrier of access, if I could.”

U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno ruled that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is not broad enough to cover the show’s screening process, but he said the show’s goal “should be to encourage participants with disabilities.”

Lanham said, “It’s up to each and every one of us, able or disabled, to exercise our Constitutional rights…to those who disagree and think this action is frivolous, I hope they would understand that some of us, regardless of our disability, want the opportunity to equally compete for the American dream of trying to win a million dollars.”

The game show had a blind contestant on earlier in the year. Zavala said, “You got a blind person on, why not a Deaf person? After all, we’re not dumb.”

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Filed Under: Business, Community resources, Legal, Silent News

Deaf flag football tournament in Chicago full of surprises

December 1, 2000

Originally appeared in Silent News, December 2000.

Wheeling, IL—The weather was perfect: not too chilly, but not too hot. The sun was cooperative, and the wind wasn’t too strong. Twelve teams, with a total of 214 players, came to participate in the U.S. Deaf Flag Football Super Bowl XV, hosted by the Chicago Club of the Deaf with Terry Hall as chairperson.

The double-elimination tournament made for some interesting games, especially with teams that were expected to lose early on in the weekend. Games were played very much off schedule, which resulted in irritation on the part of the players, and confusion among fans. An example was the game between Minnepaul and SWCID. Originally slated for Friday at 3 p.m., it got postponed until the next morning at 8 a.m. due to darkness. Even then, the game did not start until late Saturday. There also was no clear scoreboard, and the results from each game were written on a big piece of paper taped to the side of a van. The weekend’s 247 fans had to either sit on a crowded bench or sit on the ground.

Regardless of these minor obstacles, the tournament was well-attended and full of spirit. The game between Indianapolis and Chicago was one of the more notable games. Both teams, with veterans Kevin Smith playing for Chicago and Michael Paulone playing for Indianapolis, were full of young and inexperienced players looking to Smith and Paulone for guidance.

Minnepaul was also another surprise for many. However, Herman Fuechtmann, the Minnepaul coach, said, “I was not surprised with our results. In fact, I expected us to do a little better. If we had beaten Indy instead of choking at the end of the game. We might have had a few players but they were quality players.” The game between Indianapolis and Minnepaul ended dramatically. Both teams were tied, and Indianapolis had a chance to score a touchdown with four downs from the 20-yard line. Sure enough, Indianapolis managed to pull off the touchdown, winning the game, 19-13.

The GODS team, complied of what seemed to be too many players from all over the nation, played aggressively and fiercely. They had no practice sessions prior to the tournament, and this proved to be their downfall.

The championship game between Ohio and Frederick proved to be one of the most climatic games. Ohio, who had Cy Saunders and Jesse Bailey, played against brothers John and Joshua Moore of the FSK team of Frederick. The game was over with a winning touchdown by Joshua Moore, the championship belonging to Frederick.

One of the unique things about this year’s tournament was the presence of deaf referees; three of the four referees were deaf. USFFD Commissioner Alex Calogar helped coordinate the first-ever training session for all interested deaf referees prior to the tournament. Hall of Fame Diretor John Schultz wrote in an e-mail, “[The USFFD Committee] most certainly got our feet wet—or should I say boiled?—as we did our best to deal with the many new changes that occurred. A perfect example would be the implementation of the new USFTL (US Football Touch League) rules system by the three deaf referees, trained and certified by USFTL during the summer of 2000 with the help of an USA Deaf Sports Federation grant.”

However, the deaf referees weren’t quite well-received by the players. Fuechtmann said, “I feel it is hard for deaf referees to stay unbiased when the players are complaining so much about calls no matter how good [the calls] were. It seems that when there are hearing referees, it’s harder for the players to complain, and the players can focus on playing the game instead of worrying or wasting time arguing with the referees. This seems to be true of sports that have deaf referees—basketball, softball, and flag football.”

Indeed, during the game between Indiana and Chicago, an Indianapolis supporter walked up to a referee and signed fiercely, “You are the worst referee ever! Ever! I will never support you!” Referee Halischak  ignored him and walked off, with Indiana players restraining their emotional supporter. Overall sentiments were that the referees did a good job, especially with the communication being so accessible.

That night, the Hall of Fame banquet honored Ron Sipek and Willie Forrest, both originally from Illinois. “USFFD has worked with the host deaf club in finding names along with biographies and histories. What normally happen is the host club usually does their own research into their local deaf football history, then submits a list of two to four names to the USFFD board of directors,” said Schultz. “Thus, the USFFD Hall of Fame has been able to mine a golden vein of deaf football stories while accumulating a long list of past-time deaf football greats from throughout the country.”

After the Hall of Fame event, awards were given out. This year’s awards were a little different, because selections were based on statistics alone. Cy Saunders scored the Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament (55 passing attempts/33 passing completions, 501 yards, 7 touchdowns and 1 interception). Other honors included Defensive MVP being given to Alex Calogar (9 tackles and 5 sacks), and Offensive MVP being John Moore (63 passing attempts/29 passing completions, 487 yards, 8 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, along with 11 rushes for 133 yards and 1 touchdown).

Schultz said, “I can definitely say that this year’s tournament was completely covered with silver lining, with everyone involved in a grand learning experience, especially with the new USFFD board of directors going through a trial-by-fire in handling their first tournament together.”

Chairperson Hall agreed. “We really want to thank the folks that came and enjoyed the weekend. The Chicago fans that came and supported our teams and other fans from other places were the greatest.”

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Filed Under: Silent News, Sports

Wyndholme Village to start construction by January 2001

November 1, 2000

Originally appeared in Silent News, November 2000.

Wyndholme Village, a residential senior community for deaf and hard of hearing people in Baltimore, Md., has come to an agreement with creditors regarding the construction of the community.

“My attorneys are preparing the necessary documents for the creditor’s signatures and along with a formal commitment for $6,000,000—the requirements set forth at the September hearing, have been met,” stated James M. Lancelotta, managing member and developer of Wyndholme Village.

Wyndholme Village, mainly operated by Lancelotta, was forced to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1999. Scott Macdonald, Senior Vice President of Marketing, said, “Wyndholme Village went into bankruptcy due to a lender who agreed to fund $7,150,000 in October 1998. They did not perform.” Less than two weeks from the scheduled funding, the lender providing the capital admitted to misappropriating millions of company dollars, which subsequently halted all future activity. The lender was Cornerstone Lending Corporation of America. Michael R. Wise, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cornerstone, was charged with “serious financial improprieties,” and Cornerstone was unable to follow through with the promised money. A follow up by Council for the Creditors Committee revealed that Wise is currently incarcerated and Cornerstone Private Capital has been placed in receivership.

“Without these funds it became impossible for Wyndholme Village to carry the debt. Once this occurred—without the funds as promised—our cash flow from other Lancelotta entities were utilized costing over $200,000 a month. By March 1999 we were forced to seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy,” Macdonald said. He added that each day under the status of Chapter 11 bankruptcy has cost Lancelotta and Wyndholme Village in excess of $5,000 daily for protection of assets.

Macdonald added, “Prior to the hearing held on Sept. 17, I negotiated with all the creditors and was able to create a plan that was acceptable to everyone. The court wanted to be informed of the terms and parameters of the agreement. In essence, Wyndholme Village agreed to allow the creditors to have full control of the property in the event that Wyndholme Village is not able to make the payments it has agreed to make by Dec. 29, 2000.”

According to documents summarizing the planned payments, Wyndholme is required to pay as much as $6,245,000 to creditors, along with unsecured creditors being paid in full beginning in Jan. on a quarterly basis. All unpaid real estate property taxes and trustee fees will also be paid, totaling $56,500, along with administrative fees totaling $110,000.

An unidentified investment group is providing Wyndholme Village with the needed six million dollars by Nov. 28, with verification of these funds being provided to a bankruptcy court by Nov. 16. A cash flow analysis is also required to be provided by Nov. 16.

Wyndholme currently has 28 signed contracts of individuals ready to move into their units, although it has not actively tried to sell any units since February 2000. Macdonald said, “Jim Lancelotta decided not to pursue sales until he was completely sure that Wyndholme Village was going to become a reality. Now, he is sure and has already provided staff with their quotas.”

On Wyndholme Village’s website, Lancelotta writes, “My belief in the deaf community; the need of deaf seniors to have the opportunity to reside in a well-deserved quality environment eliminating the fear of isolation and the support of my staff, family, and the deaf population gives me the strength and conviction to prevail and take this ‘so-called risk.'”

Construction will begin in January 2001, although groundbreaking events will take place earlier.

The Wyndholme Village website may be viewed at www.wyndholmevillage.com.

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Filed Under: Business, Silent News

STD/AIDS Hotline calls increases yearly

November 1, 2000

Originally appeared in Silent News, November 2000.

Nowadays, AIDS and HIV are such household words, thanks in part to the generous publicity the disease has gotten in the past few years. We all hear about AIDS and HIV on a daily basis, but barely give it a second thought unless it has affected our lives directly.

Well, think about this. It is estimated that 7,000 to 26,000 deaf people in the U.S. are infected with HIV, according to the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies. This number may be much higher, but there is very little documentation. The center points out that Maryland was the first state to include questions about deafness in its HIV counseling and testing forms—and because of this first, officials have documented that 4.3% of the Maryland deaf population is infected with HIV.

Even though many deaf people may be aware of what HIV and AIDS are, many are not educated on preventive methods. Or worse yet, many do not practice preventive methods even after being educated. And then there are those who have mistaken ideas and misconceptions of what HIV and AIDS involve or what to do if one contracts HIV/AIDS.

Chad Ludwig, Senior Supervisor for the TTY Service at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National STD/AIDS Hotlines, says, “We get an average of 12 productive calls that come in from anywhere in the United States, including the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.”

Add that up and that’s an awful lot of calls.

Just what is the hotline? How does it get funded? Has it grown? Who is behind these calls?

People who are trained in American Sign Langauge (ASL) and are culturally sensitive to the deaf and hard of hearing community staff the STD/AIDS TTY Hotline.

“In December 1986, the American Social Health Association was awarded the contract for the National AIDS Hotline by the US Centers for Disease Control. Located briefly in Palo Alto, Calif., NAH moved its operation to New York City in February of 1987. In October of the same year, additional facilities were opened in Research Triangle Park, N.C. Then in August 1988, the National AIDS Hotline expanded to include services for Spanish-speaking individuals and TTY users,” said Ludwig.

According to a 1999 profile of callers to the TTY line, 62.5% of the 577 calls in 1999 were from ASL users. 60% of the calls were from female callers.

Ludwig came to the Hotline in August 1997 after earning a bachelor’s degree in social work from the National Technical Institute of the Deaf at Rochester Institute of Technology in New York. He did an internship at AIDS Rochester prior to working at the Hotline. Ludwig said, “I am pleased to report that the call volume has had a steady increase since I came onboard. We received 421 calls in 1997; 550 in 1998, 577 in 1999, and we will know the final number for this year by January 2001.”

The Hotlines are funded by the Centers for Disease Control, and they are bidding for another five-year grant. If they get this grant, it will be their fourth successive time.

Even with the increases and monetary support, the hotlines still strive to serve the most important population: the population that is not educated about the dangers of HIV/AIDS or the preventive steps. Add the fact that many of the callers’ first language is ASL—and it becomes that much more complex.

Even with the staff being trained in cultural sensitivity and language-appropriate skills, there’s still that sliver of the deaf community who cannot communicate effectively via TTY. It is for this very reason that the CDC is taking steps to provide ASL access. “Currently, the [Hotlines] TTY Service is collaborating with the CDC National Immunization Information Hotline to launch their own video in ASL responding to the most frequently asked questions about immunization. It is projected to launch by December,” Ludwig added. The CDC already has a video available that answers frequently asked questions about AIDS.

The hotlines promise to keep all calls strictly confidential. This is an essential factor for many TTY callers, who are worried about their identities being found out—especially in the close-knit deaf and hard of hearing community.

People may visit the hotlines’ website at www.ashastd.org/nah/tty.html, or call 1-800-AIDS-TTY (1-800-243-7889). Spanish Deaf callers may call the same line and use Spanish to communicate with live TTY operators. TTY operators are available from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Time.

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Filed Under: Community resources, Silent News

LightKitchen hopes to bring together fellow filmmakers

November 1, 2000

Originally appeared in Silent News, November 2000.

A group of students at Gallaudet University has formed a group, LightKitchen, in hopes of becoming a film company eventually. Ryan Commerson, one of the founders, said, “We gave birth to LightKitchen at XandO’s, a coffee house in Washington, D.C., after hours and hours of hard labor. So, right now, we are taking small steps towards the goal by producing few short works such as those shown on www.lightkitchen.com.”

According to the group, light is essential for any film or video production, while the kitchen tends to be the preferred gathering place for deaf people: well-lit, easy to communicate, and warm.

Rene Visco, another founder and the webmaster of the LightKitchen website, said, “To me, LightKitchen means saying, ‘I’ll make me a world.’  A world that people around the world can join in and watch. They laugh at our follies, beam at our successes, awed by our complex human natures, and cry with us in our darkest hours. The important thing is that they will understand what Deafness is and means.”

Commerson agreed with Visco, saying, “It’s clear that pushing for higher education [for deaf people] can’t do it all, or even politics – something is missing to make the connections with all of the major fields – entertainment. It’s the major element [of the deaf community] that has been largely neglected.”

On the site, visitors can view three entertaining videos: Daniele Le Rose’s ominous Millennium, Wayne Betts’ humorous Mr. V, or Ryan Commerson’s emotional Soulmate. Visco explained, “Soon in the near future, it is possible that LightKitchen’s website will be revamped again, this time with dynamic Flash content and more QuickTime clips. It will be a powerful visual medium for any Internet user. I aim and strive to make LightKitchen’s website a cutting-edge website that is front of the pack in the Internet.” Visco also hopes to make the site multilingual, including Spanish and Italian translations.

Currently, the group is working on Commerson’s rock climbing project, along with screenings of works by various deaf filmmakers such as Charles Krauel, Julianna Fjeld, and Peter Wolf. “We’ll have discussions on filmmaking aesthetics, approaches, and so on. We also will study why deaf moviemakers in the past have failed, and how we can learn from their struggles, and discuss aspects such as framing our language. Often shots of deaf people talking don’t look so great — why? What can we do to change that? How can we create a movie that can be enjoyed by millions—not only the deaf—and so on,” Commerson said.

The group is also planning a film festival of sorts. “We are planning to be a big sponsor for Gallaudet’s T.V., Photography and Digital Media’s MOS Fest (visual works without audio tracks), which Facundo Montenegro [the third founder of the group] will be preparing for next fall,” Visco said. This will enable the group to establish an annual film festival that will encourage deaf moviemakers on an international basis to participate.

Visco said, “Right now, LightKitchen is a profit-making business. I believe we will spin off a non-profit LightKitchen foundation so that we can influence the future generations of Deaf filmmakers, actors, actresses, and crew members around the world.”

Le Rose, who is visiting the United States as a Fulbright/Mason-Perkins Deafness Fund Scholar from Italy, hopes to be able to bring a branch of this organization back to his home country. He said, “LightKitchen is beneficial to me because I am able to share ideas and goals with others who have common goals. With this, I will be able to develop my skills and techniques for future use in Italy. For example, I would like to produce videotapes for distribution in Italy related to the arts, education, and culture of deaf people. I’d also like to produce movies. This will help expose the hearing community to our Deaf community.”

When asked about the struggles that the organization may face in its establishment, Commerson said, “Some believe in Deaf advancement by means of education. Some believe in Deaf advancement by means of political empowerment. We believe in Deaf advancement by means of entertainment. Without inspiration, tears, fears, or laughter. . .we’re facing the yellow hex sign that says Dead End.”

The group, which also includes Wayne Betts, has been using both individually owned equipment and loaned equipment. The acquisition of necessary equipment is another goal the group has.

The website may be viewed at www.lightkitchen.com.

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Filed Under: Business, Community resources, Gallaudet, Silent News

Editorial: Guess what I just heard?

November 1, 2000

Originally appeared in Silent News, November 2000.

By the time I got out of bed on the morning of Sept. 28, I had five e-mails waiting to tell me about Eric Plunkett’s tragic murder the day before. By noon, I heard that he was murdered by six girls. Then I heard that he was murdered because he was getting ready to notify officials about a fellow student who had raped six girls. By the time police arrested the main suspect, Thomas Minch, I heard that Plunkett was bludgeoned to death by a sledgehammer by a frenzied Minch, who was angry over a breakup. The person who told me this even argued with me, saying I didn’t have my facts straight (even though I had already gotten the official report).

In truth, the weapon used was a chair, and Minch was released almost immediately due to insufficient evidence.

People constantly expressed shock, anger, disbelief, and sadness in the Plunkett death. Yet, almost every one of them became angry at Minch as soon as he was arrested. Suspects are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. Minch was immediately cast as the guilty party, even though he was only a suspect.

Fellow students and people who knew Minch said one of two things: ”I can’t believe he’d do anything like this,” or, “That was so sick of him to do this.”

Can you imagine? Minch is forever ruined by this experience. He comes from a deaf family in New Hampshire. Can you imagine how difficult this is for the family, especially within the close-knit deaf community? How difficult it is for the people who attended camp with Minch? How difficult it is for classmates of Minch from both The Learning Center and Gallaudet? How difficult it is for Eric Plunkett’s family (who has astounded me with their positive attitudes throughout this tragedy)?

I’ve seen how a rush to judge someone can affect a family. Some years ago, a classmate of mine was arrested by the FBI in a sting for selling pornography over the Internet. He was quickly labeled by both the local media and the deaf community as a sick and deranged person. This was a guy I had grown up with and shared so much with. His family, also a deaf family, was immediately bombarded with either anger or support. Later, it was found that he was indeed innocent. However, no matter what, even today he is talked about behind his back. His whole family is still talked about by people. I see people signing in hushed signs whenever one of the family members walks by. I have seen the pain this guy has gone through for someone else’s mistake. All for the sake of gossip.

Many deaf leaders are also victims of the curse of gossip. No matter what and no matter how honest they may be, deaf leaders are always talked about. Why?

More often than not, it’s the work of a very few people. One deaf leader screws up, they all get stereotyped. There are certainly a few deaf leaders or directors who have set precedents for future directors or leaders. I’ve worked at an agency where the deaf director was the most dishonest person I had ever worked with, and quite arrogant in his beliefs that he wouldn’t get caught (he did).

Rumors are just incredible. They destroy relationships, destroy confidence and trust, and sadly, too often, destroy lives. They also cause unnecessary harm.

When I was a sophomore at Gallaudet, I went on spring break to Cancun with 15 others. One of our group members got killed in a freak jeep accident. When I arrived at school from Cancun, I walked up to my room and went straight to the TTY to call my mother and let her know of what had happened. The very minute I sat down to start dialing, my doorbell flashed. It was the girl (actually, she was nearly 40, so I suppose I should say she was a woman) from next door, saying with wide eyes, “I heard your group killed someone!” This was literally four minutes after I had arrived and two minutes after I had set down my suitcase. How in the world did she hear so fast? And how in the world did she have the guts to come to my door and say that? Needless to say, I rudely slammed the door in her face and called my mother.  She never spoke to me after that.

So, what to do?

When you hear rumors about people, check your facts. Ask the people, and if you don’t feel comfortable asking them—then it’s really none of your business, anyway. Or here’s a radical idea: ignore them. You’ll sleep better at night. I promise.

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Filed Under: Culture, Editorial, Gallaudet, Silent News

Editorial: What a start!

October 1, 2000

Originally appeared in Silent News, October 2000.

A few weeks ago, I drove from Chicago to Mount Laurel, N.J., to start my new job here at the newspaper. I had gotten lousy directions off the web—so at 1:00 a.m., I was lost in a new town in a new state. I got fed up with driving aimlessly up and down Route 73 trying to find my hotel, so I decided to make a u-turn (turns out they’re very illegal in this area) and got busted by a local policeman. Luckily, he didn’t ticket me. Even so, he was dumbfounded about how to communicate with me, and kept trying to make me lipread with the sirens flashing behind his head. I gestured for him to write, pointing to the lights. He then shone his flashlight upon his face—keep in mind his car was next to my truck with the lights flashing directly behind his head—and said, “Does this help?”

After agreeing with me that lipreading was probably useless, he admitted he had no idea of where I was supposed to go either. So, I paged a friend back in Chicago and finally got the correct directions.

The hotel office closed at 11:00 p.m., so late arrivals were expected to dial a specific number to call someone to come and open the door. I had called twice prior to my arrival to confirm my late arrival, and was told both times that they would make alternate arrangements for me with absolutely no problem.

I arrived at my hotel only to find that the office did not leave a note or key for me.

So, here I was, at 2:00 a.m., stranded.  I dialed the number repeatedly and stared blankly into the receiver each time, hoping that the other person would realize there was someone at the door. No luck. I once again used my pager (how did I ever survive before I got my pager?) and had someone call the office for me. At 2:30 a.m., I finally got the key to my room—and didn’t get to bed until 3:30 a.m. because of unloading my car, getting settled in, and trying to relax a little.

A few hours later, I started my first day at Silent News.

In thinking about that night, I’ve come to realize that even though we’ve come a long way in accessibility and equality, we’ve still got a lot of ignorance and inaccessibility going on. And that ignorance makes for a lot of frustration, especially at 2:00 a.m.

Even so, Silent News has been there for many of these changes or frustrations for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing community, and for many of the milestones in my life.

I started reading Silent News when I was a young child. I can’t really remember how or where. Maybe my parents subscribed, or I read it at school. Either way, I remember regularly checking the magazine rack in the “hearing impaired office” (as it was known back then) at my high school to see if Silent News or any other publication of interest had arrived. I would sit and pore through those publications inch by inch, drinking up every bit of information—and dreaming about where I would be going in the community. This was how I learned about our deaf leaders, our deaf people, and our events, and I would then share the information with the other 75 deaf students at my school.

That thrill of learning, that thrill of dreaming, and that thrill of reading about someone or someplace you know is something I hope to revive with Silent News. Even with all the instant news we receive through e-mail, the web, and TV, there’s still nothing like the feel of a new issue of Silent News that you can sit and read.

Silent News will be going through some changes. You may like them. Or you may not. Either way, we hope to have more original stories, more variety in our stories, and a more uniform look.

We want to make sure you get your money’s worth, and enjoy our paper. Also, if you’re interested in writing for us, we would be thrilled to have you on board.

I also need you to tell me what fonts you like or don’t like. What pictures do you want to see more of?  What stories would you like to see? What don’t you like? (By the way, we will be changing our logo in time for the next issue, hopefully—keep your eyes open for that!)

I’d also like to be able to have more diversity in our writers. Not all of our writers will be on a regular basis. Some will write only a few times a year, and others will write on a monthly basis. But I think you’ll agree that each brings a unique perspective to the newspaper.

Please know that this is your newspaper. I want to  produce a newspaper that meets your expectations.

Most of all, I hope to be able to make a difference for another person just like that Deaf child I was years ago.

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Filed Under: Business, Childhood, Culture, Editorial, Silent News Tagged With: ,

Wynd Communications responds to customer service complaints

October 1, 2000

Originally appeared in Silent News, October 2000.

Wynd Communications, a division of GoAmerica, Inc., is the deaf/hard of hearing community’s largest supplier of two-way pagers in the United States. WyndTell’s enormous growth in the deaf/hard of hearing community has generated numerous complaints about the company’s lack of customer service. Roger Willkins, director of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Advocacy agency in Provo, Utah, sent out a request via e-mail and the agency’s website for information from customers having experienced problems with Wynd Communications and WyndTell pagers.

The website had received 116 responses as of Sept. 21,  consisting primarily of customers frustrated with not getting live customer help, or the lack of coverage for pagers. Willkins said, “When I heard their stories, I had tears in my eyes. Some of them suffered more than what I went through.”

Wilkins also said, “I only sent my request to a few people, asking if they had similar complaints. That was all—and yet I got 116 complaints. The purpose of this website was simply to pressure WyndTell to improve their service. That was all.”

Dan Luis, the president and chief executive officer of Wynd Communications since January 1998, wrote an open letter to the public in response to the complaints, where he lists several steps the company has taken to correct the difficulties. Some of these steps include increasing staff, having a quicker response time, and increasing the usage of online assistance at its website.

Luis said, “There are two realities at work here. Reality #1 is that in some areas of the customer experience, Wynd has stumbled and this has created frustration on the part of our customers. For this we have apologized and have created a mechanism through the open letter as posted on our website for those customers to get priority assistance in addressing their concerns. Reality #2 is that the vast majority of WyndTell subscribers are extremely satisfied with the service. In fact, last month alone 41% of our new customers came to us as a direct referral of another WyndTell subscriber.”

Wynd, based in San Luis Obispo, Calif., recently added John Archdeacon as the vice president of customer satisfaction in July. “He brings 19 years of experience to [customer satisfaction] in addition to having won personal and corporate awards for world class customer service in the software industry,” Luis said.

Hours of customer service will be expanded to accommodate differences in time zones. Luis added, “For our East Coast customers, it’s frustrating for them to call Wynd at 8 a.m. and not reach anyone because our business hours are 8-5 Pacific.” The company’s staff also has grown from 22 to 50, with 15% being deaf/hard of hearing and 30% dedicated to customer service.

WyndTell is also working on establishing an office on the eastern coast. “[The office] will serve as a central place for us to interact with customers in the east. We will be able to schedule training sessions, customer demonstrations, etc., from this facility and I think it’s vital that we reinforce our commitment to the community through these kind of activities.”

Wilkins said, “The president and CEO Dan Luis has invited me to visit his company. I am interested in seeing them improve a lot, and I am willing to help them with this. I think WyndTell wants their good reputation back. But I am afraid some of it is permanently damaged and they will have to work 10 times harder to regain their reputation.”

Luis said, “We plan to be around for a long time and I am grateful that we have chosen to serve this market. The rewards of changing the lives of thousands of customers all across America has been powerful and we’re grateful to those subscribers that have chosen Wynd over other options.”

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Filed Under: Business, Silent News

Wiser and more experienced, attorney hits campaign trail

October 1, 2000

Originally appeared in Silent News, October 2001.

Kelby Brick, an attorney who is deaf, is again running for a seat on the Greenbelt City Council in Maryland.

Brick ran for City Council two years ago but lost by fewer than 200 votes.

“As a deaf person, I understand the need to make all aspects of the government inclusive of all of its citizens. This means honoring, recognizing and meeting the needs and uniqueness of a diverse community,” Brick said.

Brick’s campaign kicked off with a non-partisan fundraiser co-hosted by Judy C. Stout, President of the Maryland Deaf and Hard of Hearing Democratic Club, and Gallaudet University President Dr. I. King Jordan.

“Two years ago, Kelby ran without any real organization or fundraising. He lost by fewer than 200 votes, so I knew that if he had support and funds, he had a very good chance to win,” Jordan said in an e-mail. “It will be a wonderful message to everyone, deaf and hearing, when he wins. Deaf people can do anything but hear!”

The fundraiser, which brought approximately 30 people, was only the beginning of Brick’s campaign. “Kelby has become more knowledgeable and has expanded his efforts to involve more people,” campaign manager Dan Brubaker said. “He’s also gotten more proficient with Greenbelt issues.”

The campaign team participated in Greenbelt’s Labor Day parade on Monday, Sept. 3, with Brick and his wife and son riding in a red convertible and approximately 15 campaign team members walking along while distributing flyers and throwing out campaign logo Frisbees, Brubaker said.

Brick, who originally hails from Pennsylvania, graduated from the Model Secondary School for the Deaf in 1989, and earned his bachelor’s degree in government from Gallaudet in 1993. It was at Gallaudet that Brick started his involvement in politics as Student Congress Speaker, among several other extracurricular activities. “Kelby was always an activist and a leader,” remembered Jordan. “He has those characteristics that many deaf people who were raised in homes where there were no communication barriers and there was confidence and self-esteem present. He’s bright and ambitious.”

After earning a law degree from Temple University, becoming the first deaf person to do so at the school, Brick moved back to Maryland. Prior to establishing his current private practice, Brick worked as legal counsel for the National Association of the Deaf’s Government Affairs department, and co-authored Legal Rights: The Guide for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People.

George Schroeder is one of the residents in Greenbelt who intends to vote for Brick. “I have always wanted to see a deaf person running for political office. I am very glad that a young deaf man like Kelby Brick wants to run.”

Schroeder said he was especially impressed with Brick’s commitment to specific issues. “Greenbelt is a fine city to live in. Still, more improvements are needed, e.g. more protected bike paths, better safety on the streets during the day and after dark, and reduced crime, especially auto-theft.”

Brick’s main focuses include education, safety, environment and Greenbelt’s city budget. “I intend to ensure that those issues are being addressed proactively. Greenbelt is a truly special town and its residents deserve a responsive council willing to face those issues head-on,” Brick said.

Stout feels Brick has a solid future. “He, by nature, is a bright young fellow on his way up. One has to be special with unique skills and the ‘know-hows’ to successfully win a political campaign and to be ready to represent his constituencies on the Greenbelt City Council,” she commented. “Kelby is ready to do it, and he will make us proud, showing the world that as a deaf person he happens to be, he can rise to the occasion just as good as anybody in the general mainstream, and do a heck of a good job with his political, then civic responsibilities.”

Brick said a few factors contribute to his commitment to Greenbelt: “Persistence, the desire for public service, and the support of my family, friends and others in the community.” He hopes to gain the vote of the estimated 3,500 deaf residents of Greenbelt, which is located about 15 minutes from Washington, D.C. “I am running against five incumbents, which makes it very difficult. But with the community’s support I am confident that the election results will be favorable,” he said.

Jordan agrees. “With work and perseverance, he’ll really go places.”

The Brick campaign has a website at www.kelbybrick.com.

Copyrighted material. This article can not be copied, reproduced, or redistributed without the written consent of the author.

Filed Under: Business, Politics, Silent News
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