P.O. Box 16804 Jacksonville, FL 32245 ㅡ Adam Ledo President president@fridcentral.org Eli Sierra 1st Vice President 1stvp@fridcentral.org Rachel Elliott 2nd Vice President 2ndvp@fridcentral.org Megan Fogt Secretary secretary@fridcentral.org Terri Bugler Treasurer treasurer@fridcentral.org Nicole Bihlmayer Region Representative East regionrepeast@fridcentral.org Alecia Castro Region Representative North regionrepnorth@fridcentral.org Brian Gauci Region Representative South regionrepsouth@fridcentral.org Ava Rogers Region Representative West regionrepwest@fridcentral.org

ORLANDO, February 2, 2018--- After a string of mishaps regarding the use of sign language interpreters during televised broadcasts, the Florida Legislature is taking steps to address it. Florida has in statute (252.35) a state comprehensive emergency management plan, which lays out requirements for the Division of Emergency Management. Currently, there are bills in both chambers of the Florida Legislature to amend this statute and require a qualified sign language interpreter be included in televised broadcasts. The Senate bill (CS/SB 1466) is currently in the Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security committee, the only committee it will see before being sent to the floor. The House Bill (HB 1109) is currently in the Appropriations Committee, the second of three committees it will go through. In both versions of the bill, a qualified interpreter is being defined as, “a person who is certified by the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf or the Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.” Being that the Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf no longer offers any form of credentialing, the current language of the bill does raise a slight concern. We suspect that this specific language is being used because it would be consistent with the language in other existing statute. The Board of FRID has been in contact with the offices of both of the bill sponsors, Senator Farmer and Representative Stark, to clarify the bill language. The Board of FRID will also reach out to the Division of Emergency Management to open a dialogue with them and to see how we can be of assistance should this bill become law. Once this change is incorporated into the bill language, the Board of FRID will be in full support of passing this important piece of legislation. We believe that it will help to prevent any further potentially harmful mishaps from occurring. We encourage you to contact your local legislators and ask them to support CS/SB 1466 or HB 1109. ### Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (FRID) FRID is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization, which is leading a statewide effort to initiate, sponsor, promote, and execute policies and activities that will further the profession of interpreting and the provision of qualified interpreters for Deaf and hard of hearing Floridians. Contact: Name: Adam Ledo Email: President@fridcentral.org *** Download PDF Version ***

The Board is thrilled to announce the appointment of Brian Gauci for Region Rep South! We are finally operating with a full board and we believe Brian will be a great asset to the team. We look forward to increasing our presence in the southern part of the state.

Brian Gauci (NIC, MICS IV) hails from New Orleans, Louisiana. He is a “Ragin’ Cajun” who loves to cook: Gumbo, Jambalaya, Etouffe, and more. He moved to Florida about 8 years ago. He has been interpreting in the community for over 12 years. He has worked as an interpreter in Louisiana (community), Missouri (MO Commission for the Deaf), Washington DC (Birnbaum Interpreting Services) and now here in Florida (now home!). He has a love for theatre as evidenced in the many Shadow Theatre performances he has directed and performed in in South Florida. Brian is an integral member of the Deaf Community in South Florida, not only as an interpreter and ally but also as a father of a deaf son. In his spare time, he likes to play volleyball, travel, hang at the beach, and spend time with his beautiful family.

On January 29, RID sent out an email referendum on Motion CM2017.07. The initial email provides information about the motion, the text of the motion, and links to comments by the RID Board, RID Diversity Council, RID Professional Development Committee, Hawaii RID and RISPRI (Registro de Intérpretes para Sordos de Puerto Rico, Inc.). The individualized voting credential information was sent out in a separate email. We encourage you to check your filtered email folders, such as spam or promotions (Gmail), to make sure you don't miss the opportunity to participate in this referendum.

The Board of FRID would like to echo the sentiment expressed in the opinions released above. We agree that passage of this motion would place undue burden on people living in remote areas, on islands, or those living/working abroad. The costs associated with these interpreters having to then travel to and attend on-site workshops could be exorbitant. Further, we are concerned about the impact this motion would have on single parents, sole income providers, and caregivers, who are potentially limited in both time and money. 

Additionally, we challenge the statements that "ASL is...best understood in a face-to-face interaction" and that "professional development is most effective in a face-to-face environment." Without evidence to back these claims, it makes it hard to accept them as anything more than supposition. It is worth mentioning that there are several accredited universities that offer online degrees in ASL and interpretation.

Lastly, we would like to dispute the fiscal impact statement: "there may be a positive fiscal impact if Affiliate Chapters present more workshops." In our experience, onsite workshops are far more costly to Affiliate Chapters than online workshops. For example, onsite workshops may include fees for the facility, and travel and hotel costs for the presenters, which would not exist for online workshops. 

In conclusion, the Board of FRID stands opposed to this motion.  We encourage all voting members to participate in this referendum. As a reminder, in order to participate in RID votes, there is a requirement that you hold membership in an affiliate chapter so please ensure that your membership is up-to-date.

The deadline to vote in this referendum is March 30, 2018.

P.O. Box 16804 Jacksonville, FL 32245 ㅡ Adam Ledo President president@fridcentral.org Eli Sierra 1st Vice President 1stvp@fridcentral.org Rachel Elliott 2nd Vice President 2ndvp@fridcentral.org Carrie Moore Secretary secretary@fridcentral.org Terri Bugler Treasurer treasurer@fridcentral.org Nicole Bihlmayer Region Representative East regionrepeast@fridcentral.org Alecia Castro Region Representative North regionrepnorth@fridcentral.org Vacant Region Representative South regionrepsouth@fridcentral.org Ava Rogers Region Representative West regionrepwest@fridcentral.org

ORLANDO, September 28, 2017--- During the uncertainty that often comes with a natural disaster, access to up-to-date and accurate information is absolutely critical. This is especially true for the Deaf community, who are often receiving this pertinent information through an interpreter. At these times, it is crucial for the interpreters to be highly trained and qualified, which is why the Board of FRID was distressed by what unfolded in Manatee County. The decision by county officials to broadcast an “interpreter”, who signed nonsense and conveyed only pieces of the information, was an outrage. Manatee County residents were desperate for updates and evacuation information, and what Deaf and hard of hearing residents received was a muddled, confusing, and inaccurate conveyance of information. This type of situation should never happen again. Manatee County was not alone in failing to provide access to pertinent and life-saving information to its Deaf and hard of hearing residents. Countless other counties provided no interpreters at all, which meant very limited access to information for Deaf and hard of hearing residents, who rely on information being received in American Sign Language. This included Orange County, where several FRID Board members reside. FRID has a history of working with local and state governments to provide education and information on this very subject. Beginning in late 2012, FRID started working with the Division of Emergency Management, the Department of Health, Public Information Officers, and other Emergency Management personnel around the state to discuss interpreting provision and provide training. As part of the training, officials were taught the logistics of having interpreters in public briefings, what information interpreters would need to be successful, and that the interpreter needed to remain visible in the frame at all times. FRID has been a resource to local and state governments, and we are offering to once again provide guidance on this important issue. In comparison to the counties that failed to meet expectations, several counties provided highly qualified interpreters for all their briefings, including Miami-Dade, Broward, Pinellas, and Pasco, among others, and FRID would like to recognize their efforts. FRID would especially like to applaud the Governor’s Office and the Division of Emergency Management for providing exceptional access for Deaf and hard of hearing Floridians while Governor Scott traveled the state to give emergency briefings. In the wake of Hurricane Irma and the unfortunate decisions in Manatee County, it is obvious that there is still work to be done. On behalf of the communities we serve, FRID calls on local and state governments to review and update their policies and practices on the provision of interpreting services. We are calling for reform, and we are offering to help local and state governments achieve it. FRID, alongside the Florida Association of the Deaf, can be a resource on how to ensure that Deaf and hard of hearing Floridians receive access to information during emergency situations. If you are interested in being a part of our efforts, please join our organization and help us with educating stakeholders around the state. ### Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (FRID) FRID is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization, which is leading a statewide effort to initiate, sponsor, promote, and execute policies and activities that will further the profession of interpreting and the provision of qualified interpreters for Deaf and hard of hearing Floridians. Contact: Name: Adam Ledo Email: president@fridcentral.org *** Download PDF Version ***

English: This video is an interview between FRID President (left), Adam Ledo (a white man wearing a light colored dress shirt), and outgoing RID Vice President (right), Erica West Oyedele (a black woman wearing a blazer). They are seated side by side signing in American Sign Language (ASL). Erica West Oyedele is sharing about her experience as the first person of color to ever preside over a RID business meeting. Also, she comments about her perspective as an introvert and what she will be doing now that her term of service on RID's Board of Directors is complete.

Español: Ésta vídeo es una entrevista entre el Presidente de FRID, Adam Ledo, un hombre de tez blanca, vistiendo una camisa de vestir de manga larga de un claro color,ubicado al lado izquierdo de la pantalla, y la saliente Vicepresidenta del RID, Erica West Oyedele, una mujer afroamericana, vistiendo una chaqueta de color negro. Se encuentran sentados uno al lado del otro conversando usando el Lenguaje Americano de Señas. Erica comparte su experiencia de ser la primera persona de color en presidir los procesos de la Reunión de Negocios durante la Asamblea General del RID en el 2017. Además conversa desde su perspectiva como una mujer introvertida, y que estará realizando ahora que su término de servicio en la Junta Directiva del RID a culminado.

EWO Making History

Visual Descriptions & Transcript

Descripción de la video-grabación y traducción

Visual (English): The video opens with an image of the FRID logo: on a white background, a green colored shape of Florida. The letters FRID are in the foreground. In all caps, black lettering at the bottom: Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. The image fades to a black title screen with capital white lettering: Making History Together RID Lead Together 2017. The title fades to a video. FRID President (left), Adam Ledo (a white man wearing a light colored dress shirt), and former RID Vice President (right), Erica West Oyedele (a black woman wearing a blazer), are seated side by side signing in American Sign Language (ASL).

Visual (Español): El video comienza con el logo de FRID (Registro de Intérpretes para Sordos, capítulo de Florida, siglas en inglés): Trasfondo color blanco, la representación visual del mapa de la Florida en color verde, las iniciales FRID en color negro en primer plano. Y en la parte inferior, en mayúsculas se encuentra la frase: Florida Registry for the Deaf. La imagen se oscurece y en letras blancas aparece el título: Haciendo Historia Juntos, RID Liderando Juntos 2017. El título desaparece y aparece la imagen en vídeo de Adam Ledo, un hombre de tez blanca, vistiendo ropa de colores claros, se encuentra el Presidente de FRID, situado a la izquierda de la pantalla, y la pasada Vicepresidenta del RID Nacional, Erica West-Oyedele, una dama afroamericana vistiendo chaqueta, situada a la derecha de Adam, y ambos conversan usando Lenguaje Americano de Señas.

Adam (English): Hello from the RID national conference in Salt Lake City. Sadly, today is the final day. Let me introduce myself, I am Adam Ledo, current FRID President. I’m here with the RID outgoing Vice President, Erica West Oyedele (EWO). I hope I got the spelling right.

Adam (Español): Saludos desde la Conferencia Nacional del RID en la ciudad de Salt Lake City, en el estado de Utah. Lamentablemente, hoy es el último día de conferencia. Permítanme presentarme, mi nombre es Adam Ledo, actual presidente de el Registro de Intérpretes para Sordos Capítulo Afiliado de Florida (FRID por sus siglas en inglés.) Me encuentro aquí con la saliente Vicepresidenta de RID Nacional, Erica West Oyedele (EWO). Espero haber deletreado tu nombre correctamente.

Erica (English): Yes, you got it right.

Erica (Español): Si, lo deletreastes bien.

Adam (English): Phew! As I said, her term as Vice President is almost complete; however, something special happened yesterday. During the second day of RID’s business meeting, President Walker abdicated his responsibility of running the meeting to represent the headquarters office; in turn, this responsibility fell to Erica. We already posted a message and shared a livestreamed video of this. Jonathan Webb went up on stage and shared these comments:

Adam (Español): Qué alivio! Como ya mencioné, el término como Vicepresidenta está a punto de culminar; mas sin embargo, algo muy significativo sucedió ayer. Durante el segundo dia de la Junta de Negocios en la Asamblea General, el Presidente Melvin Walker, abdicó su responsabilidad en dirigir la Junta de Negocios para poder fungir como representante de las Oficinas Centrales de RID durante la misma; delegando, entonces, dicha responsabilidad en Erica. FRID ya había hecho mención de esto en los medios sociales y compartió el evento en vivo en el dia de ayer. Luego de estp el señor Jonathan Webb, subió al escenario y compartió este comentario:

Visual (English): Video cuts to an image of three people on a stage. On the left, Melvin Walker, a white man and the current RID President is wearing a black business suit. Stephanie Chao, an Asian woman, stands in the center wearing a lavender dress and green shawl. On the right, Jonathan Webb, a black man, is wearing a white shirt. Jonathan is signing in ASL.

Visual (Español): El video presenta la imagen de tres personas en el escenario. A la izquierda se encuentra Melvin Walker, un hombre blanco y el actual Presidente de Registro de Intérpretes para Sordos (RID por sus siglas en inglés), vistiendo un juego de gabardina y pantalón color negro. Al lado se encuentra Stephanie Chao, una dama asiática-americana, presidenta saliente de la Sección de Miembros de Intérpretes y Transliteradores de Color (ITOC), vistiendo un traje de color lavanda y un chal color verde. A ala derecha se encuentra Jonathan Webb, hombre afroamericano, vistiendo una camisa blanca. Jonathan se dirige a los presentes usando ASL.

Jonathan Webb (English): Melvin announced yesterday that Erica would be taking on the responsibility of running the business meeting. There is a strong representation of interpreters of color at this year’s conference. Many of us were sitting together when the announcement was made, and we immediately recognized the significance of this moment. From RID’s inception in 1964 until today, this is the first time an interpreter of color, a black interpreter, has ever presided over our business meeting. That’s special.

Jonathan Webb (Español): Melvin anunció ayer que Erica estaría asumiendo la responsabilidad de dirigir los procesos de la Asamblea General del RID. En esta conferencia este año, cabe destacar la gran representación de intérpretes de color. Al momento del anuncio, muchos de nosotros nos encontrábamos sentados juntos e inmediatamente reconocimos la importancia de este acontecimiento. Desde los comienzos de RID en el 1964 hasta éste día, este es la primera vez que una intérprete de color, una intérprete negra, ha presidido la Junta de Negocios de la Asamblea General. Esto es algo especial.

Visual (English): The video fades back to the video of Adam Ledo and Erica West Oyedele.

Visual (Español): El video transiciona a la imagen de Adam Ledo y Erica West-Oyedele.

Adam (English): He said that since RID’s founding in 1964, this was the first time a person of color, a black interpreter presided over a RID business meeting. How did that make you feel?

Adam (Español): Él indicó que desde la fundación del RID en 1964, esta fue la primera vez que una persona de color, una intérprete negra preside la Junta de Negocios del RID en una Asamblea General. ¿Cómo ésto te hace sentir?

Erica (English): I felt really honored to have the opportunity to do that, and to be honest, I was not able to process my feelings in that moment. It wasn’t until the closing of the business meeting that Jonathan Webb came up on stage and gave the remarks as mentioned earlier, and it made me feel a lot of different emotions that I was not able to fully understand. At the end of his comments, Jonathan shared how he and a few others engaged in a community conversation and decided to acknowledge that I was the first person of color/interpreter of color/black interpreter to preside over the business meeting. It wasn’t just a few people, but rather a group of people, who were moved to action and decided to elevate the specialness of that moment, because of the value of community and collectivism. That is something that is important to me.

Erica (Español): Me sentí muy honrada de tener la oportunidad de hacerlo, y para ser honesta, no tuve la oportunidad de procesar mis sentimientos en aquel momento. No fue hasta la conclusión de la Junta de Negocios de la Asamblea General, que Jonathan subió al escenario y hizo el comentario que observamos anteriormente, que comencé a sentir distintas emociones que no puede ser capaz de comprender a cabalidad. Al final de su comentario, Jonathan c indicó como él y otros miembros de la comunidad entraron en un diálogo y decidieron reconocer que yo fuí la primera persona de color/intérprete de color/ una intérprete negra que preside sobre la Junta de Negocios. No fue un puñado sino un gran grupo de personas que, impulsados a actuar, decidieron a gran dificar lo especial de ese momento por lo valioso a la comunidad de intérpretes de color y la colectividad del RID. Y ésto último es de mucha importancia para mí.

Adam (English): Throughout the conference, we have repeatedly discussed the importance of having leaders who represent all of us, and leaders who we can see ourselves in. In that regard, what do you think was the greater significance of that and why do you think we should share it with everyone?

Adam (Español): A través de toda la conferencia, hemos repetidamente discutido la importancia de tener líderes que nos representen, y líderes con los cuales nos podamos identificar. Con relación a esto, ¿cuál crees tú que fue la mayor significancia y por qué debemos compartirla con todos?

Erica (English): Sure. First though, I want to back up for a moment. I saw your livestreamed video on Facebook from yesterday, and I want to thank you for it. It was important that you did that, and let me explain why. Yesterday, the Interpreters & Translators Of Color (ITOC) held their member section meeting. During that meeting, we talked about the importance of acknowledging us and celebrating us. Often times, we don’t want to be cast into a spotlight, but when we are quiet about our achievements, then our stories are not told. A few years ago, Legacies and Legends was published, and that book is significant and inspiring. It shares the stories of the important contributions to our field through the years; however, there is virtually no mention of persons of color. They were mentioned more as a footnote than a true acknowledgement. We have to do better at recognizing and capturing moments, such as the one from yesterday, and I thank you for capturing it. That’s another reason why yesterday was so significant.

Erica (Español): Claro. Primero quiero retroceder un momento. Pude observar tu segmento en vivo en línea en Facebook de ayer. Fui muy importante que lo hicieras y déjame explicarte el por qué. Ayer, los Intérpretes y Transliteradores de Color (ITOC) tuvieron su reunión de sus miembros. Durante la misma , hablamos de la importancia de reconocer y celebrarnos. En ocasiones, no queremos ser la atracción de todos, pero cuando callamos nuestros logros, entonces nuestra historia no se cuenta a otros. Varios años atrás, se publicó Legados y Leyendas y es un libro significativo e inspirador. Y comparte las historias que han contribuido grandemente en el campo de nuestra profesión a través de los años; más sin embargo no se hace mención de los logros alcanzados por personas de color. Fueron mencionados como notas al calces, en vez de ser reconocidos junto a los demás. Tenemos que mejorar la manera en que reconocemos y capturamos momentos, como el que sucedió ayer, y quiero agradecerte por capturar ese momento y compartirlo. Esa es otra razón por la cual el evento de ayer fue significativo.

Adam (English): I felt honored to be a part of and witness to that special moment in history yesterday. I think that book you mentioned might need to publish a second edition and add this event. Now I’m going to shift the conversation a bit. Yesterday, Erica and I spent quite a bit of time chatting and we had a very enjoyable conversation. In our discussion, we shared that we are both introverts and that is a personality trait that seems somewhat prevalent with other interpreters. I think that is something else that is important to share. Would you mind talking a little about that?

Adam (Español): Me siento honrado de ser parte y de presenciar ese momento especial en nuestra historia y de ser parte del mismo. creo que el libro que mencionaste va a necesitar publicar una segunda edición donde incluya este evento. Ahora cambiando el tema un poco, ayer, Erica y yo platicamos y tuvimos una amena conversación. Durante nuestra charla, compartimos que ambos somos introvertidos y al parecer es una característica en la personalidad que muchos intérpretes comparten. Y creo que es otro aspecto que se debe hablar. ¿Podrías hablar un poco sobre esto?

Erica (English): I like socializing with people, but it is exhausting. A conference like this, even without the honorable moment, would be very emotional for me because I have to be “on”, suppress my discomfort and just keep going. It becomes important for me to figure out how to take care of myself. Introverts are often task-oriented people and we are good at getting things done, which is important for this type of organization. We have a lot of members that want a lot of different things from us. Having people who are able to engage with our members is important, but it’s also important to have people who thrive at getting things taken care of. It takes a certain kind of energy to get up in front of others or to interpret in front of larger crowds. I think many introverts have that ability, but we are focused on the task in those moments. That requires a different kind of energy than actually interacting and socializing, which drains my energy much quicker. Then, I have to go find a place to hide, which admittedly I did a few times this week. Usually, I didn’t have enough time to go up to my room, so I would hide in the bathroom or even behind one of the curtains. I had to take care of myself and make sure that I had the energy and comfort to continue doing my job.

Erica (Español): Me gusta socializar con personas, pero es algo extenuante para mí. Una conferencia como esta, sin tomar en consideración la honorable responsabilidad que me tocó un momento atrás, hubiera sido drenante emocionalmente, porque debo estar en un estado mental activo constante para suprimir mi inconformidad y poder continuar realizando lo que estaba haciendo. Para mi ha sido muy importante descifrar primero como debo cuidarme. Las personas introvertidas son personas enfocadas en tareas y somos muy buenas completando dichas tareas, lo cual es algo muy importante para el tipo de organización en la cual estamos sirviendo. Tenemos muchos miembros, quienes desean de nosotros muchas cosas. El que tengamos personal que puedan entablar una conversación con los miembros, pero también es importante tener personas cuya meta sea que las tareas sean completadas. El acto de dirigirse a un público o el solo acto de interpretar ante una gran cantidad de personas, requiere el uso de cierto tipo de energía. Y es por eso que muchos introvertidos poseen esa habilidad, ya que se basa en enfocarse en la tarea del momento. y es una energía distinta requerida a la necesaria al momento de socializar e interactuar con otros, lo cual drena mucho más rápido. Así que en esos momentos que yo trato de localizar un lugar en donde me pueda esconder, y tengo que admitir que lo hice varias veces esta semana. Usualmente, yo me voy a mi cuarto de hotel, para recargar energías, pero esta semana no pude hacerlo, asi que o me escondía en el baño o hasta detrás de la cortina. Tenía que cuidarme primero y asegurarme que tenía la energía necesaria y sentirme lo suficientemente cómoda para continuar realizando mi trabajo.

Adam (English): Thank you for sharing that. Many times, I’ve had the same experience. So what happens next for you? At noon today, you will no longer be the VP, so what will you do now?

Adam (Español): Gracias por compartir esto, Erica. En muchas ocasiones, yo he tenido la misma experiencia. entonces, hoy a las 12 del medio día, dejarás de ser la Vicepresidenta del RID, ¿que harás entonces? ¿Qué es lo próximo que sucederá con Erica?

Erica (English): Well, I have 2 main focuses, but I’m sure there will be several other things that I will do. First, I was going to say new, but I have a “not so new” 14-month-old baby at home, and I plan to focus on my family. The second is my new job with Project CLIMB, which provides legal training to interpreters of color, Deaf interpreters, CODAs and heritage signers. The project focuses on those communities and aims to bolster their skills and qualifications in the legal interpreting specialization. Lastly, I would add self-care. This week we talked a lot about prioritization and how often we forget to prioritize ourselves. I often take care of others first, so I’m going to prioritize myself too.

Erica (Español): Bueno tengo dos planes en los cuales me voy a centrar, pero estoy mas que segura que habrán varias otras cosas que estare haciendo. Primeramente, diría que es nuevo, pero tengo un “no-muy-nuevo” bebé de 14 meses de edad allá en la casa, y planeo centrarme en mi familia primeramente. Mi segundo enfoque, es mi nuevo trabajo con el Proyecto C.L.I.M.B, el cual provee entrenamiento en el ámbito legal a intérpretes de color, Intérpretes Sordos, CODAs y usuarios de lengua de señas por razones hereditarias. Este proyecto se centra en estas cuatro comunidades y aspira en reforzar sus destrezas y cualificaciones en la especialidad de interpretación de ámbito legal. Por último, quiero añadir el cuidarse a sí mismo. Esta semana hablamos muchas veces acerca de establecer prioridades y cómo en muchas ocasiones olvidamos el darnos prioridad a nosotros mismos. Repetidamente cuido de otros primero, así que voy a comenzará darme prioridad a mi.

Adam (English): Great! I look forward to seeing you thrive even more. Thank you for your time and thank you for letting everyone see you. It’s important. Thank you.

Adam (Español): ¡Grandioso! De verdad espero con ansias verte alcanzando aún más metas. Gracias por compartir este tiempo y permitir a otros poder observarte. Es muy importante poder verte. Gracias.

Erica (English): Thank you to everyone.

Erica (Español): Gracias a todos.

Visual (English): Adam Ledo and Erica West Oyedele embrace in a hug, smiling. The FRID logo reappears on the screen as the video fades. A final screen with black background and white lettering reads: Video clip screencaptured from: https://livestream.com/accounts/8039016/events/7576335/videos/160154302.

Visual (Español): Adam Ledo y Eric West Oyedele se abrazan y sonríen. El logotipo se FRID reaparece en la pantalla mientras la grabación en video desaparece. Una imagen final aparece donde la pantalla está en color negro y letras Lucas aparecen y lee: las porciones grabadas en video han sido proporcionadas por: https://livestream.com/accounts/8039016/events/7576335/videos/160154302.

     This report comes courtesy of Gina Halliburton, FRID's representative on the Florida Coordinated Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (FCCDHH). The Council held its most recent meeting May 11-12, 2017 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Below is a summary of Gina's report to the FRID to the Board of Directors. The next FCCDHH meeting will be held in August 10-11, 2017 in Safety Harbor, Florida. See the FCCDHH website for more information. Many thanks to Gina for her time and effort in keeping the members updated about the Council's activities.

     "May Meeting Summary:

• A presentation by the Director of Deaf Services at Goodwill Gulfstream provided timely and candid information regarding the victories and challenges of Deaf Services.  Victories - being able to provide the following services to the Deaf Community, despite the challenges of financial shortfalls and lack of space:

• • Audiology & Interpreting Services
  • Advocacy
  • Crisis Intervention
  • Assistance in applying for social services
  • Full inclusion, including job placement & Training
  • ASL classes
  • ADA Compliance
  • Workshops, outreach events and community education
    
• A presentation by Peggy Brown, Regional Executive Director of the Center for Hearing and Communication Programs.  Information was provided regarding the Senior/Adult/Children's Programs. Flyer summarizing information attached for your convenience.
  
  
• The DOH distributed training DVD's "Legal System Access - For Persons With Hearing Loss".  Several were given to you (Rachel) for FRID.
  
  
• DeafBlind Awareness Presentation & Activity. A presentation by Anindya "Bapin" Bhattacharyya, Helen Keller National Center Coordinator of National Outreach Adaptive Technology Training Program.  He provide information and demonstrated the latest communication assistance technology and Darlene Laibi-Crowe engaged the Council in simulated experience of being blind in a sighted world.
  
  
• Debbe Hagner was appointed the open seat for the Public Service Committee.
• I was appointed the open seat for Chair of the Education & Medical Outreach Committee.  One of the additional responsibilities I have been assigned is to prepare a summary and letter to responsible person based on issues presented by the Deaf consumers during Public Comments. My first order of business is to select committee members, develop a contact database and write the first communication piece for the State to review.
  
  
• There were several comments made by Deaf consumers, highlighting the continued stress and challenges of obtaining adequate medical services, education and life skills training."

Below, Gina has attached several documents providing information on a variety of events and subjects.

DeafPeopleandEducational_Attainment_white_paper.pdf

FCCDHH May Mtg Handout-CHCP.pdf

2017 DB Transition Flyer.docx

FAVI Transition Flyer.docx

transitionsavethedate2017accessible_Mar_23_2017-14_05_59.docx

Appointments and Seats_032717.docx

Nomination packet 2017.docx

Super Hero.pdf

YES FAIR 10 Anniversary.jpg

yes senior 2017.pdf

On April 25, I participated in RID's Spring Leadership Webinar along with other Affiliate Chapter Presidents, Chairs of RID Member Sections, RID Board Members and other invitees. The meeting was facilitated (in ASL) by Erica Oyedele West, RID Vice President, Ritchie Bryant, RID Deaf-Member-At-Large, and Mish Ktejik, RID Region 5 Representative.  They provided updates on several topics, including the 2017 Lead Together Conference and the RID Board of Directors Elections. Here are the highlights from that meeting:

• 2017 Lead Together Conference - July 20-24 in Salt Lake City
• • Pre-registration & lottery process are complete. The remaining spaces (apx. 100 for the Leadership Track and 60 for the ASL Immersion and Interpreting Skills Development Track) are now open on a "first come, first serve" registration basis
  • Registration is done through RID Member Portal (under Meetings tab)
  • • ASL Immersion and Interpreting Skills Development Track
    • • Skills Track will be all hands-on training led by teams of 2 Deaf or one Deaf and one hearing instructors
      • Will focus on ASL Semantics, creating semantic equivalence, message coherence, discourse mapping, etc.
      • Not available for livestreaming option
    • Leadership Track
    • • Plenary presentations followed by small group discussions
      • 8 presentations, 2 panel discussions
      • Is available for livestreaming option (see below)
  • A group livestreaming option is available for the Leadership Track only. For more information, click here.
  • • Registration is open for group livestreaming until June 1st
    • Registration is done through RID Member Portal (under Meetings tab)
      
    • Remote livestreaming participants can earn up to 2.2 CEUs (3.0 for facilitator)
    • Small Group (3 -5 people) - $1125 total
    • Large Group (6 - 10 people) - $2000 total
    • Individual - $55
  • RID Annual Business Meetings

  • • Thursday July 20th at 5p-7p MDT & Sunday July 23rd at 8a-12p MDT

    • ABM will be livestreamed

    • Due to several challenges, no online voting will be available

    • If the members in attendance at the ABM choose to do so, any motion can be referred to the membership-at-large, which would allow for full membership participation in the voting via Simply Voting at a later date

    • Motions should be submitted prior to May 19, 2017. Click here for the motions form.

    • • Any motion received after May 19 would be considered "from the floor"
      • Opinions from various groups including the RID Board, headquarters and pertinent committees will be added to the motions
• 2017 RID Board of Directors Elections
• • Several contested elections:
  • • Vice President
    • Treasurer
    • Deaf Member-At-Large
    • Member-At-Large
  • To read bios of the nominees, click here
  • Voting is open now until May 31
  • An email has been sent to members with instructions on how/where to vote
  • Voter turnout has been low historically (typically less than 15% of members participate in elections), so please vote!
• Parliamentary Procedure Webinar
• • Will be facilitated by Robert Weinstock, RID Parliamentarian
  • Projected to be hosted in late May/early June
  • Will be made available to all members so keep an eye out for more information
• RID Executive Director Update
• • During the meeting, RID Board reported that there was no update to be shared
  • On April 30, RID President, Melvin Walker, shared an update here, highlights below:
  • • RID Board in contact with small pool of candidates
    • Interviews to be conducted in May
    • Candidates will prepare a vlog, which will be shared with membership and feedback will be solicited in late May/early June
    • Goal to select/onboard new Executive Director by late summer or early fall

If you have any questions regarding the RID Lead Together Conference, the RID Board of Directors Elections or the RID Executive Director Search, please direct those to the national office, Ms. Ryan Butts, Director of Member Services (rbutts@rid.org, 703-838-0030).

As always, I can be reached at president@fridcentral.org. Feel free to reach out to me if there is anything I can do.

Happy Tuesday FRID and Friends,

As many of you are no doubt aware, FRID has worked diligently with the governor’s office to encourage and support the State of Florida’s use of interpreters for emergency preparedness and communication during the 2016 hurricane season. Like you, we were pleased to note the State’s efforts in providing this vital service. In January 2017, the Board of Directors sent a letter of recognition to the State, in gratitude for its support in providing communication access to the Deaf community, especially during Hurricanes Hermine and Matthew.

              

FRID would also like to recognize and thank all of the people who put in the time, energy, and hard work needed to bring this issue to the attention of the State, as well as those interpreters who provided services during the 2016 hurricane season.

We have heard from some members recently regarding our announcement about hosting the FRID Annual Business Meeting at the Florida Association of the Deaf (FAD)'s 100th Anniversary Celebration. The FRIDay Flash is a great way to share quick announcements but doesn't allow for longer, and often necessary, elaboration. Please allow me to contextualize the Board's decision to host our ABM in conjunction with FAD's event.

Throughout my nearly 2 years as FRID President, I have unearthed scores of old documents. One of my favorites being the original RID paperwork filed by the founders of FRID back in February of 1971. As you can see, there were several Deaf individuals involved with the founding of FRID, including our first VP, Bob Thomson. Even from the onset, it was evident that FRID valued a strong relationship with the Deaf community and Deaf organizations. I have also come across countless agreements and contracts entered into in good faith by my predecessors and the leaders of FAD.

Several years ago, FRID made the decision to switch to a biannual conference; however, the bylaws still required an Annual Business Meeting. Fortunately for us, FAD was also hosting biannual conferences during our off year, thus leading to a perfect arrangement for both organizations to host their respective business meetings during the other's conference. This was the case in 2013 when I first got involved with FRID; the FRID Annual Business Meeting was held at FAD's conference in Tampa that year. It was inspiring to me to see a strong partnership between my state interpreting organization and the state association of the Deaf. 

When I took a leadership position in the organization, I made it my top priority to not only continue but also strengthen the relationship between FRID and FAD. With the support of the Board, we signed an agreement with FAD to begin hosting joint conferences, and we successfully did so this past October. As we move forward, FRID and FAD plan to continue the joint conferences, with the next one to be hosted jointly being held in 2018.  The current administration of FRID will continue to look for opportunities to partner with FAD. 

FAD is planning their 100th Anniversary Celebration, a special event, independently from FRID. Due to our long-standing relationship, FAD has been gracious enough to allow us to host our ABM during their celebration in the host hotel (at no cost to FRID). To show our gratitude, we are encouraging our members to attend the full weekend of FAD events. The FRID Annual Business Meeting will be held on the Saturday evening that weekend so as not to conflict with any of the FAD programming. 

The FRID ABM is free and open to the public and registration for FAD's 100th Anniversary Celebration events is not required. We ask that members please register for our ABM so that we can be prepared for the number of members who plan to attend. I sincerely hope to see all of you at our ABM in November and at the many FAD events that weekend.  

In closing, I hope that you will find inspiration and heartening when considering the longevity and preservation of a beautiful friendship between FAD and FRID.

Respectfully,

Adam Ledo, FRID President

For the last few years, the position of FRID Representative to the Florida Coordinating Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (FCCDHH) has remained vacant. We are thrilled to announce the recent appointment of Gina Halliburton as FRID Representative on the council.  Following is Gina's bio:

Eugenia C. Halliburton (also known as Gina) was born and raised in Southeastern Michigan where she was very actively involved with the Deaf Community. Gina holds NAD-III certification from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf and is a licensed and ordained minister. The sunny state of Florida became her home in 2015. Her first plan of action was to seek out and learn about the Deaf Community. She became a member of FRID and FAD, volunteered at The Arc, ILRC and her local church. Her other activities include operating a non-profit, Deaf Nations Of the World, Inc., which provides humanitarian services to people who are Deaf and was most recently awarded a gubernatorial appointment as the FRID representative on the Florida Coordinating Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (FCCDHH). Gina will celebrate 31 years of solid marriage in 2017, has 2 children and 5 grandchildren which she looks forward to seeing every chance she gets. She is excited about this season of life, eagerly anticipating making a difference in the lives of deaf people we serve as interpreters of excellence in Florida!

FCCDHH meets quarterly in various parts of the state, and these meetings are always open to the public. Since not all of us are able to make the meetings, part of Gina's role as FRID Representative will be to provide updates to be disseminated to our members.  Please see Gina's introductory report below, which includes background information on the council.

Greetings FRID members and associates. My goal is to keep the interpreting community abreast of the workings and events involving the Florida Coordinating Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (FCCDHH). 

As an introduction, it is the role of the council to serve as an advisory and coordinating body in the state of Florida. The council recommends policies that address the needs of deaf, hard-of-hearing, and late-deafened persons and is authorized to provide technical assistance, advocacy and education. They meet quarterly in various cities throughout the state.

The FCCDHH has 15 active members representing the following interests:

AGENDA ITEMS: The February meeting in Tallahassee covered several agenda items. I have included links to their respective websites wherever possible.

SAVE THE DATE:

The council will meet again on May 11 & 12 in Fort Lauderdale. Stay tuned for more announcements regarding location and the public comment times.