National Deaf History
2023-03-13 - 2023-04-15
National Deaf History Month
Deaf History Month was introduced in 1997 by The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) to celebrate the accomplishments of people who are deaf and hard of hearing (HoH). National Deaf History Month was celebrated annually from mid-March to mid-April to recognize three milestones for the Deaf community: the opening of the first public school for the deaf (now known as American School for the Deaf) on April 15, 1817, the founding of Gallaudet University, on April 8, 1864, as the first university in the country, and the hiring of the first deaf president of Gallaudet University, I. King Jordan, on March 13, 1988 (171 years later!). Why in 1988? His hiring was a result of a protest called Deaf President Now (DPN) by students, faculty, and the national Deaf community. However, since 2022 Deaf and HoH Month dates were changed to April 1 through April 30 so that this month would be inclusive of all individuals in the Deaf community, including BIPOC and LGBTQIAA+. Learn more here and from this article.
According to data provided by the Hearing Loss Association of America, approximately 2-3 out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears and approximately 48 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss. Deaf persons in the United States experience inequitable access to education, justice, health care, and jobs. The 2019 National Deaf Center report, “Deaf People and Employment in the United States,” shows that deaf persons are actively looking for work to a greater extent than hearing persons and that employment rates for deaf persons has not increased from 2008 to 2017.”
There are multiple challenges and barriers, including systemic racism and homophobia. Here’s an excerpt from The Learning Center for the Deaf describing intersectionality which highlights the experience of a Deaf BIPOC child with mental health challenges:
Devonta and Kristie both work with another family of a Deaf female who is Black and Dominican–we will call her “C.” “C.” attends a school for the Deaf and has emotional disabilities. Since the age of four, she has had difficulty maintaining positive relationships with adults and peers. Her teachers report her as “rambunctious, inconsiderate and lazy.” The school has filed several reports of child neglect with the State’s child protective services agency. Each time, the agency has been unable to find any evidence of neglect.
Reading that brief vignette brings up many questions about equity in access to services.
Despite continued challenges, there have been many achievements within the Deaf community. From the website INSIGHT Into Diversity | Diversity Magazine Publication Insight Into Diversity highlights the first deaf Black woman to earn a doctoral degree in the US, a deaf Mexican-American who as a child worked alongside farmworker parents, the first deaf African-American boxer, the deaf founder of the Girl Scouts, and the first deaf actor.  Deaf Women United created Deaf Women’s Herstory Month in 2014 to celebrate contributions made by this under-recognized group during Women’s History Month in March.
“Driven by compassion and a strong sense of purpose, deaf women have long been fighters for social justice. Charlotte Elizabeth Tonna (1790-1846) was a popular deaf writer whose work “The Wrongs of Woman” exposed the deplorable living and working conditions of female laborers in London. Juliette Gordon Low, who became deaf as a young adult, devoted her time to charity work and founded The Girl Scouts of America in 1913. Since its creation, The Girl Scouts program has helped millions of young Americans from all walks of life to become more confident and capable individuals.  In 1986, Marilyn J. Smith founded Abused Deaf Women’s Advocacy Services to address the unique needs of deaf and deaf-blind victims of abuse. Smith’s organization has centers across the country that are run by and for deaf people to provide training and education regarding issues of sexual assault and domestic violence.
Charlotte Elizabeth Tonna
Deaf women have also made significant contributions to the sciences. Annie Jump Cannon, born in 1863, became progressively deaf throughout her childhood, but not before she learned about the constellations from her mother. Cannon’s lifelong passion for astronomy led her to pursue a degree in physics, studying stars and novae in the College Observatory at Wellesley. She became the leading expert in stellar classification, a world traveler, and an advocate for women’s suffrage.
Anthropologist and poet, Ruth Benedict was born in 1887. Partially deaf from childhood, Benedict was fascinated with observing the world around her and devoted her life to cultural studies. Known for her humanist perspective, Benedict gained prominence as a respected female researcher in a field dominated by men. Her book “Patterns of Culture” helped shape modern social research methodology.
Between communication obstacles and societal oppression, deaf women had to break through the barriers to receive the education they deserved. It was the impressive intelligence of young Alice Cogswell which inspired Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet to create the world’s first University for the Deaf in 1817. Through the 19th century, deaf-blind women such as Julia Brace, Laura Bridgman, and Helen Keller went on to further prove that physical disabilities did not limit one’s ability or desire to learn.
These pioneers opened the door for women like Marie Jean Philip (1953-1997), who was a Gallaudet graduate, educator, and international advocate for deaf language rights. Philip was one of the first people to research, study, and establish American Sign Language as a recognized language!” (excerpt and photo from Sign Nexus Celebrating Women Through History)
Marie Jean Philip
Deaf history is rich and vibrant, with needs for representation of all those in the Deaf community.
Black American Sign Language BASL
Black American Sign Language (BASL) is a variation of American Sign Language (ASL) and was highly influenced by the segregation of Southern U.S. schools.  Schools were separated based on race therefore, it created two communities among Deaf signers.  The way that the two communities were taught sign language was quite different as there were only white Deaf signers at white schools and Black Deaf signers at Black schools.
BASL differs from ASL in its dialect, syntax and vocabulary.  BASL tends to have larger signing space and also tend to prefer two-handed variants of signs, while ASL tended to prefer one-handed variants.
Sign language, like spoken language, has regional variations (people sign more slowly in the South, for example), as well as features that reflect gender, age, socioeconomic status and, it turns out, race.
Not surprisingly, when schools began to integrate students and teachers noticed differences in the way Black students and White students signed and Black Deaf students and their teachers were having trouble understanding each other.
In 2012, a study was done lead by Carolyn McCaskill, a deaf, Black woman who made it her profession to study Deaf culture.  She is a professor at Gallaudet University, a famous D.C. private university for the Deaf and hard of hearing.  She worked with a team of researchers to study how 96 Deaf people to understand the variations of Black signers.  The research uncovered “a rich signing system that reflects both a history of segregation and the ongoing influence of spoken Black English”.  The book “The Hidden Treasure of Black ASL” was written as a result of the research (and an accompanying DVD) both emphasize that Black ASL is not just ASL with a few “slang” signs thrown in.
To learn more, you can watch the PBS show “Signing in Black America”; the first documentary about Black ASL.
Deaf History and Experiences, Links and Resources

Deaf History Month (unco.edu)
Deaf BIPOC: Unpacking the Needs in the Community | The Learning Center for the Deaf (tlcdeaf.org)
8 Famous Deaf People Who Changed the World | Deaf Unity
History Through Deaf Eyes | Gallaudet University
Through the Eyes of Deaf Children – YouTube (video 7 minutes)
This amazing video on deaf children at school includes learning from a deaf Black adult sharing his experiences being pulled over by police with a visual reference to Black Lives Matter.
BLACK DEAF STORIES | Black Deaf Center What Is It Like to Be DEAF? (video 25 minutes)
Great article on BIPOC Deaf Community and Intersectionality
Deaf BIPOC: Unpacking the Needs in the Community | The Learning Center for the Deaf (tlcdeaf.org)
Story Signing of Children’s Book Don’t Touch My Hair (video 6 minutes): Don’t Touch My Hair! – YouTube

Black Sign Language Resources:
SIGNING BLACK in AMERICA – TALKING BLACK in AMERICA

Black ThenBlack American Sign Language (BASL): Commonly Used by African-American Signers – Black Then

How America developed two sign languages — one white, one black – The Washington Post

Black, Deaf and Extremely Online – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Video Celebrating and preserving Black American Sign Language – ABC News (go.com)

Action Item
Learn to sign:
Learning ASL Online free: ASL Connect | Gallaudet University
This website offers free and quick lessons, by category such as emotions, pronouns, colors, fruits, and sports.
To learn more about Deaf History month, please visit out our JEDI page!

St. Patrick's Day
2023-03-17 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day. Although this holiday originated as a religious holiday, St. Patrick’s Day has evolved into a celebration of all things Irish.

Malcolm X Day
2023-03-19, 2023-05-19

James Storehouse- "Beautiful You"
2023-03-25 10:00 - 14:00
James Storehouse Invites you to- Beautiful You
Saturday, March 25th from 10 AM – 2 PM
Join us for a day of beauty, relaxation, & inspiration. Attendees (ages 14-23) will have a chance to shop for prom gowns, spring dresses, & shoes! Full makeovers, art stations and professional preparation will also be provided!

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National Vietnam War Veterans Day
2023-03-29

Transgender Day of Visibility
2023-03-31
To learn more, please visit our JEDI page!

Cesar Chavez Day
2023-03-31
To learn more about Cesar Chavez, please visit our JEDI page!

Autism Acceptance Month
2023-04-01 - 2023-04-30

Child Abuse Prevention Month
2023-04-01 - 2023-04-30

Good Friday
2023-04-02

Passover
2023-04-05 - 2023-04-13

International Asexuality Day
2023-04-06

Easter
2023-04-09

Nurturing Connections: Support and Training in Becoming a Therapeutic Parent
2023-04-12 17:00 - 18:30
Nurturing Connections: Support and Training in Becoming a Therapeutic Parent
Who Should Attend: Foster/kinship resource parents, adoptive parents, legal guardians
Description: Support and training, led by a therapist, in a safe and supportive environment where participants can share their experiences as a foster or adoptive caregiver. Participants have a chance to explore their own attachment histories and strengthen their therapeutic parenting skills. Learn about attachment, trauma, development, self-care, and more. Resource parents can earn training hours!
2023 Training Dates/Topics:

Jan. 11th: Staying Connected with
Birth Families
Feb. 8th: Making Sense of Your
Attachment History
March 8th: Ambiguous Loss
April 12th: Transracial Adoptive
Families
May 10th: Vicarious Trauma and
Self-Care
June 14th: Building Resilience in

When & Where: Every 2nd Wednesday of the month from 5-6:30pm, Currently offered via Zoom.
English/Spanish: Group is in English with live Spanish interpretation!
Cost: Free for foster/kinship resource, adoptive, and legal guardian caregivers within the Ventura County Child Welfare System.
Register: Click Here to Register
Contact: Please contact us at 805-643-1446 Ext. 180 or referrals@kidsandfamilies.org with questions.

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Yom HaShoah
2023-04-17 - 2023-04-18

Earth Day
2023-04-22

National Day of Silence (in honor of LGBTQ Youth)
2023-04-23

Mother Father Deaf Day
2023-04-25

Yom Ha’atzmaut
2023-04-25 - 2023-04-26

Arbor Day
2023-04-28

National Foster Care Month
2023-05-01 - 2023-05-31

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
2023-05-01 - 2023-05-31

Jewish American Heritage Month
2023-05-01 - 2023-05-31

Older Americans Month
2023-05-01 - 2023-05-31
Older Americans Month
(From the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services)
Each year in May, we commemorate Older Americans Month (OAM) to encourage and recognize the countless contributions that older adults make to our communities. Their time, experience, and talents enrich the lives of those around them. The theme for this year is Aging Unbound, which offers an opportunity to explore diverse aging experiences and discuss how communities can combat stereotypes. This year, there is a focus on promoting flexible thinking about aging and how we all benefit when older adults remain engaged, independent, and included.
We are recognizing the 60th anniversary of Older Americans Month and we challenge people to change the narrative on aging. Here are some ways we can all participate in Aging Unbound.

Embrace the opportunity to change. Find a new passion, go on an adventure, and push boundaries by not letting age define your limits. Invite creativity and purpose into your life by trying new activities in your community to bring in more growth, joy, and energy.
Explore the rewards of growing older. With age comes knowledge, which provides insight and confidence to understand and experience the world more deeply. Continue to grow that knowledge through reading, listening, classes, and creative activities.
Stay engaged in your community. Volunteer. Everyone benefits when everyone is connected and involved. Stay active by volunteering, working, mentoring, participating in social clubs, and taking part in activities at your local senior center or elsewhere in the community. For more information, contact your local Area Agency on Aging.
Form relationships. As an essential ingredient of well-being, relationships can enhance your quality of life by introducing new ideas and unique perspectives. Invest time with people to discover deeper connections with family, friends, and community members.

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

Here at K&FT, we support several grandparents who are raising and caring for their grandchildren and wanted to highlight the important role grandparents play in the lives of their grandchildren. While contending with their own issues, many grandparents are raising grandchildren because their children are facing their own difficulties. Despite the hurdles and challenges, the grandchildren appear by and large to do well, new research has found.
Over 2.6 million children in the United States are being raised by grandparents, other relatives, or close family friends. While it can be extremely rewarding for an older adult to take on the responsibility of raising a child, there are also many challenges that arise. There is a wide variety of reasons kinship families form. However, regardless of how they come together, many of them face similar difficulties such as navigating the welfare system, establishing legal guardianship, and moving past trauma.

A Proclamation on Older Americans Month, 2023
The following are excerpts from this year’s Proclamation on Older Americans Month by President Biden:
“On this 60th anniversary of Older Americans Month, we honor our Nation’s senior citizens, whose lifetimes of hard work, devotion to family, and commitment to community have laid the foundation for the country we are today.  We have a rock-solid responsibility to ensure our Nation’s seniors can age with dignity and financial security.
When President John F. Kennedy issued the first proclamation recognizing older Americans, approximately a third of seniors lived in poverty, and close to half were without health insurance.  Our Nation rallied together to confront this crisis, passing Medicare to deliver affordable, quality health care to our seniors; strengthening Social Security, the bedrock of American retirement; and ultimately raising so many seniors out of poverty.  We extended lifespans and provided critical breathing room to Americans who had worked hard their whole lives.  But there is still more work to do to ensure that no senior lies in bed at night wondering how they are going to pay for lifesaving drugs, put food on the table, or support their children and grandchildren.”
“Older Americans are the pillars of our community, and we owe it to them to value their wisdom, celebrate their contributions, and champion their well-being.  To older Americans across this Nation, we will always support you.”
Action Items

How are we going to care for the baby boomers?
As the baby boomer generation continues to age, the need for properly established care services becomes increasingly important. Baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, are the second-largest generation in United States history, with an estimated 76 million individuals. As they continue to grow older, it has become more urgent than ever to begin considering how we will provide care for this generation.
Many older adults are unable to afford care services due to high healthcare costs and inadequate retirement savings. Addressing these issues may require policy changes at the state and federal levels, such as expanding Medicare coverage and increasing funding for retirement savings programs.
Caring for the baby boomer generation is a daunting and inevitable challenge that requires a comprehensive and collaborative approach. By continuing to educate ourselves, we can ensure that baby boomers receive the care they both deserve and need to live healthy and comfortable lives.
Resources

Older Americans Month | Senior & Disability Services | Health & Senior Services
Caregiver Services – VCAAA
Microsoft Word – Caregiver Resources v2.docx (pcdn.co)
Microsoft Word – Caregiver Resources_SPANISH.docx (pcdn.co)
Resources for grandparents raising grandchildren » NCRC
Grandparents Living with Grandchildren (census.gov)
A Proclamation on Older Americans Month, 2023 | The White House
How are we going to care for the baby boomers? (mcknightshomecare.com)

Mental Health Awareness Month
2023-05-01 - 2023-05-31

Cinco de Mayo- Victory Battle of Puebla
2023-05-05
To learn more, please click here to check out our JEDI page!

National Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day
2023-05-05

Nurturing Connections: Support and Training in Becoming a Therapeutic Parent
2023-05-10 17:00 - 18:30
Nurturing Connections: Support and Training in Becoming a Therapeutic Parent
Who Should Attend: Foster/kinship resource parents, adoptive parents, legal guardians
Description: Support and training, led by a therapist, in a safe and supportive environment where participants can share their experiences as a foster or adoptive caregiver. Participants have a chance to explore their own attachment histories and strengthen their therapeutic parenting skills. Learn about attachment, trauma, development, self-care, and more. Resource parents can earn training hours!
2023 Training Dates/Topics:

Jan. 11th: Staying Connected with
Birth Families
Feb. 8th: Making Sense of Your
Attachment History
March 8th: Ambiguous Loss
April 12th: Transracial Adoptive
Families
May 10th: Vicarious Trauma and
Self-Care
June 14th: Building Resilience in

When & Where: Every 2nd Wednesday of the month from 5-6:30pm, Currently offered via Zoom.
English/Spanish: Group is in English with live Spanish interpretation!
Cost: Free for foster/kinship resource, adoptive, and legal guardian caregivers within the Ventura County Child Welfare System.
Register: Click Here to Register
Contact: Please contact us at 805-643-1446 Ext. 180 or referrals@kidsandfamilies.org with questions.

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Mother's Day
2023-05-14
