Vermont Association of the Deaf

Here is the July 2024 Meeting Minutes.

https://www.deafvermont.com/wp-content/uploads/Meeting-Minute-7_22_24.pdf

There is a petition from the DeafBlind community protesting Helen Keller Services’ decision to hire a hearing and sighted person as the Executive Director of the Helen Keller National Center. One of the finalists for the position was DeafBlind but was passed over, prompting the petition.

We, VTAD, wrote a letter to support the petition and here is the letter:

Dear HKS Board of Trustees,

The Vermont Association of the Deaf (VTAD) is writing to express its unequivocal support for the petition and demands of DeafBlind community leaders and members. VTAD condemns your decision to hire a hearing and sighted person to lead the center, as this decision perpetuates oppression by preventing qualified DeafBlind individuals from leading their own community. Additionally, this hire contradicts HKNC’s mission and value statements, which underscores equality, diversity, and inclusivity. VTAD strongly urges you to reconsider this hiring decision and address the following demands from DeafBlind leaders and members:

• DeafBlind person is appointed executive director of HKNC.
  
• HKNC is separated from Helen Keller Services (for the Blind), so that HKNC becomes its own, autonomous entity.
  
• HKNC’s newly created Board of Trustees is made up of 70 percent or more DeafBlind members.
   
• HKS and all of its subsidiaries will not retaliate against any HKS or HKNC employee, family member, or student for any civil action related to the selection process or related issues.

Last but not least, this is not the first time a decision like this has been made. Since the 1950s, DeafBlind communities have been marginalized and denied opportunities for representation and leadership. It is time to end this ongoing marginalization and allow DeafBlind individuals to lead not only the center but also the board.

Submitted by

Rebecca Lalanne, President
Dr. John Pirone, Vice President
Allen Winfree, Treasurer
Valerie Hughes, Secretary 
Jacob Veeder, Member At Large
David Krueger, Past President

Here are the meeting minutes:

May 2024: Meeting Minutes_5_13_24
June 2024: Meeting Minutes 6_17_24

Here are the official meeting minutes and it is the first one in 2024.

April 2024 – Meeting Minutes

We will share two meeting minutes (May and June) as soon as they are approved by the Board.

We, VTAD Board, would like to share a few updates and here are the videos:

For accessibility purposes, John Pirone serves as the signer in all videos. John, a white male with short gray hair, a gray beard, and glasses, consistently wears a bright green shirt against a blue background in all four videos.

Introduction: https://vimeo.com/966218537/7d35259156?share=copy.  The transcript is provided under the video.

Update 1: T-Mobile Accessibility Day: https://vimeo.com/966228752/28551bcb9d?share=copy. The information is the same as the flyer, which is shown at the end of the video. 

Update 2: Vermont Agency of Natural Resources: https://vimeo.com/966235078/fd902b0ce5?share=copy. The information is the same as the flyer, which is shown at the end of the video.

Update 3: Val Hughes as a delegate: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/966240768/6af3c5ebdd. The transcript is provided under the video.