Ruthie’s Story

TRANSCRIPT The video opens up with black background and white text. “SEE THAT WOMAN OVER THERE.” An image of a slim white woman wearing a tank top sitting at what seems to be a bar counter appears in a circle. Her head and face isn’t visible. There is a glass with what seems to be beer on the counter. The screen becomes black again with white text “I’m going back…” A woman’s legs are shown walking towards us on concrete. The screen becomes black with white text “to court…” A woman’s legs are shown walking up concrete stairs. The screen becomes black with white text, “to see the rapist.” An image of the rapist appears. He is a white-appearing man with short dark hair and beard. The text, “to see the rapist again” is below the image. The screen becomes black with white text, “This time I’m going there for her, because she can’t…” Ruthie appears on screen. She is a white woman with short reddish/blonde hair and wears black square glasses and a black top with a zipper in front. She is signing with captions below. “When I see a woman with a black eye in public, I begin to have flashbacks of that horrifying night.” An image of a white house with cold snow and a tree in the background of the ugly white house appears in the middle of a black background. White text appears on the bottom, “I was kidnapped and trapped in his home…” An angry looking white man appears and then slaps a white woman. She looks at us covering her eye with...

DeafHope Responds to Derailers PSA Feedback

TRANSCRIPT: Tara Holcomb, DeafHope’s Empowerment Director is sitting on a gray couch. Her blonde hair is down and she is wearing a black shirt. “Hi! I’m Tara, one of the EDs with DeafHope. We just released a PSA called “Derailers” and we got feedback that our use of PhotoBooth techniques to distort faces to show different characters actually derailed from the intended message of believing and supporting survivors. An important point came up about how we promoted beauty standards by using distorted faces to show wrong, bad, and derailing statements. While at the end of the video, the PhotoBooth effects were removed to show “nice” faces with proper comments. That appears to reinforce the message that people who look different and who don’t fit into society’s beauty standards are wrong and bad. We seem to be promoting that thinking. The feedback we received was valuable to DeafHope and we took the time to discuss it. We have decided to take down the current PSA and redo it without the PhotoBooth techniques. We really appreciate this opportunity to self-analyze, learn, and process it together. Thank you to everyone who shared those points with us. Going forward, if there are any issues, please know that we are open to feedback. You can contact us at deafhope@deaf-hope.org.” Black background appears with white text: deafhope@deaf-hope.org. Tara comes back on. “DeafHope has always been and will continue to work in solidary with survivors and continue to spread our message of supporting and believing survivors. We will continue to work with our communities. Sometimes the learning process can be painful but it’s an important part...

Join us for Dare to Utter

Buy your tickets online: http://daretoutterca.bpt.me [flyer description: black background. white font title “DARE TO UTTER. MAY 29TH, 2015.” a black and white picture of a clawed handshape facing upwards (to represent the sign for Dare to Utter, like baring my heart to you). white font text: Deaf Survivors’ Stories. Klopping Theatre. Dark orange font text: California School for the Deaf-Fremont. 39350 Gallaudet Drive, Fremont, CA 94538. White font text: Dare to Utter is a compilation of stories from Deaf survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence as shared through actors in American Sign Language on stage. Their stories are all true and the story-sharing serves to raise awareness about the cycles of abuse and sexual violence in our communities. 7:00 pm. $15.00 per ticket. 100% of the proceeds will go to DeafHope. Thank you for your support! DeafBlind interpreting is available upon request. Please contact: deafhope@deaf-hope.org by May 12th. Buy your tickets online: http://daretoutterca.bpt.me. DeafHope logo, Dare to Utter logo, CSDF...

Our Focus on Continual Growth

DeafHope was thrilled to participate in a training hosted by Futures without Violence.  We spent this week meeting with organizations from around the country to discuss fundraising and other strategies for sustainability.  We also created a workplan for our priority projects this year. [description: Image on the left shows a conference room with people sitting around tables working on group projects.  In the foreground Brian, Aracelia, Tara and Amber are having a discussion.  Papers, coffee cups and folders are spread over the table.  Image on the right shows Amber (hair down, wearing sunglasses and a grey sweater), Aracelia (hair pulled back, wearing glasses and a black zip up fleece), Tara (hair down, wearing a black top and cardigan) and Brian (wearing sunglasses and a purple plaid button up shirt) standing together looking at the camera.]...