The group entered the capitol building to spread the message that they oppose Tony Mendoza's bill, AB 2072 on Thursday, August 19, 2010. They were only able to meet with his aides to discuss their perspectives on the bill. But, this meeting proved that the aides were "clueless" about deaf culture, community, and ASL. We left the meeting with sour stomachs - we need to spread the message to them that "Nothing About Deaf People Without Deaf People!" Here are two parts of the whole meeting so please watch part one first then watch part two afterwards. The transcripts (written by someone else - not by Frank or Sandra) are under both videos so read away after you view the videos! Thank you :) Part One:
Transcript for Part One: ELENA M. RUIZ (voice of interpreter): Would you prefer the group to introduce ourselves out here or in there? What would you prefer? It's your lead. RENE BAYARDO: It's up to you. Hold on one second. Let me see how much time we have. I want to see where the floor is at, because we may be able to go to the members' office during how much time is left. [cut] RENE BAYARDO: (This is) Assemblymember Mendoza's office-- [cut] ELENA RUIZ: OK, well hello. We are coming here today because we are very upset and we are not happy with how everything has gone so far and we really hit the anger point, and we have become extremely upset and angry with the process. [I personally had the opportunity to chat with Mendoza two months ago last June. We sat down together and I let him know that we don't understand why he was trying to do that to our Deaf children, especially Deaf Latino children because you're trying to tell us that we're not good enough to be involved in your community unless we follow the people who are influencing and pressuring you to make us conform. He just ignored my question, then he told me that yes, he will work together was us and stay in touch with us and include our voices and our perspectives, but so far he has done nothing along those lines. Nothing. I don't understand why. Do you have an answer? [Long pause] RENE BAYARDO: I think that you have been involved. I've gotten letters from-- [Laughter] ELENA RUIZ: No, I do not think so. I completely disagree. I disagree. [Rene Bayardo, off camera:] Well. ELENA RUIZ: I completely disagree. [Rene Bayardo, off camera:] Well, the only person that we generally contact is either Senator Polanco or Sheri Farinha. Those are the main contacts that we have. TARA HOLCOMB: --And she [Sheri Farinha] is extremely angry as well, right now, because we did this--the current amendments, as I'm sure you're well aware, if you got [Sheri's] updated amendments this morning that was sent to this office. Have you received that yet? RENE BAYARDO: I think I got some around 11:45 this morning. [Tara Holcomb, off camera]: So have you had any time to take a--try to look at the information? RENE BAYARDO: I have looked at those amendments. I think that, uh, some of it's, you know, there's potential there. A lot of it, uh, probably would be objectionable. ELENA RUIZ: OK, so what exactly, you know, what do you feel is objectionable. I'm curious. Can you inform me about that? RENE BAYARDO: I don't have them in front of me, but I can go get them and then I could probably identify--
ELENA RUIZ: That will be fine. Thank you.
[Bayardo leaves the room.] BEKAH GUERRERO: Remember before how the staff was beating around the bush and trying to manipulate things. TARA HOLCOMB (in ASL): Oh, all that talking and explaining--But this is serious business. This is about her future (indicating the young girl sitting across the room). SANDRA GERMINARO (in ASL): Yes, this is for you (indicating the children sitting opposite). TARA HOLCOMB (to Sandra): Remember how when we would sit and watch the adults when we were kids? I can empathize.... (To the children:) It's important that you're here. It will make a big difference. You've never seen this (a legislator's office) before? Think about it. (He has never seen Deaf children before) [More people enter the room. Bayardo returns.] RENE BAYARDO: Alright, thanks for waiting. Um, we did get them this morning, so we're still looking at it. We're--the amendment deadline is tomorrow, so if anything more we're having on the bill, it's gotta happen by tomorrow, so we're working on it now. In the, uh--We're in communication with the Senate Health Committee and with the, uh, with Senator Steinberg's office, so, you know, we're discussing some options with them. Um, that's kind of where we're at. We have seen these--They've seen them. I mean the Health Committee has seen them. The--Senator Steinberg's office has seen them, so that is part of the discussion. Um, yes I think there would be objectionable--I think part of the change, um--- ELENA RUIZ: Yeah, please. Go ahead with that. BAYARDO: Referring it, uh--There's a mention, uh--Well, having the audiologist refer, uh, the parent to the Department of Ed--the state schools of the deaf--I think that, um, that section is probably not something that would be included in the amendment. Um, and in discussing-- ELENA RUIZ: Yeah, can you expand on that, please? BAYARDO: Ah, expand on it? Um-- ELENA RUIZ: Yes, you know, can you clarify. Explain to me what you mean by that, because, you know, why do you feel that the state schools shouldn't be involved? I want to know your--I want to know your perspective why you think that should not be involved. RENE BAYARDO: Well the--I guess it just goes to the, um, kind of the basis of the bill and of the--of designing the pamphlet, as to, um--We hear from both sides where people will say, uh, an audiologist did one thing or an audiologist did another. We'll hear parents say: "An audiologist never talked to me about the auditory/oral approaches, they never told me about cochlear implants." And then we'll hear other parents say: "I've only ever heard, um, they never told me about American Sign Language." Um, we've had people--we've had parents from both sides tell us that that's the case, so what the bill does is it provides information in one place so that parents will, um, be informed about American Sign Language, and about other things involved. This way, that situation doesn't occur anymore. MEGAN MALZKUHN: OK, but you're not explaining. We know what the bill is. The point is: [how can you change] the amendments and how are you [modifying clauses in the bill]--How are you doing that if you're not [even] having the Deaf community involved. We [the people who use sign language] have not been involved. We have every right [and equal grounds to be involved, equal to those people who are auditory/oral specialists who have been ignoring us for a long time and we've had enough!] You are ignoring us and our feelings and our rights to equality and equal access [and an equal say in this.] BAYARDO: Right, that certainly is not our intention. ELENA RUIZ: And I want to [add something to this. Has this ever occurred to you?] I want to know your opinion. A person who was wealthy who had a lot of power, conferred with your office, talking about your community, say the Spanish community or whichever, and said: "No, all babies--not allowed to speak Spanish--which is their native language--at home with their parents They are prohibited from speaking their native language. They must be forced to speak [only] English, whether in public, in private. It must [always] be English. They cannot use a native language. [The State of California mandates that we must abandon our language and culture. Would you decide to do that? Is that okay with you?]
RENE BAYARDO: No, we wouldn't allow that and I wouldn't have--I reject the premise--
ELENA RUIZ: OK, then way is it okay then in relation to us? MEGAN MALZKUHN: Yeah, why [is that okay]? ELENA RUIZ: [Toward me, as a Deaf Latina. Why are you trying to take away my right to my Latino language?] RENE BAYARDO: Right. TARA HOLCOMB: [Hold on a second. I want to add something. If you're talking about ASL, in that related field, you're talking about teachers, parents, and Deaf people--as equals--as part of the LRE team--Just as people in the auditory/oral field act as equals in their situation. Here (for this bill, in the stakeholder panel) that will not happen, because we will not be well represented. Deaf people who use ASL will not be well represented in the process of writing the informational pamphlet that will be given to parents. If the bill would pass as it is written right now, there would not be. If it says, quote: "included but not limited to American Sign Language," that's our place (on the advisory panel) that you're talking about. That phrase means we're not important and we don't matter. You say: "Oh it's just one or two seats. It's fine. Why are you complaining? Silly Deaf people, just stay in your place." Did you know that people have already said that about Spanish bilingual education programs. I've learned a lot from her (Elena) and other people. I'm asking you why would Tony Mendoza do that to our community. Why?] RENE BAYARDO: Well, I think that uh, I guess I would probably have some questions for you as far as coming and talking about the specifics in the bill. So, it has been discussed whether we change "visual language" to "American Sign Language." It's not something that Assemblymember Mendoza would necessarily reject. We tried to work, um, there's a variety of people that we're working with, some on the Senate Health Committee, you know, we're working with the Senate leadership (Sen. Steinberg's office). Not everyone has the same view on this opinion, so sometimes perhaps what you see in print is not necessarily, um, a complete representation of what, you know, what Assemblymember Mendoza believes is right, but we're trying to work with people and work that out. That's one of the issues that we're still, uh, working on and trying to see, um, what will work in that regard. Um, were you, questioning--so on that regard if we just change "visual language" to "American Sign Language" that's what you're looking for? MEGAN MALZKUHN: Yes! TARA HOLCOMB: Yes, of course. Please give our language the respect it deserves, please. We demand that--respect. I think you can understand that. (Interpreter: One at a time. One at a time.) DALE RITTER: The hearing people are often audistic. Not to offend, but (they) just don't understand about deafness, the whole topic of deafness, being Deaf and what our language is and what our culture is--all of that--the hearing people don't understand. And you have groups--special interest groups that keep bugging you to do this, this, this, this, and this. You have 16 amendments to work on now? Come on! Last June, Mendoza, I mean, Tony was sitting in the Health senate committee meeting and right there he surrendered: "Alright, you can have it. You can have it!" Three amendments were passed. We thought: "Hey, we got it!" But then we went home. What does Tony do? He was mischievous. He was sneaky and looking for a way. He was talking with his audiologist and the cochlear implant companies and all that. All of them (were talking: "What are we going to do? What are we going to do?) Then they come up with the 16 amendments? [Shouting loudly:] KNOCK IT OFF!!! [pause] KNOCK IT OFF!!! [pause] You want us involved? You have to involve us. You did not. We are here to say that here. You understand? TARA HOLCOMB (to Dale Ritter): Thank you. Thank you. RENE BAYARDO: Yes, I understand. MEGAN MALZKUHN: [We are here because of this rejection. We can't allow special interest groups control politics, government or our lives. It's wrong. Tony Mendoza is in their pockets, deep. It's all about money. That's what it is.] SANDRA GERMINARO: Hello, I'd like to say something. (Raises hand) RENE BAYARDO: Uh, well, I think just the point, as far as the profits and stuff like that, that it's really not about that at all. This bill, um-- MEGAN MALZKUHN: Please don't say that to us. We all know that's not true. Cochlear implants cost what? Forty-thousand dollars per kid. Private oral teachers cost a lot of money. All of them will add to--each (special interest) group will contribute to the (political donations made). Tony Mendoza gets how much from all those special interest groups that support this bill? Forty-thousand dollars from the special interest groups that support this bill. Forty-thousand dollars worth of publicity right here! In this office. Don't tell me he's not in their pocket. That's laughable! RENE BAYARDO: That's not what the bill is about. It never has been about. We've never had any contact with anyone from manufacturers or anything like that. No one's ever talked to me, my boss or anyone else associated with the bill. (Unidentified person off camera, voice of interpreter:) Oh, please! Please!! DALE RITTER: Yes! ROMAN STARZAK: OK, I grew up oral, and I felt that I had so many struggles because I was behind in education, because they focused on my ears. They focused on oral education, and my education lacked because of that. And still, I struggle when I have to deal with that. They try to expect a deaf person to become the same as a hearing person and try to change you. And you know what? It's impossible. When I was growing up I thought that I would be able to talk on the phone like my parents someday. A hearing aid and a cochlear implant is the same idea. They're trying to make us oral. They're trying to force us to be hearing, and it's failing. It failed a friend of mine, and it failed so many other people that I know as well. And now about these amendments. Who decides? Who decides? We've grown up and experienced it and know what to do. Not you people here. Hearing people have no idea. You don't know what it feels like to be deaf. You don't know the frustrations that we go through. Years and years and years of struggle. Hearing people try to exercise power over us and tell us that we're wrong. We know what to do. We're deaf all the time. DALE RITTER: We are the stakeholders! We have experience, ourselves, that they don't (have). TARA HOLCOMB: I'll be brief. I'll be brief. [pause] There are thousands of stories just like these. That's an example of where we are coming from--a community of Deaf people who have suffered under the current medical system. That's why we're angry and frustrated. [We find it difficult to accept and believe the fact that we have been excluded from decision-making processes. Now seeing the deep pockets involved. This proves it.] And so now, we're trying to figure out what to do now. So, we're letting you know that we have a very large community of very upset and angry people. If ASL is not being recognized and we're not allowed to be involved and we're not being respected, we're not going to accept that. So is it possible for Tony Mendoza's office--the Senator's office--to accept American Sign Language, and have the Deaf community and a bilingual education specialist as equal stakeholders at the table along with the oral education advocates. Is it possible? If the answer is no, then it's not worth continuing the discussion. It's not. RENE BAYARDO: Right, I think that uh, that's what he's always wanted, and uh, he, I mean that's definitely TARA HOLCOMB: Then why wasn't that included in the amendments that were introduced last week? I was here last week. RENE BAYARDO: The process, I know, can be-- ELVIS ZORNOZA: I understand that this the bill talks about giving information to parents who have a deaf child. Shouldn't they be given all the information (that they need)? Even though I disagree with (the philosophy of) Oralism, I can understand that. But what about ASL? Who chose to write "visual language" instead of ASL? I disagree with that. What does that mean: "visual language"? Please explain that. I'd like to know. RENE BAYARDO: I actually appreciate the opportunity to talk about that just to, um--I understand the frustrations and I definitely agree that, uh, I can't understand the experience and what it's like to be deaf. I can't understand that. And I would recognize that. And we, uh, I appreciate that, and we do need to include everyone's views. As far as to your question? Um, I'd like to speak to the premises, because I know that politics, you know, is sometimes a difficult thing to understand, especially, uh--you could be here for years and see new things all the time-- (Unidentified person off camera, voice of interpreter:) No, I think we understand the process just fine. RENE BAYARDO: Well, well I'd like to speak to it. It's my bill. Um-- [End of Part One] Part Two:
Transcript for Part 2: RENE BAYARDO: That language that came out of the Health Committee that referred to visual language--That language didn't come from our office. Um, that language came from the Health Committee. The Health Committee is the one that drafted that language. Um, we worked in connection with the Health Committee, as far as--I had input, Assemblyman Mendoza had input, there were discussions with Senator Alquist, the Chair, um, but ultimately that language that you saw that came out of Health Committee, Senate Health is actually the one that drafted that. And also, as far as the term "visual language"--I didn't insert that word. Assemblymember Mendoza didn't insert that word, but--and we have been successful, and I'm---I don't want to talk about the process, because there's been a lot of statements about the process. I just wanna-- BEKAH GUERRERO: Before you go on, I just want to clarify something. You said that that term ("visual language") was inserted into the bill and you didn't know who chose that exact, specific term to insert into the bill. You're saying that the Health Committee chose to insert that term, right? I'm asking you, were there any deaf people involved in that particular portion of the process? RENE BAYARDO: Um [pause], well at one point in time we were-- BEKAH GUERRERO: Just tell me yes or no. Were there any deaf people involved? RENE BAYARDO: Yes, they-- BEKAH GUERRERO: Who were they? RENE BAYARDO: My understanding is that the Health Committee did work with, uh, Sheri Farinha, and Senator Polanco--that they were aware of some of the stuff that was going on. Uh, our office--Assemblymember Mendoza was asked-- MEGAN MALZKUHN: That is not true. That is not true. Not true, period. (Elena Ruiz, in ASL, to interpreter: --mean step out of you're role. Step out of your role. That's fine.) TARA HOLCOMB: Sheri objected (to that term). Sheri--I've been working very closely with Sheri on this. I'm part of that group (the CDNIAS coalition). Sheri objected to that term ("visual language") from Day One. We just came from meeting with her just 30 minutes ago. MEGAN MALZKUHN: You can't tell us that she's lying. ELENA RUIZ: I would ask that we allow the interpreter to step out of her role to tell us what she knows. (To interpreter:) Please, go ahead and tell us what you know. (Interpreter wearing white shirt:) Oh, she's asking the interpreter to go ahead and step out of her role. Can you hold on just one second? She's asking the interpreter to step out of her role and give some information, and I would be happy to do that. Um, it was at the Senate--(Signs: No, I can use sim-com)--(To Rene Bayardo, strong tone of voice:) It was at the Senate Health Committee that Senator Alquist asked that you work with the Deaf community to replace "visual language" with "ASL [American Sign Language]" and it was discussed in other meetings that we're talking about. There are other people in the other offices that say: "Visual language"? We wanted to educate you on what "visual language" means, because I don't think that there's an understanding of what "visual language" means. When we talked with Steinberg's office, they said: "What is 'visual language'? What other visual language is there other than ASL?" ASL and English are the only two languages. Everything else is communication modes. They are not language. There are two languages, English and ASL. Everything else falls under those two categories. THAT is what's important, and that's what we've been trying to get through. They did not work with a deaf person. It is not true. Period. (Signs: I'm stepping back into the interpreting role now.) [Pause] ELVIS ZORNOZA: I'd like to say something (Camera pans away, then pans back) ---bill accepted? [Pause] RENE BAYARDO: Um, can you hold on for one second? [Bayardo stands up and leaves the room to talk with two other staff people in the hallway.] (Interpreter interprets part of hallway conversation:) --s bill (being heard) now on Senate floor now and they say that--(Man joins conversation in hall)--Really? Not going well. DALE RITTER (in ASL): --What are they saying now? Oh. (ELVIS ZORNOZA, to Dale, in ASL): --that bill--tomorrow---wow. (Interpreter, stepping out of interpreting role): --bill--That's B.S. That's not true. SANDRA GERMINARO (in ASL): --out of communication--(Camera pans away and over toward interpreter) (Interpreter makes gesture): (Infuriating...) SANDRA GERMINARO (continuing): --Graduate (students) go through--ASL is a language that is studied and researched. English has been researched. ASL has been recognized as being a real language. Communication modes are just tools. (We) went through a training process (about that). [Bayardo returns] RENE BAYARDO: (I) actually have to go see Assemblymember Mendoza. Um, someone else from the staff can step in here or, um, I can try and meet with you again tomorrow perhaps. ELVIS ZORNOZA: I just have something really quick to ask before you go. RENE BAYARDO: OK. ELVIS ZORNOZA: You know, ASL is the third most popular language in the world. Did you know that? (Interpreter signs:) In the country. ELVIS ZORNOZA: Even hearing people are encouraging their own children to sign before they start speaking. So ASL is definitely a benefit to all children, not just those with hearing loss. So that's something to think about--to keep in mind, that Deaf people do need to be a part of this bill. RENE BAYARDO: Yeah, I've heard that before MINNIE SANTILLAN: OK, wait, wait! DALE RITTER: I wanted to ask you, why not block the bill? MINNIE SANTILLAN: I'm sorry to interrupt you guys. I'm going to have Haley sit in. (To Bayardo:) You have to go to the floor right now. They're waiting for you. (Continuing:) You we want to make sure everyone listens _____ here so here's Haley. You can pose your questions to her, OK? Good? HALEY MYERS: Hi, everybody. DALE RITTER: I want to ask--You haven't yet heard what we discussed earlier. HALEY MYERS: OK. DALE RITTER (own voice): But in the interest of time--in the interest of protecting our values. We value ASL. (Secondly, here) in the Deaf community--our culture for example. (Setting that topic aside,) we could talk forever about that. But it seems that now the Senate is interested in pushing the bill through for a vote, and we feel very endangered (signs: threatened) right now. If you pass it, then it goes to the governor for his signature and it becomes a law-- (Unidentified person off camera, voice of interpreter): We really feel that it would be best to try to put everything (the bill) on hold, because we know that you're not going to-- DALE RITTER (continuing): I wanted to say: Can you drop the bill? So we have more time to work on it afterward. ELENA RUIZ: You know what? Hold on, everybody. Hang on, everybody. Everybody, just hold. I want to ask her who she is, what her role is. So what is your role and who are you? What do you do in this office? (Myers looks in the wrong direction, at the interpreter.) (Interpreter:) --and Elena's speaking to you, so go ahead and talk to her. HALEY MYERS: OK, Elena. My name is Haley Myers. I'm a legislative aide in this office ______ staff legislation. ELENA RUIZ: So how--What is your job? How do you--I'm interested in what your job is. HALEY MYERS: My job is--it's called a "legislative aide," so I do--the man Rene that you've been working with?--I do what he does on different policy areas. I follow this bill, AB 2072, as well, but I'm not the expert on this bill. Rene is the expert. I know about it, but I don't know as much as he does. So I think right now my capacity is to make sure that I get your questions, and that-- ELENA RUIZ: OK, and that's fine, right. So, before Rene left, we were discussing the issue of "visual language"-- HALEY MYERS: OK. ELENA RUIZ: --in the bill, those words, and he lied to us, and we really don't appreciate that. There's some people that--we don't appreciate the lying at all. So, I want to ask you, if your office has no problem with adding "ASL", then why don't you go ahead and add that amendment today? Go ahead and add "ASL"--replace "visual language" with "ASL" right now. Why not (go ahead and do that) now? HALEY MYERS: OK, let me make sure I have what you want correct. You want to take "visual language"--strike that out--replace it with "ASL". Is that right? ELENA RUIZ: Right, because you all obviously have no problem with (the putting in the term) "ASL" support our culture and language rights. (You say that) you want to. If you're not just talking and not lying about that when you say: "We don't know (who added the term 'visual language'). We don't know--" I hope you're not lying. [Glancing at displays on the wall:] It seems that this office supports language and cultural rights for many oppressed minority groups, so I'm hoping that you will support us, too. I don't know if you will. So anyway, if your answer is "Yes" and you say that have no problem with adding the term "ASL", then why not amend the bill (to have "ASL" put in the bill) right now--right now? But you're not. HALEY MYERS: Can I ask a clarifying question? Is there?--I'm ignorant on the subject, so I apologize--Is there a "visual language" other than ASL? MEGAN MALZKUHN: No. There's only one visual language, which is American Sign Language. There's only one. One. Anything else are just modes--ways to communicate using English syntax. That's something else. There's only one indigenous sign language used in this country and it's American Sign Language. That's the only one! That's all! (Camera zooms in to show Myers writing on a steno pad: "Others are called communication", and appears to interrupt her writing to finish asking the following:) HALEY MYERS: So it sounds like what you are asking for, to me, is a, uh, change in the term, but that the meaning should remain pretty much the same thing? TARA HOLCOMB: --Mendoza has already said that he believes the term "visual language" should include modes of English grammar and be widened in meaning to include: Signing Exact English, Cued Speech-- MEGAN MALZKUHN: Sim-com. TARA HOLCOMB: ---sim-com, which means signing and speaking at the same time. That would water down the meanings of the terms used to define the Deaf community members as bilingual language users. That's our place at the table. We refuse to accept that. HALEY MYERS: OK--watered down-- TARA HOLCOMB: We do not--We don't have a problem with S.E.E., whatever experts, or whatever other English/manual modes. I'm saying we don't have a problem with that, but we will not accept a watered-down definition of ASL. That's the Deaf community's place at the table. That's why we demand that ASL be properly specified and spelled out. HALEY MYERS: And this is for every instance where the term "visual language" occurs. Is that correct? You're not talking about just a particular part of the bill? MEGAN MALZKUHN: That's right. Take it out. (Voice of interpreter:) Absolutely. It should be completely annihilated and "ASL" should replace it every time. HALEY MYERS: (Writing on pad) In every occurrence. SANDRA GERMINARO: Hello, my name is Sandra Germinaro and I'm a teacher of Deaf children. I graduated from Gallaudet University with an M.A.T. in ASL and English Bilingual Deaf Education. ASL is truly an authorized language in America. It's linguistic structure and function has been acknowledged. The English language has its characteristics, which can be listed. As for ASL, there's handshape, movement, location, palm orientation, facial expression--all of those function structure. English has: phonemes, morphemes, syntax, semantics, pragmatics-those aspects, the same as any other language in the world. According to research, for example, Noam Chomsky studied the brain and its activity, the firing of neural synapses on so on. For infants and toddlers, language is acquired through interaction with the child's parents, whether they are Deaf or hearing. Language interaction occurs. So if a deaf child is deprived of the right to experience this language interaction with its parents--whether hearing or deaf, it doesn't matter--how can that child acquire language? How? You tell me. HALEY MYERS: From what I understand, there's nothing in the bill that's banning American Sign Language. ELENA RUIZ: Set that issue aside. SANDRA GERMINARO: You are using the term "visual language" under the category of communication modes. ASL is not a "communication mode." NO. Take it out of that category, because it is a language. Communication modes are not languages. Period. ELENA RUIZ: If you put ASL in that category, you're not giving us the basic respect of having a language and a culture. That's oppression. The bill is very oppressive, period. That's why we are outraged now. If you think we're just going to passively accept whatever you do in this regard without us getting angry--You're oppressing us by putting that language in their and by refusing to listen to us and discounting our opinions. Obviously there is something seriously wrong going on by basically no respect happening here. No equal recognition of ASL and Deaf culture--nothing. That's the foundation of what's wrong here. The basis of our outrage. We want ASL ["American Sign Language"] put in the text of the bill. That's it. HALEY MYERS: I understand. TARA HOLCOMB: What can we do now? Thank you for listening. We've been focused on the issue of ASL, but we also have other problems with the bill--the audiologist issue--I'm sure you know about our objections. Rene made a photocopy of an update that contains our proposals-- MINNIE SANTILLAN: OK, excuse me! Hi, you guys. I'm Minnie Santillan, the member's chief of staff. I actually have a meeting scheduled--I have to take a meeting in here and, um (to Haley Myers:) I need for you to finish prepping the floor. (To the group:) Uh, all of your concerns have been conveyed via, I'm sure, the negotiation process with the sponsors and the people you selected to represent you, and we appreciate, uh, your concerns and voicing them to us. Uh, I do have to get her on her next task. I have to take my next meeting. As you guys know, some of these issues are being worked in committee right now. DALE RITTER (own voice): We have lots of time. MINNIE SANTILLAN: I understand you do, sir DALE RITTER: --and we have not been contacted to be involved--_____ Sheri, and-- MINNIE SANTILLAN: I understand what you're saying. This bill has been introduced months ago. It's been going through the process. We went ahead and took you guys today without a scheduled meeting. We have accommodated you guys. You guys have been here for over a half an hour. But I have people that made it--I have some people that have scheduled an appointment with us weeks ahead of time, so-- DALE RITTER: I understand that, but I want to tell Tony: Hey, we need to be involved. MINNIE SANTILLAN: You have been involved. DALE RITTER: But right now? Drop the bill. Altogether, drop it. MINNIE SANTILLAN: OK. Thank you for voicing your concerns. DALE RITTER: And we'll start all over with time-- MINNIE SANTILLAN: Thank you for voicing your concerns, again. Thank you. HALEY MYERS: I'm going to give you my card so you can e-mail me, and I'm gonna make sure I have a list of everything, all your concerns. I understand-- MINNIE SANTILLAN (to Haley Myers): OK, Haley, you guys can start walking out that way. HALEY MYERS: You wanna drop the bill, to-- [cut] TARA HOLCOMB (to Haley Myers in the hall): --not contribute to the fund. That's the biggest concern I have. We want to make sure that there's unbiased information given (to the parents) of deaf babies. That's really the biggest issue that we agree on. (Myers gives her business card to Tara). TARA HOLCOMB: Thank you. HALEY MYERS: I know that you're frustrated, and I think it's just part of the process. So after you talk to-- TARA HOLCOMB: I know, but imagine if a group of men were making decisions about women's rights--It's not up to them to decide about (our reproductive rights). This is as serious and analogous to that. We can't (depend on decisions being made that way) for Deaf (people). ELENA RUIZ (signing with back to camera, voice of interpreter): And really to be honest with you, our work is furious about this, and Mendoza is--You know you have a lot of power. We want to impress with you the issue. I really hope that you realize the power that you have and what you have the power to do today. It's not nothing. It's a big deal. This is a personal commitment we're sharing with you and I hope that you take this as seriously as we have. Thank you very much. MEGAN MALZKUHN (signing with back to camera, voice of interpreter): And thank you for being in this meeting, and Rene helping with that and we wanted to see, you said that we might be able to talk tomorrow, because this is important, so that we (can make sure that) we are not being lied to. This is about the Deaf community and Deaf civil rights. It's a very serious issue. Thank you. MEGAN MALZKUHN (signing in ASL in the hallway to cameraman Frank Germinaro): (gesture) _____ lied _____. (What can we do?) SANDRA GERMINARO (to Haley Myers): Please make sure Mendoza reads this handout. This is a serious issue. This is proven research about ASL and English and how language acquisition occurs. Communication modes are not languages. They are just rehabilitative tools. But we want to focus instead on the natural language acquisition (habilitation). Our focus is for deaf babies and Deaf people everywhere, so that they can get better jobs (and opportunities) in the future. Don't hold us down. Thank you. ROMAN STARZAK (to Haley Myers): Why are they bringing up AB 2072, but then they just slip in amendments (without proper discussion). I ask you. [pause] The way I grew up, I'm deaf. You're hearing. I grew up under strict oral training and it was a horrible ordeal. I fell way behind in my education. I was subjected to speech training everyday growing up to the neglect of my education. It got to the point where I couldn't take it anymore. Inside, I know that I am Deaf. I have enough residual hearing to use the phone, but I get severe headaches using my residual hearing and there's all kinds of problems living that way. Are we going to do this to babies now with cochlear implants and cause them pain, too, and perhaps severely disrupt their physiology, and neglect what they are trying to communicate to us by their tears? I don't want to see that happen. This is very serious. Thank you. HALEY MYERS (to Roman Starzak): ____________. I will try to get in touch with you. __________. [End of Part Two] [End of video] For more information and updates go to WWW.OPPOSEAB2072.COM | 
