It all began in 2010 when I was providing CART (captions) for a person with profound hearing loss and she expressed frustration at not being able to attend a live performing arts show because of lack of effective accommodation for her which was captions as she did not know American Sign Language. She had been locked out of theater for OVER 20 YEARS! So we set out on a mission to change that as everyone should have access and we as a community should strive to be inclusive. We did it! And she and her husband and other patrons with hearing loss were and are able to attend theater with captions starting back in 2010!!
I found Access Virginia as a non-profit organization in 2014 and with the help of volunteers, sponsors and people like you who support access for persons with hearing and vision loss help us to continue to fulfill our mission to create an inclusive community and make it possible for people to attend live theater in Hampton Roads, Virginia and beyond with assistive technology. We, together, change lives and create a better quality of life for all in our community. Thank you so much and we look forward to having you attend Access Virginia: Keys to Sight & Sound 3rd Annual Gala, A Roaring 20s Centennial Celebration!