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Historic LoUiSiAna Deaf-Blind Rally
June 1, 2007
Baton Rouge, LA – Deaf-blind demonstrators and supporters waved signs, ‘SSP NOW’ & ‘SSP Wanted’ and wore BLACK at the Louisiana Commission for the Deaf (LCD) during the first-ever Deaf-Blind Rally on BLACK Friday, June 1st. The rally was led by Dan Arabie, leader of the Deaf-Blind on the Move, who wore an AADB souvenir black t-shirt saying ‘No Deaf-Blind Left Behind’ and camouflage pants and moving the forces all the way. Two (2) news teams from WBRZ (ABC) & WAFB (CBS) were present and requested an interview with Dan Arabie, Maria Garden, leader of the Deaf-Blind Support Group, and Jackie Broussard, supervisor of Louisiana Career Development Center for the Deaf-Blind to explain deaf-blind issues such as Support Service Provider (SSP), equipments accessible, tactile interpreters, family experience, & more. As Dow Jones rose up to $40.47 and University of Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajun baseball team won their first game at the NCAA Regional by beating Ohio State, that historic day – June 1, 2007 marks Usher Syndrome Day and will be remembered forever by our Deaf-Blind community. The idea of having a rally was to develop better awareness of our needs such as Support Service Providers (SSP). Before the LCD meeting started, a prayer was led by Dallas Perry, 77, of Morgan City, supporter of Deaf-Blind Rally who is married to a 74-year-old deaf-blind woman. After Dan and several deaf-blind leaders such as Angela Lentini, Maria Garden, Jackie Broussard, Jerrye Ray, & Judy Populis spoke, the LCD board supports the need for SSP’s for the deaf-blind citizens and requests that the American Association Deaf-Blind (AADB) work with LCD to develop strategies soon in order to improve SSP services to better the lives of deaf-blind people.
By the way Dan Arabie and Jackie Broussard were working on the proclamation declaring Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week – June 24th to June 30th to have Lafayette City-Parish President Joey Durel and Governor Kathleen Blanco, aunt of Baron Babineaux, Jr., deaf-blind citizen to sign the proclamation in supporting.
Thought you would like to read deaf-blind key leaders’ formal ‘speak-out’ remarks; click here to read aloud.
To see slideshow photos; click here to see a slideshow
To watch real-time news from WBRZ-TV (ABC) has not yet released; click here to watch.
LoUiSiAna yours,
Dan Arabie
Leader, Deaf-Blind on the Move
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