Disability Pride Parade 2006

God you are great and greatly to be Praised~
Psalms

The Praetorium (Signing) Church of Chicago, participated in the Disability Pride Parade. It was held on July 22. 2006, at 11:00a.m. We started at Congress/Plymouth, to Van Buren/Dearborn to Washington/Dearborn. The rally was at the Daley Plaza. We had banners, flyers, a vehicle filled with people and music playing, while others were walking, signing songs, waving, we were all smiling at the people watching and we gave them our flyer. People in and out of the car in the parade were having a great time.

ACCESS CHICAGO 2006 & OTHER EVENTS

I went to Navy Pier on July 12 and attended Access Chicago 2006.
It was given by MOPD, the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities.
It was part of Chicago's celebration of the 16th anniversary of the
Americans with Disabilities Act. There were various businesses
and organizations that offered their products, services and recreational
opportunities.

I tried to visit as many of the exhibits as I could. Everyone was very
informative and necessary. They addressed the social and economic
advancement for people with disabilities. I met some wonderfull
people.


First of all I parked 3 blocks away and paid (1) dollar at a meter
that was in front of Dominicks grocery store. The meter had 24 min.
on it when I arrived. So, when I added my dollar after running
into the store to get change, it was down to 20 minutes which
gave me a grand total of 1 hour and 20min. to stay at Navy Pier.
Hallelujah.

I ran over to Navy Pier and asked the lady behind the customer
service desk, where Access Chicago was being held? She pointed to the
sign that read Access Chicago, Festival Hall A. She told me it was
way in the back, to stay on the first floor until I got there.

While walking I saw a deaf lady and man that I knew from church.

The woman was happy to see me and I was happy to see her and her family.
She said, "I finally see you and you cut your hair." We signed to
each other all the way into the entrance of Access Chicago. I told her
about the Free Computer Literacy Training Program for the Deaf
and Hard of hearing starting August 1, 2006 at 25 N. Cicero at
10:00a.m. I will be interpreting. She seemed very interested and I got her

email address so I could send her more information.

Access Chicago was very beneficial to me in more ways than one. I
got the chance to meet Carrole, a visually impaired young lady who has
been instrumental in organizing The Disability Pride Parade 2006.
It will be on July 22, 2006, kicking off at Plymouth Ct/Dearborn
at 11:00a.m.

Our church Praetorium Church of Chicago, where I Carole Clemons,Pastor

made history by being the only church to register for the parade. To God be

the Glory. We will be marching, playing music, signing songs and passing

out flyers about our church. I am so excited about the future. I encourage

you to keep God first, practice signing, meet deaf and hard of hearing people

and go to deaf events. You will be blessed and fascinated. Keep on, keeping on.

God bless you.

My Deaf/Hard of Hearing Friends are a Joy.

My Deaf and Hard of hearing friends are a joy to be around.

• We have so much fun signing to each other.
• We plan events and go out and have fun.
• We show people that as Christians you can have fun.

You just have to plan and do it. If you ask our families they would tell you that we are always busy doing something for the Lord, people and having fun.

• We teach sign language with excitement and joy.
• We sign and praise dance, go to concerts, conferences, and have our own church, Praetorium Church of Chicago.

When people look at us they do not know who is deaf or hearing. We enjoy life.

• We go to the movies, swim, play basketball, skate, ride bikes, act in plays and interpret for different events.

Go on and learn sign language and enjoy the deaf and hard of hearing community.

Steps to Take to Learn Sign Language

Sign up for a sign language class in your neighborhood.

Some colleges, churches, and organizations for the deaf

offer them. That would be a great start.

Once you are in the class, search the internet

for American Sign Language vocabulary. You will have

the opportunity to see and practice more signs.

Try searching ASL browser.com and lifeprint.com.

While learning sign language be patient, enthusiastic,

teachable and confident that you will be able to speak

to someone who is deaf or hard of hearing afterwhile.

Sign Language Looks so Graceful

One Sunday morning, my cousin and I ventured out in search of a good church service.
We went to a big church on the South side of Chicago. My cousin was familiar with it because it was around the corner of his house and he had visited there before. I had never been there before and my curiosity was up. We went in and was escorted by an usher to the balcony. To the balcony, I thought to myself. I had never been in a church with a balcony before. The service had already started and I gazed at all the people and the decorations of the church. All of a sudden to my surprise music began to play and a woman wearing a white dress that was shining bright in the morning light came onto the left side of pulpit area. She began to do sign language to the song, "Angels Watching Over Me." My mouth dropped open and I said, "I want to do that." It looked so graceful.