Congratultions
Luis Alcobia for
Volunteer of the Year
(See on page 4)
Issue; Fall 2010
$5.00 CAD
Free for members
i
nside
EDITOR
notes
The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the policy
of Ontario Association of the Deaf. Articles from OAD NEWS
may be reprinted with permission from the editor and authors.
Submissions may be edited for length and clarity. We reserve
this right.
© 2010 Ontario Association of the Deaf
This issue explores a wide variety of issues. We have Keelin
Carey, who is an employment counsellor. She writes about
finding a job, and gives a few tips on how to get hired and
stay hired. I hope you’ll find the time to read her column,
and send in your questions for the next issue.
We have a personal essay submitted by Bonnie Russell,
who just received her Masters in Social Work from
Gallaudet University. A good read on deconstructing
identity and privilege, something that many of us take for
granted.
A number of good articles but not enough! We need more
from our members, and our readers. Please do send in a
story, article or interesting photo!
On a side note, I came across a few worthy website links to
check out, if you haven’t already.
Deaf Ontario TV - local news coverage on video in ASL!
www.deafontario.tv
The John Maucere Show! Hilarious.
www
.deafnation.com
Enjoy the newsletter and please do give us feedback on
how we can improve.
Lianne Valiquette - Editor
news@deafontario.ca
Board of Directors
President
Christine Ehrlich-Brady
Vice-President
Jackie Plant
Secretary
Vanita Dama
Treasurer
John Mans
Directors at Large
Hernan Guillermo
Shelley Ryall
Staff
Executive Director
Dean Walker
Deaf Outreach Program Client
Advocate
Kevin Canning
Event Planner
Lori Archer
Intra-Community Liaison
Lianne Valiquette
OAD NEWS
Editor and Layout/Design:
Lianne Valiquette
Copy Editor
Lori Archer
Contributors:
Dean Walker
Lori Archer
Christine Ehrlich-Brady
Keelin Carey
Bonnie Russell
SUBMISSION
DEADLINES
January 30 April 30
July 30 October 30
Deaf Outreach Program
www.deafontario.ca/dop
tty 416.413.1093
fax 416.413.4822
CONTACT US
Office:
2395 Bayview Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M2L 1A2
office@deafontario.ca
Ontario Association of the Deaf
www.deafontario.ca
tty 416.513.1893
voice 416.413.9191
fax 416.413.4822
P
resident’s Report
It has been a rewarding experience being the President of
the Ontario Association of the Deaf. It was two years of
transition for us from the old Board to the new Board,
from the previous Executive Director to the new one,
along with some new projects relating to Video Relay
Service and the International Day of Sign Language
Rights. It is not easy to make a one page report on our
events, planning, and promotions.
This year we were busy as we hosted/provided events
like Mayfest, Summit O, the International Day of Sign
Language Rights (Sept. 24/10), as well as our Annual
General Meeting. This year, we invited all youth and staff
from the 2010 Youth Canada Tournament for the Deaf
(YCTD) at the Sir James Whitney School for the Deaf,
Belleville Ontario, to Mayfest (free admission). Next
year we will have the 125th Anniversary OAD dinner.
Belleville Association of the Deaf (BAD) will host the
anniversary dinner in Belleville Ontario. This year the
OAD hosted its first annual charitable golf tournament.
We also participated in special workshops and projects.
They were: Building Bridges The Whole Child 0 to 6
-a Conference for Professionals on the Well Being of
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children and Youth; and
Access and Accommodation: within the Health Care
Facilities of Northwestern Ontario & the Challenges
and Expectations of Patients and Visitors: who are Deaf,
Deafened, or Hard of Hearing.
DCC 2012: John Mans is our DCC 2012 chairperson.
This will promote the coalition of the DCC 2012 and
the Deaf History International Conference that we are
planning to host during the summer of 2012. We held
our first townhall on Thursday, August 26, 2010 with the
purpose to form the Toronto 2012 coalition of World
Deaf Track and Field Championships and the Deaf
History International Conference. To date, we have held
two town halls with the aim of hosting in different cities
across Ontario.
Strategic Planning: On May 15th we hosted a community
forum to collect data on leadership, fundraising, and
volunteering. As part of our Strategic planning, we
would like to see more people to fill OAD Board seats
along with the new position of Sign Language Rights
Director, and Director of DCC 2012. We have some
important issues to deal with such as; promotion of ASL
across Ontario, and our accessibility or lack of it with
current smoke/ fire detectors and other products. We may
restructure our organizational operations once we have
gathered the necessary list of needs, and write grants to do
the work to promote a better Ontario. Together we can
re-invest in our province for a better future.
Canadian Association of the Deaf: Our aim is to work
with the Canadian Association for the Deaf for a better
future. The best moment of my tenure was to witness the
announcement in Vancouver: the New Era and Accord
that rejected the infamous Milan 1880 resolutions and
called for Deaf Participation and Collaboration. One
project, Compliance in the Disability Charity Sector was
done with the aim to produce DVDs. Another project
Deaf Women’s Leadership Conference, is in process and
will be wrapped up in 2011.Currently, CAD is fighting
back against the closure of Newfoundland School for the
Deaf
In the next several months ahead, we are in process to do
the transaction from the old Board members to the new
one. After January 2011, my new role will be the Past
President to give OAD and others our on-going support
and guidance. I want to send my deep gratitude to past
and present staff, board members and to thank you for
your support and belief in OAD. I ask that you remain
enthusiastic and supportive in the New Year and beyond.
Although we have a small number of staff operating the
OAD, I would really like you to visit us, attend one of
our events, work with us and keep our mission growing
stronger and continue to build beyond our limited
resources.
I once again thank you for your on-going support and for
sharing. We still need you to continue to strive to fulfill
our OAD mission.
OADly, yours
Christine M. Ehrlich-Brady, November 2010
E
xecutive Director
Fall Report - Dean Walker
Greetings my fellow members and citizens, I hope that you
have had a good autumn. This year is even more exciting
than last year with so much happening!
I will be brief today mostly because I can’t sit at my desk
long enough to be long-winded. The tireless staff at OAD
and I are still busy completing our summer and autumn
work. Of course we recently had the big meeting with you
and our fellow members. We are always busy with OAD
staff and with DOP volunteers, buddies and clients. DOP
has not been quiet these past few months either while Lori
and Lianne are busy preparing for the big event, World
AIDS Day (WAD). We will host it on Dec 1
st
2010 at the
Prefix Institute of Contemporary Art at 401 Richmond
Street West Suite 124, Toronto. We will be inviting some
important people to attend. We are excited to have our
membership and community friends join us there. Don’t
miss it! In other issues, we continue to work on DOP’s
strategic plan. Kevincent finally had the first meeting
recently with Lori, Lianne and new committee members.
The volunteer steering committee helped us a lot, and we
are excited to continue to work with them.
Last August 19th, 2010, we hosted our very first golf
tournament. 32 golfers came and played all day, and 6
golfers wore knickers! All participants enjoyed seeing
the knickers and many have shown interest in wearing
the knickers in future. We had over 50 guests attend the
fabulous dinner banquet. Everyone is looking forward to
next year. I will let Lori tell you more in her article about
this event. We have booked August 4th, 2011 for our
second annual Knickers tournament. Come on out and
join us for the fun!
Lori contacted several different locations for Mayfest
2011. The OAD board decided upon the Queen Elizabeth
Building at Exhibition Place. Lori and I went there on
October 19th to visit the building, and it looks good for
our Mayfest. It is a much bigger and better space with a
lot of available inexpensive parking. It will also be good
for school field trips. We will be creative and hold mini
workshops, art and culture displays and more. Please let
us know if you would like to volunteer for our planning
meeting.
I don’t have an update yet about VRS. Treasurer John
Mans and theBell stakeholder committee are required to
set up a meeting. One staff from Bell has responded, and
they will let us know by next week. That is all for now,
and we will advise you when we have news from Bell or
CRTC.
October 23rd and 24
th
- OAD’s Biennial AGM and
Conference was a success. To be honest with you however,
I was wrong in expecting a lot people would come.
Unfortunately, many people were unable to make it. The
people that did attend really enjoyed the workshops. There
were five presenters. The first workshop, Beverley Dooley
and Sally Palusci presented with “Know Your Rights:
understanding your relationship with an interpreter”. The
second workshop, Paul Smith presented “Leading the
Way to Successful Immigration Integration”. The third
presenter was Kevin Canning who lectured on DOP-
Education and Support. I gave my presentation about
Identity Theft. The last speaker -Gary Malkowski shared
information and an Update – Education and DBC to
the attendees. The next day, we had our Annual General
Meeting. We invited Gordon Ryall as guest speaker during
the AGM, and we had Janice Drake for our guest speaker
at the dinner banquet.
At the banquet we presented awards. Awards were
given to Luis Alcobia for Volunteer of the Year 2010,
Michael Zagozdzon for Youth of the Year 2010, Linda
Campbell for Professional of the Year 2010, British
Columbia Deaf Community for Organization of the
Year 2010 and Dana McCarthy for Leadership of the
Year 2010. Congratulations to all of them. Next year the
Belleville Association of the Deaf will host OAD’s 125
th
Anniversary in Belleville. The information will be coming
soon.
I will study and survey current membership and past
membership in local clubs in Ontario and I will report
my findings to the board. I noticed that the number of
members has not increased for awhile. We also need to
determine who to approach for core funding for OAD’s
operations and much needed new programs.
And on that point, a friendly reminder of OAD’s events:
• World AIDS Day (WAD) on Dec 1
st
2010
• Mayfest on May 13, 2011
• OAD Knickers Golf on Aug 4
th
2011
• OAD 125
th
Anniversary – TBA in Belleville in 2011.
That is all for now. Please visit us in our office anytime.
Thank you for reading here.
Luis Alcobia
Volunteer of the Year
Michael Zagozdzon
Youth of the Year
Linda Campbell
Professional of the Year
British Columbia Deaf Community
Organization of the Year
Dana McCarthy
Leader of the Year
Congratulations!
Linda Campbell
See
http://www.theglobeandmail.
com/report-on-business/managing/
top-40-under-40-2009/linda-camp-
bell-39-ontario/article1591010/
Benefits of sign language
Published On Sun Nov 7 2010
I am delighted that the American Academy of Pediatrics recently endorsed sign language in its material
for new parents, recognizing that “Infant sign language really does deliver on its promise of improved
communication.” I am equally pleased that the Canadian Pediatric Society President Dr. Robert Hilliard
says he “applauds anything that helps children communicate, especially those with hearing or learning
disabilities.”
I would like to bring to the attention of Star readers the impact and benefits early exposure to American
Sign Language (ASL) has on deaf infants. Research has shown that acquisition of a strong foundation in a
language during pre-school years is a requirement for future literacy development in English. ASL like any
language and in particular first languages is a valuable building block for thinking, problem-solving, and
assisting children to form relationships with others.
I find it ironic that professionals recognize the benefits of sign language to enhance communication and
linguistic development for parents of hearing infants while many parents of deaf infants are not encouraged
to have their child learn ASL. The emphasis for deaf infants appears to be on oral communication only,
rather than exposure to ASL which would provide a strong foundation in language.
Statistics have shown that deaf children from deaf families with a good ASL foundation achieve better
academically due to their strong language foundation. Deaf children from hearing families who have no idea
about deaf culture or the deaf world, and who are not encouraged to learn ASL unfortunately are often at a
disadvantage. They typically have not acquired a strong first language to build upon. While I applaud signing
programs for hearing infants, I am astonished that deaf babies are not given that same opportunity. How sad
that is not the case!
It is important to have early detection of hearing loss, and appropriate early language development. For
deaf infants that language is ASL along with exposure to fluent signers which helps to cultivate good
communication. Adaptation to one language assists in more easily acquiring a second language. Once a deaf
child has begun to ease their frustration in communicating by utilizing ASL, they are then better prepared to
move on to acquire English skills.
It is the hope of OAD that deaf infants receive the strongest language foundation possible in the crucial early
years, and that they receive the best education we can offer them.
Dean Walker, Executive Director, Ontario Association of the Deaf, Toronto
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/letters/article/887246--benefits-of-sign-language
Interview with Catherine Mackinnon -
Deaf filmmaker and producer.
You were born in PEI then moved to Ontario and now
you’re in California. What made you decide to move
there?
Long story short, I had a job offer as a producer. I thought
this type of job would come ten years later down the road
but it happened way sooner than I expected. Once I got
my visa approved, I moved. The production of that film
failed, collapsed. At that point, I was unsure what I would
do . My first reaction was to move back home, but friends
convinced me to stay. I looked for work, worked differ-
ent jobs. I produced a film for a student at the University
of southern California. That led to more opportunities.
Your dreams can come true, through hard work, sweat
and tears. The economy was good then, but now it’s a
slow time.
You are involved with the film Hamil. Tell me a little bit
about the film, who was behind it all?
Matt Hamil is the story of a deaf wrestler who became
the ultimate fighting champion. It all started when two
hearing producers from Freemont California interviewed
him to ask him about his life. They then decided to make
a movie. At that time a hearing actor wanted to play the
role of a deaf actor. The producer asked if I could find a
deaf actor, which I did.
What were some of the challenges the film crew faced?
It was interesting because Matt Hamil grew up oral and
learned sign later while attending Rochester Institution
of Technology, (RIT) which has a large deaf and hard of
hearing population. The actor who is playing him -Rus-
sell Harvard, is culturally deaf from a Deaf family so the
actor has had to fit his language modality. That wasn’t
the biggest challenge however. The real challenge was the
fact that Harvard had no wrestling experience. He started
working out only one month before the shooting began.
Any funny stories?
The funniest and oldest prop is the old FM system used in
the film, which was donated by me. The art department
couldn’t find an FM from 1974 to match the time period
of the film, so I simply asked my Mom. She still had mine
so we donated it. A very special thanks goes out to my
Mom!
What exactly is your role as a producer?
I am a co-producer. I work closely with the producer.
Luckily, they all know some sign, but some only finger
spell. I wear a different hat everyday. When we were
working out of Rochester, New York, I drove the crew
every day. I booked the interpreters from RIT. I made
sure the food service was good. The production assistant
is in the film, so sometimes I take over her role while she
is in the film. I helped some actors with lines. I also did
American Sign Language (ASL) coaching. Really, I do
everything. I am a woman of many hats!
What were some of the challenges?
The hours are long. It’s not unionized so the work day
can just keep going and going. We only had 5 days off
out of 47 days. I enjoy it though.
When is the film being released?
It will be released this winter 2011. The premiere is on
November 7th in Los Angeles. They will be showing it
at the World Film Festival in LA. Check it out on Face-
book www.facebook.com/HamillThemovie http://www.
hamillthemovie.com/cast.php
For more information about this poster, contact Beverley Dooley Ontario at
bdooley@chs.ca
Up
and
In
,
Down
and
Out
:
World of Work
Column by Keelin Carey
S
ince the economic downturn
in 2008, the world was in a
global recession. Although
the labour market improved
since then, there are people still
looking for work amidst the dead
heat competition they face from
other equally-qualified candidates.
There are people who are employed
and struggling to deal with workplace
dilemmas and achieve an optimal
level of job satisfaction. Ultimately,
when it comes to work, they all
have questions: What makes a
productive job search that results in
gainful employment? What makes a
satisfying career with good relations
with the boss and co-workers? You
must have questions, too! Submit
your questions or workplace dilemmas
to
keelin.carey@yahoo.ca
and the
selected ones will be chosen for
the next Deaf Ontario newsletter.
All identities will be anonymous.
Read on to read common questions
employment counsellors usually field
in their line of work.
I have been looking for work for over
a year with no luck. What should I
do?
There are numerous factors and
suggestions that cannot be covered
in this column. The first thing on my
mind is your employment goal and
the qualifications you possess. The
second is your research on the labour
market.
Grab five different job postings and
read the requirements. Check off
the ones you possess. Do you see all
items checked off? If the answer is
yes, review your marketing documents
(i.e. resume, cover letter) and job
search techniques. Seek assistance for
revisions. Obtain a second opinion.
Revise again. Many applications
are discarded because of one or two
grammatical or spelling errors. Pay
attention to details in black and white.
What about your job search skills?
Maybe they need to be updated. Visit
libraries and Employment Resource
Centres. Sign up with employment /
job development services. Talk with
friends, family, and professionals. Take
out books on job search. Surf the Net
for articles on specific topics. Explore
ideas and possibilities.
Suppose the items are not checked off,
re-examine the requirements. If the
first three requirements are checked
off, then there is some hope. Options
you may want to consider are: Taking
a course, registering with a governing
body or an association to qualify for a
designation that confirms the integrity
of your work in your field, or lending
your time to an organization to acquire
experience using specific skills. To pay
bills, it might mean going off-track in
taking an interim position – survival
job - until you build up your skills-set
to achieve your employment goal.
If you do not meet the requirements,
then do not lose hope. What other
jobs are similar to your employment
goal that you can start with first?
You might want to consider an
apprenticeship or take out an Ontario
Student Assistance Program (OSAP)
loan to attend college or university,
or visit your local Employment
Ontario organization to discuss Skill
Development. An investment in time
and education, along with a little
elbow grease and positive attitude,
will pay off in the future. A little
research goes a long way in mapping
out your future.
Should I disclose my Deafness in the
cover letter?
The safe answer anyone will tell
you is not to disclose any details
regarding race, religion, ethnicity,
age, martial status, sexual orientation,
and disability in your cover letters.
The reason is that resumes and
cover letters are to focus on merit
– skills, experience, education, and
accomplishments, thus prospective
employers’ biases will not come into
play when choosing who to contact
for interviews.
Of course, such disclosure may be
used to your advantage if it is a Deaf
organization or an organization –
business or non-profit – that has
a hiring motto of being an Equal
Opportunity employer.
Some job seekers decide to disclose
because they want to be upfront,
especially when they rely on email
and text-messaging for initial contact
and need ASL interpreting services
for the interviews. A few have said
that some managers know “a friend
of a friend who has a Deaf cousin”
and, because of their familiarity with
Deaf individuals in the past, they are
willing to interview Deaf candidates.
This is clearly in opposition of what
Human Resources professionals and
employment counsellors are trained
to say in regards to disclosure of
Deafness, but disclosing has been
an advantage for some.
To disclose or not to disclose, that
is the question. Which action
are you comfortable taking? To
decide, trying both will not hurt.
Just make sure that you place
the strongest emphasis on your
MERIT above anything else in the
letter and let your optimism shine
through.
I have been offered interviews, but
no job offers. What am I doing
wrong?
Clearly, you are qualified for the
positions applied. Resumes, cover
letters, and job search techniques
are not a concern, which leaves me
to wonder about your appearance,
interviewing style, preparedness,
and understanding of etiquette. In
a nutshell, this is a make-or-break
where the interviewers decide if
they like you or not within the first
20 seconds of meeting you.
20 seconds?
Yes, twenty, 20, two-oh seconds to
decide if you are worth their time
or not. Even less than 20 seconds.
First impressions count. It is not
to say that first impressions define
and cement our personalities and
the outward appearances we present
to the world, but they do define the
moment when prospective employers
take you in their eyes and make snap
judgments. Make sure you are dressed
appropriately, groomed to a T, and
smiling with sincerity. Let your
best qualities shine, and, mind your
manners, too.
Did you ask someone to practice
common interview questions with
you and to throw in unexpected
ones to keep you on your toes? Read
about the interview process and
appropriate interview behaviour
and style? Research the company?
Grasp the true context of the duties
and required skills of the advertised
position? Make a list of stories
demonstrating key skills to wow the
interviewer? Find out the best route
of arriving on time for the interview?
All of this PREPARATION is
crucial to interview success.
Suppose you have done the above
and still struggle to obtain job offers,
what are the other possibilities?
One person I know was so nervous
when preparing for an interview
that she became increasingly anxious
and overwrought. As a result, her
mental fatigue was evident during the
interview in which she fumbled over
her answers and did not demonstrate
enthusiasm. It is important to know
when to stop- enough is enough- and
get a good night’s sleep. Another person
dragged out his answers so long that the
interviewer interrupted him to move on
to the next question. That was feedback,
and he did not shorten his answers
for the duration of the interview. The
interviewer may have perceived that
as an inability to accept feedback and
change direction – one of the key soft
skills to be successful on the job.
Sometimes, it is not during the
interview that impacts the decisions
of the interviewer, but what happens
afterward. Following up with a thank-
you note is important as it shows your
graciousness. Writing the thank-you
note is also an opportunity to address
concerns of the interviewer on short-
comings you may have, that may
persuade the interviewer to consider
you for the position instead.
It is vital to remain grounded during
the interview. Staying in the moment
will help you to be conscious of your
body language and attitude. Be aware
of the hidden messages the interviewer
delivers between the lines. Determine
if you truly want to work for the
company. Do not forget the purpose of
the interview: It is an opportunity to
sell yourself as someone the company
must have as part of its team.
Last Words:
In this column, everything is easier
said than done. Stay proactive. Share
your achievements and mistakes with
others; they may offer insight as well as
learn from you. With some faith and
conviction in what you do, the door
will open. Even just a crack is enough.
Your attitude, not your aptitude, will
determine your altitude. - Zig Ziglar
L
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
WEAR THE TEE-SHIRT
$20
DEAF OUTREACH PROGRAM
From the committee of
Canadian Deaf Women’s
Conference 2011
“Cherish Life”
Hilton Hotel, Niagara Falls, Ontario
July 24-28 2011
www.cdwc2011.ca
Wish
you
the
best
of
luck
Du comité de la
Conférence canadienne des femmes
Sourdes 2011
"Chéris la vie"
Hilton Hotel, Niagara Falls, Ontario
24-28 juillet 2011
www.cdwc2011.ca
On
vous
souhaite
le
meilleur
Dr. Wu, a multicultural guru walked into class
and handed her students a blank white paper and
pencils and asked us to write, “What does being white
mean to you?” I sat feeling dumbfounded. I was not
able to conceptualize an identity I obviously had. I
have thought about my multicultural identity: Deaf, a
woman, believer in equal love, vegetarian, to name a few,
but never about “white”.
I sat down looking at my blank paper with a
pencil in my hand, not writing. I then looked at my
classmates wondering if they were feeling the same as I
was, feeling unsure. They were a mix of white, biracial,
Mexican, African American, culturally Deaf, Deaf,
Hard-of-Hearing, hearing, female and one male. I
found some of them looking at bare walls or the ceiling,
also not writing. An African American student began
to argue with the teacher, asking why she was also doing
the activity. Dr. Wu told her to write down what she
was feeling at the moment. I realized I ought to do the
same so I drew a picture of my face with a question mark
above my head.
Dr. Wu asked us to discuss how we felt and
what we wrote. The same African American signed,
“Privileged”. It was all that she wrote on her paper. I
looked at her and instantly thought, “culturally Deaf
privileged”, “member of a Deaf family privileged”,
“member of and educated from a Deaf school
privileged”.
While studying at Gallaudet University, I was
frequently told that Deaf leaders are often from a Deaf
school or from a Deaf family. Some people believed
culturally Deaf people tended to socialize together and
were not friendly with Deaf people who do not sign
fluently or have similar backgrounds to them. My Deaf
mother, who was born into a hearing family, thought
Deaf families tend to socialize with each other. At
fifteen years old, I was surprised at her response when I
asked her what she thought of the sorority, Phi Kappa
Zeta (my older sister was in their pledge program).
She said, “Oh, they mostly prefer women from Deaf
families”. At first I did not understand her but over time
I realized other people were saying the same thing.
During my last year at E.C. Drury School of the
Deaf, I realized I would sit at lunch table, a large table
that fit about 16 people, with friends, the majority of
whom were from a Deaf family or had a Deaf sibling.
Of course, I did not plan my behaviour. I seemed to do
it unconsciously. I did not like what was happening so I
asked everyone at the table to split and join other tables.
Unfortunately, it only lasted about a week before we start
ed to sit together again.
Do You Feel Privileged in
Deaf
Community?
Bonnie Russell
When I studied at Gallaudet University to
obtain an M.A. in Mental Health Counselling, I
was given the opportunity to explore many different
simulation activities. One of the activities was doing
two full days of being part of a pretend society. It
was a “game” to teach various aspects of sociology,
political science, and communication skills. The
participants were a mixture of culturally Deaf, Deaf,
hard-of-hearing, deafened, hearing, cochlear implants
users, Deaf-blind; of different ethnicities, and a mix
of religious beliefs (the list goes on). During those two
days of being part of a pretend society, it was clear who
was privileged – those who were culturally Deaf or
hearing people who were fluent in ASL. They practically
ran the whole society. I was one of them.
After the simulation activities I realized that
all my life I had been given many rich opportunities:
attending various leadership workshops and attempting
some leadership roles or participating in roles that
required leadership qualities. What struck me the most
though was that I could not recall one time when a
leadership instructor or a leadership supporter asked
me to work with those who had less privileges in life or
did not have similar leadership learning as I did. The
simulation activities helped me realize that I could easily
overlook potential leaders and automatically do the
leadership work myself.
In some ways, being white and unconscious of
the privileges I have as a white person is similar to being
a member of a Deaf family and from a Deaf school and
unconscious of the privileges I have within the Deaf
community. I think in the Deaf community culturally
Deaf people view their social and cultural position as
the norm just as white people view their social, cultural,
and economic position as the norm. White society sees
only itself, not recognizing that it is in a position of
advantage that must be maintained at the expense of
others. I will admit that I still discuss the “failure” of
non-culturally Deaf people and say how lucky I am that
I have a “normal” social status, effectively turning non-
culturally Deaf people into an issue. It is my bias that
all Deaf people would be happier if they were culturally
Deaf with full access to American Sign Language, and
an education that has access to American Sign Language
for learning
I will continue advocating for the rights
of access to American Sign Language, keeping Deaf
schools open, and that no Deaf child should be banned
from American Sign Language. I will also respect those
who prefer not to be culturally Deaf and welcome those
who prefer to have two worlds, being part of the Deaf
world and the other world they are in. I have viewed
cochlear implants as Deaf cultural genocide. Today
there are a lot of culturally Deaf people implanting
their Deaf children and receiving cochlear implants for
themselves. They continue to be part of Deaf culture
and use American Sign Language.
The type of Deaf culture I was raised into is
deeply important to me. Given my privileged life, it is
my nature to hope for that same lifestyle for everyone.
As you read this, I hope you will begin to look
at the people around you during a meeting, during an
Annual General Meeting, (AGM) one of your home
parties, or with your friends co-workers, or whoever you
are with. Look at the person who is most outspoken,
that other people would listen to. Look at the people
who appear the most confident and think about their
race, their background and ethical values. Look at
yourself also. Would you jump in without realizing that
you have not asked the quietest person in the room,
or a person from a completely different background as
yours, what they think and encourage them to stand
up and voice their opinion? Or are you, yourself, the
person who prefers a stronger person to speak so it is
not necessary for you to speak up? Ask yourself if you
are the same person when you are with culturally Deaf
people, or non-culturally Deaf people, or with a group
of non-signing people, or with people from different
backgrounds.
I am a fluent American Sign Language user,
culturally Deaf and a member of a Deaf family. From
an early age, teachers at the Deaf school and Deaf role
models have given me rich opportunities to become
who I am today -a strong confident woman. Did I
know this made me privileged? No I didn’t. Do I feel
privileged now? Absolutely yes.
Tell me a little bit about yourself.
My name is Mati Metsala and I am 20 years old. I
was born in Toronto and still live there. I graduated
from Northern Secondary School in 2008 and then
continued with my education at George Brown College.
I graduated in 2010 with an Ontario College Diploma
in the Building Renovation Technician Program.
How did you get involved with basketball? What do
you love about basketball?
I started playing basketball during my high school years
and developed a great passion for this sport. In addition
to being on the high school team, I took part and
assisted in many basketball clinics organized through
Silent Voice. In 2009, I joined the ODSA Men’s
Basketball Team Ontario. Currently I am playing in a
league every Wednesday night and I also practice several
times during the week at Variety Village.
You were the captain of Team Canada for the 1
st
World U21 Deaf Basketball Championships in
Poland 2010. How did your team play?
There were a total of 12 men’s teams participating at
these games. Team Canada came in 9
th
place, which
was a real accomplishment given the strengths of the
other countries and their teams who had been playing
together as a team for many years.Overall, this was an
amazing and exciting experience. It was great to meet
the other athletes and coaches from different parts of
the world and make new friendships.
What do you love about the sport?
What I love most about basketball is that it is fun and
exciting to play because there is always a lot of action
that takes place on the basketball court. At times it can
be challenging and I love challenges. It teaches you to
work together with a team, learning many different
drills and learning to shoot hoops from many different
positions. Teamwork also helps develop one’s self
control.
What’s next for you?
After my return from Poland, I did a one day basketball
clinic for children at the Estonian Children’s Camp in
Udora, Ontario. My next plans are going to be to try
out for the Team Canada Men’s Team and participate at
the World Championships in Italy in October 2011.
Thank you for your time. Good luck!
Canada represented
at the 1st World U21 Deaf Basketball Championships 2010 in Poland
Interview with Mati Metsala - Team Captain
O
AD Knickers Golf
Tournament August
19th 2010 by Lori
Archer
OAD’s Executive Director- Dean
Walker had a dream of turning
a game of golf into a fun event
while raising money for OAD at
the same time. With his creative
thinking, he came up with the
idea of playing in the old style
“Knickers” attire. Knickers were
popular in the 1930’s to the 1980’s,
and revived by Payne Stewart who
won three majors in his career.
The OAD “Knickers” tournament
was officially launched with its
inaugural event held at the Royal
Ontario Golf Club in Milton.
Players enjoyed a fun day in a
tournament which was unique for
its blend of Deaf and non deaf
golfers, as well as for the colourful
knickers apparel worn. There was a
BBQ lunch and a delicious dinner
buffet, not to mention numerous
prizes and great trophies. The
Silent Auction held during dinner
time was really popular with many
bidders vying to win items such
as an autographed hockey jersey
by Montreal Canadiens great Ken
Dryden, a getaway at the Briars
resort, a Coors ice chest cooler,
Nike golf bag, Patio umbrellas, and
a gift certificate from GolfKnickers
apparel to mention a few.
OAD would like to thank all
our wonderful sponsors for their
generous support! We were very
fortunate to receive such incredible
assistance from so many businesses
and individuals. Please note our
terrific donors on our Sponsor and
Donor page, and we encourage
you to support their businesses
whenever possible.
The special “Knickers” style
trophies were presented to:
Best Knickers- Dana McCarthy
First Place Team- ONESTOP
Media- Ian Gadsby, Adam Hilliard,
and Kevin Raeside
Longest Drive- Bill Sorley
Closest to the Pin – Kevin Raeside
We are all looking forward to next
year’s event which will be held
again at the Royal Ontario Golf
Club on August 4, 2011. Get your
knickers on and come out and join
us!
OAD Knickers
Golf Tournament
OAD PresidentChristine Ehrlich-Brady and Executive Direc-
tor Dean Walker with our sponsor Ian Gadsby of ONESTOP
Media-winner of the First Place Team with Adam Hilliard and
Kevin Raeside. Below- our sponsor BMO with Knickers group.
Dana McCarthy wins the Dryden jersey from our silent auction;
Top right: Volunteers Amanda
Weingarten and Madlen Satz
with Event Planner Lori Ar-
cher, OAD’s newsletter editor
Lianne Valiquette and Luis Al-
cobia - volunteer; Dean Walker
and Mark Couture, John Mans
OAD’s Treasurer and volunteer
Lisa Couture ; Golf Carts head-
ing out for the day; Lori Archer
- OAD Event Planner and
Dean Walker - OAD Executive
Director; Matt Courtre; Dana
McCarthy. Photos compli-
ments of Snap Milton, John
Mans Vanita Dama and Lianne
Valiquette
© Snap Milton
1st Annual OAD Knickers Golf Tournament
July 2010
© Snap Milton
© Snap Milton
Rob Murray (Course Director) Amanda Dean Walker Dana McCarthy (winner of Jeff Goy, Christine Ehrlich-Brady and Rick
Weingarten (interpets) Dean Walker and best clothes) and Allan Hume Bourns
Allan Hume (Golfknickers of Canada)
Amanda Weingraten(Volunteers) Lori Archer and Madlen Satz (Volunteers)
Lianne Valiquette and Luis Alcobia Mark Couture and Dean Walker Lisa Couture (Volunteers) & John Mans
© Snap Milton
© Snap Milton
© Snap Milton
Photo courtesy of John Mans
Tell us a little about yourself,
where were you born?
My grandparents were born in
Germany then moved to the
Ukraine to avoid the war. I was
actually born in the Ukraine, then
when I was 4 years old we moved
back to Germany, where I grew up
in the south west part, Heilbronn,
north of Stuttgart. I was a day
student at the nearby school for the
deaf. (Paulinenpflege Winnenden
or
http://www.lindenparkschule.
de/
). My teachers were all hearing,
and very few signed. They preferred
us to use hearing aids and speak.
Sign language was not accepted as a
language until 2002, after my time.
Now more deaf teachers are being
hired -slowly, and more interpreters
are provided for the deaf.
So you are here on placement as
part of your university program is
that correct?
Yes, this is part of my program’s
requirements. We must have a field
placement and a certain number
of hours. I am going into my third
year at KOLN, in the Childhood
Education and Family Studies
program.
What made you choose Canada, of
all countries?
I applied to England, Holland,
and even Vancouver but I was
not chosen. The Rumball Early
Education Centre chose me, so I
came. My professor encouraged us
to seek international opportunities;
however I was the only one who
chose an international placement.
My other classmates, about 40 in
total and all hearing chose to stay
local.
Is this your first time in Canada?
No, I spent a month out west, about
three years ago, backpacking around
Vancouver with my boyfriend. We
went to Whistler, camped in parks
and saw bears. The mountains and
beaches there are beautiful.
Will you have any holidays during
your placement so that you can
visit Ottawa or Montreal?
I won’t have any holidays so not sure
if I’ll make it to another city, but I
do hope to make it to Milton and
Belleville at some point.
What is your ultimate goal after
you graduate?
Global Perspectives
Olga Hertle, is an international student from Germany who has been working with the
Rumball Early Education Centre, a pre-school program for deaf and hard of hearing children.
I would like to set up a centre for
deaf children and their families that
teach sign language and deaf culture.
Germany does not have such a
centre so I hope to establish one.
Since the early 1990s, Havana has
improved. “Havana has a very vibrant
gay and lesbian scene; however, while
same-sex relations are supported, it is
not recognized by the state”.
UNESCO claims that the Deaf com-
munity in Cuba has a literacy rate of
99.8%. Julio disagrees, “Literacy is a
concern for the deaf in Cuba. Many
don’t read and write. Perhaps this
is due to a poor education system”
Access to our language however,
seems better. Interpreters are easier
to get than here, in Toronto. Remov-
ing communication barriers in Cuba
seems to be more of a national real-
ity. The National Cuba Association
of the Deaf has over 20,000 members
who are Deaf. Recently, published in
the Havana Times, an article states
W
earing a white tee-shirt, roll up
jeans and sneakers, Julio skips
in to the coffee shop. There always
seems to be a happy skip in his walk.
He smiles and gives me a hug. We
settle down with our drinks. Julio Ro-
driguez is one of the Deaf Outreach
Program’s avid volunteers.
Julio Rodriguez was born in Cuba,
on what’s called the Island of Youth.
He later moved to Havana to attend
the school for the Deaf. There were
approximately 300 students in total
who all signed. The teachers were
hearing and did not sign. The signing
ban was removed later in 1999. Julio
moved to Canada because he loves
different cultures. He loves to travel
and doing this in Cuba isn’t easy. You
must find a sponsor, and then ask for
permission to travel. While in Cuba,
he met a Canadian, they got married
and moved to Toronto. Upon his first
impression, he experienced culture
shock because he had to learn Ameri-
can Sign Language (ASL) but he has
grown to love Canada.
It’s so different from where he grew
up in Havana, where homosexuality
wasn’t accepted, which was difficult.
Even though his family loved and
supported him, homophobia was
still prevalent among the police. “The
police would arrest only those who
were openly gay, and not those who
were straight. It was wrong” He said.
that tours of old Havana, which has
been declared a UNESCO world
heritage site, are now available in sign
language.
Cuba is also well known for high
standards in health care. It has under
taken extensive campaigns against
HIV/AIDS. In 2003 Cuba had the
lowest HIV prevalence in the Ameri-
cas and one of the lowest ratios in
the world. Cubans have free access to
medical cocktails called HAARVT
Julio has two younger sisters and
hopes one day he can sponsor them
to move here. He visits “home” a few
times a year. I asked him, “What’s the
one thing you miss about Cuba?” He
replied with a smile, “The beach”.
Volunteer
Julio Rodriguez
Snap shot
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