Deaf Think Tank in the Bay Area


Greetings! In my “Afterthoughts” video, I mentioned we needed to get Deaf clubs back as places for Deaf people to gather together regularly. This new video shows how the Deaf club concept can be revisited with a “Deaf Think Tank”. This video was made for a workshop at the NAD conference recently and shows members of this particular Deaf Think Tank as they reflect on their first year gathering together.

10 comments

  • Me is the Ridor 18 years ago

    Gordon: You focused on the negative perceptions. I grew up in deaf clubs. I find them to be gratifying in all aspects of my life.

    Backstabbing is part of life. You deal with it as time goes. Backstabbing does not conform to the deaf community only. As a child, I remember how bad gossips people did at several church functions.

    So Gordon, it is obvious that you have a personal grudge about something else that has nothing to do with the idea of having a deaf club in a positive manner.

    R-

    Reply
  • Tom Halseth 18 years ago

    The idea of a stimulating group conversation is great. There is a term for it and it is called a “Salon.” You can check and compare the terminology for “think tank ” and “salon” in wikipedia and decide for yourself. I think “Salon” is what you have.

    Reply
  • Tim Hickerson 18 years ago

    “Talking about backstabbing” go to Ridorlive.com
    Have fun!

    Reply
  • Paul Kiel 18 years ago

    There are million kinds of people. There are happy people. There are sad people. There are not depressed people. There are depressed people. There are honest ones. There are dishonest ones. There are talkers. There are does. There are supporters. There are enemies. There are gossipers. There are non-gossipers. The list would go on and on of all kinds of people.

    The bottom line is brotherhood. We can work together and get over the differences. We are all human being!

    Please focus energy on educating the public our rights and revoke the 1880 Milan resolution! ASL is to be put back in classrooms around the globe!

    ASL is the answer and the dignitiy of deaf will be back in business.

    Naysayers and doomsayers need to study “WHO MOVED MY CHEESE?” It is interesting story and how it affects us all.

    We can adapt to the changes and move on!
    IF not, the door is right there! =^)

    I have been in many Deaf clubs from sea to shining sea. It is a kind of shrine for the deaf community. We need one and we need a sense of belonging in our culture.

    We need to reflect on our proud Deaf heritage as well as culture.

    We need a place where we can let our hairs down and chat like a human being. We need to play games. We need to socialize. We need to party. We need to empower ourselves. We need education. We need meetings. We need advocacy. We need support from every Deaf human being on this globe. We need beliefs in our culture as to what the truth is among ASL users.

    When I was student at NTID, I always pushed for some kind of think tank group… what could be called Deaf Forensics….*sigh* it was an uphill battle with Dr. William Castle about how the education system should be….we fought for bible studies and other courses that would help develop “scholarship” (think think think think)… Dr. Robert Frisina asked me how can the deaf develop mental prowess of thinking in comprehension and chronological. It is important to tap on intellectual properties of life such as wisdom, biblical, humanitarian and guidance. LIke my father said, “Common Sense”…to make this long note short, I am in favor of think tank. We need a body of deaf individuals to set the course for the deaf legacy in America. Like Margaret Mead said, “A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever
    has.”

    This is an example of why we need a think tank. If we had one 126 years ago, audism will not be in place such as oppression and tokenism.

    Thank you for eyeing me out!

    Paul

    Reply
  • Jonathan Uribe 18 years ago

    Really awesome about this. I was goal about plans student for gallaudet univerity. reasons deaf studies and meet new faces differnet the states and culture too. but found about this. Would like interesting about this. open the express and share of people there have millions of the Deaf people. Would be enjoy and experience get improve of the life and people of opinion. i m forwarding about this. keep it up!

    Reply
  • Joey Baer 18 years ago

    Paul – beautiful assessment! I know many people benefit from your comments.

    Tom – What a great way to learn new words! I certainly will compare Salon and Think Tank. Paul also menionted other terminology, “Deaf Forensics”!

    Whatever we call it, it definitely increased our way of thinking! Maybe will make a comment in my upcoming vlog. Thanks Paul & Tom!

    Reply
  • Joey Baer 18 years ago

    Arthur,

    It is not first time that we heard that many Deaf clubs are full of gossip, backstabbing etc… That is WHY we need to revisit Deaf club or think tank concept and make it better.

    Arthur – you appeared to have ALOT of experience and we depend on you and your leadership to turn around on the way Deaf club is being operated. We need to identify why the problems happened at first place. Then we can make Deaf clubs safer place where we can talk about how to help Deaf children to have positive experience than we did!

    I hope we can start and think “out of the box” and become creative on how we can turn the negative experience into positive experience! Thank you Arthur for sharing your experience.

    I still have faith and hope in ALL Deaf people!

    Joey

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  • Tim Hickerson 18 years ago

    Think tank is one of the important factors that Deaf culture has always been having in their community of ” by, of and for the Deaf” organizations. Think Tank can be very beneficial to many of us Deaf who seeketh guidance and truth. I think I would like to make one thing clear for everyone to know that “backstabbing and slandering” isn’t the key. Be the good acting leaders of our community. Be careful out there.

    Reply
  • Mark Hill 18 years ago

    As the Vice President of the Cerebral Palsy and Deaf Organization (CPADO), I see how important is to have a salon or think tank to be involved in a deaf community to express themselves and share with including all aspects like deaf people who have second disabilties such as blindness, cerebral palsy , developmentally challenges, etc.
    I was at the NAD conference this summer as a delegate for CPADO and a co-presenter of the presentation called People with Cerebral Palsy in the Deaf Community. I pointed out at the presentation that – It is evident that some people with cerebral palsy are in the core membership of the Deaf community because we are Deaf, also and are expected to be interactive and participating in those four categories unavoidably.(Linguistic, social, politcal, and audiological)
    The Deaf members and Deaf members with cerebral palsy need to work together in the partnership and have a very respectful relationship.
    Therefore, we need to work together and be in the process of the deafhood and be part of the salon or think tank for all of us.I encourage the deaf communities to includes those people to be a part of this i call teamwork and support.
    Thanks

    Reply
  • Catherine Davary 18 years ago

    wow… I was in the Bay Area on the weekend when MJ was in town, I saw- I mean- literally saw with my own eyes how PROACTIVE the mere action of just sitting around, drinking wine, being merry, or water for that matter..and just brainstorming, just talking, just collaborating in a group – I left with a promise to myself, it’s not an action plan, but a PROMISE.. I need to pass on the fire of passion to “my people ” down here in LA area.. we’re starved, we’re so isolated down here…. I caught on the fire of passion from you- northern Bay Area Deafies.. now let me continue the fire of love, and passion for US- THE DEAF-

    Reply

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