University Advancement

Public Relations and Strategic Communications

NEWS RELEASE

CSUN Deaf Community to Host ‘Just Ask!’ Deaf Awareness Events

(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., April 16, 2007) — Cal State Northridge’s Department of Deaf Studies and National Center on Deafness (NCOD) are hosting a month-long series of events, JASK (Just Ask!), to educate faculty, staff, students and members of the deaf community about the deaf world.

"Many people are not aware of the vibrancy of the deaf community as a linguistic and cultural minority," said April Shin, JASK coordinator, "and as a result, misconceptions are often developed regarding the deaf community."

JASK will offer an array of free workshops, lecture series, social events, panels, films and stories.

A lecture series, "The Spirit of Deaf Leadership" will begin Wednesday, April 18, and end Thursday, May 3. The series will address such issues as academics, community, sports, technology, social justice and the arts and how they pertain to the deaf world. Interpreters will be provided. The presentations will be from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

The series scheduled is as follows:

• Former executive director of Telecommunications for the Deaf, Inc., Al Sonnenstrahl will talk about "Deaf Visual Technology," in the Johnson Auditorium of Jacaranda Hall on Wednesday, April 18;
• "Social Justice in the Deaf Community" is the subject of a lecture by deaf activists Ryan Commerson and Alison Aubrecht on Thursday, April 19, in the Nobb Auditorium of Sequoia Hall;
• University of Rochester associate professor Ted Supalla, will talk about "Deaf Academic Research," in the Lakeview Terrace Room of the University Student Union on Monday, April 23;
• Deaf baseball historian Steve Sandy will present "Deaf Sports" on Wednesday, April 25, in the Johnson Auditorium;
• Patricia Durr, an associate professor at the National Institute of Technology for the Deaf, will discuss "Deaf Arts and Films" on Tuesday, May 1, in the Lakeview Terrace Room; and
• Jennifer Yost-Ortiz, Youth Programs director under the National Association of the Deaf, will talk about "Deaf Youth," on Thursday, May 3, in Nobb Auditorium.

As part of the celebration, the 2007 Sharon Heiydt Carter Biennial Presentation Award will be presented to Ella Mae Lentz on Thursday, May 10, in Nobb Auditorium. The honor is given to individuals who empower the deaf and/or deaf-blind. A noted poet, Lentz is author of "Signing Naturally." She will talk about her work at the ceremony at 4:30 p.m.

The award is named for Sharon Heiydt Carter, a deaf educator for more than 30 years, who had a lifelong ambition to improve conditions for the deaf community.

The university will also host Camp Read, where deaf and hard-of-hearing college students will sign stories to children while their parents attend a workshop, which will be held Saturday, April 14, 9:30 a.m. to noon in the NCOD lounge in Jeanne Chisholm Hall. The parent workshop will be taking place in Chisholm Hall 228.

JASK will host an open forum on Thursday, April 19, at 3:30 p.m. in Chisholm Hall 228.

Coffee Night, open to the public, will be held at the Porter Ranch Starbucks on Friday, April 20, from 7 p.m. to midnight.

A campaign and election for the officials of 2007-2008 Deaf CSUNians will take place on Thursday, April 26, in the NCOD courtyard from 1 to 4 p.m. That evening, the "Who’s Deafest?" game will take place in the Multi-Purpose Room of NCOD from 6 to 9 p.m. Four teams will test their knowledge in all things Deaf.

NCOD and the student group, Deaf CSUNians, will have a celebration ceremony for the deaf community with a barbeque and students vs. staff game on Friday, April 27, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Cal State Northridge has emerged as a national leader in providing quality education to deaf and hard of hearing students in a mainstream university environment through the efforts of NCOD. The center provides communication access, leadership and social opportunities, scholarships, academic advisement, tutoring and direct communication classes for approximately 200 students who are deaf and hard of hearing.

The deaf studies program at CSUN provides knowledge and information about the deaf experience to Deaf and hearing undergraduate students such as language (American Sign Language), deaf culture, history, literature and other fields. The department serves as a resource to the campus and general public for a variety of deaf services (interpreting, counseling, education, advocacy, etc.).

Deaf CSUNians develop a cultural, political, and social awareness among its members, the campus and the community.

JASK is being jointly organized by the Deaf CSUNians, the NCOD and CSUN’s Department of Deaf Studies. It was made possible by a donation from Grace Petrie to promote services to deaf and disabled students.

For more information, go to the JASK web site, http://www.csun.edu/~jl586354/, e-mail the deaf studies department at deaf.studies@csun.edu or call (818) 677-5116.