The Alliance has been meeting regularly for the past two years. What started as a venue for expressing concerns about our local services has evolved into helping deaf and hard of hearing people fight against audism and for their rights. We have been working to empower people to help each other as well as themselves. In that time we have expanded from meeting once a week to meeting twice a week to accommodate as many people's schedule as possible and for the convenience those who drive long distances to attend meetings. We have had to change meeting location a number of times because we have outgrown those locations. We have expanded through word of mouth as people have become increasingly dissatisfied with services provided by agencies serving deaf and hard of hearing people.

Although we cannot list all the activities our members, friends and allies have accomplished because of confidentiality, here is a partial of list of what we have accomplished in two short years.

· Set up this website

· Attended DHHSC Board meetings and community forums and presented our concerns

· Helped non-English speaking families with deaf members understand deafness

· Advocated at the local and state level on interpreting, captioning and other issues

· Helped individual deaf people improve their reading and writing

· Assisted deaf people in understanding where and how to file complaints or grievances and follow-up to protect their rights

· Empowered deaf people to access needed community resources and services

· Provided a support group for people affected by audism, (See audism page) discrimination and other societal and attitudinal barriers

We have accomplished these things and more with people all over the Valley and the State volunteering their time and expertise, donating materials, office and meeting space and moral support. Thanks to all who have participated with us over the last two years and we look forward to continuing with you in the future.

Thank you for your support and encouragement,

Central California Deaf Community Alliance for Justice