Northern California Association of Deaf-Blind

Dear supporters,

Northern California Association of DeafBlind (NCADB) and our allies refuse to stand by as the San Francisco LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired (LightHouse) denies communication access to Deafblind people. Help DeafBlind people access communications by donating to our campaign to get the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to de-certify LightHouse.

In 2010, Congress passed a law called the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) to ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to communications. The CVAA directed the FCC to create the National DeafBlind Equipment Distribution Program, commonly known as “iCanConnect.” An organization from each U.S. state and territory is then certified by the FCC to distribute equipment to DeafBlind people. In California that organization is LightHouse. Every year the FCC gives LightHouse almost one million dollars to provide DeafBlind people with telecommunications equipment such as Braille displays, tablets, and training.

LightHouse is a place where executives have been accused of multiple cases of sexual harassment, where DeafBlind people seeking training encounter a toxic culture, and where DeafBlind people are repeatedly denied qualified sign language interpreters. We are urging the FCC to de-certify LightHouse and move this critical program to a better, safer organization. You can learn more about our campaign on our website.

We are all volunteers and need help covering the cost of the website and other essential services to support our community’s fight for equal access to communications. Please chip in what you can. If you can volunteer your time, please let us know what talents you can share.

Thank you so much!

Angela,

NCADB Board Member