Deaf communities impacted by coronavirus
Here are updates on the impact that coronavirus has had on our deaf community.
Joel Barish announced that four DeafNation events in the spring would be postponed to the fall. The events are in Fort Worth, Atlanta, Kansas City, and Washington D.C. Barish said he made agreements with the venues to keep the deposit he made and apply it towards the fall.
For the Las Vegas DeafNation World Expo in July 12-16, he said it’s still on but if anything changes he would update you all.
———
David de Keyzer, founder of the Clin d’Oiel festival in France, announced that the first-ever U.S. based Oiol Festival, slated to begin on July 9-12 on the Gallaudet University campus, would be cancelled because of concerns with coronavirus. De Keyzer said the D.C. Mayor Bowser’s declaration of a public health emergency and the White House’s travel ban of European travelers is what made them cancel it. De Keyzer said the festival might be postponed.
———
The film “A Quiet Place II,” which stars deaf actress Millicent Simmonds along Emily Blunt, was supposed to premiere in movie theaters nationwide on March 20, but it will be postponed to a future date because of concerns with coronavirus.
Director John Krasinski, who is the husband of Blunt, tweeted that he wanted people to be able to go to movie theaters and watch it together, but it is clearly not the right time to do that. He said he would wait to release the film until we all can see it together. He did not specify a date.
———
The Maryland School for the Deaf Superintendent James Tucker announced that classes will be closed starting this Monday, March 16. He said MSD staff would continue to come in to work and that teachers will start planning for e-learning for MSD students. Tucker said he and his senior management team would re-evaluate the COVID-19 situation and decide if there will be classes for the March 23-27 week, and if there are no classes, then e-learning and distance learning would start that week.
———
The President of the Rochester Institute of Technology, David Munson, announced that their spring break would be extended through Sunday, March 22. There will be no classes at that time, but the campus will be open and that the university will prepare to move its courses to an “alternative delivery” such as online, via video, or a course redesign.
Starting Monday, March 23, all academic instruction will take place via alternative methods until further notice. All residence halls will remain open and on-campus services such as dining and health services will be available but modified.
———
Gallaudet University Youth Programs, who runs the Battle of the Books and the National Academic Bowl Tournament, announced that due to the coronavirus outbreak, they have no choice but to revise their competition format. The upcoming BOTB East Regional and National competitions will be done remotely.
The Academic Bowl National Tournament will become either a remote online or a hybrid competition. They said they would provide more details in the future.
———
The California School for the Deaf, Fremont announced that due to concerns with the coronavirus situation, they would, with a heavy heart, cancel the Hoy baseball tournament that was scheduled next month. This will affect six Deaf schools.
———
We will continue to monitor the impact of coronavirus on our Deaf community. If you know of any major decisions made by a deaf program or organization in your community, feel free to comment below so we can share information.
———
DeafNation: https://www.facebook.com/deafnation/
Oiol: https://www.facebook.com/OiolFestival/
MSD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g109ylAbHJk&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR19wghmKKdr29izDfZSk1QYAMY1PJP9TwyIf6vOFKR7IAZ8QygdvuWZFEs
A Quiet Place II: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/a-quiet-place-part-ii-delays-release-due-coronavirus-pandemic-1284190
GU Youth Programs: https://www.facebook.com/GUYouthPrograms/
CSDF: https://www.facebook.com/CSDTHAT/posts/2904653166245272
RIT/NTID: https://www.facebook.com/ritntid/