Celebrating Deaf Annual Events: September- December 2020

Authors, Deaf Culture, and Friends 
If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. Africa Proverb
 
Being an author involves more than just writing a book. It also means finding a deaf-friendly publisher and then marketing your book. And now where will authors and publishers of quality deaf cultural books find the best support group?  Go figure!
 
Such authors deserve the full attention of the media (i.e. social, TV, newspapers, ceremonial events and the related) whenever the United Nations or their home country designate specific dates for observing annual deaf events.  In case of International days, please visit: 
https://www.un.org/en/sections/observances/international-days/index.html 
 
Here in the United States, there is a law that provides for the declaration of selected public observances by the President. 
https://infogalactic.com/info/List_of_observances_in_the_United_States_by_presidential_proclamation

FOLDA suggests each state deaf organization to maintain its list of non-living and living authors of quality deaf cultural books and videos in ASL that are of special interest to people in their state.
 
Such an organization or its affiliate may also form partnerships with the public library of their choice for presenting deaf cultural activities whenever observing annual deaf events.
 
2020 Theme: Attracting the Deaf to Black Deaf Literary Culture
Here, the Deaf refers to individuals with various hearing levels, identified with the deaf culture in many aspects, such as Black Deaf.  Black Deaf literary culture is something connected to books or formal writing about Black Deaf people.
 
If your plan is for one-year plant rice.  If your plan is for ten years plant trees.   If your plan is for one hundred years educate children   Confucius 551 BC–479 BC
 
Deaf Cultural Programming Goes Virtual
Please note two new titles just released by the Accessibility Assembly of American Library Association in the Library Accessibility Toolkits: What You Need to Know series.
https://www.asgcladirect.org/2020/07/accessible-communication-styles/
https://www.asgcladirect.org/2020/07/virtual-accessibility/
 
Deaf Annual Events
September 23, Wednesday: International Day of Languages Theme: Sign Languages are for Everyone!
https://www.un.org/en/events/signlanguagesday/  United Nations
 
December 3, Thursday: International Day of Persons With Disabilities.
https://www.un.org/en/observances/day-of-persons-with-disabilities
United Nations
 
December 10, Thursday: Human Rights Day.
https://www.un.org/en/observances/human-rights-day   United Nations
 
September 21-27, Monday to Sunday: International Week of the Deaf (IWDeaf), sponsored by the World Federation of the Deaf.  Theme: Reaffirming Deaf Human Rights. 
https://wfdeaf.org/iwdeaf2020/  September 23 is International Day of Sign Languages
 
December 3 – 10 Thursday to Thursday: Clerc-Gallaudet Week (CGW), sponsored by the Library for Deaf Action. Theme: Tribute to Gallaudet Black Deaf Orphan, Douglas Craig.
https://www.gallaudet.edu/tutorial-and-instructional-programs/english-center/reading-english-as-second-language/practice-exercises/douglas-craig

Each Dec 3 & Dec 10 is International Day 
 
Let’s Tell Stories: the Black Deaf Way!
“Black Deaf Culture Through the Lens of Black Deaf History” by Benro Ogunyip, National Black Deaf Advocates, President 2011-2013, an article written for the Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP). Funded by the US Department of Education. Administrated by the National Association of the Deaf.
https://dcmp.org/learn/366-black-deaf-culture-through-the-lens-of-black-deaf-history/
 
Start Doing!
If Interested in observing deaf annual events, deaf organizations or library friends groups should contact the public library of their choice about forming partnerships to present a deaf cultural program. And which annual event.
https://librarytechnology.org/libraries/uspublic/
 
When done, please discuss your plan for the agenda and others' needs with your librarian. You may contact Alice L. Hagemeyer about additional deaf cultural resources.
 
Submitted by Alice L. Hagemeyer