August 2009 Newsletter: vol.3, iss.1

August 2009 1

Volume 3 Issue 1

August 2009

Discovering Shuktara Release Party

Is An Astounding Success!

www.discoveringdeafworlds.com

On July 22, Discovering Deaf Worlds (DDW) hosted its first official benefit by premiering its docu-mentary film, Discovering: Shuktara, in Rochester, N.Y. Over 300 people attended this sold-out event, which was sponsored by 21 local businesses and individuals, raising over $16,000. “More important than the finan-cial success of this fundraiser, however, was the feeling of inspiration shared by everyone in the room,” said DDW Executive Director Davin Searls. “It was phe-

nomenal,” stated one attendee. “The Shuktara kids are the real heroes!”

The night began with a social mixer at SPoT Coffee. Over $5,000 in raffle prizes were given away, including a hot air balloon ride and hand-made blankets pro-vided by the Shuktara home. The crowd then gathered at The Little Theater to watch the film, where several walk-ins joined at the last minute after hearing about the event from local news sources.

Discovering: Shuktara is the story of 18 boys and girls in Kolkata, India, who were given a second chance at life after being abandoned by their families because of their disability. Shuktara founder David Earp and humanitarian Alison Saracena flew 12,835 miles from the Shuktara home to support DDW and lead a panel discussion after the film. “I was deeply touched to see a room full of deaf and hearing professionals so genu-inely supportive of what we are doing,” Earp said. “We don’t get that kind of support in Kolkata.”

Lauren Bain, the evening’s mistress of ceremonies, pointed out that the event ticket price of $25 is equal to one month’s rent for a family living in the slums of Kolkata. “The money raised tonight will stretch for

What is DDW?

Discovering Deaf Worlds is dedicated to empowering and advocating for Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities around the world. We believe everyone deserves acces-sibility to language, education, and com-munity.

For more information, photos and stories, visit www.discoveringdeafworlds.com.

Collaborating with Epic Arts in Cambodia

Continued on page 5

DDW Directors Christy Smith and Davin Searls celebrate the evening’s success.

2 Discovering Deaf Worlds

We Want to Hear

From You!

Are you planning to take a trip somewhere be-fore summer’s out? Or are you relaxing at home? Either way, send DDW a postcard! Tell us what interesting sights you’ve seen, or about the unique people you’ve met. Next time we travel some-where, we’ll send you one too! Our address is:

Discovering Deaf Worlds PO Box 10063 Rochester NY 14610

Language Development

Program in the Works

Front (L-R): Davin Searls, Alison Saracena and Christy Smith. Back: David Earp and Dave Justice

After the recent benefit, Discovering Deaf Worlds’ directors Davin Searls, Christy Smith and Dave Justice had the opportunity to sit down with Shuktara founder, David Earp, and long-time supporter Alison Saracena to discuss the next step for a language development pro-gram with the boys and girls of Shuktara.

August 2009 3

How to Change the World, by David Born-stein, is a book that lives up to its name. It tells the stories of nine dedicated men and women from around the world who are ad-dressing a wide variety of social and eco-nomic problems with innovative solutions.

For example, Bornstein tells about Er-zsébet Szekeres, a Hungarian woman who strove to provide her disabled son with a good life by bringing a human face to disability. She combated the outdated ap-proach of the crowded, paternalistic state institutions by creating her own residential care facilities where disabled people were treated as equal. Now, Hungary’s laws have changed to reflect the progress she’s made.

How to Change the World highlights the fast-growing trend of social entrepreneurship in America and around the globe. According to a recent Harris Poll, 97 percent of Generation Y are looking for work that allows them

“to have an impact on the world.” Read this book and you will be inspired by the great work that many people are doing world-wide. You’re bound to feel energized and ready to make a difference in the world – we know we do!

How to Change the World:

Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas

Coloroadans:

Save the Date!

Discovering Deaf Worlds will present at the

University of Colorado at Boulder on Sept. 25.

Keep checking our website at www.discoveringdeafworlds.com

for more details!

Donate to DDW!

www.

discoveringdeaf

worlds.com

4 Discovering Deaf Worlds

A Thank You to Our Sponsors

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The wonderful staff of The Little Theatre and SPoT Coffee...Thank you for working with us to make DDW’s benefit so successful!

Gene DiVincenzo & Kim Kelstone...Your incredible talent and humbleness continue to inspire us. We look forward to working with you for many years to come.

Mary Giorgi and John McNamara...Thank you for your generous support – it keeps us moving forward.

Shout-Outs!Shout-Outs!Shout-Outs!

When you get to the top of a mountain, keep climbing.

-Jack Kerouac

Stay tuned! In the next issue, we will announce the first three mem-bers of DDW’s Board of Directors!

August 2009 5

years to come,” Bain added. The proceeds from this benefit will lay the foundation of DDW’s language development program with the Shuktara organization. “We can now move forward and put this plan into ac-tion as early as winter 2010,” said Searls.

Rather than feeling pity for what these kids had been through, it was evident that the audience left

feeling inspired by how far the children have come, and how far they will go. An audience member com-mented, “Thank you for reminding us that we are actu-ally already helping by attending this event. It’s easy to forget, and powerful to leave inspired!”

DDW would like to thank everyone who attended, donated, spread the word, and/or volunteered. Every-thing we do is made possible by your support.

Watch for updates on DDW’s language development program with Shuktara. This program will serve as a model for future collaborative projects with deaf advocacy organi-zations in other countries such as Nepal and Cambodia.

Photos courtesy of Erin H. Green.

According to 2005 estimates by the World Health Organization, 278 million people worldwide are deaf, and approxi-mately 80 percent (222.4 million) live in developing countries.

Did You Know...?DDW Directors Christy Smith and Davin Searls celebrate the evening’s success.

Continued from front page

Release Party

6 Discovering Deaf Worlds

Discovering: Shuktara has been accepted into the Port Townsend Film Festival in Washington state, which occurs on Sept. 24-27. For more information, check www.ptfilmfest.com.

You can read more about the

boys and girls of Shuktara

at www.shuktara.net.

6 Discovering Deaf Worlds

Discovering: Shuktara has been accepted into the Port Townsend Film Festival in Washington state, which occurs on Sept. 24-27. For more information, check www.ptfilmfest.com.

You can read more about

the boys and girls of Shuktara

at www.shuktara.net.