Advocacy – Page 71 – Delaware Association of the Deaf (DAD)

December 20, 2020

Judge Spikes Deaf Woman’s ADA Suit Over Clinic’s Uncertified ASL Interpreter

A federal judge in Atlanta dismissed an Americans with Disabilities Act complaint filed by a deaf woman who sought somewhat urgent treatment at a urology clinic that—despite scrambling to find an interpreter on short notice—was only able to provide someone who was noncertified in American Sign Language (ASL).

Read on at https://www.law.com/dailyreportonline/2020/12/15/judge-spikes-deaf-womans-ada-suit-over-clinics-uncertified-asl-interpreter/?slreturn=20201120153213 or http://nwadacenter.org/news/ada-news-december-16-2020.

December 20, 2020

Masks are keeping a deaf veteran who reads lips unemployed

JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Some people remain unemployed because they are in a high-risk category if they contract COVID-19, or at taking care of someone who is.

Some may be waiting to go back to their job before the pandemic.

Some, like Mike Ayersman, can’t find a job that suits their skills or was negatively impacted during the pandemic.

“Every time I go out in public, it’s, ‘try to find a job.’ I can’t communicate with anybody,” Ayersman said.

Ayersman is a disabled veteran. He lost the majority of his hearing while serving overseas.

“I’m actually really, really deaf,” Ayersman said. “I was injured in Iraq and lost all of my hearing. So I have to read lips.”

Read the rest of the story at https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/masks-are-keeping-a-deaf-veteran-who-reads-lips-unemployed/77-2b96f77d-56c0-4c23-87ce-7ef321a4e308.

December 20, 2020

Deaf professionals sign letter calling out ‘The Stand’ for lack of inclusion: ‘Enough is enough’

A group of deaf entertainment industry professionals has called out the CBS All Access series “The Stand” for not casting a deaf actor in a deaf role.

The new adaptation of Stephen King’s epic includes a deaf character, Nick Andros, who is played by a hearing actor, Henry Zaga. Another hearing actor, Rob Lowe, played the character in the 1990s “The Stand” miniseries.

“As a Black Deaf filmmaker/TV Creator, advocate of diversity & inclusion, acting instructor, & creator/owner of #Deaftalent campaign, I believe in change. It shouldn’t be that difficult to cast the right person for the role,” activist and owner of the #DeafTalent® trademark, Jade Bryan, wrote on Twitter.

The tweet included a letter signed by industry professionals calling out the series for its lack of inclusion and a refusal to watch or support the show.

Read the rest at https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2020/12/18/the-stand-deaf-professionals-sign-letter-calling-out-cbs-show/3956524001.