Black DeafBlind History Month Celebration

What is it like to be a DeafBlind person of color in America today? What special challenges are faced by DeafBlind people who intersect at different cultures?
In association with Black History Month, CymaSpace will be hosting a special one-hour Black DeafBlind History Month Celebration Panel! Join us on February 20th at 5pm PST with host Korain “Koko” Thomas as he interviews guests Ashlea Hays and Autumn Stephens.
This panel will be live streamed as a Zoom meeting, and then broadcast simultaneously on FaceBook and YouTube. Because we believe in providing full access for everyone, there will also be a special Google Meet page for people who are DeafBlind.

Zoom Meeting link:
Topic: Black DeafBlind History Month Panel
Time: Feb 20, 2021 05:00 PM to 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6149567026
Meeting ID: 614 956 7026

Google Meet page for DeafBlind attendees:
https://meet.google.com/aki-czor-uoa

YouTube Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPKZ3fuIuqo

FaceBook Link:
https://fb.me/e/vnCBct6m

Dallas, Texas native Korian “Koko” Thomas brings a rich multicultural background to CymaSpace for this special celebration. Koko is DeafBlind, gay and a person of color.  Koko has more than 20 years of experience in social work as an HIV Educator, Case Manager, Support Services Coordinator at Lighthouse For The Blind, Rehabilitation Counselor and Mental Health Therapist. A man of many talents, Koko is also a dancer and performer.

A male person of color is smiling at the camera. He has a gray and black beard. He wears an olive-colored shirt and a medallion around his neck. The background is a room with a light on the far wall.

Special Guest Speaker Ashlea Hays wears many hats as a Deaf Interpreter, ASL Instructor, Ministry Leader, Mime Artist, and Secretary for National Black Deaf Advocates.

A woman of color with brown hair and ear rings is smiling broadly. She wears a black tank top shirt. Background: white and gray wall.

Autumn Stephens is a DeafBlind woman of color from Detroit, Michigan. She was diagnosed with Usher Syndrome at age 15. Autumn is currently a student at Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, MI and majors in Special Education/Early Childhood.

A woman of color with two hair braids is smiling with two fist hands on her chin. She wears a black jacket. There is a white horse with harness behind and both look at the camera. Background: forests, grass, and clouds in sky. 

This project is made possible by a generous endowment from the Office of Community & Civic Life.

Admission

Free

When

Feb 20th, 2021 5:00pm - 6:00pm

Where

Online Event


Schedule of Events 

What is CymaSpace?

  • Accessibility & Inclusion

    CymaSpace is a leading advocate for accessibility and inclusion within performing arts, cultural events, and media broadcasting for DHH people. We are constantly striving to find new ways to ensure our venue and events are inclusive, especially to DHH  communities.

  • Technology & Arts Incubator

    We provide incubator services for new fledgling organizations and communities that are exploring emerging concepts in combining technology and the arts.

  • Education & Outreach

    We provide educational opportunities for artists, the general public and other performance venues interested in incorporating our unique, cymatic concepts into their work.

  • Cymatic Study

    CymaSpace is an epicenter for Cymatic study and we are committed to raising awareness of and promoting the benefits of Cymatics (the science and study of sound made visible).