Colorado Division for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind

Mark your calendars and grab your tickets early! 🎟️

We are excited to announce the 5th Annual Deaf Awareness Night with the Colorado Rapids taking place this September! Because September is Deaf Awareness Month, this is the perfect opportunity to gather our community for a fantastic night of soccer.

This year's event is all about enjoying the game and connecting with one another, with no fundraising attached. Tickets are officially live, and we highly encourage you to purchase yours as soon as possible so we can get a great headcount for the stadium!

Event Details:
- Date: Saturday, September 12th
- Time: 7:30 PM
- Location: DICK'S Sporting Goods Park (6000 Victory Way, Commerce City, CO 80022)
🔗 Get your tickets now: bit.ly/4wvfLCE

See you at the match!

Happy Pride Month! 🌈 June is a time to celebrate love, identity, and the vibrant LGBTQ+ community across our state.

This month, we are proud to spotlight , the state’s leading advocacy organization dedicated to advancing equality for LGBTQ+ Coloradans and their families.

One Colorado works tirelessly across the state to make a difference by:
- Advocating for Equality: Championing public policies and legislation that protect the civil rights of LGBTQ+ individuals.
- Promoting Health Equity: Working to ensure inclusive healthcare access, mental health resources, and safe environments for all.
- Building Community: Empowering LGBTQ+ voices through education, voter engagement, and local community events.

Supporting and amplifying local organizations like One Colorado helps ensure that our state remains a welcoming, safe, and inclusive place for everyone to thrive. To all of our LGBTQ+ community members across Colorado: we see you, we celebrate you, and we stand with you today and every day!

Happening tomorrow! 💻 Join the Disability Equity Collaborative (DEC) for an insightful research presentation on "Advancing Cancer Screening Among Americans Who Use Sign Language."

Dr. Poorna Kushalnagar will present findings from a recent trial that paired Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing adults with remote, ASL-fluent health navigators. The results were incredible: screening completion reached 91% with a navigator, compared to just 67% under standard care! This presentation will explore what worked, surprising findings, and the future of this accessible healthcare model.

Event Details:
- Date: Tomorrow, Wednesday, June 3, 2026
- Time: 10:00 AM (Mountain Time)
- Location: Online via Zoom Webinar

Advance registration is required. Please use the link below to secure your spot and receive the meeting link!

🔗 Register Here: https://nyulangone.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Al0evGBXSEKUw4gIb_hBmQ #/registration

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Advancing Cancer Screening Among Americans Who Use Sign Language. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. Join the Disability Equity Collaborative for our June research presentation: "Advancing Cancer Screening Among Americans Who Use Sign Language." Poorna Kushalnagar, PhD, will present on this randomized trial that paired deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing adults with remote ASL-fluent health naviga...

June is Effective Communications Month! This is a perfect time to evaluate how we share information and make sure everyone can understand it. Good communication means having the right tools so that people who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or DeafBlind can fully join the conversation.

Here are some important ways to make sure everyone can communicate:
- Sign Language Interpreters: Using In-Person interpreters, Video Remote Interpreting (VRI), or Video Relay Services (VRS).
- Captions and Text: Using tools that turn speech into text, Closed or Open Captioning, or Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART).
- Hearing Assistive Technologies: Offering personal hearing devices or systems that help people hear better in large rooms (like hearing loops or FM systems).
- Accessible Reading Materials: Providing information in Braille, Large Print, or as written Transcripts.
- Environmental Changes: Making simple changes to a room, like fixing the lighting, lowering background noise, or changing how chairs are set up.

The "7 Cs" of Good Communication
Once you have the right tools, it is important to make sure the message itself is easy to understand. The "7 Cs" is a famous list created by Scott M. Cutlip and Allen H. Center in 1952. They wrote that good communication should always be:
1. Clear: Use simple words and avoid confusing language.
2. Concise: Get straight to the point and do not use extra words.
3. Concrete: Use facts and details instead of guessing.
4. Correct: Make sure there are no mistakes.
5. Coherent: Put your thoughts in an order that makes sense.
6. Complete: Give people all the information they need to understand or make a decision.
7. Courteous: Be polite and think about the other person’s feelings.

When we use the right tools and keep our messages clear, we create a space where everyone belongs.

Happy National Senior Health & Fitness Day! 👟 Today is the perfect day to spotlight the amazing work of the Colorado ASL Connection of Seniors (CASLCS) and their fun, active community events.

CASLCS is dedicated to bringing Deaf seniors together for connection and wellness. Here are two fantastic ways to get moving and socialize with friends, CODAs, and community members:

🏓 Weekday Pickleball
Join the crew for daily pickleball games!
- When: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – Noon
- Where: YMCA (1514 North Hancock Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80903)

🎈 Chair Balloon Volleyball - Upcoming Event!
Players sit in chairs and use fly swatters to volley a balloon over the net using standard volleyball rules. The first team to 15 points wins!
- Date: Monday, June 15 (Note: This is an event played after the CASLCS monthly social gathering. They meet every 3rd Wednesday 9:00 - Noon)
- Time: 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM (Please arrive by 1:15 PM)
- Location: Senior Center (1514 North Hancock Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80903)
- RSVP: Please call the Senior Program office at 719-955-3400 at least 24 hours in advance to join.

Stay tuned to upcoming senior events and activities by checking out the CASLCS community calendar: DeafColorado.org/CASLCS

We are thrilled to share this exciting upcoming event from the Colorado Disability Opportunity Office! 🎉

Get ready to celebrate Disability Pride Month this July with a massive statewide celebration! We are so excited to join the festivities and hope to see you there.

Event Details:
- Date: Saturday, July 18
- Time: 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
- Location: Atlantis Community, Inc.

📆 Save the date!

The Colorado Disability Opportunity Office (CDOO) and Atlantis Community, Inc. are hosting a Disability Pride Month Celebration on Saturday, July 18th, 2026 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Atlantis.

More information is coming soon, but make sure to save the date now for this fun event.

Image description: ​Save the Date flyer for a Disability Pride Month Celebration on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at Atlantis Community Inc. in Denver.

Today, we pause to remember and honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country. Their courage and dedication are never forgotten.

Please note that our offices will be closed today, Monday, May 25 in observance of Memorial Day. Our team will return tomorrow on Tuesday, May 26.

Have a safe and meaningful holiday.

SENSE Colorado is thrilled to support the Colorado Disability Opportunity Office (CDOO) as they launch the state’s first-ever comprehensive disability needs assessment! In partnership with CHI and CCDC, this project aims to create a roadmap to maximize resources and address gaps in our community. Want to make your voice heard and stay in the loop? Fill out the interest form to get updates and be notified of activities for the project:

Keep informed about important disability work in Colorado The Colorado Disability Opportunity Office is studying the assets and needs of the Colorado disability community. This work will produce the country’s first statewide needs assessment for all disability types. Your participation is vital to this work. Sign up here to get notifications on updates a...

We are excited to share this incredible opportunity from the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition (CCDC)!

Hosted by CCDC and their collaborating organizations, the 2026 Teen Life Conference (TLC) is a free, statewide, youth-led event designed to empower Colorado high school students to learn, lead, and shape conversations about the healthcare issues that impact their lives! Built on the principle “by teens, for teens,” this unique one-day event brings together 70 youth and 70 adult healthcare leaders for impactful, meaningful dialogue.

At TLC, teens will have the opportunity to:
- Participate in interactive, skill-building workshops.
- Gain the resources and confidence to navigate the healthcare system.
- Explore future career pathways in healthcare.
- Connect directly with healthcare professionals and community leaders.

All Colorado teens are encouraged to apply, regardless of whether or not they have a disability! CCDC is currently looking for two groups to get involved:
- High School Students: Apply to be a TLC Teen Attendee! (Travel and lodging scholarships are available for individuals traveling over two hours).
- Healthcare Leaders & Professionals: Submit your workshop proposals to share your expertise!

Event Details:
📅 Date: Saturday, June 20, 2026
📍 Location: Denver, CO
💵 Cost: FREE (Pre-registration required)
🔗 Apply & Learn More: https://linktr.ee/teenlifeconference

⏳ Be sure to get your applications and proposals in by the extended deadline of Tuesday, May 26th! Please help spread the word by sharing this with your networks and any teens who might be interested.

(TLC is a joint initiative of CCDC, Colorado Access, Rocky Mountain Health Plans, Northeast Health Partners, Colorado Community Health Alliance, with support from CU Anschutz, COLOR Latina, and Children's Hospital Colorado).

Teen Life Conference Official: Instagram | Linktree Awareness, advocacy, and action. Saturday, June 20th in Denver, CO