Deaf Festival '95
Dublin Core
Title
Deaf Festival '95
Subject
An article in ShopTalk published at The Washington Post PR department, which describes a local Deaf Festival held in Washington, DC.
Description
The press department of The Washington Post produced a weekly newsletter for sharing information about the paper and it’s employees. Issues of ShopTalk included announcements about workplace changes, covered events held at work, and shared updates on the activities of employees. a useful means for communicating important workplace information with both Deaf and hearing employees with variable schedules and communication strategies. The October 12, 1995 issue featured an article detailing a cultural festival organized and attended by Deaf printers at The Post.
Creator
The Washington Post Public Relations Department
Source
Janie Golightly Collection
Date
October 1995
Rights
This Item has been made available for educational and research purposes by the Drs. John S. and Betty J. Schuchman Deaf Documentary Center at Gallaudet University. This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You may need to obtain permission for your intended use if your use is otherwise not permitted by the copyright and applicable related rights legislation. For specific information about the copyright and reproduction rights for this Item, please contact the Schuchman Deaf Documentary Center: https://www.gallaudet.edu/drs-john-s-and-betty-j-schuchman-deaf-documentary-center
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Deaf Festival ' 95.
Deaf Festival ‘95. A few weeks ago, the Washington, D.C. area enjoyed its first Deaf Culture Festival. The driving force behind the festival was JANE GOLIGHTLY, Composing Room day shift foreman, who joined The Post in 1974 as a typographer and was most recently nightside ad control supervisor. From all accounts, Deaf Culture '95 was a huge success, an outcome that is no surprise to Golightly's supervisor, Composing Room Superintendent SHERRY GRYDER. "Jane is extremely resourceful," Gryder said, "and she is quick to move on issues and get them resolved." The Festival was "a learning experience," Golightly said. "For the last few of years, a group of us from the Metropolitan Washington Deaf Community Center's Roundtable on Deaf Issues had organized picnics in the summer. They just grew and by the third year, we thought 'Why not have a festival?" Golightly said. "After all, there are Greek festivals, Italian festivals, all kinds of festivals celebrating other cultures. So we decided to have a festival for the deaf in a public place where we could celebrate our culture and hearing people could participate as well." As soon as it was decided to hold a deaf culture festival, Golightly swung into action. By the time she was done, she had lined up more than 150 deaf vendors selling goods and services for the deaf as well as crafts and all kinds of ethnic food for everyone. Golightly and her committee arranged for the entertainment which included dancers, a magician who drove from Wisconsin to perform, a local poet, children's storytellers, clowns and face painters—all deaf and all of whom donated their services. At the Festival, Golightly was pleased to see that hearing people attended and was hopeful that their attendance indicated an interest in deaf culture. In the Composing Room, Golightly has made a point of bridging barriers between deaf and hearing coworkers. Gryder said, "One of the first things Jane did when she came over here [from nightside] was to write a note to all editors, introducing herself and explaining to people the number of ways they could communicate with her. She is authorized to hire an interpreter when necessary. On daily communication, she uses pen and paper and e-mail with those who have it. Occasionally, she uses the Washington Relay service [where an operator acts as a conversation relay between a person using a TTY and one using a conventional telephone]." "Sometimes she calls on the people here who are proficient in sign language. Gryder said. "I sign with her, too, and she is very patient with me and quick to correct my ASL grammar, which is not the best," Gryder added. As for future festivals, Golightly said. "I don't know if the festival will be an annual event. Maybe we'll do it on a smaller scale. But what's important is that we keep a network for the deaf going on and that hearing people can know more about deaf culture."
Deaf Festival ‘95. A few weeks ago, the Washington, D.C. area enjoyed its first Deaf Culture Festival. The driving force behind the festival was JANE GOLIGHTLY, Composing Room day shift foreman, who joined The Post in 1974 as a typographer and was most recently nightside ad control supervisor. From all accounts, Deaf Culture '95 was a huge success, an outcome that is no surprise to Golightly's supervisor, Composing Room Superintendent SHERRY GRYDER. "Jane is extremely resourceful," Gryder said, "and she is quick to move on issues and get them resolved." The Festival was "a learning experience," Golightly said. "For the last few of years, a group of us from the Metropolitan Washington Deaf Community Center's Roundtable on Deaf Issues had organized picnics in the summer. They just grew and by the third year, we thought 'Why not have a festival?" Golightly said. "After all, there are Greek festivals, Italian festivals, all kinds of festivals celebrating other cultures. So we decided to have a festival for the deaf in a public place where we could celebrate our culture and hearing people could participate as well." As soon as it was decided to hold a deaf culture festival, Golightly swung into action. By the time she was done, she had lined up more than 150 deaf vendors selling goods and services for the deaf as well as crafts and all kinds of ethnic food for everyone. Golightly and her committee arranged for the entertainment which included dancers, a magician who drove from Wisconsin to perform, a local poet, children's storytellers, clowns and face painters—all deaf and all of whom donated their services. At the Festival, Golightly was pleased to see that hearing people attended and was hopeful that their attendance indicated an interest in deaf culture. In the Composing Room, Golightly has made a point of bridging barriers between deaf and hearing coworkers. Gryder said, "One of the first things Jane did when she came over here [from nightside] was to write a note to all editors, introducing herself and explaining to people the number of ways they could communicate with her. She is authorized to hire an interpreter when necessary. On daily communication, she uses pen and paper and e-mail with those who have it. Occasionally, she uses the Washington Relay service [where an operator acts as a conversation relay between a person using a TTY and one using a conventional telephone]." "Sometimes she calls on the people here who are proficient in sign language. Gryder said. "I sign with her, too, and she is very patient with me and quick to correct my ASL grammar, which is not the best," Gryder added. As for future festivals, Golightly said. "I don't know if the festival will be an annual event. Maybe we'll do it on a smaller scale. But what's important is that we keep a network for the deaf going on and that hearing people can know more about deaf culture."
Citation
The Washington Post Public Relations Department, “Deaf Festival '95,” DeafPrinters, accessed May 5, 2024, https://deafprinters.com/items/show/451.