For Immediate Release

Contact: Anne Sittner Anderson, anne.sittner-anderson@state.mn.us

Saint Paul, Minnesota (March 6, 2023) - On Tuesday, March 7, 2023, hundreds of Minnesotans who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, and their family and friends, will gather at the Minnesota State Capitol to ask their legislators to support bills proposed or supported by the Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing. The Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Secretary of State are expected to make an appearance during the one hour rally.

Community members will address issues and concerns and advocate for changes that would enhance the lives of deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing Minnesotans across the state.

“Access Empowers Us” is the theme of our Lobby Day. Making access happen from the start and not as an afterthought, allows for individuals to fully participate in everyday activities and events. To do so, barriers need to be eliminated in order to make it inclusive for everyone regardless of ability.

Policy issues

Community members and supporters will meet with their legislators to address pressing issues and concerns that impact our deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing community, such as

• closed captioning in public places,
• hearing aid affordability,
• accessible prescription container labels with either Braille, large print, or audible,
• Certified Deaf Interpreters (CDI) in the classroom,
• and more.

The Commission's full legislative agenda can be found at 2023 Legislative Agenda. 

Rally with speeches and awards

The following individuals will be expected to make an appearance during the rally portion of the event, which will take place between 1:30-2:30 PM in the Capitol Rotunda:

• Governor Tim Walz
• Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan
• Secretary of State Steve Simon

The following individuals will be recognized at the 1:30 - 2:30 PM rally for their contributions to the deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing communities through advocacy, community engagement, education, improving accessibility, among other activities to improve the lives of our community members:

Youth Award

• Mujahid Zafar for advocating for captions at a local movie theater
• Justin Smith for advocating for accessible housing

Citizen Advocate Award

• Avi Rosen for advocating for improved hospital accessibility
• Jessica Eggert for advocating for Braille prescription labels at pharmacies

Civic Engagement Award

• Stephanie Steidl and Leah Henrikson, on behalf of parents who advocated for the Vivian Act, which led Minnesota to become the first state to screen all newborn babies for congenital cytomegalovirus, which can cause hearing loss in babies.

Education Excellence Award

• Debbie Golos, a professor at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities and Deaf/Hard of Hearing licensure & M.Ed. coordinator
• Michele Heise, a teacher at the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf and sports coach

Access Award

• Kaylah Vogt for advocating for equitable employment hiring and onboarding practices

Humanitarian Award

• Wilderness Inquiry for the programs and opportunities provided to the deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing community, connecting them to the outdoors.

Lifetime Achievement Award

• Mary Bauer for longtime service to the community through her work at the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Division, now retired
• Cheryl Blue for longtime service to the community through her work at the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Division, now retired
• Paul Deeming for longtime service to the DeafBlind community
• Ralph Fuechtmann, for longtime service to community organizations such as Thompson Hall, Deaflympics, MinnePaul Athletic Association of the Deaf, Minnesota Deaf Senior Citizens, Minnesota Association of the Deaf, and more
• Amy McQuaid-Swanson for longtime service to the community through her work at the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Division

The media is invited to join us at the rally. If you would like to interview any of the award recipients, a Lobby Day participant, or a Commission staff member, please contact Anne Sittner Anderson at anne.sittner-anderson@state.mn.us. 

About Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing Lobby Day

Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing Lobby Day will happen on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, starting at 8:30 am and continuing until 4:30pm. The event will take place in the Rotunda of the Minnesota State Capitol.

For further information about Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing Lobby Day, visit the Lobby Day website. 

Where

Minnesota State Capitol Rotunda, 1:30 - 2:30 PM
75 Rev Dr. Martin Luther King Drive
Saint Paul, MN 55117

About the Commission

The Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing (MNCDHH) is a governor-appointed Commission that advocates for communication access and equal opportunity with the 20% of Minnesotans who are deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing. We work with the community to:

• identify barriers to communication access and equal opportunity,
• develop solutions,
• empower by building community capacity, and
• advocate through civic engagement.

###