March 2, 2016
Starkey Hearing Foundation
Dear Marti Jones, Communications,
We are still waiting for your response to have a healthy dialogue about what happened at the Starkey Hearing Foundation Super Bowl 50 event in San Francisco Bay Area.
For clarification, CAD’s position with Starkey is not anti-hearing aids. It is about utilizing #responsiblemarketing without resorting to #inspirationporn. The current misuse of irresponsible marketing strategies and slogans about how hearing aids are panacea for Deaf people is causing an epidemic of language deprivation among many of our Deaf children. We realize that many people are not fully aware of the critical needs of our Deaf community.
CAD seeks a partnership from Starkey Hearing Foundation where we make the hearing aids available for the Deaf children along with resources about language acquisition of both ASL and English so all Deaf babies can be Kindergarten ready. Families with Deaf children deserve no less.
We are opening the door for Starkey to meet with the Deaf stakeholders and create partnerships for healthy marketing with an approach to meeting the needs of the whole Deaf child.
You have the power to be the agent of change. It can be the beginning of a new win-win marketing strategy. Our door is open. The ball is in your court.
We hope to “see” your response.
Sincerely
California Association of the Deaf (CAD) Board of Directors
Julie Rems-Smario, President
Marla Hatrak, Vice-President
Deanne Bray, Secretary
Dodi Ellis, Treasurer
Matthew Sampson, Director of Membership
Shelley Stout, Northern California Director at Large
Kavita Pipalia, Southern California Director at Large
