- Massachusetts Commission for the Blind
BOSTON — DeafBlind Awareness Day returned to the Massachusetts State House for the first time since 2019, hosted in the Great Hall of Flags by the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB) in partnership with the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH), legislators, advocates, and community members. The event celebrated the resilience, advocacy, and visibility of the DeafBlind community across the Commonwealth.
Longtime advocate Kerry Thompson, Senior Advisor for Inclusion and Accessibility at the Disability Rights Fund, served as emcee. The program brought together individuals with lived experience, family members, nonprofit leaders, service providers, legislators, interpreters, captioners, and allies - all united to amplify DeafBlind voices.
“We are here to celebrate, to honor, and to advocate for our rights,” added Thompson, who has Usher syndrome and uses a guide dog. “Our stories matter. Legislators need to see us and hear us.”
“Today is about sharing our stories, acknowledging our challenges, and making sure our voices are heard by the legislators,” she added. “They need to know we are here - we want to be seen, and we want to be heard.”
A Day of Voices, Visibility, and Advocacy
Legislative champions Senator Robyn Kennedy and Representative Jay Livingstone, co-chairs of the Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities, spoke about the power of storytelling in shaping more inclusive policies.
“We talk a lot about numbers in this building,” said Senator Kennedy. “It’s so critically important that every legislator understand the faces, the experiences, and the lives lived behind every single one of those numbers.”
“It’s days like today that are so important to bring perspectives from around the Commonwealth into the building,” added Representative Livingstone. “I appreciate the advocacy in this room. It helps us understand where the gaps are - where people don’t feel as welcomed as they should - and where we must improve. There’s always work to do, but it won’t happen without advocacy like this.”
Dr. Opeoluwa Sotonwa, Commissioner of MCDHH, addressed the national shortage of interpreters, including Protactile interpreters, and highlighted efforts like the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s MassReconnect scholarship program, which funds free interpreter training at community colleges.
More than one million people in Massachusetts are d/Deaf, hard of hearing, or DeafBlind, said Dr. Sotonwa. MCB and MCDHH continue to work in partnership to ensure the DeafBlind community’s needs are met through coordinated services.
Representing MCB, Lesli Baker Johnson, Director of DeafBlind Extended Supports, emphasized the need for stable funding and resources.
“The Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, including DeafBlind Extended Supports, is level-funded for Fiscal Year 2026. That means state funding for DeafBlind services remains secure,” said Johnson to resounding applause. “We are operating at full staff capacity with a dedicated team ready to support the DeafBlind community.”
As the lead agency for statewide services for DeafBlind individuals, MCB provides critical supports including funding for the DeafBlind Community Access Network (DBCAN), orientation and mobility training, independent living instruction, and vocational rehabilitation services.
Lived Experience: Stories That Inspire Policy
The event’s centerpiece was a powerful panel, From Infants to Elders: Our Stories, Our Lives, featuring individuals across life stages who shared how DeafBlindness shapes their daily lives and how vital services and community support have made a difference.
Katrina Noyes, parent of 3-year-old Jasper, reflected on navigating medical needs and early intervention services:
“Everyone who’s been part of Jasper’s village focuses on what he can do - not his limitations. They see his personality, his abilities, his happiness. We’re so grateful to be part of this community.”
Cam Czubek, a high school senior, spoke about self-advocacy and communication access:
“I want to help everyone understand access needs - because when you understand, you open your mind and heart to support access.”
Lacey Clericuzio, a young professional and mentor, discussed empowering DeafBlind youth:
“I’m advocating for all DeafBlind youth - because they are our future. They need to know they can succeed.”
Jesus Valdes Sanchez, representing elders, shared his journey to the United States. and his hopes for inclusion:
“We want Massachusetts to be recognized as a very unique location for DeafBlind people.”
A Call to Action
Carl Richardson, State House ADA Coordinator and longtime accessibility advocate, closed the event with a message urging attendees to speak directly with their legislators.
“Don’t worry about numbers or line items - tell your story from the heart,” Richardson said. “I’ve seen firsthand how one person’s story can make a difference.”
Thompson echoed Richardson’s call: “Our accessibility needs change over time. What we needed yesterday might be different today. It’s important to keep advocating - for what you need, and for what you know is working. And make sure legislators know that.”
A special thanks was extended to the dozens of communication access providers - interpreters, captioners, and support staff - who made the event accessible for all in attendance.
