ATTENTION: JULY 2011 AFA Rally in Washington DC

Check out the Vlog:

http://www.youtube.com/user/AudismFreeAmerica#p/a/u/0/UPDcaYXRRgE

Greetings Everyone, Deaf and Ally Community members across the land, AFA is excited to let you know some news. The AG Bell Association is hosting a conference entitled, Listening and Spoken Symposium. This conference is all about focusing on how to develop things for the ear and the mouth. There will be discussions on how to improve things related to technology, listening and speaking – a variety of topics all focusing on the ears and the mouth (audism). Who will be attending this AG Bell symposium? Audiologists and specialists who focus on a medical approach to our ears and mouths, teachers of the Deaf related to Oralism and speech, others who support AG Bell’s exclusive philosophy of audism. Also, some parents who believe fully in AG Bell’s philosophy of Oralism.

When is this AG Bell symposium taking place? This July 21-23, 2011 – the third week in July.

Where? In Washington, DC. In a very luxurious hotel, the Omni – that is where the AG Bell is hosting their symposium.

AFA is calling upon all Deaf and Ally community members to come on out to this event in Washington, DC. So please mark your calendar for July 21-23. It’s a really important event. So please help spread the news. Its time to stand up! Time for oppression, oppression, oppression to be blown away, away, away so we all may come together and grow tall in our mutual cherishing of sign language.

Why is this important – well, because of all these emerging issues such as Deaf schools being threatened to close, the ISD having pro-Oralism board members join when we know they should have Deaf members who support signing there. Different issues popping up here and there – even on a global level like in Italy where they have tried to degrade LIS to a system of gestures and mime.

Globally – we are global citizens united with our different signed languages, which are BEAUTIFUL. Now it is time to end this constant struggle against oppression – it is time to call us together.

Washington, DC Deaf Community, please come get involved.
Gallaudet community - come. ASL / Deaf Studies majors come too.
NAD CEO Howard – you have been doing a wonderful job taking a stand for Deaf schools and calling on people to get involved. Now I call on you to come join us.
The Deaf community all over from East, MidWest and West coast Bay area – across the U.S. COME. International folks welcome.

If you can not come vlog, keep watch, tap others. Now this is not exclusively for Deaf people only. Hearing allies who cherish and support ASL, you too come. Interpreters come, hearing parents come, Canadians, and other countries – come on down. Cherish, advocate, stand and fight for our beloved protected sign language – Our Deaf culture and our language make up what it means to be a Deaf person. They are our core values.
We will have more vlogs soon giving updates and details. It’s important now for you to mark the dates of July 21-23 so you can make plans to attend - drive, fly, carpool, train - gather to Washingon, DC. See you there. Let freedom roll. Come come come let your spirit grow and be cherished. Just as Veditz envision - we should stand for our ASL. His film showed how we should protect and love our signs. We Deaf people are a GIFT on this Earth.