Ronelle Johnson - The Need for Advocacy was Great

Ronelle Johnson - The Need for Advocacy was Great

Advocacy

Hearing Disability

Indiana School for the Deaf

“That was a huge experience for me,” Ronelle Johnson recalls of her term as President of Indiana Chapter of Black Deaf Advocates (ICBDA). “I decided to be involved in the Deaf community because their needs for advocacy was great.” Having lost her hearing when she was 18 months old, she attended the Indiana School for the Deaf in Indianapolis. There all her teachers were required to sign, which they did fluently. “That's when I started picking up more language, more signs, and started becoming more ingrained in the Deaf community.” In 2005, she joined ICBDA. The organization was started in 1991. Its activities include mentoring children, promoting their ability to express themselves, and reinforcing positive values. Ronelle has been active in advocacy for Deaf rights and working for systems change. “Many of the people in our group have experienced suppression and opposition because of being Black and Deaf.” Ronelle became ICBDA’s Midwestern regional representative and got involved at a national level. Ronelle was interviewed in 2019.

Indiana Disability History Project

Center for Health Equity at the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community and Indiana Governor's Council for People with Disabilities

2019-06-17

Ronelle Johnson - interviewee

Jennie Todd - interviewer

Peggy Holtz - videographer/editor

Eydie Malone - interpreter

Copyright © 2021 The Trustees of Indiana University

video/mp4

English

Moving Image

177-mi-01

Open to all users

"Ronelle Johnson - The Need for Advocacy was Great" YouTube video, 00:05:52, interview excerpt 177-mi-01 by the Indiana Disability History Project on June 17, 2019, posted by "Indiana Disability History" on January 22, 2021, https://youtu.be/b7bX8CHJuFQ.

Indiana, Marion County, Indianapolis

1970s - 2019