Theressa learned American Sign Language (ASL), some 20 years ago to help a Deaf neighbor understand their church service. ASL took on new meaning when Theressa realized how many Deaf suffered because they lacked "equal access" to information, education and entertainment. This dramatically changed her life, as she began to advocate the simple fact: equal access is a right, not a privilege.
Theressa has hosted financial education seminars, technical workshops, art classes, fitness marathons, and other events around town in sign language. Theressa premiered the charity's mini-movie, "DATE RAPE: Don't Be A Victim," in December 2005, at "Deaf Beauty Day," hosted at V Spa & Salon in Garden City, NY, before a standing room only crowd. Guests have come to expect to be trained and entertained at Deaf Welcome events. Theressa is affectionately called the "Signing Oprah."
We Are Here!
First of all she is charisma personified. Second of all she is one of the most interesting people to talk to but above and beyond all of that, she is completely committed and consumed with fulfilling what she believes she has been called to do:
Take a stand for having life work for everyone!
We met at the Pierre Hotel recently, for a chat and I found her fascinating and find her work important.
Here is what she said to me:
Deaf Welcome Foundation is a tax exempt public charity. We presented our business plan to the Federal Government, hoping to be approved as a non-profit organization, and to our surprise they approved us in record time and made us a public charity as well.
Right now we need to have major funding to create and produce sign language media for a deaf population that can't read. There are lots of deaf people who can not read. And so the best way to communicate with them is sign language and now with modern technology we can press it on a DVD and they can see it! So it is actually a living, watching, viewing breathing language and we need that for legal information, medical information and of course,
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