Deaf History Month takes place in April every year. It’s a time to raise awareness about the Deaf Community.

Here's some ways you can create awareness for the Deaf Community this month!

Learn sign language
Celebrating National Deaf History Month can start with learning American Sign Language (ASL). It will be fun and beautiful learning how to communicate with Deaf persons around you.

Learn more about Deaf history
You’ll find many useful contents about the history, challenges, and achievements of the Deaf Community. Consider memoirs, articles, books by Deaf Authors, and TED talks that feature Deaf Speakers.

Support BEGINNINGS mission
BEGINNINGS for Parents of Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing helps families make informed decisions and empowers them to advocate for their child’s needs. We actively assists parents of Deaf or Hard of Hearing children and Deaf parents with hearing children during the early decision making stages and all the way through their transition to adulthood.

Learn how our BEGINNINGS team is advocating to make life more inclusive for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals and how you can make a difference in the lives of hundreds of families in North Carolina each year by clicking the button below. 

Recently, we connected with Ronald Fernandez and Merles Sanchez at the Raleigh Hispanic Family Retreat to get an update on their children Neymar, age 6, and Camila, age 3. 

Neymar and Camila were both diagnosed with hearing loss at an early age. Neymar had surgery to place a Cochlear Implant in his right ear, and Camila had surgery to place a Cochlear Implant in both ears.

By working with Wilma Rivera, Hispanic Outreach Parent Educator, Ronald and Merles were given the opportunity to learn about resources available to support their children with hearing loss.

Merles stated, "Without BEGINNINGS and Wilma, we would not have known about hearing technology and how to best support our children. BEGINNINGS has given us an opportunity to communicate with our children, and we are forever grateful!" 

Merles and Ronald are extremely proud of Neymar and Camila and how well they have adapted to their Cochlear Implants. It has been a gift being able to communicate with them now and enjoying everyday activities.

Merles and Ronald have also been able to receive educational support through BEGINNINGS. Working with Wilma has helped them obtain the educational services and accommodations for Neymar and allow him to excel in school. They have also attended several of the family retreats and were excited to be in attendance on April 13. They enjoy being able to connect with other families and learn about new resources, programs, and information available to support Neymar and Camila. 

Please Note: This event will be a Spanish Immersion program. All presentations and materials/handouts will be in Spanish only.

Mark your calendar! The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Events Calendar will be hosting various events across the state during the month of April.

You can view a full list of upcoming events across the state by clicking the button below. 

Our Executive Director and several of our Parent Educators attended the 2024 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention (EHDI) Conference in Denver, Colorado in March.  This national conference brings together professional and families who have children with hearing loss.  The goal is to enhance the implementation of comprehensive state-based EHDI programs. 

Diane Doak, Executive Director, and Ale Casapia, Hispanic Outreach Parent Educator, exhibited at the conference, sharing BEGINNINGS mission and information to participants across the country.  Seven of our Parent Educators attended several breakout sessions with dozens of topics to choose from to enhance their knowledge and skills and network with other professionals.

Our team hosted a Hispanic Family Retreat on April 13 at Trinity Baptist Church in Raleigh. Families from all over the Triangle attended this free retreat for a day full of learning, sharing, and fun! 

Parents and caregivers had the opportunity to network with other families and learn about resources and tools available while their children met new friends and created arts and crafts.

The Council for Children's Rights provided more information on the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process and how to best advocate for your child at school. Dr. Edith M. Nieves Lopez, Founder of Developedia Consulting, also presented and provided tools for caregivers to foster wellness and resiliency.

The 2nd annual Step Forward to the Future -A WNC Transition Event was held on April 11th at AB Tech Community College in Asheville.  The partnering agencies that provided the event  included BEGINNINGS, the NC Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the NC Division of of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, the NC Department of Public Instruction and the NC Department of Heath & Human Services.  There were break out sessions for the teens on self advocacy, independence and post secondary education and employment.  There were also breakout sessions for the parents on educational law and empowering student advocacy.  The afternoon included a Parent/Student Panel, where many ideas and experiences were shared.  There were 14 exhibit booths, and it was a wonderful day of learning, networking, and collaboration!

BEGINNINGS is excited to announce a new partnership with North Carolina State University's Delta Zeta Sorority. 

Delta Zeta's national philanthropy is hearing and speech, and they partner with Starkey Hearing Foundation each year to provide hearing healthcare services to people worldwide. This year, Delta Zeta pledged to support a local organization who supports Deaf and Hard of Hearing children in North Carolina. The sorority donated 10% of the earnings from their annual Hoops for Hearing basketball event to BEGINNINGS to support the work we do with our families across the state. Learn more about Delta Zeta's partnership with the Starkey Hearing Foundation.

We'd also like to extend our gratitude to the Fuquay-Varina's Junior Women's Club for their recent gift. We appreciate your support and partnership as we continue to provide services to families in all 100 counties across the state of North Carolina. 

Joanna Chantemerle

Associate Executive Director

Have a topic you'd like to see in an upcoming newsletter? Let us know! Send an email to marketing@ncbegin.org on any information you'd like us to feature in a future edition.