Buffalo has a small deaf population. However they have a Deaf Adult Services (DAS) (wnydas.org) that provides advocacy, education, case management, counseling and interpreting services to all counties of Western New York along with Southern Ontario and northern parts of Pennsylvania. They are the only human services agency in this region that is uniquely qualified to serve the needs of the deaf and hard of hearing.

On July 15, DAS has announced their newly hired Executive Director, Tom Burns. Many in the deaf community had no idea they were looking for a new Executive Director. Mr. Burns had never met a deaf person before and does not know sign language. Many of the deaf who met him were not well pleased with this.

Ruthie Jordan sent an announcement from her blog on July 16. Later on July 22, deaf communities from Rochester and Buffalo gathered in the DAS office to voice our concerns about this newly hired director.

On July 27 DAS has posted on their website that they will keep Tom Burns and that they will have an Open Forum starting at 7:30 pm on Monday, August 3, 2005 at the BCD (Buffalo Club of the Deaf), located at 2275 Clinton St. Buffalo NY 14206.

Here is our Video Blog Response to the July 27th announcement:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUHu2OhaWN8

Achieved Related News:

Ruthie Jordan’s Announcement:

http://eyepoetically.blogspot.com/2009/07/attention-buffalowestern-ny-deaf.html

DAS Video Blog Announcement:

http://www.wnydas.org/news.cfm?id=33987