The Department of History, Philosophy, Religion, and Sociology of Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. has scheduled to show my latest documentary produced by Discovering Deaf Worlds USA and USAID on October 25, 2017 at 6:30-8:30 p.m. [Details below]
Photo above shows Yvette, one of the 10 Deaf leaders featured in the film
From:https://www.dfa.gov.ph/newsroom/news-from-our-foreign-service-postsupdate/13461-signs-of-change-makes-successful-debut-in-washington-d-c-2 dated July 27, 2017
From left: Founder of High Bridge Foundation Inc. and renowned community leader Mencie Hairston; Discovering Deaf Worlds President Shane Feldman; Embassy Public Diplomacy Officer Darell Artates; Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Pauline Spanbauer; Deaf community advocate Shilpa Hanumantha and; Discovering Deaf Worlds Program Director History Estill-Varner at the film screening of Signs of Change: Deaf Filipinos’ Campaign for Equality at the Romulo Hall of the Philippine Embassy on 20 July 2017.
27 July 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C. – As part of the Philippine observance of the 39th National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation (NDPR) Week, the Philippine Embassy in cooperation with Discovering Deaf Worlds, Inc. (DDW) hosted a free screening of the documentary, Signs of Change: Deaf Filipinos’ Campaign for Equality at the Romulo Hall of the Philippine Embassy in the evening of July 20.
More than 80 guests, majority of whom came from the deaf and hearing communities in the Metro DC area, attended the film screening.
Signs of Change is a film made by Manila-based documentary film maker Mirana Medina that tells the story of 10 members of the Philippine Federation of the Deaf (PFD) and their journey of personal and organizational growth through a capacity building program administered by DDW and funded by the USAID/Philippines from 2013 to 2016.
Vice Consul Darell Artates opened the event by briefly sharing the activities of the Embassy and initiatives of the Philippine Government in line with NDPR week.
“We have vowed to be advocates, to be part of the solution, and to be part in making sure that our fellow Filipinos who are persons with disabilities (PWDs) are integrated into the mainstream society and included in our social development,” said Ms. Artates.
“The Philippine Government established a framework that helps promote the inclusion and empowerment of PWDs, not just the deaf community but all sectors that are covered by the PWD group,” she further added.
Prior to the screening, Mrs. Mencie Hairston, founder of High Bridge Foundation, Inc. and renowned community advocate, gave a background of the documentary film by providing a brief history of the Filipino deaf community and updates in their progress.
“In 2012, Discovering Deaf Worlds (DDW) and the Philippine Federation of the Deaf (PFD) established a partnership with the intention of strengthening PFD through organizational development,” introduced Mrs. Hairston.
An engaging panel discussion followed the screening of the documentary.
Those who led the panel were advocates from the deaf community, including DDW President Shane Feldman, first deaf Peace Corps Volunteer serving the Philippines Pauline Spanbauer, and deaf community advocate Shilpa Hanumantha. Mrs. Hairston moderated the discussion.
Panelists highlighted the positive impact of the program in the Philippines, particularly in empowering and inspiring the Filipino deaf communities to build on and expand what DDW started.
The brief Q&A touched on the livelihood programs and trainings for the deaf community, how DDW embeds local cultures in program development, resources allocated by the Philippine Government to similar advocacies, and potential contributions of the U.S. government agencies to connecting deaf communities all over the world to the American deaf community, and the next steps for DDW.
DDW provided two professional sign language interpreters for the panel discussion.
For more information, visit http://www.washingtonpe.dfa.gov.ph / http://www.philippineembassy-usa.org or https://www.facebook.com/philippinesusa @philippinesusa on Twitter.
Panelists engage in a brief discussion and Q&A portion with the audience.
[Source of other photos:http://www.philippineembassy-usa.org/news/5687/300/SIGNS-OF-CHANGE-MAKES-SUCCESSFUL-DEBUT-IN-WASHINGTON-D-C/d,phildet/%5D
What I temporarily titled “IndepenDeaf” is nearing the finish line as I find more and more materials that I need for this docu on Deaf leaders of the Philippine Federation of the Deaf and Discovering Deaf Worlds. Yesterday, I was finally given footage that I have been looking for.
Version 5 is on-going… Target date: February.
“IndepenDeaf” is my working title for a docu that is currently occupying my time, as New Year kicked off – with the hope that I finish it soonest – latest next month. It is about Discovering Deaf Worlds’ program to empower Deaf leaders of the Philippine Federation of the Deaf to make them independent, and lead without the dictates of the hearing authorities because they are as capable as hearing individuals, maybe better.
Want to wrap up all my remaining works – “When the Angels Walk for Autism” is done, as well as “PULE: Utak ng Rebolusyon,” an educational documentary about one of our heroes, Apolinario Mabini. But I need to write a terminal report for submission to NCCA;
Will then hibernate probably for a while; perhaps force myself to go back into oil painting activities; climb up the mountain with my niece…report to doctors for medical check ups — these are not New Year resolutions though. Some are just dream thoughts, but then listed in my bucket list despite. If not realized,
Will pursue with “Bahay ng Kasarinlan,” an audio material from Aguinaldo Shrine. For long, I am haunted by that house somewhat. I want to document it for reason I do not what, except that I simply like the house. Ganun kababaw! Will rework on it to update the data, and make an audio-visual presentation instead of just being an audio stuff. All must learn from it, Deaf included. “Education for All!” I adhere to that for their inclusion. I have actually started encoding the content. But had to stop for the moment. First things first.
Advocacine's Blog 