Deaf Community Members Can Dance at House of Blues

Gospel Choir members pulled audience members to dance with them at GLAD's fundraising event at House of Blues on May 16, 2010. Photos by Megan Clancy

See Deaf community people dance here with Gospel music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVuc2HpRZho

Listen to the music here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9Xxb379ByA

Agency for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing had fundraising at House of Blues May 16, 2010

Left: Bob Hiltermann Right: Dr. Patricia Hughes, CEO of GLAD

Bob Hiltermann hosted GLAD's event on May 16, 2010 at House of Blues.

Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness (GLAD) had its 8th annual fundraising event at House of Blues on the famed Sunset Strip in West Hollywood on May 16, 2010.

Well-known deaf performers Lexi Marman, Brian Michael Cole and Bob Hiltermann entertained the audience at the beginning of the show before the Gospel Choir came on stage.

See Bob Hiltermann hosting the show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddn_r3HZJBM

"I'm supportive of those who have cochlear implants, and I ask them what do they hear," Hiltermann said. "I would like to hear, but I won't get the cochlear implant because I know it will change me. Deafness is who I am."

GLAD's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Patricia Hughes shared information about how GLAD can help adults and children with cochlear implants.

GLAD has services that can help adults who are losing their hearing, Hughes said. Employees at GLAD have experience with losing their hearing, so they can help adults learn how to cope with their hearing loss.

For children who have cochlear implants, Hughes encourages them to learn sign language because they are still deaf when the implants are off. See our interview here on video (sign language version only): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GogBWNPOvg

"This year was one of the best fundraising events at House of Blues," Hughes said. "I strive to remove all the negative attitudes and communication barriers through my work with GLAD. I will keep working until I'm burned out."

According to Hughes, more deaf children are mainstreamed compared to in the past, however according to California Law, schools for the deaf must remain open. This is because these schools provide deaf children the least restrictive environments compared to regular schools for normal hearing children. See a video here talking about CA AB 2072, a bill that cuts budget plans for schools for the deaf: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f_DBRhI6kg.

Prelingual deaf adults/parents can find tutors on Craigslist

David Kim and his family. Photo by David Kim David has a cochlear implant.

You can find a great tutor on Craigslist if your family or friends cannot help you at a regular basis.

You can type a post like: I'm deaf and am an adult. I'm looking for a speech language tutor. I prefer native English speakers and those who want to help and are patient with repetition. We can meet at my home or at the library.

You can easily create your own materials with the daily newspaper, your kids' books, and games like:

Apples for Apples
Boggle
Guess Who?
Taboo!
Scrabble
Memory game

Deaf Performers Can Struggle In Entertainment Industry Like Anyone Else

Fans with Actor CJ Jones in Santa Monica, Calif. May 2010

Photo: Courtesy of Hilari Scarl (above poster) and others by Megan Clancy

Hilari Scarl, director of "See What I'm Saying?" documentary, wanted to film deaf people about their lives for a long time. Scarl originally planned on writing a film about deaf people, but she felt it made more sense to film deaf people themselves and produce a documentary, according to Scarl. Scarl started filming four performers: CJ Jones, Robert DeMayo, TL Foresberg and Bob Hiltermann in 2007. Their real lives have a much more empowering effect compared to what I can invent, Scarl said.

Microsoft sponsored the film by covering fees for open captioning, and this film is the first film at a theater that came with open captions, Scarl said. Scarl hopes to influence other filmmakers and people in the movie industry to do the same--to allow open communication access for both communities, hearing and the deaf.

Sprint was the film's title sponsor, covering fees for their opening music video that had both singing and sign language.

See Bob Hiltermann host Greater Los Angeles Agency for the Deaf (GLAD)'s annual fundraising brunch at House of Blues here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjjS-eAE2_I.

Deaf Dad Hears His Son With His C.I.

Many deaf people use sign language to communicate. However, more of then have access to the world of sound with cochlear implants, like David Kim, with the cap in the photo below.

David Kim, 33, moved to California from Korea at the age of 8 months. He lives in Orange County with his wife, Elizabeth, and 3-year-old son, Josiah. Kim was born with profound hearing loss, and now hears with a cochlear implant from Advanced Bionics Corporation.

David Kim with his son Josiah at Angels Stadium. Photo by Megan Clancy

"Basically, one of my friends read about cochlear implants in Time and suggested me to look into this new technology," Kim said in response about how he decided to get the cochlear implant. After gathering information through his research, he felt it was worth a shot getting more hearing from an implant. He got his implant at Sutter Medical Center in 2003. "I wanted to get a cochlear implant basically because I wanted to communicate with hearing people," Kim said. "I just wanted to be more aware of things around me."

Kim grew up using both spoken language and American Sign Language. After he got implanted, he did not need speech therapy since his speech was already very clear. Kim also speaks some Korean (Hangul), but does not use it often.

"I started to hear sounds that I never was able to hear. It was an awesome experience," Kim said. "I cried at some sounds like kids talking, the violin playing, birds singing and crickets chirping. I was amazed to hear myself talking."

Kim was unable to recognize his name by listening alone, but now he can. "It's like learning a new language," Kim said. "I had to match the words to sounds." At home, he would practice listening by having conversations with his wife, Elizabeth.

He enjoys listening to NPR News, pop style Christian music, Jazz and Blues.

Elizabeth Kim, Josiah Kim and David Kim at Saddleback Church's Easter Service on April 4, 2010 at Angel's Stadium in Anaheim, Calif. Photo by Megan Clancy

"Hearing my son's voice was a joy," Kim said. "It became important to me."