Toys Are Lush!

Companies Expand Market

Actress Marlee Matlin as a Toys "R" Us cover gilr

"Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of becoming an actress," writes Marlee Matlin.

"I am now living that dream."

The famous deaf actress wrote these words as part of a special Toys "R" Us catalog for differently-abled children. It is the sixth edition of the special catalog and Matlin is on the cover.

"As a mom, I realize that toys hold a magical key to unlocking a child’s imagination," continues Matlin in her inside message. "Together we can make a difference in the lives of our children—all of our children."

Not to be outdone, the Mattel toy company has launched a new Barbie doll that uses a wheelchair. Her name is Becky. Becky is "hip and very cool," and a photographer for her high school yearbook, according to the Mattel press release.

National Asian Deaf Congress

Now One Year Old

The National Asian Deaf Congress (NADC) is now one year old. The purpose of the NADC is to define and explore the culture, politics, and social issues that affect Asian Americans who are deaf or hard of hearing. The first meeting of what became the NADC was "Access Silent Asia," a conference in San Francisco, California in 1994. Since then the organization has grown and its mission expanded. For more information, e-mail Cynthia Plue, Cplue@aol.com.

Jr. NAD Leadership

The 30 students who attended the Jr. National Association of the Deaf (Jr. NAD) Youth Leadership Workshop at the Missouri School for the Deaf display the Jr. NAD banner. The purpose of the second annual conference was to train students in leadership skills and encourage them to pursue higher education.

Now You See It!

British Get Videophones

Several British agencies have teamed up to give deaf people access to the latest videophone technology. In Bristol, a city in England, five public videophones have been set up in libraries, Deaf organizations, and the local college.

Gillian Brown, an information assistant who is deaf, is helping to promote use of the videophone. At a website for MotonMedia, the company that sells the videophones, Brown says: "The technology is fantastic…communication is tremendously easy because deaf people are able to use…British Sign Language."

The Bristol Centre for Deaf Studies, Forest Bookshop, Deaf Studies Trust, and the Doug Alker Consultancy won L400,000, the highest award, from the UK government to launch the videophone project.

7 Days, 576 Miles

Money for AIDS Research

Last spring, Don Baer, a California wax artisan, set off for Los Angeles. Nothing unusual about that except, perhaps, that Baer was leaving from San Francisco and biking all the way.

Baer was part of the San Francisco to Los Angeles AIDS RIDE 5. Money earned from the bikathon would be used for AIDS research.

Baer put a sign on his helmet to identify himself to the other riders. His sign said, "DEAF HIV POS."

"There was a lot of response from other riders," wrote Baer. "…waving, cheering, and even signing…"

There were two other deaf riders and two deaf crewmembers, and an exuberant welcome for all when they arrived in LA, he said.

When Baer looked back on the journey, he was proud and pleased.

"I will always cherish this incredible and amazing week," he said.

Information from the GLAD Council Newsletter, Spring 1998, which has a day by day account of Baer’s journey.