Reflection + Action = Solution
Often, minorities in education, have failed to recognize the visibility of the organization's advocacy, scholarship, and additional resources available. There are numerous strategies to reach out to our targeted audiences: expansion of tools, increase support through social media platforms, centralize the occurrences in communities and collect concerns simultaneously, and create pathways for high school and college students.
I believe as an aspiring advocate for education reform has noticed the missing gap -- during the pandemic -- between communities in today's technology evolution. The National Black Deaf Advocates explained their "Black deaf leaders were concerned that Black Deaf and hard of hearing Americans are not adequately represented in leadership and policy decision-making activities affecting their lives so they established NBDA in 1982" (NBDA, 2020). The NBDA's ongoing support for the community is vague with rooms of improvement, and I look forward to receiving transparency clear visions and objectives from the executive board. As I appreciate the experience of serving the chairperson's role for the Dr. Glenn B. Anderson Scholarship Program to utilize the deftness to develop the most effective strategy to persuade youths to find the love for reading and understand American history. With efforts of increased recognition and improved Deaf ecosystem, the Rising Generations of NBDA is an excellent resource to develop new initiatives that promote self-confidence, togetherness amongst peers, and encourage political advocacy discourse about their voting rights.
Cheung (2020) explained that "in the US, people aged 39 and younger - millennials and Generation Z - now make up more than a third of eligible voters." The improvement and an improved sense of belonging begin with community collaboration and partnerships with the state commission for the Deaf and hard of hearing, community centers, and local advocacy organizations. The Minnesota Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MNCDHH) shared a brilliant bilingual five-year strategic plan where they transparently shared their ideological commitment in civic engagement. MNCDHH (2014) mentioned in goal #5, "work with Secretary of State and Campaign Finance Board to eliminate barriers to voting and the political process."
I am looking forward to learning, as a current resident, the dynamics of a community partnership between Minnesota Black Deaf Advocates, Minnesota Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens, and other organizations can improve the visibility of the urgency of voting in 2020.
The current search for more Black Deaf leaders -- across the United States of America -- justifies the necessity of increased awareness supporting Black deaf voices during the election.
"Deafness doesn't define me," echoed from the Pennsylvania-native, Roché Tolbert, who displays a resemblance of passion and resilience for the hard of hearing community. Roché, known as Nunu, was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, two-half hours north of Philadelphia. A remarkable, cultivated lady who grew up in a city--with approximately 41,000 residents--where she began her primary education at Bowling Green elementary school. She depended on her hearing throughout her academic studies. "I wear hearing aids, and I am fluent in spoken English. I grew up in a hearing family where I wasn't offered any interpreting service [at Bowling Green elementary school]." At age ten, Nunu transferred to the deaf residential school, The Scranton School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children, a 30-minute commute from her hometown.
"Lack of role model and the ability to understand the reality. I went from homeless to a one-bedroom apartment. I consider myself as a successful and thriving in life." - Nunu
Before transferring, in 2010, — to further her education — to the Deaf institution in Pennsylvania, Tolbert wasn't exposed to American Sign Language (ASL) or obtained minimal sign language fluency. "I didn't learn any sign language until I was enrolled at the deaf school. Once I transferred to Scranton State School for the Deaf, the administrators were determined that I did not meet placement requirements, so I had to rescind my fourth-grade education back to first grade." Roché was fortunate to have an ASL mentor who coached her endlessly, where she picked up and developed an adequate sign language competency within one year while striving academically. Tolbert then enrolled at Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, which is four-half hours west of The Scranton School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children. "WPSD is a great school! I loved how their program operates, where we had the privilege of traveling. Annually, there is a class trip, and I went to London during my junior year. While in London, I visited a small deaf school there."
Ms. Tolbert explained where she noticed the "lack of role model and the inability to understand reality. I went from homeless to a one-bedroom apartment. I consider myself as a successful and thriving in life. As Roché's identity developed progressively, socially, and academically, she confirmed her career aspirations, which working in the medical field was one of her goals. Tolbert graduated from Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf in spring 2014, where she enrolled at Rochester Institute of Technology in Fall 2014. After three years of studying Administrative Support Technology, she had to drop out during her last semester at RIT due to financial obligations. Roché then decided to pursue her education at Daytona College — Ormond Beach, Florida, — where she completed the Medical Assisting Diploma online program. The program designed to prepare students for entry-level employment in occupations such as administrative and clinical aspects of medical settings.
The current search for more Black Deaf leaders -- across the United States of America -- justifies the necessity of increased awareness supporting Black deaf voices during the election period. Cheung (2020) presented areas of concerns where a lot of high school students weren't exposed to politics during their primary education, "families don't talk about it, so kids don't, and you don't want to bring it up and get in a fight with your friends."
References:
Cheung, Helier (2020). Super Tuesday: Why didn't more young people vote? https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-us-canada-51763333
MNCDHH (2014). https://mn.gov/deaf-commission/about/strategic-5-year-plan/#
NBDA (2020). Scholarships. https://www.nbda.org/content/scholarships