Reflections from H&V Leadership Conference D.C. 2019-ASTra Advocate-Kelli Graham

 Reflections from H&V Leadership Conference D.C. 2019-ASTra Advocate-Kelli Graham

*We will have 9 Blog posts from our 9 GA H&V team members that went to the Annual Hands & Voices Leadership Conference this past September in Washington D.C. at Gallaudet University. Gallaudet is the world's only Deaf/Hard of Hearing University. *

ASTra Advocates in D.C.
Left to Right: Valerie Dixon, Kelli Graham, Vicki Hilpp

Kelli's Favorite Session: 

Workshop Title: Practical Approaches for Inclusion of Deaf or Hard of Hearing Children at Home and Extended Family Events

Getting together with family and friends over the holidays? Here are some great ways to promote DHH inclusion:

1. Play deaf “telephone game”: Pass a sign (or phrase) under the table from person to person; OR, form a line in the living room then pass a sign (or phrase) from person to person.

2. Play visual games that include everyone - ex. Rummikub, Spoons, Yahtzee, Loterio, Scribblish/Telestrations

3. Want a game that flips the tables and illustrates to family and friends the fallibility of reading lips? Play “Hearing Things”. Family members wear headphones to block out noise while trying to lip read each other’s lips.

4. Having a camp out or sleep over? Accessibility to communication is difficult when the lights go out. Think about providing glow sticks to everyone so there is enough light to see faces of others and/or signs clearly or, think about hanging Christmas lights or providing battery powered LED lights. LED lights can be used in a tent, etc.