[Music] one afternoon my son and I had just Dow
one afternoon my son and I had just Dow
one afternoon my son and I had just Dow stepped out of a cafe he was three years
stepped out of a cafe he was three years
stepped out of a cafe he was three years old at the time and without any warning
old at the time and without any warning
old at the time and without any warning he took off running straight ahead into
he took off running straight ahead into
he took off running straight ahead into heavy traffic I was screaming calling
heavy traffic I was screaming calling
heavy traffic I was screaming calling his name pleading for him to stop and
his name pleading for him to stop and
his name pleading for him to stop and without a moment to lose
without a moment to lose
without a moment to lose I managed to grab the back of his
I managed to grab the back of his
I managed to grab the back of his t-shirt just in the nick of time pulling
t-shirt just in the nick of time pulling
t-shirt just in the nick of time pulling him back just as a car rushed past his
him back just as a car rushed past his
him back just as a car rushed past his little body inches from us this was
little body inches from us this was
little body inches from us this was before we knew he was deaf since the
before we knew he was deaf since the
before we knew he was deaf since the diagnosis of my son my life has been
diagnosis of my son my life has been
diagnosis of my son my life has been immersed in the world of advocacy and
immersed in the world of advocacy and
immersed in the world of advocacy and activism for children just like him and
activism for children just like him and
activism for children just like him and I’m not alone there are thousands of
I’m not alone there are thousands of
I’m not alone there are thousands of people across this country that are
people across this country that are
people across this country that are doing the same and strides have been
doing the same and strides have been
doing the same and strides have been made struggles have moved forward but
made struggles have moved forward but
made struggles have moved forward but there’s a lot of good things that have
there’s a lot of good things that have
there’s a lot of good things that have happened for example no baby leaves the
happened for example no baby leaves the
happened for example no baby leaves the hospital without having their hearing
hospital without having their hearing
hospital without having their hearing checked we have state and federal laws
checked we have state and federal laws
checked we have state and federal laws in place meant to ensure that students
in place meant to ensure that students
in place meant to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to
with disabilities have equal access to
with disabilities have equal access to education we even have in some states
education we even have in some states
education we even have in some states insurance mandates that cover hearing
insurance mandates that cover hearing
insurance mandates that cover hearing aids for babies and children so it’s not
aids for babies and children so it’s not
aids for babies and children so it’s not like we haven’t achieved anything at all
like we haven’t achieved anything at all
like we haven’t achieved anything at all but we do have to question and ask
but we do have to question and ask
but we do have to question and ask ourselves one very important thing is
ourselves one very important thing is
ourselves one very important thing is that if there still prevails a large
that if there still prevails a large
that if there still prevails a large opportunity gap then maybe we are a
opportunity gap then maybe we are a
opportunity gap then maybe we are a culture of exclusion when you have a 50%
culture of exclusion when you have a 50%
culture of exclusion when you have a 50% unemployed and you have another 10 to 20
unemployed and you have another 10 to 20
unemployed and you have another 10 to 20 percent of severely
percent of severely
percent of severely employed then we do have to look a
employed then we do have to look a
employed then we do have to look a little deeper and ask ourselves harder
little deeper and ask ourselves harder
little deeper and ask ourselves harder questions as I was thinking about
questions as I was thinking about
questions as I was thinking about launching my initiative let me tell you
launching my initiative let me tell you
launching my initiative let me tell you how that came about there were many
how that came about there were many
how that came about there were many indicators along the way as I started
indicators along the way as I started
indicators along the way as I started observing a rapidly evolving workforce I
observing a rapidly evolving workforce I
observing a rapidly evolving workforce I noticed a lot of indicators that made it
noticed a lot of indicators that made it
noticed a lot of indicators that made it clear to me that perhaps we are at a
clear to me that perhaps we are at a
clear to me that perhaps we are at a crossroads of great opportunity we have
crossroads of great opportunity we have
crossroads of great opportunity we have increased were remote working styles
increased were remote working styles
increased were remote working styles people can work out a state people can
people can work out a state people can
people can work out a state people can work out of their homes we have
work out of their homes we have
work out of their homes we have increased digital communication within
increased digital communication within
increased digital communication within industries and corporations across all
industries and corporations across all
industries and corporations across all sectors text messaging email platforms
sectors text messaging email platforms
sectors text messaging email platforms like slack the US Department of Labor
like slack the US Department of Labor
like slack the US Department of Labor has projected that by the year 2020
has projected that by the year 2020
has projected that by the year 2020 there’s going to be over a million jobs
there’s going to be over a million jobs
there’s going to be over a million jobs requiring individuals with computer
requiring individuals with computer
requiring individuals with computer science skill sets across all sectors
science skill sets across all sectors
science skill sets across all sectors across all states but here is the the
across all states but here is the the
across all states but here is the the main points and there are two of them
main points and there are two of them
main points and there are two of them that was the catalyst for me launching
that was the catalyst for me launching
that was the catalyst for me launching this computer science computer
this computer science computer
this computer science computer programming coding is global and it’s
programming coding is global and it’s
programming coding is global and it’s visual its global and it’s visual it’s a
visual its global and it’s visual it’s a
visual its global and it’s visual it’s a visual voice to the world perhaps it can
visual voice to the world perhaps it can
visual voice to the world perhaps it can do what society has not been able to do
do what society has not been able to do
do what society has not been able to do maybe it is the great equalizer I
maybe it is the great equalizer I
maybe it is the great equalizer I believe that the digital age is the
believe that the digital age is the
believe that the digital age is the great equalizer as I was formulating the
great equalizer as I was formulating the
great equalizer as I was formulating the idea of deaf kids code I was thinking to
idea of deaf kids code I was thinking to
idea of deaf kids code I was thinking to myself how is that going to
myself how is that going to
myself how is that going to look how is that going to happen and
look how is that going to happen and
look how is that going to happen and what is going to be of the most great
what is going to be of the most great
what is going to be of the most great impact so I thought to myself well it’s
impact so I thought to myself well it’s
impact so I thought to myself well it’s going to be hands-on it’s going to be
going to be hands-on it’s going to be
going to be hands-on it’s going to be visual it’s going to be interactive and
visual it’s going to be interactive and
visual it’s going to be interactive and most importantly it was going to promote
most importantly it was going to promote
most importantly it was going to promote and provoke stimulation it was very
and provoke stimulation it was very
and provoke stimulation it was very deliberate to stimulate that interest in
deliberate to stimulate that interest in
deliberate to stimulate that interest in pursuing this knowledge let me tell you
pursuing this knowledge let me tell you
pursuing this knowledge let me tell you about when I started searching for
about when I started searching for
about when I started searching for feedback among administrators and
feedback among administrators and
feedback among administrators and educators across the country just trying
educators across the country just trying
educators across the country just trying to get some feedback from them what they
to get some feedback from them what they
to get some feedback from them what they thought and I’ll never ever forget what
thought and I’ll never ever forget what
thought and I’ll never ever forget what the director of diverse learners for a
the director of diverse learners for a
the director of diverse learners for a city public school district told me he
city public school district told me he
city public school district told me he said I welcome anything that can break
said I welcome anything that can break
said I welcome anything that can break the school to couch pattern school to
the school to couch pattern school to
the school to couch pattern school to couch pattern never thought of it that
couch pattern never thought of it that
couch pattern never thought of it that way
way
way but he’s not wrong with all the early
but he’s not wrong with all the early
but he’s not wrong with all the early intervention and everything that we’re
intervention and everything that we’re
intervention and everything that we’re doing this is the paradigm this is the
doing this is the paradigm this is the
doing this is the paradigm this is the result
so feeling as though I had nothing to
so feeling as though I had nothing to lose let me tell you about my very first
lose let me tell you about my very first
lose let me tell you about my very first workshop I was going to work with a
workshop I was going to work with a
workshop I was going to work with a group of middle schoolers over summer
group of middle schoolers over summer
group of middle schoolers over summer school and I had asked the teacher some
school and I had asked the teacher some
school and I had asked the teacher some feedback tell me about these kids that
feedback tell me about these kids that
feedback tell me about these kids that I’m going to be working with and she
I’m going to be working with and she
I’m going to be working with and she said I’m just warning you that they’re
said I’m just warning you that they’re
said I’m just warning you that they’re behind by several years English math
behind by several years English math
behind by several years English math especially on average these kids are
especially on average these kids are
especially on average these kids are three years behind so of course I myself
three years behind so of course I myself
three years behind so of course I myself started questioning oh my gosh how on
started questioning oh my gosh how on
started questioning oh my gosh how on earth are they going to figure out
earth are they going to figure out
earth are they going to figure out command sequences algorithms complex
command sequences algorithms complex
command sequences algorithms complex problem-solving
problem-solving
problem-solving if they’re on average three years behind
if they’re on average three years behind
if they’re on average three years behind on math but let me tell you what
on math but let me tell you what
on math but let me tell you what happened that day was nothing short of
happened that day was nothing short of
happened that day was nothing short of extraordinary
extraordinary
extraordinary it was it really was
it was it really was
it was it really was these kids were immersed in deep
these kids were immersed in deep
these kids were immersed in deep autonomous learning they were executing
autonomous learning they were executing
autonomous learning they were executing tasks and writing code as though they
tasks and writing code as though they
tasks and writing code as though they had had some previous experience as if
had had some previous experience as if
had had some previous experience as if they had done any of this before and I
they had done any of this before and I
they had done any of this before and I can tell you that they hadn’t less than
can tell you that they hadn’t less than
can tell you that they hadn’t less than 1% of the hundreds of children that I’ve
1% of the hundreds of children that I’ve
1% of the hundreds of children that I’ve had the privilege of working with have
had the privilege of working with have
had the privilege of working with have had any knowledge or notion of computer
had any knowledge or notion of computer
had any knowledge or notion of computer science it was so unbelievable what
science it was so unbelievable what
science it was so unbelievable what these kids were doing that the teacher
these kids were doing that the teacher
these kids were doing that the teacher took me aside and she said I’m sorry I’m
took me aside and she said I’m sorry I’m
took me aside and she said I’m sorry I’m sorry
sorry
sorry can you tell me again what are these
can you tell me again what are these
can you tell me again what are these kids doing I said they’re programming in
kids doing I said they’re programming in
kids doing I said they’re programming in JavaScript it was so magical what was
JavaScript it was so magical what was
JavaScript it was so magical what was happening that the principal of the
happening that the principal of the
happening that the principal of the school called in the superintendent to
school called in the superintendent to
school called in the superintendent to come in they all knew the enormity of
come in they all knew the enormity of
come in they all knew the enormity of what was happening
what was happening
what was happening in that moment the superintendent came
in that moment the superintendent came
in that moment the superintendent came in being a longtime educator himself
in being a longtime educator himself
in being a longtime educator himself took out his personal cell phone and
took out his personal cell phone and
took out his personal cell phone and started taking video footage of what was
started taking video footage of what was
started taking video footage of what was happening we all knew what was going
happening we all knew what was going
happening we all knew what was going down was unbelievable
from that day forward I decided without
from that day forward I decided without a doubt that I was going to spread this
a doubt that I was going to spread this
a doubt that I was going to spread this knowledge to as many deaf and
knowledge to as many deaf and
knowledge to as many deaf and hard-of-hearing children as I possibly
hard-of-hearing children as I possibly
hard-of-hearing children as I possibly can there have been so many moments that
can there have been so many moments that
can there have been so many moments that have been magical is no other way to put
have been magical is no other way to put
have been magical is no other way to put it
it
it let me tell you about a few weeks ago I
let me tell you about a few weeks ago I
let me tell you about a few weeks ago I had the privilege of working with a
had the privilege of working with a
had the privilege of working with a group of girls and in our hardware
group of girls and in our hardware
group of girls and in our hardware segment I was going to give them a
segment I was going to give them a
segment I was going to give them a challenge I had been saving up our
challenge I had been saving up our
challenge I had been saving up our garbage our recyclables and I dumped it
garbage our recyclables and I dumped it
garbage our recyclables and I dumped it in the middle of the classroom and I
in the middle of the classroom and I
in the middle of the classroom and I told them okay you have to figure out a
told them okay you have to figure out a
told them okay you have to figure out a way to repurpose this garbage make it
way to repurpose this garbage make it
way to repurpose this garbage make it useful create a gadget do something
useful create a gadget do something
useful create a gadget do something whatever you want they have to go
whatever you want they have to go
whatever you want they have to go through the whole design process right
through the whole design process right
through the whole design process right visualization sketch it out wire it up
visualization sketch it out wire it up
visualization sketch it out wire it up construct it let me show you what they
construct it let me show you what they
construct it let me show you what they did that’s a cereal box
did that’s a cereal box
did that’s a cereal box that’s a discarded carton berry holder
that’s a discarded carton berry holder
that’s a discarded carton berry holder cardboard all of that in one hour they
cardboard all of that in one hour they
cardboard all of that in one hour they did that in one hour with no prior
did that in one hour with no prior
did that in one hour with no prior experience that is the next generation
experience that is the next generation
experience that is the next generation of our problem solvers this is who we
of our problem solvers this is who we
of our problem solvers this is who we should be embracing to be the next
should be embracing to be the next
should be embracing to be the next problem solvers this is the next
problem solvers this is the next
problem solvers this is the next generation of greatness I don’t know
generation of greatness I don’t know
generation of greatness I don’t know about you but I welcome them to search
about you but I welcome them to search
about you but I welcome them to search for resolving some of our world’s
for resolving some of our world’s
for resolving some of our world’s greatest challenges I welcome that and
greatest challenges I welcome that and
greatest challenges I welcome that and we should too we all of us should
we should too we all of us should
we should too we all of us should because we ultimately are the greatest
because we ultimately are the greatest
because we ultimately are the greatest beneficiaries of such talent and the
beneficiaries of such talent and the
beneficiaries of such talent and the notion that they may end up on the couch
notion that they may end up on the couch
notion that they may end up on the couch should be criminal for a population
should be criminal for a population
should be criminal for a population where the majority of them do not have
where the majority of them do not have
where the majority of them do not have an intellectual disability we should not
an intellectual disability we should not
an intellectual disability we should not be so easily accepting of this what I
be so easily accepting of this what I
be so easily accepting of this what I have learned is that the capacity for
have learned is that the capacity for
have learned is that the capacity for greatness is simply seeing what others
greatness is simply seeing what others
greatness is simply seeing what others don’t so simple not complicated
don’t so simple not complicated
don’t so simple not complicated I started this having no research having
I started this having no research having
I started this having no research having no data no evidence that this was going
no data no evidence that this was going
no data no evidence that this was going to work I created this organization on
to work I created this organization on
to work I created this organization on two simple things intuition and a blind
two simple things intuition and a blind
two simple things intuition and a blind belief that somehow this was going to be
belief that somehow this was going to be
belief that somehow this was going to be it and I’ve been so fortunate so
it and I’ve been so fortunate so
it and I’ve been so fortunate so fortunate that I’m right we are right we
fortunate that I’m right we are right we
fortunate that I’m right we are right we should have an ecosystem embracing our
should have an ecosystem embracing our
should have an ecosystem embracing our children and cultivating the next
children and cultivating the next
children and cultivating the next generation let me tell you how many
generation let me tell you how many
generation let me tell you how many emails I have received from these kids
emails I have received from these kids
emails I have received from these kids writing to me and saying I want to
writing to me and saying I want to
writing to me and saying I want to continue learning my dream now is to
continue learning my dream now is to
continue learning my dream now is to build a website I see myself as an app
build a website I see myself as an app
build a website I see myself as an app developer just two days ago I received
developer just two days ago I received
developer just two days ago I received an email a girl that wants to be in a
an email a girl that wants to be in a
an email a girl that wants to be in a digital animator she’s saying tell me
digital animator she’s saying tell me
digital animator she’s saying tell me how let’s talk about inclusion for a
how let’s talk about inclusion for a
how let’s talk about inclusion for a second inclusion and diversity the data
second inclusion and diversity the data
second inclusion and diversity the data is out and we know that it is a powerful
is out and we know that it is a powerful
is out and we know that it is a powerful economic driver we know it makes
economic driver we know it makes
economic driver we know it makes companies and industries more
companies and industries more
companies and industries more competitive and regardless of what
competitive and regardless of what
competitive and regardless of what anybody says it should not be a
anybody says it should not be a
anybody says it should not be a political debate the value of this
political debate the value of this
political debate the value of this inclusion and diversity is the societal
inclusion and diversity is the societal
inclusion and diversity is the societal imperative no question
I’m going to leave you with this quote
I’m going to leave you with this quote sometimes it is the people no one
sometimes it is the people no one
sometimes it is the people no one imagines anything of that do the things
imagines anything of that do the things
imagines anything of that do the things that no one can imagine thank you
that no one can imagine thank you
that no one can imagine thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment