HELPING EDUCATE TO ADVANCE THE RIGHTS OF THE DEAF

INCARCERATED ADVOCACY: HEARD ADVOCATES FOR DEAF/DISABLED DEFENDANTS, CURRENTLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE, AND THEIR LOVED ONES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES BY ORGANIZING FOR THE RELEASE OF DEAF/DISABLED ELDERS; CONNECTING INCARCERATED PEOPLE WITH RESOURCES AND ORGANIZATIONS FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS AS A DISABLED INCARCERATED PERSON, RE-ENTRY SUPPORT, POLITICAL EDUCATION, AND MORE THROUGH HEARD'S PRISON CORRESPONDENCE EFFORTS; SUPPORTING DEAF/DISABLED PEOPLE FACING CRIMINAL CHARGES AND THEIR LOVED ONES TO NAVIGATE THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM WITH INCREASED ACCESS, POWER, AND AGENCY; ADVOCATING FOR ACCESS TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS (VIDEOPHONE, CAPTIONED TELEPHONES, ETC.) IN PRISONS AND JAILS; EDUCATING ATTORNEYS WHO HAVE DEAF/DISABLED CLIENTS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW DISABILITY IMPACTS THEIR ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP AND THEIR CLIENTS' CASES; AND, PROVIDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO MULTIPLY-MARGINALIZED DEAF/DISABLED INCARCERATED PEOPLE THROUGH HEARD'S COMMISSARY FUND AND HEARD'S PRISON VISITATION FUND.REENTRY SUPPORT: HEARD OFFERS REENTRY SUPPORT TO DEAF/DISABLED COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE RECENTLY RELEASED FROM PRISON. THIS SUPPORT BY AND FOR DEAF/DISABLED PEOPLE IS TRAUMA-INFORMED AND INCLUSIVE OF THE MANY WAYS WE COMMUNICATE AND HEAL. IT INCLUDES: PEER SUPPORT SPACES TO HEAL, GROW, AND DEVELOP WITHOUT PUNITIVE INSTITUTIONAL INFLUENCES; OPPORTUNITIES TO JOIN PEERS TO LEARN ABOUT CARCERAL SYSTEMS AND REDUCE CHANCES OF REINCARCERATION, DEVELOP CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND HARM REDUCTION SKILLS, AND DEVELOP SKILLS TO BECOME PEER EDUCATORS, COMMUNITY INTERPRETERS AND/OR FACILITATORS; ASSISTANCE AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO ACCESS HOUSING, FOOD, CLOTHING, AND OTHER URGENT NEEDS UPON RELEASE; ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY (E.G., CELL PHONES, TABLETS, LAPTOPS) AND TECHNOLOGY TRAINING IN ASL TO CONNECT WITH COMMUNITY AND TO INCREASE EXPOSURE TO INFORMATION IN ASL; AND, ADVOCACY AND ASSISTANCE NAVIGATING PAROLE/PROBATION/SUPERVISION REQUIREMENTS.MOVEMENT BUILDING: HEARD'S PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS FOR CURRENTLY AND FORMERLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE, THEIR LOVED ONES, LEGAL ADVOCATES, DISABLED COMMUNITIES, AND ACCOMPLICES. WE RUN A GROUP OF FORMERLY INCARCERATED DISABLED/DEAF PEOPLE, AND THEIR LOVED ONES, WHO ARE IMPACTED BY PRISON AND POLICING SYSTEMS THAT IS CALLED THE PUBLIC EDUCATION TEAM (PET). EACH ROUND OF PET INCLUDES FOUR-TO-SIX MONTHS OF GATHERINGS WHERE WE DEVELOP OUR SKILLS AS PEER EDUCATORS, LEARN ABOUT SYSTEMS OF POLICING, EXPLORE THE HISTORY OF ABOLITION AND PRISONS, AND LEARN CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND HARM REDUCTION SKILLS. COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO JOIN PET ARE PAID FOR THEIR TIME IN LEARNING WITH AND FROM EACH OTHER. HEARD ALSO OFFERS PRESENTATIONS AND WORKSHOPS FOR DEAF/DISABLED COMMUNITY MEMBERS, MOVEMENT ORGANIZATIONS, ATTORNEYS, LEGAL WORKERS, ADVOCATES, UNIVERSITIES, NONPROFITS, SCHOOLS, AND MORE ON TOPICS RELATED TO OUR WORK.