Ruth R. Green (l) and Ruth D. Bernstein (r)
The Ruth R. Green Advocacy Award was presented December 2, 2014 at the 104th Annual Meeting of the Center for Hearing and Communication (CHC) to a most deserving honoree: Ruth D. Bernstein, Consumer Advocate.
CHC’s Executive Director Emerita, Ruth Green, presented the award to Ms. Bernstein for her tireless and passionate commitment to creating access for people with hearing loss. Years ago, both Ruths were founding members of advocates for better communication (a.b.c.), an advocacy organization allied with CHC (then known as the League for the Hard of Hearing).
In accepting the award, Ruth Bernstein thanked her fellow Board members of the Hearing Loss Association of America, New York City Chapter, and highlighted abc’s achievements, which included access at Broadway theaters, hospitals, movie houses, cell phone issues, TV captioning, travel, hotels, museums.
View the award presentation video
The following quotes are from Ruth Bernstein sharing two examples of her many advocacy efforts.
“In April 2013 I was the first person with hearing loss ever to be inducted into the hunter college alumni hall of fame. It was their 41st ceremony. It took eight weeks of explaining and pleading for their staff to arrange hearing access. At the very last minute, with the help of Dr. Lafargue and our captioner Lauren Schechter, we had CART and an assistive listening system. I was the first speaker. Having the last name that begins with B helps. The fifth honoree said I want to thank Ms. Bernstein for making this event hearing accessible. My father has a cochlear implant without these arrangements he could not have participated. The hard work and aggravation of those eight weeks was worth every gray hair I have.
“In May 2014, my grandson Aaron graduated from Babson college. Aaron and I worked with the school’s accessibility staff to arrange for CART, and an assistive listening system. Both were supplied. Despite my repeated requests for CART for the audience of 4,000, one third of whom were over 65, and would have been delighted to read what was being said, the captions were on a laptop computer only I could see. In May 2015 my grand daughter graduates from Penn State. I’m already working on it.
Congratulations, Ruth, on being recognized for the important works you do on behalf of people with hearing loss!
More from Ruth via her “Sound Advice” column of CHC’s blog: