A Brief Timeline of DWC Organization

In 1994, a first gathering of about twenty women met at Alice Bianco's home in Darien to share their experiences as Deaf and hard-of-hearing women. The themes discussed including Leadership, Sexuality, Mental Power, and Women's Health.

Our former CT Chapter-DWU hosted a New England regional conference, later renamed as Northeast Deaf Women's Conference, on April 9 - 11, 1999 at the Holiday Inn Select in Stamford. Our conference theme was a "Woman's Passage to Wisdom".

In 2004, we changed the name of this organization, Deaf Women United - CT Chapter to Deaf Women of Connecticut or DWC. In recent years of DWC, we have hosted several workshops, and many events including hiking and summer picnics.

In 2005, DWC launched a new website which included quarterly newsletters and email distribution. Email is distributed by use of a marketing tool called Vertical Response.

Since November 2006, DWC enjoyed its first tea party in Darien and plans to continue hosting future tea parties.

The goal of our organization, DWC is to encourage Deaf, hard-of-hearing, late-deafened and deaf-blind members to network and provide social opportunities for continued personal growth. We aim to communicate and support each other through social gatherings, email, and the DWC website.

Last year as there was the celebration of this organization's 15th anniversary, there could be no one interested to come forward to serve as board member for two year or four year terms in accordance with the bylaws. Therefore, June and Cassandra are willingly remaining as interim board members for time being. There are several deaf women occassionally volunteering to stay behind and help with both of the board members who are Debbe S, Margaret and Sue Pedersen. Hopefully after the month of November 2010 being host of the Deaf Women New England Conference, there will be a new election reopening sometimes during the Winter 2011.

DWC is committed to distribute newsletters and event announcments to subscribers from now on. As well, DWC had created its own page at Facebook for any Facebook friends wishing to stay in touch with this organizaiton.

Cassandra and June
Interim DWC Board
2009 -2011

Cassandra is currently working as web developer for her business, Spiral Sehll Web over ten years and also as consultant for Internet Technologies. At the same time she is a volunteer as Chair, Board of Directors and is working part time as nonprofit executive management for Communication Advocacy Network. She handles finance, email correspondences, newsletters and other small jobs like artworks such as flyer design for DWC.

June works full time at American School for the Deaf over eight years at the PACE program. She oversees membership, program planning, and woman related ideas.

Cassandra and June continue their extra time when they are available as volunteers for this organizaiton as much as they want to. Their dream is to motivate, encourage and inspire some deaf women in the state of Connecticut.