Ray: Hey, look!
Ray: Hello! Kelly: Hello!
Ray: Welcome to Coffee Chat with Ray!
I am really excited about this special vlog because we have a new DCARA staff member who recently joined us here.
If you don't mind, tell us about yourself: your name and where you come from.
Kelly: Sure. Of course! My name is Kelly McCrary. I recently moved here from Rochester, New York.
Ray: Rochester! That's far away. Wow. Kelly: Yeah.
Ray: Which is hotter: Rochester or here?
Kelly: It is better here because the heat is dry. Perfect. There it gets hot too but also humid. Ugh, so sweaty.
Ray: In winter? What is the difference between here and there?
Kelly: Oh! It is worse there! Definitely! Cold. Lots of snow! Here there is no snow. Wow!
Ray: What is your job title here at DCARA?
Kelly: I am the Family Connections Manager here at DCARA. I am thrilled to start moving with these services here at DCARA!
Ray: Please explain and expand on what you will do.
Kelly: As Family Connections Manager, I will contact different families with Deaf children. I will help those families to connect with their Deaf children.
I will help those families with ASL and IEP meetings for schools--both mainstream and Deaf schools.
And also, I will be hosting events for families to get together and have fun!
Ray: Since you are responsible for the Bay Area and North Coast, what kind of help do you need?
Kelly: I need help with Deaf mentoring. What does a Deaf Mentor do?
Home visits with families to talk with them and make sure the connection between the Deaf child and their family is good.
If ASL needs to be taught, pulling resources and referrals from DCARA.
And also getting families together so they don't feel alone. Getting together with the Deaf Mentor.
Also, very importantly, the Deaf Mentor is a Deaf role model. This is important when looking for Deaf Mentors.
Ray: If you are interested and want to be involved as a Deaf Mentor, please contact Kelly. She needs to expand services throughout the region.
She can't do it all herself. She needs help. Please contact her.
Kelly: Yes. I would love to have you join us in Family Connections!
Ray: What is your vision and plan for Family Connections in the future?
Kelly: First of all, I would like to see an increase in awareness, referrals and advocacy partnerships.
Also, we will have events happening more frequently for families to get together and have fun! That is my goal.
Ray: Someone told me that you plan to film your own vlogs--breaking off from Coffee Chat with Ray. What will your vlogs be?
Kelly: The plan for my vlogs is to be about tips and advice for Family Connections with Deaf Children.
Also we will be informing you of what's happening in the future--related to tutorials, classes, etc.
Ray: Perfect! Exciting! So watch her vlogs from now on! Okay? Kelly: Yes!
Ray: Okay. You know I always must have a Deaf artist featured on Coffee Chat.
The artist's name is Ann Silver from Seattle, Washington. She has been famous for many, many years.
This is one of my favorites.
Kelly: I find this fascinating.
Ray: I am curious what your interpretation of this artwork is, as Family Connections Manager--connecting with families.
I did look at this with interest. What I noticed first: the colors.
When you deeply analyze this, you see that these crayons represent 100 years before these crayons. Interesting.
These crayons have negative names related to Deaf.
These crayons are positive, showing increasing awareness and improvement.
These are dark. These are bright!
Connected with my position of connecting with families, children--of course--love drawing, color and expressing themselves that way.
Interesting.
I match up with this Deaf identity.
Connecting with Deaf children with the same identity.
That's my interpretation.
Ray: Marvelous. I did not think about drawing with the crayons. She went right to connecting it with family and children.
I did not think of that, but now it makes perfect sense--combining with children.
Kelly: This is very interesting. I want to bring this to my office. Can I?
Ray: So you feel this combines well with Deaf mentoring, teaching and raising Deaf children to grow up to be proud of themselves
and their diversity, their intersectionality? Matching with the different identities in this artwork. Right?
Kelly: Yes! That's right. Perfect!
Ray: Okay! I am excited and looking forward to your upcoming expansion of the Family Connections program!
And I am confident she will be successful in the upcoming expansion. No question about that!
Kelly: Thank you for letting me join your Coffee Chat with Ray! I enjoyed it.
Ray: Bye! Kelly: Bye!
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