3/3/2017 5:55:45 PM
The Commission of Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing Minnesotans is pleased to announce the award recipients for the 2017 Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing Lobby Day Awards.
These awards will be given at the rally during our Day at the Capitol at the Minnesota State Capitol Building on Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at 11 AM.
Come and watch these wonderful individuals and organizations receive their awards. You can still register to attend Lobby Day if you have not yet done so.
(Awarded to individuals who have done exemplary work in advocating for and with deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing Minnesotans.)
Recipients: Fardowsa Ali and Jessalyn Akerman Frank
Fardowsa is being recognized for her amazing advocacy for improved access for Minnesota's Deaf Muslim and immigrant communities.
Jessalyn Akerman-Frank is someone who volunteers with passion along with the Deaf GLBTQIA and immigrant communities.
(Recognizing an organization or public official that has worked to increase the civic engagement of deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing Minnesotans.)
Recipients: DeafBlind Services of Minnesota (DBSM), Minnesota DeafBlind Association (MDBA), and Deaf Grassroots Movement (DGM) - Minnesota
DBSM and MDBA representatives put in a lot of work organizing and facilitating voter registration and access for DeafBlind Minnesotans during the 2016 general election.
DGM - Minnesota organized in a period of 4 months as a part of a nation-wide movement. They inspired hundreds of deaf and hard of hearing Minnesotans to come to the Capitol.
(Awarded to those who have done notable work in increasing the accessibility of services for and with deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing Minnesotans. Examples of accessibility support may include Captioning, Interpreting, Public Access, or Accessible Technology.)
Recipients: Jimmy Beldon, Gilbert Law, PLLC, and Jay Wyant/Office of (Information Technology) Accessibility.
Jimmy Beldon paved the way for deaf interpreters to become Certified Deaf Interpreters (CDIs), whose services provide greater communication access for Minnesota's Deaf community.
Gilbert Law, PLLC was part of a large-scale legal settlement designed for removing communication barriers for deaf inmates in four jails.
Under Chief Information Accessibility Officer Jay Wyant's leadership, the State Office of Accessibility paves the way to ensure all technology and content created and used by the state are accessible to everyone.
(Nominations for those who have done distinctive work for and with deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing Minnesotans that is not recognized within other award categories.)
Recipients: Marisa Bocanegra (posthumous)
Marisa was CSD of Minnesota's Positive Quote Lady and a strong advocate for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
(Nominations for those who have done distinctive work for and with deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing Minnesotans that spans their 20+ years of contributions.)
Recipients: Liz Brown, Kathy Moran (posthumous), and Kathy Schumacher (posthumous)
Liz Brown has dedicated over 40 years of working with the deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing communities at St. Paul College, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Division, and St. Paul/Minneapolis Black Deaf Advocates.
Kathy Moran spent 30 years working with deaf seniors creating innovative programming.
Kathy Schumacher was a pioneer in domestic violence advocacy, provided employment support, and was a volunteer at Charles Thompson Memorial Hall.
Do you want to attend Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing Lobby Day but you have not yet registered? Have no fear, you can still sign up. At this point of time, we will do our best to schedule an appointment with your legislator but can not guarantee that they will be available. Nonetheless, there is still plenty that you can do, including:
To join us, go to Yes, I want to register for Lobby Day.
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