1
00:00:10,909 --> 00:00:15,687
Oh, yeah... we must build a town.

2
00:00:16,237 --> 00:00:21,541
That town would be
for all sign language users,

3
00:00:21,571 --> 00:00:25,550
a fully integrated, accessible
and bilingual... for all.

4
00:00:25,670 --> 00:00:29,785
I don't mean just for Deaf people.
I mean for all people!

5
00:00:30,621 --> 00:00:34,276
Hard of hearing, people with cochlear
implants, deaf and hearing people,

6
00:00:34,306 --> 00:00:36,479
it doesn't matter, all of them.

7
00:00:36,494 --> 00:00:39,805
Let me start with why
we should build this town.

8
00:00:39,905 --> 00:00:43,243
I'll give you some statistics and facts.

9
00:00:43,615 --> 00:00:46,897
In education, for instance,

10
00:00:46,927 --> 00:00:50,410
according to Wikipedia,
25 % of the world population

11
00:00:50,420 --> 00:00:53,000
currently receives no formal education.

12
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That's 25 %, again,
with no formal schooling.

13
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What about deaf people?

14
00:00:59,861 --> 00:01:02,471
According to the
World Federation of the Deaf,

15
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a whopping 80 %
receive no education in the world!

16
00:01:07,483 --> 00:01:13,328
Twenty-five percent against eighty
percent? Wow, that's not even close!

17
00:01:14,503 --> 00:01:17,828
Secondly, in employment ...

18
00:01:18,198 --> 00:01:23,988
Before the Americans
with Disabilities Act passed,

19
00:01:24,008 --> 00:01:28,220
according to
Andrew Houtenville's research,

20
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about 63% of disabled people
were unemployed.

21
00:01:33,690 --> 00:01:36,647
So, when ADA passed, we all were excited.

22
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Several years later, the number
increased to 65% of unemployed.

23
00:01:40,671 --> 00:01:44,287
Not that I agree that Deaf people
should be categorized under disability.

24
00:01:44,307 --> 00:01:46,840
No, but that's how they do it.
That's okay for now.

25
00:01:47,015 --> 00:01:50,919
In Federal government, there's data
on disabled people who are employed there.

26
00:01:50,939 --> 00:01:54,628
Office of Personnel and Management
actually tracks this kind of thing.

27
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Statistics are broken down by disability
such as mobility impaired, amputees,

28
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blind, low vision, mental health issues,
mental retardation, deaf, hard of hearing.

29
00:02:05,702 --> 00:02:09,189
Numbers were broken down
into pay grade levels from GS-1 to GS-15,

30
00:02:09,229 --> 00:02:13,479
levels determined by pay
and responsibility scale.

31
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Higher GS levels, means
more management responsibility.

32
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From GS-1 to GS-7, deaf people were much
in line with other types of disabilities.

33
00:02:21,859 --> 00:02:25,914
However from GS-8 to GS-15,

34
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deaf people drop in numbers, just
above people with mental retardation.

35
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So, now... not only that.

36
00:02:39,416 --> 00:02:42,372
This is America.

37
00:02:43,222 --> 00:02:48,231
There's over 510,000
elected officials according to Favp.org.

38
00:02:48,271 --> 00:02:52,770
Again, over 510,000.

39
00:02:52,830 --> 00:02:57,175
These elected officials are at federal,
state, city, and county levels.

40
00:02:57,205 --> 00:03:00,937
We're not including appointed
positions, just elected ones.

41
00:03:01,007 --> 00:03:04,383
Again, all in all,
there's 510,000 elected officials.

42
00:03:04,473 --> 00:03:08,483
How many people live in America today?
We have 307 million Americans.

43
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If you divide these two numbers, you get
something like 0.0000168 or so.

44
00:03:13,615 --> 00:03:16,565
So, we take that number.

45
00:03:16,855 --> 00:03:20,955
Now, there's no hard data on how many deaf
people use American Sign Language daily.

46
00:03:20,975 --> 00:03:23,429
There's no hard data out there.

47
00:03:23,449 --> 00:03:26,980
My educated estimate
is about 400,000 deaf people

48
00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:29,513
who use sign language daily.

49
00:03:29,695 --> 00:03:35,591
So, 400,000 multiplied with that ratio
makes 665 elected officials

50
00:03:35,630 --> 00:03:38,343
who should be our own people
using sign language daily.

51
00:03:38,373 --> 00:03:41,617
So, how many do we actually have today?

52
00:03:41,647 --> 00:03:45,525
Zero. Yes, seriously, zero!

53
00:03:46,644 --> 00:03:51,794
My dear friend is in the process
of adopting a foster deaf child.

54
00:03:51,814 --> 00:03:53,927
Wow, I was thrilled.

55
00:03:53,957 --> 00:03:57,379
He was telling me something incredible.

56
00:03:57,390 --> 00:04:01,612
He has two boys, children of deaf adults.

57
00:04:01,782 --> 00:04:05,863
While they were starting out
with foster care system,

58
00:04:05,883 --> 00:04:08,900
the people at the foster
care system were grateful.

59
00:04:08,910 --> 00:04:13,870
They told my friend that deaf kids
were absolutely the last to be adopted.

60
00:04:13,917 --> 00:04:15,775
The last ones!

61
00:04:15,795 --> 00:04:21,685
Even before other kids who require
greater physical care and daily attention!

62
00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:27,131
They would be adopted first
before the deaf kids.

63
00:04:30,031 --> 00:04:33,310
So, all these statistics
are giving us a hint.

64
00:04:33,340 --> 00:04:35,194
So now, we look around.
Think about it.

65
00:04:35,224 --> 00:04:38,704
Do we even own residential deaf schools?

66
00:04:38,924 --> 00:04:41,745
Do we own them, run them,
make decisions there?

67
00:04:41,775 --> 00:04:45,287
Does "our" schools even reflect
our community and values?

68
00:04:46,112 --> 00:04:48,917
No. The state owns them.

69
00:04:51,126 --> 00:04:53,348
Now, look.

70
00:04:53,368 --> 00:04:57,364
Back to the fact we should have
665 deaf elected officials.

71
00:04:57,384 --> 00:05:00,412
Let me emphasize that this is America.

72
00:05:00,442 --> 00:05:06,361
Think about what makes America so special,
and in the History, why America was born.

73
00:05:06,882 --> 00:05:09,361
People came here
looking for religious freedom. Yes.

74
00:05:09,421 --> 00:05:13,333
This country was a huge experiment
in liberty and self-governance.

75
00:05:13,363 --> 00:05:17,865
That was the very foundation
of this country.

76
00:05:18,535 --> 00:05:20,831
That's the American Dream.

77
00:05:20,900 --> 00:05:24,932
In Europe, there were many detractors
sneering at the idea

78
00:05:24,952 --> 00:05:28,574
that common people could self-govern!

79
00:05:28,828 --> 00:05:31,880
"No way, that's impossible," they said.

80
00:05:31,970 --> 00:05:36,703
Why? The royalty for ages
had money and resources

81
00:05:36,723 --> 00:05:42,123
to train and educate their children
to govern and rule over the common folk.

82
00:05:42,286 --> 00:05:48,135
They couldn't imagine educating millions
to self-govern themselves. No way!

83
00:05:48,632 --> 00:05:53,501
We all know what happened, 
America succeeded in a big way,

84
00:05:53,541 --> 00:05:57,300
all this based on the very idea
we can govern ourselves.

85
00:05:57,672 --> 00:05:59,928
So, okay.

86
00:05:59,948 --> 00:06:05,108
The fact we have zero deaf officials,
that's taxation without representation!

87
00:06:06,017 --> 00:06:09,780
Pretty smart of us
to keep on paying taxes, eh?

88
00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:13,033
Well, I do the same thing anyway!

89
00:06:14,113 --> 00:06:18,333
So with all that in mind, wow!

90
00:06:18,402 --> 00:06:21,132
Not to mention that the other key
to the American Dream

91
00:06:21,162 --> 00:06:25,610
and how to make it work
requires having values

92
00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:29,602
in free, appropriate
public education for all.

93
00:06:29,681 --> 00:06:31,572
The reason why that is so important

94
00:06:31,592 --> 00:06:34,535
is so all can learn
how to be a public servant.

95
00:06:34,953 --> 00:06:37,253
The Founding Fathers felt
being a public servant

96
00:06:37,273 --> 00:06:38,903
was the noblest thing to do.

97
00:06:38,933 --> 00:06:42,496
The role of public servant
is so important.

98
00:06:42,966 --> 00:06:47,340
And the deaf people get left behind.

99
00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:51,777
Truly, our way of life is dying.

100
00:06:52,107 --> 00:06:54,437
All over, deaf clubs
are weakening and closing.

101
00:06:54,457 --> 00:06:57,307
Once proud, deaf
residential schools are closing

102
00:06:57,333 --> 00:07:01,490
leaving us with probably
only five great deaf schools.

103
00:07:01,852 --> 00:07:08,290
Even with that, there are still challenges
and worry with our schools today.

104
00:07:10,631 --> 00:07:14,383
So, what do we do?

105
00:07:16,527 --> 00:07:22,210
With these facts of decline
and despite advances in technology,

106
00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:25,961
we are becoming more disconnected.

107
00:07:26,341 --> 00:07:28,749
See, like this great, awesome
crowd of people here.

108
00:07:28,759 --> 00:07:31,974
I wish I could see you,
bump into you all daily,

109
00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:34,828
chat, laugh together and more.
I really wish for that.

110
00:07:34,838 --> 00:07:36,562
But, t's not happening.

111
00:07:36,592 --> 00:07:40,198
When we meet together like this,
we talk like mad and savor each moment.

112
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That's such a huge boost.

113
00:07:44,002 --> 00:07:50,791
Let me illustrate what a healthy community
and its social fabric would look like.

114
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That's a healthy web.

115
00:07:56,195 --> 00:08:00,264
That's what a strong,
healthy community looks like.

116
00:08:00,674 --> 00:08:04,697
Every point and line that cross
each other, that's each one of you.

117
00:08:05,249 --> 00:08:11,147
We are all connected, woven
into each other into one beautiful web.

118
00:08:11,759 --> 00:08:17,315
Unfortunately in America, even
hearing people are also struggling.

119
00:08:17,872 --> 00:08:20,317
Why? Suburban sprawl.

120
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This country is designed
for automobiles.

121
00:08:22,324 --> 00:08:24,534
As a result, people live further apart.

122
00:08:24,638 --> 00:08:27,215
Many hearing Americans
are also struggling,

123
00:08:27,235 --> 00:08:29,709
lonely in the suburbs, disconnected.

124
00:08:29,749 --> 00:08:33,447
People in Europe have
a far better social fabric.

125
00:08:33,477 --> 00:08:37,370
Their night life is incredibly rich with
all that eating and drinking together.

126
00:08:37,465 --> 00:08:40,129
They can walk almost everywhere.

127
00:08:40,159 --> 00:08:43,000
So their social fabric
is stronger than ours.

128
00:08:43,196 --> 00:08:45,921
It's ironic that hearing people
are becoming more like us,

129
00:08:45,941 --> 00:08:47,845
the deaf community, separate.

130
00:08:47,875 --> 00:08:49,577
But we're more spread out!

131
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Yes, the community
is strong in some areas.

132
00:08:52,439 --> 00:08:55,501
We've a social network
all over the country.

133
00:08:55,531 --> 00:08:57,215
We know many of our own people.

134
00:08:57,235 --> 00:09:00,837
Now, let me illustrate how
our deaf community looks like here.

135
00:09:01,670 --> 00:09:03,450
That's us.

136
00:09:06,116 --> 00:09:09,740
That's us, incredibly
strong in some areas.

137
00:09:09,770 --> 00:09:12,431
In the middle,

138
00:09:12,461 --> 00:09:15,553
but so sparsely connected elsewhere.

139
00:09:15,583 --> 00:09:19,633
Actually, that's a picture
of a spider on caffeine.

140
00:09:19,653 --> 00:09:22,202
Is any of you drinking coffee?

141
00:09:22,216 --> 00:09:24,896
You can see the effect
on the web itself.

142
00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:28,398
So, now, look at that.

143
00:09:29,138 --> 00:09:34,469
Imagine... Would that web
catch insects easily?

144
00:09:34,841 --> 00:09:37,115
No, insects would often
just fly right through!

145
00:09:37,145 --> 00:09:40,586
And if something big came,
these lines would just break!

146
00:09:40,711 --> 00:09:42,110
Yet, that's us!

147
00:09:42,150 --> 00:09:44,708
We're so dependent
on very few leaders and people,

148
00:09:44,718 --> 00:09:47,472
all spread out, with no political voice.

149
00:09:47,832 --> 00:09:51,172
We're barely holding together and worse,
we punish each other harshly.

150
00:09:51,187 --> 00:09:54,144
yelling at each other for being apathetic,
saying things like,

151
00:09:54,164 --> 00:09:56,396
"We just don't do enough! Come on!"

152
00:09:56,415 --> 00:09:59,671
All that yelling at each other ... Huh!

153
00:09:59,960 --> 00:10:03,156
We are just not physically
connected that way!

154
00:10:03,186 --> 00:10:06,216
Sure, internet use is skyrocketing,
Facebook, Twitter.

155
00:10:06,256 --> 00:10:09,933
These can never replace
our physical connection to each other!

156
00:10:09,953 --> 00:10:11,124
Never!

157
00:10:11,124 --> 00:10:15,360
They can enhance, add to our social
fabric, help strengthen it.

158
00:10:15,383 --> 00:10:19,410
But these services can't exist without the
physical connection we've with each other.

159
00:10:19,430 --> 00:10:23,318
I want to tell you a story about
my 11- year-old daughter, Stefania.

160
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We moved to Indiana from South Dakota,
from a small town to a big city.

161
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We lived in apartment.

162
00:10:30,169 --> 00:10:34,182
One night, after being there
for a while, we sat down together.

163
00:10:34,202 --> 00:10:36,581
She said, "Dad, when I grow up,

164
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I want to move back
to Salem, South Dakota."

165
00:10:39,669 --> 00:10:42,574
That was the small town we lived in.

166
00:10:42,714 --> 00:10:44,221
I was like, "What? Why?

167
00:10:44,241 --> 00:10:47,286
That town has only 1,300 people
and it's not quite beautiful" -

168
00:10:47,316 --> 00:10:49,852
no offense to all people
and friends in Salem!

169
00:10:49,862 --> 00:10:52,620
I love them, I really do!
The town is just not picturesque.

170
00:10:52,629 --> 00:10:55,708
So I asked her "Why?"

171
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She simply said, "I was free there."

172
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"I could ride my bike,
go to store, get bread and milk for you.

173
00:11:03,170 --> 00:11:07,633
I could go to the town' swimming pool
and over to my friend's home myself.

174
00:11:07,647 --> 00:11:11,356
Here, whenever I want to visit my friends,
I've to beg you to drive me there."

175
00:11:11,389 --> 00:11:12,868
Wow.

176
00:11:15,704 --> 00:11:18,970
She was talking about a town 
I thought was not so special.

177
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And she never forgot that.

178
00:11:21,103 --> 00:11:23,927
So, when you all become older,
what are you going to do?

179
00:11:23,957 --> 00:11:27,584
When you can no longer drive, what then?

180
00:11:28,130 --> 00:11:30,512
Sure, there're two deaf 
nursing homes in the U.S.,

181
00:11:30,512 --> 00:11:34,126
retirement communities here and there.
I've seen most of them.

182
00:11:34,144 --> 00:11:39,175
Almost all, if not all... Isolated,
disconnected from the cities.

183
00:11:39,195 --> 00:11:42,109
You can't walk to these
places from anywhere.

184
00:11:42,129 --> 00:11:45,689
These centers are separate, like islands.

185
00:11:45,719 --> 00:11:51,730
So, life quickly passes them by,
and they are there, marking time.

186
00:11:52,534 --> 00:11:55,218
Residents often have to beg for visits.

187
00:11:55,252 --> 00:11:58,632
"Please, I'm lonely.
Can you visit me more?"

188
00:11:59,236 --> 00:12:02,000
We all become
so busy with life, we forget.

189
00:12:03,980 --> 00:12:06,109
That realization had
a profound impact on me.

190
00:12:06,129 --> 00:12:08,786
No way. That can't happen to me.

191
00:12:08,806 --> 00:12:13,472
But, we have to ask ourselves,
"Are we worth it?"

192
00:12:14,744 --> 00:12:18,704
Really, are we? Are we worth saving?

193
00:12:19,624 --> 00:12:23,723
There's a long list of problems
in our Deaf community.

194
00:12:24,068 --> 00:12:27,801
So, why don't we just give up?
Just exit the world stage?

195
00:12:30,190 --> 00:12:32,724
No. We are worth it!

196
00:12:32,746 --> 00:12:35,288
Why? We have a lot
to offer to the world.

197
00:12:35,308 --> 00:12:37,428
And we all know it!

198
00:12:37,448 --> 00:12:39,210
We know it!

199
00:12:41,428 --> 00:12:46,640
If we are truly worth it, then,
we just have to do something.

200
00:12:48,357 --> 00:12:50,499
Malcolm X once said,

201
00:12:50,519 --> 00:12:55,871
"To achieve social equality, we must
achieve economic empowerment first."

202
00:12:56,545 --> 00:13:01,203
First, invest, create wealth,
support each other, build on each other,

203
00:13:01,227 --> 00:13:03,100
and grow from there.

204
00:13:03,127 --> 00:13:05,235
Let me illustrate this
with a story, a pond.

205
00:13:05,275 --> 00:13:08,639
Now, you have this home
on lake front, a huge lake.

206
00:13:08,639 --> 00:13:12,748
You have it near wherever
you live. A really big lake!

207
00:13:13,163 --> 00:13:17,264
You extend a garden hose
from the house into the lake.

208
00:13:17,294 --> 00:13:21,873
You extent the hose to the big lake
and turn on the water.

209
00:13:21,906 --> 00:13:23,803
The flow starts.

210
00:13:27,343 --> 00:13:31,363
How long will take for the water
level in the lake to rise noticeably?

211
00:13:32,543 --> 00:13:34,233
I'm telling you. Never!

212
00:13:34,273 --> 00:13:37,234
So, take the flowing hose.

213
00:13:38,083 --> 00:13:41,692
Well, dig a hole and put the hose there.

214
00:13:41,722 --> 00:13:43,305
Bam! You see the water rise.

215
00:13:43,325 --> 00:13:46,701
Wow! Let's bring in a backhoe
and expand our pond.

216
00:13:46,721 --> 00:13:49,841
Now, that one hose represents one of you.

217
00:13:49,848 --> 00:13:52,319
The money you spend every single day

218
00:13:52,339 --> 00:13:55,803
flow into the world
that doesn't even notice you.

219
00:13:56,673 --> 00:13:58,318
Enough! Take that hose,

220
00:13:58,338 --> 00:14:02,905
and bring each one of us together,
water flowing into the newly formed pond.

221
00:14:02,925 --> 00:14:07,569
Whoa, now we can add a diving board here,
and even add sandy beach and trees!

222
00:14:07,587 --> 00:14:10,372
We can make this pond
into whatever we want,

223
00:14:10,392 --> 00:14:13,203
according to our vision and dreams.

224
00:14:14,271 --> 00:14:17,685
We must start here with a small pond.

225
00:14:17,697 --> 00:14:21,000
Some of you may cringe and say,
"This pond is too small and muddy.

226
00:14:21,020 --> 00:14:24,862
Ugh, I'd rather be at the huge beautiful
lake over there that has everything

227
00:14:24,867 --> 00:14:26,549
just like a big city."

228
00:14:26,649 --> 00:14:30,146
That's fine. I can understand that.
But we have to start somewhere!

229
00:14:31,226 --> 00:14:33,731
So you want all that
nice living in a big city?

230
00:14:33,771 --> 00:14:35,080
You know what?

231
00:14:35,100 --> 00:14:38,464
New York City started
as this cute, tiny port town!

232
00:14:38,614 --> 00:14:41,495
Today, it's home to millions
and huge glittering skyscrapers,

233
00:14:41,515 --> 00:14:42,875
center of everything.

234
00:14:42,895 --> 00:14:49,373
We just have to start somewhere
and build this bilingual signing town.

235
00:14:49,755 --> 00:14:51,900
That's how we will see ourselves

236
00:14:51,930 --> 00:14:57,100
change from a weak broken web
to a strong beautiful web.

237
00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:04,234
You see that? By being
physically together in a small town.

238
00:15:04,255 --> 00:15:08,303
Not just for Deaf people! No.
Hearing people, interpreters, and more!

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We would gain incentives to connect!

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Let me give you an example,
someone learning ASL.

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(Awkwardly) "Hi. My. Name. Is..."

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Oh, many of us just don't have
the patience for that.

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When we see one of those,
most just run away.

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It's true - just admit that -
and it's perfectly understandable.

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Now, in this town, you own a business,
let's say a hairstylist salon.

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You're motivated to see
your business grow, right?

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When that person learning ASL comes in.

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(Awkwardly) "Hi! I. Need. Haircut."

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What are you going to do?
Send them away?

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Or are you going to welcome them
with open arms into your store?

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Why? Their money is
as green as the rest of them.

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That's an incentive!
Just one small example of incentive.

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For instance, if someone starts
a franchise like McDonald's

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in this ASL town where we do not drown
in a sea of spoken English, and feel safe,

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he will create new opportunities.

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This would have a huge
impact on McDonald's system.

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Why? The franchisee would have to work
with McDonald's and go through training.

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They will learn all about interpreters,
providing access and working with us.

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They'd be learning
something valuable from us.

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This would promote greater interaction
between us and the rest of the world.

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"Oh, Deaf people can do this!"

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And you know what?

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They'd ask the franchisee if they could
recommend more deaf and signers.

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Oh, yes, they will.
That's just one example.

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Seriously, just imagine
yourself living in that town

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where you won't be pigeonholed
into limited roles we have today

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such as teachers, counselors, etc. No!

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You can be and do anything you want.

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A deaf person came
to our ASL town booth one day.

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A survey asked people what they wanted
to do if they lived in this town.

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They were like, "Um ... Of course,
I'm a school teacher"

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as if this was a dumb question.

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I asked if teaching was
their real passion.

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"What do you mean? Uh..."
A light bulb went on.

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"Can I start a kennel?"

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"Sure! Why not?

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"Oh, wow."

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That was an important eureka moment.

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You can pursue your passion,
without having to settle.

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All these new businesses create new
connections forging a stronger bond.

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Imagine our own local school
run by our own people.

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Would that school be
just for deaf people? No!

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It'd be a bilingual immersion program
in American Sign Language for all!

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Hearing and deaf kids all together!

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00:17:39,507 --> 00:17:43,945
Kids would be expressing themselves
with ASL and English so fluently!

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Our kids and grand kids will grow up
in a different world, a much better one.

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00:17:48,170 --> 00:17:51,640
Our posterity will build something
even bigger and more incredible,

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something we can't even imagine.

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I promise you that.

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So, will you join me?

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Will you help me build that town
and grow it into something amazing?

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With that success, we'll see new projects
like this spring up across the world!

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Thank you.