Melka's Family Fund

Friends of Di,

We are asking for support for Melka and Maggie, the young woman and her daughter, that meant so much to our friend Dianne (Di) Barr-Cole. Di watched over Melka for 16 years from the time she arrived in the United States from Ethiopia and entered school at age seven until Di's unexpected death in April 2022.

You may or may not know Melka's story and why Di felt such a special loving and protective connection. Melka was born profoundly deaf in Ethiopia. Both of her parents died before she was three years old. Although Melka went to live with an uncle, he could not care for her and his family, so she was placed in an orphanage. A woman with some signing skills adopted her when she was seven. The adoptive mother lived in the same small Washington coastal town as Di. This is where Di's enduring and caring interest in Melka began.

From age seven to fourteen, Dianne was able to stay connected to Melka because of her role as Special Education Director with the town's school district. By the time Melka was 14, her adoptive mother had decided to terminate the adoption - too much work. So Melka was sent to the Washington School for the Deaf (WSD) in Vancouver, WA. WSD is a residential school for deaf and hard of hearing school-age children and youth. One of the positive outcomes at WSD is that Melka finally started receiving comprehensive American Sign Language (ASL) instruction and an ASL-signing couple in Vancouver decided to adopt her.

While Melka was at WSD, Dianne remained close through frequent visits, telephone (TRS) calls, and including Melka in many of her famous friends and family holiday gatherings. Unfortunately, during that same time, the Vancouver couple decided to terminate their relationship with Melka. She then went to live with an Ethiopian family and worked part-time in Vancouver while she completed her schooling. When Melka graduated from WSD, she met a young man, moved to the east coast, and became pregnant. It turned into an abusive relationship, and Di convinced Melka to return to the west coast to have her baby and live with her and her partner Howie.

Di became Melka's legal guardian at that time and had financially and emotionally cared for and supported Melka and Maggie for the past three years. But after Di’s unexpected passing, Howie had to return to Texas and Melka and Maggie were forced to leave the beach with very little - just their beds, clothes, toys, a few personal belongings, and Di’s old car.

Melka and three-year-old Maggie are now living in Seattle, WA, in a one-bedroom apartment. She is working for Amazon but recently had her hours cut back. In October 2022, the Clark County Superior Court terminated Melka's guardianship status in favor of a less restrictive alternative in Washinton State law called a Supported Decision Making Agreement. The Supported Decision Making Agreement is when an individual with a disability makes an agreement with a “supporter(s)” to assist her in gathering information, considering the consequences of her decisions, and communicating her choices. Melka's supporters are three of her "aunties": Val Lynch, Jan Reinhardsten, and Janice Tornow

As you might imagine, the world is pretty overwhelming for Melka due to severe language delays associated with her deafness, as well as first and second language issues; these were compounded by the late start and lack of consistency in her education. Almost daily issues and unanticipated emergencies require problem-solving and resources (e.g., the heat in the apartment not working, car insurance, a flat tire, etc.). The need for things like furniture for her apartment; general living expenses; health, auto, and other insurance; car registration, taxes, tires, and maintenance costs; household goods; personal necessities; budgeting for and paying bills; and child care are a few of the things Melka has had to face.

Melka, with the help of her aunties and others, has worked to maximize her resources. For example, Melka enrolled with:

We believe she needs support to help her get started and to sustain her and Maggie for about 18 to 24 months while she "gets on her feet" and learns to navigate this complicated hearing world. Please consider helping Melka and Maggie with a donation to assist with expenses during this time. All funds will be provided to Melka and Maggie to meet their needs.

Melka is a wonderful, kind, fun, hardworking, and resourceful young woman who greatly appreciates all that individuals do to help her. Please share this fund raising effort with your network of family and friends. Thank you so much for your consideration.

-Janice, Jan, and Val