NOVATO, Calif., June 3, 2009 -- Purple Communications(TM), Inc. ("Purple") (Nasdaq:PRPL), one of the nation's leading providers of text and video relay and on-site interpreting services, today announced 'Dream Bigger,' an initiative that highlights, acknowledges, and celebrates Deaf culture and achievement in America. The Company will honor 10 trailblazers in the Deaf Community from across the country that have had tremendous impact in the areas of sports, civil rights, politics, business, language, community, medicine, art, and education.
The Dream Bigger campaign recognizes trailblazers in the Deaf Community and aims to celebrate the advances they have made. Whether it has been the breaking down of barriers or establishing new status quos, these Trailblazers have improved the overall quality-of-life for all members of the Deaf Community. The campaign will commence with an event on June 13 in Los Angeles, California. Lauren Teruel Ridloff, educator and former Miss Deaf America, will emcee 10 events that will celebrate and honor each of Purple Communication's 2009 Trailblazers in their own communities. Teruel Ridloff will also host the Dream Bigger Gala in Washington, D.C.
"Purple's own history has been one of realizing and exceeding dreams through its creation of cutting-edge technology services that make communication easier, enjoyable and more convenient for individuals in the Deaf Community," said Brandon Arthur, Vice President of marketing communications for Purple Communications. "The Dream Bigger program recognizes community visionaries who had the tenacity to fulfill personal dreams and lead the way for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing people everywhere to pursue theirs. Each of these leaders is a trailblazer in their own right and we're honored to serve as a conduit for their stories of perseverance and success."
Meet the Trailblazers
As part of their selection, each Trailblazer was awarded a $1,000 cash prize from Purple Communications to be a paid as a donation to a non-profit organization of their choice and in their name as a way of paving the road for the next generation of trailblazers in the Deaf Community.
Purple Communications will announce the 2009 Trailblazer of the Year who was voted for by the Deaf Community and who best represents the essence of the Dream Bigger initiative at the Dream Bigger Gala in October 2009 in Washington, D.C. The recipient of the Trailblazer of the Year award will receive $10,000 to be donated in their name, to their non-profit organization of choice, as well as an all-expenses-paid vacation.
The Purple 2009 Trailblazers and Trailblazer of the Year nominees include:
-- Howard A. Rosenblum, a Deaf civil rights attorney with Equip for
Equality in Chicago, IL, strives for equal access for Deaf people and
people with disabilities in everyday life, primarily in Illinois but
also across the US. He founded the Midwest Center on Law and the Deaf, a
non-profit that seeks to make the legal and judicial systems accessible
to thousands of Deaf people across the Midwest.
-- Dr. Carolyn Stern, a family physician and lecturer in Rochester, NY, has
spent her life treating and educating deaf patients on health issues,
training interpreters for interpreting in medical settings, educating
other doctors, hospitals, and allied healthcare professionals on
accessibility, and ensuring that national continuing medical education
programs are accessible for deaf people.
-- Tayler Mayer, a technology luminary and entrepreneur in Southern
California, founded the seminal deaf blog/vlog aggregator DeafRead.com
and the online video community DeafVIDEO.TV. Mayer has spent much of his
professional career seeking new ways to apply technology to connect the
deaf community online while achieving entrepreneurial success.
-- Ashley Fiolek, a national champion motocross rider from St. Augustine,
FL, is the only woman, and the only deaf person, ever to ride on a
factory racing team. Seeking to be the fastest woman motocross rider in
the world, Ashley is destroying stereotypes for the deaf community and
women motocross riders everywhere she races.
-- Jeremias Valencia, founder of the Deaf Sports Academy in Riverside, CA,
and a former pro-basketball player, pushes players to 'never give
up on their dreams.' Valencia's Deaf Sports Academy provides
accessible coaching and encouragement -- opening the world of sports and
competition -- to more than 20 teams of kids, from preschool through
grade 8.
-- Kevin Nolan, the nation's first born-Deaf person to be elected to
public office, launched a political campaign near Boston, MA, that would
unseat a seasoned political insider who had held the office for more
than 20 years. Nolan's tenacity cleared the path to elected office
for Deaf people everywhere.
-- Dr. MJ Bienvenu, educator, activist, and ASL advocate from Washington,
DC, has spent a lifetime seeking bilingual education for deaf students.
A nationally recognized 'ASL advocate,' she's tirelessly
pursued government-recognized legitimacy of ASL, while teaching students
the language's beauty and its central role in Deaf Culture.
-- Anita Buel, a community organizer from St. Paul, MN, survived a first,
then a second bout with cancer, fighting along the way to make
healthcare -- and cancer education -- more accessible to Deaf people.
She co-founded 'Pink Deafies,' a support group focused on
providing comfort, hope, and education to those faced with the disease.
-- Ella Mae Lentz, an ASL poet, author, and advocate from Northern
California, graduated from Gallaudet University and went on to co-author
a best selling book and video on ASL, and video collections of original
ASL poetry. She is one of the nation's leading advocates for the
concept of Deafhood, prompting the Deaf community to look within itself
and celebrate individual and collective Deafhood journeys.
-- Tate Tullier, a leading deaf photographer from Baton Rouge, LA, founded
a successful business fueled by a passion for beautiful photography. A
Gallaudet University graduate, Tullier has worked in New York's
hypercompetitive photography scene, and travels the globe capturing
subjects that reflect his deep desire to 'create art' in his
own style.
To learn more about the Dream Bigger campaign, find out dates and locations for all events, view and read Trailblazer stories, and vote for the 2009 Trailblazer of the Year, visit www.purple.us/dreambigger. Also, be sure to follow the Dream Bigger campaign on Twitter -- @idreambigger.
About Purple Communications
Purple Communications is a leading provider of onsite interpreting services, video relay and text relay services, and video remote interpreting, offering a wide array of options designed to meet the varied communication needs of its customers. The Company's vision is to enable free-flowing communication between people, inclusive of differences in abilities, languages, or locations. For more information on the Company or its services, visit www.purple.us or contact Purple Communications directly by voice at 415-408-2300, by Internet relay by visiting www.i711.com or www.ip-relay.com, or by video phone by connecting to hovrs.tv.
To view this press release in video format please click on this link: http://www.purple.us/dreambiggerPRvideo/
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