FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Anne Sittner Anderson, anne.sittner-anderson@state.mn.us / text: 651-888-1519

St. Paul, Minnesota (October 11, 2018) – The Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing (MNCDHH) is hosting a fun, interactive evening about voter information  on Thursday, October 11, 2018 from 5:30-8:00 p.m. This will take place at St. Paul Neighborhood Network (550 Vandalia St., St. Paul, MN 55114).

Representatives from confirmed organizations will present on why voting is important as well as share important information about the voting process. This portion will be filmed. The organizations are: 

• Deaf Equity: Migdalia Rogers and Dr. Darlene Zangara
• Deaf Queers of Minnesota: Eric Nooker
• Deaf Women of Minnesota: Kathy Manlapas
• Family Tree Clinic: Bethany Gehman
• Metro Deaf School: Jason Valentine and Kou Vang, Student Body President
• Minneapolis/St. Paul Black Deaf Advocates (BDA): Kim Wassenaar
• Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens (MADC): John Fechter
• Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing (MNCDHH): Outreach Staff
• Minnesota Deaf Muslim Community (MDMC): Fardowsa Ali
• Minnesota Department of Human Services Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Division (DHHSD): Dan Millikin 
• Minnesota Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (MRID): Shawn Vriezen
• National Association of the Deaf (NAD): Alicia Lane-Outlaw
• ThinkSelf: Maggie Bangert and Kaitlyn Mielke 
• ASL Interpreting Services (ASLIS): Jon Ainsworth
• MN DEED - Elise Knopf
• Minnesota State Academies - Terry Wilding

After the filming is complete, audience members will go to the Voters Fair outside of the studio. They will have the opportunity to visit tables where they can write down their thoughts on voting, pick up voting resources, take selfies with fun props, learn how to find their ballot ahead of time, find out how to vote early, and visit with Michael Wall from the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State to register to vote and answer any voting questions.  

This program is in American Sign Language (ASL) with voice interpretation.

About the Commission

The Commission of Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing Minnesotans is a Governor-appointed Commission that advocates for communication access and equal opportunity for the 20% of Minnesotans who are deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing. For more information about the Commission, visit our website or join us on Facebook and Twitter.

###