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MISS BLACK DEAF AMERICAJONELLE THAMESBy
Ernest: When did you first hear about NBDA and how did you become involved? Miss Black Deaf America: When I competed in Miss Deaf Michigan Pageant, I had Detroit Black Deaf Advocate as my sponsor and automatically became Miss DBDA. Ernest: How did you feel when they announced you as Miss Black Deaf America? Miss Black Deaf America: I was surprised and speechless, because I never dreamed to become a queen in the first place. I feel blessed with this wonderful opportunity for a rich experience. I also was so thrilled to work with NBDA to improve and help with issues of the black deaf community. Ernest: What will you do to promote NBDA? Miss Black Deaf America: To promote NBDA, my goals are to encourage schools to teach black deaf history and serve black deaf students well and encourage more black deaf youth to participate to serve the black deaf community and to have a leadership role. I also would like to help to improve black interpreters' qualifications. I want to see NBDA to grow and be successful. I believe that tears, hard work, struggling, faith, trust, and cooperate are the ingredients of success. Ernest: What did your NBDA pageant experience teach you that you will carry forth throughout you life? Miss Black Deaf America: I must say that the NBDA pageant taught me a lot about black deaf history. I NEVER heard of anything about it when I was in elementary, middle, and high school. The teachers never bothered to teach about black deaf history. That was the biggest impact and made me want to encourage schools to TEACH black deaf history, not only about black, but also about other culture such as Mexican, Arabian, and so on. Ernest: What advice do you have for how NBDA can preserve its language and culture for another 25 years? Miss Black Deaf America: My advice for NBDA to preserve its language and culture is to keep the black deaf community strong by nurturing young generations with the tools and knowledge to success. In my platform presentation, "When we don’t understand our own language, it causes us not to appreciate it or cherish it. Lack of knowledge of our own language makes it even more difficult to learn other languages such as English." As we know that American Sign Language is a language for the Deaf culture, we must cherish it and protect it. We must be more determined to take over Deaf organizations and associations to preserve our culture and our language. NBDA will be successful.
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