BRIDGES

Deaf Awareness Month 2005

Sep. 14th, 2025

2:00 - 4:00

Royal Canadian Legion Branch 136, 21 Charles St, Milton

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*Kids under 12 are free

Addressing the Interpreter Crisis

The Interpreter Crisis is real and it impacts every part of the Deaf community.

Barriers can take many forms: physical, architectural, informational, or communication challenges, as well as attitudinal and technological limitations. Even policies or practices can create obstacles that prevent full participation in society.

Under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), businesses are required to accommodate all individuals, regardless of ability.

Learn more at aoda.ca/the-act.

At this event, our panel will dive into the challenges faced by members of the Deaf community, including:

The shortage of interpreting resources
Reliability and effectiveness of captions
Expectations surrounding lip reading
Mandatory accommodations for businesses

Together, we’ll also explore potential solutions and strategies for building a more inclusive future.

In Recognition of Deaf Awareness Month

This event is part of Deaf Awareness Month and is designed to spark meaningful conversations and drive real progress. We extend our sincere appreciation to the sponsors, participants, and community partners who make this initiative possible.

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Trivia for the Deaf

Join Brad as he leads an engaging trivia game designed to broaden knowledge across a wide range of subjects. It’s a fun way to connect, learn, and test your skills.

Food & Community

Enjoy delicious local cuisine and take the opportunity to connect with others who share a commitment to accessibility and inclusion.

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A heartfelt thank you to the Legion for their ongoing support!

Patrizio Presenza is the President of Palm Sign Language Ltd., a Deaf leader whose first language is ASL. He is a Certified ASL Instructor with a degree from Gallaudet University and additional studies at York University. A three-time Canadian representative in the Deaf Olympics (Denmark, Australia, and Florida), Patrizio also worked for nearly two decades as a Literacy Coordinator.

His passion for breaking down barriers is rooted in his own experiences growing up Deaf in an immigrant family. Inspired by his parents’ resilience, he and his brother launched ASL workshops and built a team of instructors to help others connect through sign language. Today, he continues to champion accessibility and invites the community to better understand Deaf culture and communication.

Gary Malkowski is a renowned Deaf advocate, educator, and accessibility strategist. He made history as the world’s first elected Deaf legislator to use sign language in Parliament, serving as MPP for York East from 1990–1995. Throughout his career, Gary has advised on accessibility policy in telecom, broadcasting, transportation, and education, serving on numerous committees and advisory groups under the AODA, Elections Ontario, and the Canadian Transport Agency. He has also taught Civics and Canadian History for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students in Toronto.

With decades of leadership at the Canadian Hearing Society and the Deaf Culture Centre, Gary has been instrumental in shaping human rights and accessibility legislation across Canada. His advocacy led to the development of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) in 2005. Recognized nationally and internationally, Gary has received the Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals, an honorary doctorate from Gallaudet University, and many other awards for his tireless contributions to accessibility, equity, and Deaf rights.

Chris Moreau - I am Deaf and was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. I am married to a Deaf man, and we have a child who is CODA. What is CODA? Child of Deaf Adults. I have been in the field of education since the early 2000’s. I received my Master’s in Sign Language Education from Gallaudet University. Teaching sign language has been a passion of mine, and I have been enjoying building bridges between Deaf and hearing people through teaching ASL. I really enjoy teaching ASL in different communities.

So join us as we teach you how to sign to communicate with Deaf family, friends and workers.