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Hello.
I have a story I want to share with you.
I recently went to a camp that was called
DeafBlind Access of the South.
Also known as
DBAS, which is located in the state of Georgia.
The town was called Warm Springs.
The experience at the DBAS camp was a lot of fun.
Many people there were friendly and willing to help one another.
The town was very small, I guess you can call it quaint.
It had that Southern Charm.
The town, Warm Springs, tends to host their annual festival
believe it's called
Harvest Hoedown,
and DBAS occurring at the same time.
DBAS, the group, decided to go to the town.
to look around, do some shopping, eat, and socialize.
Now, SSPs.
I want to explain what they do. They are Support Service Providers.
Now, the DeafBlind individuals,
and the SSPs are the DeafBlind individual's eyes.
They assist them with guiding; provide visual information
birds, trees, on on on.
Now let's explain interpreter. The interpreters tend to be the DeafBlind
individuals ears and eyes,
and they explain what they hear,
what they see constant
interpreting. Whether it's close vision, tracking,
oral that is an interpreting job. It's communication. Full
communication. The town was fun
quite enjoyable. Now, as group of
SSPs and myself decided to go into a store. The store's name
was Mountain Crafts. So as we went into the store
we looked around. They had beautiful jewelry there, and I was planning on buying
something.
So as myself and SSPs
went into the store, they had beautiful jewelry.
I begin to touch them and feel them However,
the owner, now, let me explain the owner is a couple, they are a married couple.
Both came up to
the group; myself included and let us know that
they will call the police.
We were bewildered. We didn't understand, We explain that DeafBlind
tend to touch "things,"
feel "things," and need "things" described to them so they know what they are buying.
The owners didn't care. They did not care. They said I am not going to sell you anything.
I'm not providing you a service, and explained you "
are a waste of our counter space." You need to get out.
We were still befuddled. We were confused.
so they actually called the police. We were
in shock. We did not know if we needed to leave
or should we stay. It was awful,
but the group myself decided to stay.
We thought if the police officer comes, we can explain our point of view.
They'll be able to help us.
It will all work-out.
So the police did come,
he listened to our story,
as well as the owner, and we explained that DeafBlind
need to feel and touch. So both sides
explained their stories. However, the police said
get out.
I would get out. We were confused.
Seriously we thought; Are you serious!? Thanks for your help.
So we left the store,
and we were heartbroken.
We were really hurt, sad, angry and
definitely humiliated. It was confusing
Did that really just happen to us? Discrimination?
Wow! It was appalling. So
we decided to go to next store called
"The Gift Tree." We went in
and there are many SSPs and DeafBlind individuals from
DBAS, but the group, myself included, were still talking about it. We just
couldn't believe it. We just got kicked out of a store.
Now, the DeafBlind and SSPs overheard us
talking and said "hey, you know
you are not the only ones that experienced that discrimination.
Other DeafBlind individuals were kicked out of the Mountain Crafts store as well."
Really! We just started discussing it more in detail.
WOW! That really did happen to other people.
The owner of The Gift Tree heard the story as well.
and was touched by it to the point where
the owner of "The Gift Tree" gave a free scarf
to one of the DeafBlind individuals, who themselves was a victim.
and kicked out of the Mountain Crafts.
The herself who got a free scarf was a woman,
African American, and was older.
We thought WOW the owner of "The Gift Tree" was quite nice and very kind.
just to donate a scarf to a DeafBlind woman
after being discriminated against. So it started going around campus. We shared the
story
throughout DBAS.
We realized (sigh)
that something amazing happend. ALL the individuals
united and became one. We want to fight.
DeafBlind, SSPs, and many other individuals went to
"The Gift Tree"
went to the store and bought a boat-load of different products
to show their support after the owner of "The Gift Tree"
supported the DeafBlind.
Many SSPs and DeafBlind were motivated
and wanted to fight against this discrimination. So we thought many ideas.
We thought
contact Council City,
and explain to them about the discrimination from the "Mountain Crafts."
Maybe let the local newspapers
about the DeafBlind discrimination. Maybe
try to establish a local news station interview.
Because America has
designed (many) laws that does not permit discrimination.
There were many ideas being "thrown" around.
It definitely inspired us because of that negative discrimination.
We became unified. It did not matter if you were DeafBlind,
SSPs, or the people in the town because they were even upset about the story.
They
began to fight for us, and the woman
of "The Gift Tree" explained to us "I hope you don't think that one bad
experience is going to ruin
and destroy your perspective of Warm Springs town?"
We explained to her "no....no...no we understand.
It is one couple and we are not going to blame the rest of the town for it."
I really hope you feel inspired
about what I just explained, and fight against any discrimination out there.
Because it really is awful. Thank you for
listening to my story. I appreciate your time.