Deaf President Now

“DPN and the Civil Rights Movement” by Benjamin J. Soukup, Chair, Gallaudet University Board of Trustee

admin — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 18:04:12 +0000

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Deaf President Now (DPN) movement, which not only led to the selection of the first deaf president of a deaf university but also inspired a civil-rights movement within the Deaf community that was recognized around the world. DPN brought to light in a very public forum the kinds of oppression and discrimination that deaf and hard-of-hearing people have faced in employment and throughout society. On a much broader scale, this movement was a catalyst for equal rights, equal opportunity, and equal access for all people with disabilities and helped to inspire the eventual passage of the landmark legislation known as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. Gallaudet University’s Board of Trustees acknowledges the powerful and historical significance of this event and joins you in celebrating this milestone.

Watch the DPN 20th Anniversary Banquet via Internet

admin — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 14:36:47 +0000

If you can’t make it to the DPN 20th Anniversary Banquet you can still join in the festivities. DeafNation will be telecasting the DPN 20th Anniversary Banquet on Saturday evening, March 8th, from 7:30 to 9:30 EST via the internet LIVE at no cost. For more information go to www.deafnation.com

Should DPN be celebrated?

admin — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 14:33:37 +0000

DPN Not to be Forgotten but to be Celebrated by Bridgetta Bourne-Firl

DPN was a movement that moved so many people around the world, resulted into the passage of Americans with Disabilities Act, and became the beacon of hope for so many deaf youth who have never met deaf role models until later in life. People, especially college students, still contact us (the former DPN leaders) for interviews about what happened in 1988 and how it has affected the Deaf Community and the quality of life. The impact has been profound for mainstream students who discovered their new Deaf identity when they are in high school or college. The DPN story provides them with a hope they never had before. Our community needs something positive, something to remember, something to celebrate about.The Martin Luther King’s legacy continues as a positive way to remember and to provide the younger generation with hope (in spite the struggles that African American community still faces).The spirit of the Deaf President Now movement must not be forgotten. The DPN wasn’t about King Jordan. It was about a civil rights movement that provided paradigm shift in

America and other countries. By celebrating DPN, we reflect what has happened since 1988. Editor Matthew Moore of DEAFLIFE magazine sent me an excellent “review” of what happened during the last 20 years. Those are what I expect my alma mater to take a lead in recognizing the successes and challenges of the past 20 years. Like Matthew Moore wrote:

“So much has happened in the Deaf community since DPN. A few things that come to mind:* the revolution in text-pagers, videophones, Webcams, blogs, and wireless communications as a direct benefit for deaf people, AND the continued lack of open-captioning in Internet video streams as an obstacle;* the growth of TRS, AND the inaccessibility of cellphones;* the growth of ASL scholarship, Deaf Studies, sign-language courses for hearing high-school and college students, new books, the field of ASL poetics, and establishment of several new Bi-Bi (ASL/English Bilingual) schools, AND the increase in mainstreaming and strict-oral programs like Auditory-Verbal Therapy, spurred by the boom in pediatric cochlear implants, and the downsizing and closure of more traditional schools for the deaf due to shrinking enrollments;* the boom in “Baby Signs” multimedia courses, classes, and books aimed at hearing parents of hearing babies, with the recognition of early-education professionals that sign language benefits their acquisition of communication skills, AND the adamant anti-signing position taken by clinicians, audiologists, etc., who still counsel parents of deaf children not to use signing because it will interferes with their cognitive/speech development.* the 2006 “Unity for Gallaudet” protests (which have inevitably been compared to DPN, and the turnaround in Dr. Jordan’s reputation as a result of “Black Friday”), and the changes that have occurred since Dr. Davila was appointed Interim President;* the temporary spike in public awareness as a result of DPN, AND the continued problems faced by Deaf citizens with police and the justice system (as exemplified in Doug Bahl’s recent ordeal).* the fierce opposition of the Gallaudet

University campus community to Zinser, Spilman, and Fernandes (and Board chairs Spilman, Baldwin, and Brueggemann)—can this be seen as a gender issue?How has DPN influenced public attitudes towards deaf people? In what was the effect temporary? In what ways lasting? How far we’ve come, how far we haven’t . . . We have much to celebrate, though, and we definitely want to emphasize the significance of DPN as an unforgettable, historic, one-of-a-kind event. Keep in mind that we have a new generation of Deaf adults who have no firsthand memory of DPN. Most of the “Unity” protesters were toddlers or young children when DPN occurred; those now entering adulthood weren’t yet born.” Bridgetta and Matthew said it all. As you can see, there is much more to celebrate than just Jordan. So, come on down and join the celebration. If you can’t make it, catch it on the internet at www.DeafNation.com. For more info go to the website: www.dpn20.com . To read the book go to www.triumphofthespirit.com .

Should Jordan be on the DPN 20th Anniversary program?

admin — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 15:40:03 +0000

Should Jordan be on the DPN20 program? Since the announcement of the DPN20 Banquet to be held on March 8th, folks have been asking that question. The answer is no, Jordan is not on the program. He will be recognized if he decides to attend the celebration.

DPN was NOT about Jordan - he happened to be in the right place at the right time. DPN was about us, the Deaf community. Yes, Gallaudet finally had a president who was ‘Deaf’ but the Deaf community has accomplished much more over the last 20 years as a result of the Deaf President Now movement.

What do YOU think. Should Jordan be on the program or not?

DPN 20th Anniversary Celebration

admin — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 05:05:37 +0000

Our Dream Lives On

20^th Anniversary DPN Banquet

Saturday, March 8^th, 2008, 5 pm – 10 pm

Kellogg Center on Gallaudet Campus

www.dpn20.com

In 1988 we had a dream, a dream for a Deaf president. Working together we made our dream come true. Twenty years later our dream lives on. Come join Greg Hlibok, Tim Rarus, Bridgetta Bourne-Firl and many others as we celebrate our heritage and what we can accomplish when we all work together. Let us make new dreams and work toward making these dreams come true. DPN20 promises to be an exciting event.

In conjunction with the DPN20 celebration a forum will be held Saturday morning, March 8^th, from 8 am to 3 pm, “Making Gallaudet Strong: Recommendations from the Community.” This is a great opportunity for us to be proactive and give Gallaudet suggestions on what WE can do to increase student enrollment and enhance Gallaudet’s image.

We hope you will join us for this forum.Tickets for the 20^th Anniversary DPN Banquet can be purchased on-line at www.dpn20.com and are just $70. After February 28^th tickets are $90 and can only be purchased at the door (if available). There are only 250 tickets available so get your tickets soon.

A major corporate sponsor for the 20^th Anniversary DPN Banquet is CSDVRS (www.csdvrs.com). Additional sponsors are R&R Publishers, publishers of Triumph of the Spirit: The DPN Chronicle (www.triumphofthespirit.com), The Angel Ramos Foundation (www.angelramosfoundation.org), Deaf Life Magazine (www.deaflife.com) and DeafNation (www.deafnation.com). DeafNation will telecast the program throughout the nation via the internet.

What do you think? Should we celebrate or not?