Judge: Deaf Jersey City man deserves partial damages for discrimination at municipal court

Ryan Cuevas and the Jersey City Municipal Court. Inset photo via Facebook.

Ryan Cuevas, through his attorney Andrew Rozynski, alleged in a federal lawsuit that the municipal court violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination by failing to provide him a sign language interpreter in a timely fashion.

In short, Cuecas claimed that he received a parking ticket on August 22, 2019 and was informed in January his license would be suspended for failing to present proof of liability insurance.

“Just days before that hearing, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission informed Plaintiff in a letter dated January 17, 2020, that it was suspending his registration and driving privileges because of a separate infraction—his failure to present proof of liability insurance,” Wigenton wrote in her 21-page decision.

“Although Plaintiff promptly resolved the liability-insurance issue, the NJMVC refused to reinstate his driving privileges until JCMC adjudicated the Ticket.”

According to the suit, Jersey City Municipal Court only offers an “interpreter day” on the first Wednesday of each month, and while he was initially scheduled to be heard on January 22, 2020, a sign language interpreter wasn’t available until August 5, 2020.

Read on at https://hudsoncountyview.com/judge-deaf-jersey-city-man-deserves-partial-damages-for-discrimination-at-municipal-court/?fbclid=IwAR2VIfiy9XOoiS51sKfMK1Mz2zfkRUlBmaB4Rjq6ybZSrRT23p0L7fmT6Co

 

Open Caption Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in theaters

Taylor Swift OC petition 2023

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour will be the highlight of the music world’s year. Yet, hard of hearing and deaf people will not be able to experience it in theaters because there are no open captions. 

Let Taylor Swift and her production company know you want open captioned showings of the concert. 

Hard of hearing and deaf people listen to music but can benefit from open captions on theater screens. Hearing people also often enjoy having captions on screens to better understand the film. 

Please sign this petition for open captions on screens for screenings of the Eras Tour. 

Read on or sign via https://www.change.org/p/open-caption-taylor-swift-s-eras-tour-in-theaters

 

Deaf community feeling excluded at Renaissance Festival after decades of free accessibility

Members of the deaf community feel like the Minnesota Renaissance Festival is excluding them after suggesting interpreters for Deaf Days should be getting paid - not just in turkey legs — and they got nothing but silence as a response.

The Minnesota Renaissance Festival is about to kick off its seven-weekend run in Shakopee. But members of the deaf community feel like the festival is excluding them.

For 30-plus years, volunteers carried the load of making the festival accessible for the deaf community. But when they told the festival’s ownership the interpreters should be getting paid — and not just in turkey legs — they got nothing but silence as a response.

Read on at https://www.fox9.com/news/deaf-community-feeling-excluded-at-renaissance-festival-after-decades-of-free-accessibility?fbclid=IwAR3wBAsKIgHzcdE3VyXtrzsds4wdJKbOOoYkeXw7i2pn_PCc08dBa0uq1Q0