THE DEAF COLORADAN
E-Newsletter
April – June 2015
Volume 1 Issue 2
PO Box 370294
Denver, Colorado 80237
www.cadeaf.org
CAD Facebook
Hello! Summer is already here & the hot weather is just beginning! You all have a very nice
summer doing many things along with your vacations. Avis Taylor DuPree, Editor
The CAD Board would like to share the highlights of what we have done in the last quarter.
From President’s Desk
By Jennifer Pfau
Greetings!
It was a wonderful retreat weekend when you actually
watched the snowfall covering the grounds in mid-May
surrounded with like-minded folks dedicated to make a
difference for the community. The scenery was beautiful. A
sincere special thanks to Mark Greco who has allowed the
board to use his home for the retreat in Bailey, CO. The
board of directors had its retreat tackling a real good agenda.
Top of the list was creating viable and sustainable roadmap
for the future addressing specific areas including programs
and services, external relations, communications,
fundraising and development, finance and governance.
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Back row: Gary Etkie, Board
Front row: Bev Buchanan, Board; Avis Taylor DuPree,
Secretary; Jennifer Pfau, President; Albert Tharpe, III,
Board; Chris Johnson, Board; and Larry Pike, Treasurer
Missing: Paul Simmons, Vice President
Highlights of the Retreat include:
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Election of new Vice President: Paul Simmons is officially the new Vice President.
Mission and Vision Statement proposed by the CAD Rejuvenation Committee chaired by Noel Rivera.
The board adopted the new mission and vision statements.
Core Values
Program Development:
o Education: Paul Simmons
o Youth Program: Beverly Buchanan
o Community Outreach & Education: Albert Tharpe III
Budget Review and Approval
Fundraising planning
Communication: website, public relation, social media
The board left the retreat energized, confident, and most importantly with a tangible action plan. If you are
interested to become a volunteer to carry out the action plan, please do not hesitate to contact one of us!
New Vision and Mission Statements
Vision:
Deaf Coloradans have equal access to civil and human rights, responsibilities, and opportunities available to all
citizens using American Sign Language.
Mission:
The Colorado Association of the Deaf will advance the civil and human rights for all Deaf people in Colorado
through the Veditz Policy Institute by dissemination and training on research findings about educational,
vocational, linguistic, and social issues for policy development and legislation.
Inspired Change Grant
The Inspired Change Grant has been completed by The Colorado Association of the Deaf, Rocky Mountain
School of the Deaf and Hands & Voice and submitted the final report to the Colorado Commission for the Deaf
and Hard of Hearing. President Pfau will share this report at the AGM meeting on October 3, 2015.
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Community Outreach
CAD Kitchen Talk: Fair Housing Act
By Avis Taylor DuPree
On April 11, 2015 CAD hosted Kitchen Talk: Fair Housing Act at SAC and the speakers gave the lecture about
your civil rights with Fair Housing Act. The federal Fair Housing Act protects your right to rent an apartment,
buy a house, obtain a mortgage, or purchase homeowners insurance free from discrimination based on race, color,
religion, gender, national origin, and disability.
Housing discrimination may be:
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A refusal to sell, rent, or show available housing
Requiring different terms and conditions for identical dwellings, i.e. charging higher rent, security deposit
for different tenants
Being told that housing isn’t available in an apartment with a “For Rent” sign
Familial Status (having children in the home under the age of 18)
Race
Color
Religion
National origin
Gender
Disability
Marital Status
If you or know someone who have experienced housing discrimination, please call 720-279-4291, email at
[email protected], or write a letter to Denver Metro Fair Housing Center, 3401 Quebec Street, STE #6009, Denver,
CO 80207. If you want more information, you may read its website, http://www.dmfhc.org/.
Boulder Valley School District Information Fair
By Albert Tharpe, III
Board Albert Tharpe, III, Community Outreach volunteer, represented CAD at Boulder Valley School District
Informational Fair on Tuesday, April 14th. Albert met several families and he provided the information about
CAD and Jr NAD Winter Retreat to the parents of deaf teenagers.
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ASL Fest at Rocky Mountain Deaf School
By Paul Simmons
The Colorado Association of the Deaf participated at the ASL Community Festival organized by DOVE (Deaf
Overcoming Violence through Empowerment) at the Rocky Mountain Deaf School on May 2 2015. The CAD
was represented at the Festival by President Jennifer Pfau and the Board of CAD. The day was a successful one
with many people coming to the event.
The theme of the presentation by Paul Simmons and the
CAD Board was entitled “Embracing and Celebrating
ASL.” The presentation was attended by about 30 people
and was very well received.
The presentation covered the history of Sign language in
Education before the infamous International Congress on
the Education of the Deaf (ICED) in Milan, Italy in 1880.
Before Milan 1880, there were many successful Deaf
people. Many Deaf people became Lawyers, Doctors,
Writers, Philosophers, Astronomers, Educators, Book
Publishers, Musicians, Inventors, and so much more. After
Milan 1880 the focus was shifted from education through
President Jennifer Pfau
sign language, to focus on speech, banning sign language in
the classroom. The Deaf community reacted to the banning
of the use of sign language in the classroom in different ways such as the founding of the National Association
of the Deaf.
A short video clip by George W. Veditz, the founder of
CAD was also shown. In the video clip, Veditz pleaded that
the Deaf community should cherish and protect our
beautiful sign language as the noblest gift from God.
It was not until 1960 that that two amazing things happened.
First of all, Dr. William Stokoe showed that the sign
language used by Deaf people in the USA was actually a
language and was named American Sign Language.
Secondly, the US government’s Department of Education
issued the “Babbidge Report,” which showed that the Oral
method was a failure.
With these two events, research into American Sign
Vice President Paul Simmons
Language as an instructional method for Deaf children
started. This led to the launch of the Bilingual Approach—where ASL is used alongside with written English—
by Ella Mae Lentz, MJ Bienvenu, and Marie Jean Philip. Today, more and more schools for the Deaf are accepting
the Bilingual Method of instruction for Deaf children in the USA.
At the 21st meeting of the ICED in Vancouver in 2010, 130 years after the same congress banned the use of Sign
Language in Deaf education, the ICED issued a public apology for banning the use of Sign Language in the
Education of the Deaf and issued their Statement of Principle and Accord for the Future.
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The purpose of this presentation was to educate the audience about the history of Sign Language—and later
named ASL in 1960—and how it survived oppression since 1880 and is being recognized as an effective method
of instruction along with written English now. We are now in our "celebratory" mode BUT there is still work to
do to ensure that our Deaf children are not denied their right to education.
Eva Arnold Fraser Memorial Outstanding Student-Athlete Award
by Avis Taylor DuPree
CAD’s Eva Arnold Fraser Memorial Outstanding Student-Athlete
Award is an annual award at the Colorado School for the Deaf and the
Blind Sport Award Night. It is awarded to the female and/or male
students, who participate in three (3) sports, have a G.P.A. of 3.5 or
better, put in effort in practices and games, contribute to the team and
exemplify good sportsmanship/leadership. On May 28th Vice
President Paul Simmons presented the 2015 Eva Arnold Fraser
Memorial Outstanding Student-Athlete Award to Elijah Mejia. Hands
waving to Elijah
Vice President Paul Simmons with the
awardee, Elijah Mejia
KODA Day at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs
By Beverly Buchanan
The Colorado Association of the Deaf hosted a KODA DAY
at the Cheyenne Zoo on May 30th, 2015 from 10:45am – 5pm.
There were approximately 25 people showed up. The zoo was
supposed to provide us with an interpreter but they did not so
Mandie Smith was happy to volunteer. We started the tour at
11:00 am by entering the penguin and hippo buildings. We
learned that the hippos sweat blood which causes their skin to
look red as part of their sun screen. Hippos are under the sun
most of the day.
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We enjoyed feeding the giraffes some lettuce and were
fascinated with their long black tongue. The tour guide
explained that giraffe’s tongue is black as they eat 18 hours
a day. The black color on their tongue is their sun screen.
After giraffes, we saw meerkats, lions and a petting zoo.
KODA Children were able to pet turtles and hedgehogs.
After that, all of us rode on the 1932 carousel to cool us off
from the noon sun then we met at the picnic area close by.
All of us brought our own lunch and water was given out as
well as snacks.
After lunch, the families could stay and explore the zoo on
their own until 5pm.
Everyone had a great time. Our next gathering will be this coming August at a splash area in Colorado Springs.
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The CAD Board Members, Bev Buchanan and Paul Simmons, are involved in Community Awareness.
Colorado Springs Deaf Social gathering at Mother Muff
By Paul Simmons
A monthly gathering of Deaf people in Colorado Springs is organized—by
Walter Von Feldt, Paul Simmons, and Beverly Buchanan—on every first Friday
on the month and different places in Colorado Springs. On June 5, the theme of
the Colorado Springs Deaf Social (CSDS) was ASL Night Out at Mother Muffs
Bar and Restaurant.
There were about 50 Deaf people at this ASL
Night Out at Mother Muffs where most people
told funny stories and jokes in ASL and a good
time was had by all. To know more about the
Colorado Springs Deaf Social, be sure to check
CSDS’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Colorado-SpringsDeaf-Social/336296233241999) at least a week before the first Friday of the
month and the next event will be posted on this site. There will be no CSDS get
together in July 2015 BUT the next get together may be on August 7, 2015 at a
place yet to be determined.
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New Case: Deaf Patients Sue Interpreting Agency For Providing
Uncertified Sign Language Interpreters
By Sophie Breene | Jun 25, 2015
Published on Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center (CREEC) news on CREEC website, creeclaw.org
Three Deaf Coloradans and the husband of one of them filed a lawsuit today in the Arapahoe County District
Court against A&A Languages of Centennial, Colorado alleging that A&A violated the Colorado Consumer
Protection Act by assigning individuals to interpret for medical and other professional appointments when the
individuals lacked required certification from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID).
The Colorado Consumer Protection Act specifies that it is a
“deceptive trade practice” to claim to be a “sign language
interpreter” if the person is not RID certified.
The lawsuit claims that A&A’s use of uncertified interpreters
resulted in significant frustration, confusion, and distress for
Nicki and Kris Runge, Avi Haimowitz, and Ami Garry and her
partner, all of whom, excepting Mr. Runge, are Deaf.
A&A sent uncertified and unqualified individuals to interpret for
the plaintiffs in complex and sensitive situations, including a
meeting with social services, an infertility counseling session,
and a class required as part of the adoption process. Having to
deal with unprofessional and incompetent interpreters
multiplied the stress of these already emotional situations.
“It is unfortunately common for medical providers in particular
to hire foreign language interpreting agencies who are not
familiar with the communication needs of people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, and who send uncertified
individuals claiming to be ‘sign language interpreters,’” explained Amy Robertson, Co-Executive Director of the
Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center and counsel for the plaintiffs. “Indeed, A&A has a contract with
Denver Health, Jefferson County Social Services, and Adams County. These entities are all at risk of violating
Consumer Protection Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.”
Kris and Nicki Runge, two of the plaintiffs in this case.
Certified interpreters not only possess the sophisticated language skills necessary to discuss complex matters,
they also are required to adhere to certain standards of professionalism and confidentiality designed to ensure that
consumers who are Deaf or hard of hearing receive effective communication in medical, social services, and
business contexts.
“Charging businesses to provide ill-equipped communication services is unfortunate,” stated Jennifer Pfau,
President of the Colorado Association of the Deaf. “Deaf consumers — who are best-situated to determine the
quality of interpretation services — are often left out of an essentially financial decision to hire the cheapest
agency, while legal protections are ignored. This needs to be addressed with the interpreting business to ensure
quality services are provided for effective communication.”
The case, Runge v. A&A Languages, LLC, 2015-cv-31592, was filed in the Arapahoe County District Court on
June 25, 2015.
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The Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center is investigating A&A Languages, a translation
service that also provides ASL interpreters to doctors, hospitals and businesses.
If you are Deaf or hard of hearing and have had an experience with an interpreter provided by A&A,
please contact us at [email protected].
The Colorado Association of the Deaf Board
Officers
President (2015) ……………………………………………….……………….. Jennifer Pfau
Vice President (2016) ………………………………………….……………….. Paul Simmons
Secretary (2015) ………………………………………………………………... Avis Taylor DuPree
Treasurer (2016) ………………………………………………………………... Larry Pike
Board of Directors
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Beverly Buchanan
Gary Etkie
Albert Tharpe, III
Chris Johnson
Please feel free to share out newsletter to your friends. They can subscribe the e-newsletters by
contacting Secretary Avis Taylor DuPree at [email protected].
THE DEAF COLORADAN E-Newsletter is issued every three months. If you are interested to be
an editor of THE DEAF COLORADAN E-Newsletter, contact Secretary Avis.
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