Indiana Association of the Deaf

10/30/2025

Hello fellow Hoosiers from Texas! Yesterday we got to fly to Austin, Texas for the Deaf Collab 2025 conference and here is a recap by our awesome Director of Advocacy, Geoffrey Bignell!
Transcript:
Hello! We the four representatives from Indiana flied out to Austin, Texas and arrived today. We were planning to go to the University of Texas for the NAD’s board meeting from 1pm to 4pm. We were told that the meeting room is very small and that the session is closed. We checked into our Airbnb at 4pm and then met up with others for dinner. We met up with the SA4 (state associations) group including representatives from Utah and Oregon. We had a Mexican dinner and we enjoyed it with them then we went back to the Airbnb and rested for the night to get ready for tomorrow!

10/28/2025

Here’s the latest vlog from NAD Board.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

10/26/2025

This event is happening right now!!

10/22/2025

Learn about your rights under Medicaid and Medicare. Deaf Equality is hosting a webinar.

Do You Know Your Deaf Rights Under Medicare and Medicaid?

Join us for an informative webinar hosted by Deaf Equality and Deaf Seniors of America (DSA). Learn about your rights, access to services, and what’s covered under Medicare and Medicaid.

November 5, 2025
12:30 PM PT | 1:30 PM MT | 2:30 PM CT | 3:30 PM ET

Moderated by: Sherri Collins
Presentations by: Howard Rosenblum, Anna Bitencourt, Zainab Alkebsi, and Jacob Salem

The workshop will be presented in ASL, voiced in English, and captioned. Register today: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-eFzF8dlR9CwD0hfltloYA

Accessible Livestream Made Possible by Caption Anywhere ⚡

10/22/2025

The Michiana Deaf Association, in partnership with the Indiana Association of the Deaf and Relay Indiana (InTRAC), proudly presents a special screening of Marlee Matlin’s film Not Alone Anymore.

📍 College Mennonite Church, 1900 S Main Street, Goshen, IN 46526 (on the Goshen College campus)

FREE ADMISSION! Click on the video for the flyer and map in the comments to see all of the details! Hope to see you there.

10/16/2025

Our President, Jeffrey Spinale, Jr., will be presenting at the ICRID Annual Conference on Saturday, October 25th!

His session, “Connecting Voices: The Indiana Deaf Community and YOU,” will explore key updates affecting Deaf Hoosiers, including statewide advocacy priorities, education developments, and ongoing work to address the interpreter shortage.

We encourage interpreters and community members alike to join the conversation and strengthen collaboration across Indiana.

10/15/2025

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)—which includes OSEP and RSA—has undergone major staff cuts, putting decades of progress for the disability community in danger.

With only a handful of staff left, the federal government’s capacity to uphold and enforce IDEA and ADA is hanging by a thread.

This isn’t just about budgets. It’s about protecting our civil rights.

Take action today. Urge your legislators to restore OSERS staffing and federal oversight.

Sign the petition: https://exceptionalchildren.org/lac?vvsrc=/Campaigns/130718/Respond

10/08/2025

Come to our fundraiser on November 8th!

🍂 Raise a glass for a cause! 🍻

Join the Indiana Association of the Deaf for our Fall Fundraiser at Books & Brews - Brownsburg on Saturday, November 8, 2025 from 11AM–12AM ET.

Enjoy food, live music, and beer while supporting our community. 15% of all sales go directly to IAD!

📍 Books & Brews, 1551 N Green St, Suite I, Brownsburg, IN 46112
ID:
Flyer for the Indiana Association of the Deaf Fall Fundraiser. Two overflowing beer mugs clink in the center with “Fall Fundraiser” above and “November 8, 2025” below. Event details: Saturday, 11AM–12AM ET at Books & Brews, 1551 N Green St, Suite I, Brownsburg, IN. Features food, live music, and beer. Books & Brews logo with Shakespeare holding a mug is at the bottom. Text notes that 15% of sales go to IAD.

10/07/2025

The Deaf community deserves representation, transparency, and accountability.

Regions II, III, and IV have united to release a joint open letter calling for the resignation of National Association of the Deaf - NAD President Lisa Rose after months of leadership failures and bylaw violations that have left entire regions without representation.

Sign the petition to demand accountability: https://www.change.org/p/open-letter-nad-president-lisa-rose-must-resign
Watch the video statement from state association presidents: https://youtu.be/ztkLtyAeKeo
Read the full open letter: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRvnZj_XzCrR8FscLCZEjsYLeShtxCD993ZupNUdjcY2uAo8_eCSBf_FaPhTl2VItTA5ZMq76jt_zIt/pub

For 145 years, NAD has stood for our rights, language, and culture. It’s time to restore that integrity.

***Transcript is posted in comments.***

10/03/2025

🍂 Raise a glass for a cause! 🍻

Join the Indiana Association of the Deaf for our Fall Fundraiser at Books & Brews - Brownsburg on Saturday, November 8, 2025 from 11AM–12AM ET.

Enjoy food, live music, and beer while supporting our community. 15% of all sales go directly to IAD!

📍 Books & Brews, 1551 N Green St, Suite I, Brownsburg, IN 46112
ID:
Flyer for the Indiana Association of the Deaf Fall Fundraiser. Two overflowing beer mugs clink in the center with “Fall Fundraiser” above and “November 8, 2025” below. Event details: Saturday, 11AM–12AM ET at Books & Brews, 1551 N Green St, Suite I, Brownsburg, IN. Features food, live music, and beer. Books & Brews logo with Shakespeare holding a mug is at the bottom. Text notes that 15% of sales go to IAD.

09/29/2025

Open Letter: NAD President Lisa Rose Must Resign

The state associations affiliated with National Association of the Deaf - NAD have issued an urgent open letter calling for the resignation of NAD President Lisa Rose.

Under her leadership, the Board has:

1. Halted governance in violation of fiduciary duties
2. Failed to fill vacancies and maintain representation
3. Canceled the October 29 Board meeting outside of bylaws
4. Stalled the CEO search, leaving NAD unstable

She has also left the Secretary seat unfilled, effectively blocking the Board from convening special meetings — a deliberate obstruction of governance.

Our demands:

1. Lisa Rose’s immediate resignation
2. Vice President to assume Acting President role, with Past Presidents Council support to fill officer vacancies
3. Completion of the CEO search with a clear public timeline
4. Filling of all vacant Board seats to restore full governance

For 145 years, NAD has defended us. Now it is our turn to defend NAD.

Read and share the full letter here: https://www.change.org/p/open-letter-nad-president-lisa-rose-must-resign

Open Letter: NAD President Lisa Rose Must Resign

09/28/2025

Big news for IAD! Please join us in welcoming three amazing leaders to our team:

Mark Kijak, our new Treasurer, who will help guide IAD’s financial future.

Jennifer Friede, our new Director of Communications, focused on strengthening IAD's communication strategies.

Joanna Witulski, stepping into her new role as Director of Outreach after serving as Parliamentarian, ready to expand IAD’s reach across Indiana.

We are grateful for their dedication to the Deaf community. Welcome aboard!
IDs:
Image 1 (Announcing New Board Members):
A beige background with bold navy text at the top reading: “ANNOUNCING NEW BOARD MEMBERS.” Below, three individuals are pictured side by side. From left to right: a white man (Mark Kijak), wearing a light green/teal polo shirt, smiling; a white woman (Jennifer Friede), with long brown hair and a black shirt, smiling ; and a white woman (Joanna Witulski), wearing glasses and a navy polo shirt with the IAD logo, smiling. Each person’s name is highlighted in a purple box above them, with curved purple lines around their heads and shoulders.

Image 2 (Treasurer - Mark Kijak):
A beige background with the Indiana Association of the Deaf logo faintly behind. Bold navy text at the top reads: “WELCOME TO THE TEAM.” Below is a man with glasses wearing a light green/teal polo shirt. His name appears in a navy box with white text: “MARK KIJAK.” Beneath it, in italics, it reads: “TREASURER.”

Image 3 (Director of Communications – Jennifer Friede):
A beige background and logo style. At the top, bold navy text reads: “WELCOME TO THE TEAM.” A woman with long brown hair and a black shirt is centered in front. Her name is in a navy box with white text: “JENNIFER FRIEDE.” Beneath it, in italics, it reads: “DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS.”

Image 4 (Director of Outreach – Joanna Witulski):
A beige background and logo. At the top, bold navy text reads: “WELCOME TO THE TEAM.” A white woman with blonde hair, glasses, and a navy polo shirt with the IAD logo is centered. Her name is in a navy box with white text: “JOANNA WITULSKI.” Beneath it, in italics, it reads: “DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH.”