The O.U.R. Children's Safety Project: Monthly Learning Community for Parents, DHH Leaders and Professionals Increasing Safety Through Sharing Books & “This Summer I Will..” May 13, 2025 10:00 - 11:00 AM MT Chresta Brinkman, O.U.R. Project HQ Team member Ruby Sewell, a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker https://handsandvoices.org/registrations/our/index.html What is the Vook Club? The virtual book club ("Vook Club") is a curated list of books, videos and other materials for parents and professionals highlighting topics of child safety and knowledge of protective factors, often in a kid-friendly way, and our regular discussions on new materials to add. • Prepare to be delighted with a paired activity for I Am Peace: A Book of Mindfulness by Susan Verde from the “I Am” Book Series by our very own Bright Spot, Ruby Sewell. • We'll share what is on our "This Summer I Will" list to further the O.U.R. Project efforts for ourselves and others the Vook Club’s new summer reads. (fb)

Welcome to NEW! members of the Hands & Voices Board of Directors - Luisa Gasco-Soboleski, Lillian Diuble and Leslie Manjarrez. https://handsandvoices.org/about/board.htm Luisa Gasco-Soboleski is a third-generation deaf and a mom to two deaf adults and has three deaf grandchildren and a CODA grandson. Luisa lives in Southington, CT with her husband, Richard, ASD graduate and retired Assistant Supervisor in the Aircraft Inspection Department for Connecticut’s Pratt and Whitney. She is one of the founding members of Connecticut Hands & Voices. After her retirement as an Administrator at the American School for the Deaf, she became an advocate and parent representative in many different organizations such as Connecticut Association of the Deaf (as its President), EHDI and DeafBlind. Collaborating among organizations serving deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals has been her biggest goal. She has a passion advocating for families and members of the deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing community throughout the state of Connecticut promoting legislative support for providing better services for them. Lillian Diuble is Deaf/hard of hearing and has a vision loss, causing her to be diagnosed with PRPS1. Lillian is the Accessibility Coordinator and a Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DHH) Guide for Michigan Hands & Voices. She holds a degree in nonprofit administration and holds a credential as a Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP). In addition to her work with Michigan Hands & Voices, she works with other nonprofit organizations. Including Diuble Family Vision, Foundation Fighting Blindness, Sonic Alert, and MI Prevention, just to name a few. Lillian is passionate about advocacy and accessibility for those that are Deaf or hard of hearing, and those with additional disabilities. She longs to make the world a more accessible place for all. Leslie Manjarrez is a born and raised California girl: Born in San Diego, raised in the Imperial Valley, now living in San Francisco. Leslie’s pronouns are she/her. Leslie is trilingual; English, Spanish, and American Sign Language. She possesses over 12 years of experience in Deaf education which spans infancy to adult within a variety of environments from in-person, in-home, in-school classrooms, and virtual online instruction. She currently works as a Teacher of the Deaf, Early Interventionist, Child Life Specialist, Interpreter and Co-Director of a Camp for Deaf Children. Leslie believes that children are as diverse as the cities we each live in and strives to continue to learn skills to best support them all with a lens of equity and justice within clinical and educational settings. (fb)