Sherri Rademacher, Descriptive Transcript

[Descriptive transcript: video opens with a blue title card with the logo for the Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing in center. Text on upper right corner: “40 years anniversary”. Video transitions to a black slide with white text: “The views and opinions expressed in this video are those of the presenter and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or the State of Minnesota.” Video transitions to Darlene standing on stage next to a podium with the Commission’s logo on front A balloon arch is visible behind her. She signs.]

>> Darlene: Next we've got Sherry Rademacher.

[Darlene walks off-stage while Sherri walks onstage.]

>> Sherri: Hello and thank you to my St. cloud friends over there at that table. I am Sherri, dressed in black, grayish hair, red glasses, white woman. Good evening, and happy 40th anniversary. Wow, it's inspiring to see all of the people here, the names of the collaboration. Oo, looking back over 40 years.

I mean, you think back to the TTY where you had to type on those big green machines and send that message all the way through with long distance phone calls, especially here from this St. Cloud area. Curt Micka, the executive director at that time, would have to call long distance. So, hats off to him with that law degree. 

[Applause.]

>> Sherri: It was thrilling for me to work with him at my time with the Commission and for myself and also the group of our deaf community here in St. Cloud. You know, the commission thought it'd be nice if I teach the accurate sign for St. Cloud. we spell St. Cloud here. We spell the city of St. Cloud. And then there was a task force group set up with Mary Hartnett and as the director and Bob Cook and Dale Finke. They would sign the task force this way with grabbing your wrist, like for work like they're forcing this work. But thankfully that has dissolved back and we just spell task force now.

The Commission had worked on the airport accessibility with the airport and the airlines being under different regulations. When we fly, I never let them know during the ticket, during the purchasing that I was deaf. I never shared that information as a deaf person until the flight home from Mexico. At the gate, it said the flight to Minneapolis. All right, I'm at the right gate. There were people there, kind of the same people, same groups that flew to Mexico, but then all of a sudden they started disappearing and our group shrank. My husband, Jeff, I looked at him and said, "Where are they going? Maybe to the bathroom?" Because it still said Minneapolis. Maybe they're just walking around. So, we waited. And then a couple came up and recognized us as a group that flew out. And they're like, "Come on. Come on." Like, "What?" They're like, "Come on." So, we walked and walked to a different gate and I was fuming. Nobody told us. The gate was so far away. And at the other gate, I saw a Minnesota interpreter. I was like, "Wait, I didn't see you on that flight." And they're like, "Oh, we got here a different day. I'm so disappointed that nobody told me about the gate change. I told them at the desk that they had to let people know because they were going to miss their flight. And it's like this attitude that they gave back to us. I have to do something. So when I got home that Monday, I called Mary Hartnett right away. Like what are we going to do? But the I learned in that moment the difference between the airlines and the airport at the front desk. They said it's not their job to look for us. 

From then on I did inform them that I was deaf and then we received that communication that communication access that I had wanted. And it's not only about the airport accessibility. The Commission has taught us about voter registration and to know who our local house representatives and senators are and how to vote, the ins and outs of it, to become better advocates at the legislature. 

And one more story if I can with the captioning. I appreciate going to doctor's appointments or to the store and they'll have, you know, the TVs or the monitors, like the tire place where I bring my I bring my car in and they see right away like, "Oh, whoa”  She went to turn the TV on. Go turn the captions on. They're here. But in the lounge, they had it ready. And every time then, I would notice, oh, hey, hey, hey, go, go, turn it on. Turn it on. I'm like, "Oh, that's great." They know we're here. They're providing for us to make sure that we have accessibility to make sure that we have access to the TVs. But now with Darlene Zangara, the executive director, has done many, many, many great things. You'll hear stories for years and years and years about the great things. Through these 40 years, we have done so many amazing things and I'm proud to be a part of this. The Commission really is an incredible entity and I'm proud to have it here in Minnesota with the budget being 90,000 before. That's impossible.

It's one of the few states that provide this direct service. And I think for the next 40 years, I'm hoping to see you all again. Maybe you'll have a different version of technology in your home. Who knows what the next 40 years will bring, but happy 40th anniversary. Thank you for being a part of this and thank you for coming here.

[Video transitions to a black slide with white text: “With deep appreciation to all presenters, community members, and everyone who has been part of the Commission for the past forty years. Looking forward to many more years of advocacy, hard work, collaboration, and making a difference to the quality of life of Minnesota’s deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing community.”]

[Video ends.]