Vermont Association of the Deaf

Image Description: Big navy blue font title on center of the poster: GONE GUYS in between the bridge. Subheading explained the list of production crews and website: GoneGuysFilm.com. The font above the title: Boys and young men are struggling. It’s time to talk about it. Pink background with a guy standing on the edge of a broken bridge in between gaps.

DATE: May 16, 2026

TIME: 11 AM TO 2 PM

LOCATION: Pickering Room at Fletcher Free Library, 235 College St, Burlington, VT 05401

Gone Guys Trailer: https://goneguysfilm.com

Image Description: Afro-Latino brown man with a beard and faded copper-dyed afro hair. He wore a red shirt. Background: white wall with plugging box.

Synopsis:

VtAD hosts a community event on May 16 from 11 AM to 2 PM at Fletcher Free Library! This film event is a nationwide conversation about struggle of boys and young men. We are thrilled to join this nationwide conversation, especially with our Deaf perspective on this film. The event is free for all, regardless memberships. The goal of this event is to raise awareness about stuggles in manhood/masculinity and continue the conversation through our Deaf/DeafBlind/DeafDisabled/ Hard of Hearing community. This event welcomes all types of audiences! We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Image Description: Afro-Latino brown man with a beard and faded copper-dyed afro hair. He wore a red shirt. Background: white wall with plugging box.

Synopsis:

Note: State Legislative bills’ status is progressively quicker. We step up and respond to the legislative bill rapidly.

Support Service Program (SSP) budget (B.311) remains in the state budget proposal, but we need to take action by contacting your legislators and representatives in your county. Share your perspective on how this budget proposal impacts our VT Deaf/DeafBlind/DeafDisabled/Hard of Hearing communities. Advocate for this B.311 to be part of the Vermont State budget FY2027.

H.861: It would create an ADA coordinator position in the Agency of Administration to help coordinate disability services across state agencies, with four disability organizations involved in hiring. This bill is authored by Representative Elizabeth Burrows of West Windsor, her link: Vermont legislator bio. Her testimony is powerful in the House Meeting: YouTube Video with ASL (start at 30:00). H.861 is UNANIMOUSLY passed at the House level and proceeds to the Senate Government Operations Committee.

PLEASE CONTACT THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO SEND YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS BILL.

Chair: Sen. Brian Kolamore (Rutland)
Vice Chair: Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky (Chittenden Central)
Committee page: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2026/26

S.297- Electronic Ballot Return / Mobile Voting. This bill focuses on why accessible voting options matter for Vermont’s disability community, including Deaf/DeafBlind/Deaf/DeafBlind/DeafDisabled/Hard of Hearing members. This bill enables our decision to vote at the municipalities, counties, and state without any barriers.

Vermont ranks 49th in the country for voting accessibility for people with disabilities (MIT study). A bill proposal also allows municipalities to experiment with secure electronic ballot return. It was introduced but scaled back. Advocacy will continue next year — letters and support help keep this issue alive.
• MIT data: https://elections.mit.edu/#/data/map
• Vermont Public context: https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2024-10-17/voting-accessibility-gaps-remain

Please email me, vtad.president@gmail.com, if any questions or discussion. I’m looking forward to listen your ideas.

Afro-Latino brown man with a beard and faded copper-dyed afro hair. He wore a grey polo shirt. Background: white wall with a wood bar on the horizon level behind him.

Synopsis:

I’m the current president of the Vermont Association of the Deaf. I’m sharing some important news with you. Disability Advocate Day occurred on February 11, 2026. I met with some legislators to raise awareness about the H.143 bill at Montpellier, VT. This proposal bill is attempting to establish an act for a support service program, specifically a support service provider (SSP) in serving the DeafBlind community. Representative Theresa Wood of Waterbury introduced H.143 in the Human Services Committee in February 2025, but this bill is still on the table and has not advanced due to insufficient time. Instead, the committee intends to add this provision to the state budget (Governor’s Recommendation FY 2027 Budget). SSP funding will be ongoing in part of the state budget. We will know the result in mid-late May. Joint Public Hearing seeking public testimony about the state budget on February 19. The sign-up for testimony is full in both virtual (Zoom) and in-person testimony. Instead, you have three options: #1) submit the written statement to the Joint Public Hearing through email. #2) Record your statement in ASL video and submit to the public hearing, but this option is currently unavailable due to ongoing conversations with other organizations about logistics. #3) You can send your written testimony to your legislators in your county through email. Option #1 and #3 are recommended; legislators will take note of the significance of this program from you directly. They should advocate for voting on this budget on your behalf.

Submit your written statement (testimony) to the following email: testimony@vtleg.gov

Any questions or concerns? Please feel free to reach me at admin@deafvermont.com