CSD

🎉 The CVTA is back and what’s different this time: we have both Democrats AND Republicans supporting it! This bill: - makes sure captioning is improved for streaming platforms and new tech - allows Deaf people to call 9-1-1 using sign language - expects new tech developments to be accessible from the start We’re almost at the finish line -- AND we need your support to pass this bill! 👉 Find your legislator and tell them to support the CVTA! Visit the link in our bio or visit csd.org/cvta. [Video Description: Lizzie initially stands far from the camera and starts walking toward the camera with big energy. On-screen text appears for the first 3 seconds: 🚨 BIG NEWS for the Deaf Community! LIZZIE: I have some news, really big news – an update about the CVTA. Democrats AND Republicans support this bill! Finally, progress that we’ve all been waiting for. Congress just reintroduced the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act (CVTA) and this time – its bipartisan. This means BOTH Republicans and Democrats support this bill. In the past, the bill was proposed only to hit roadblocks and roadblocks. If the CVTA passes – the bill is very long, but I’ll share the top three key points so you can get an idea: 1 - Improve captioning by making sure current rules apply to streaming and current technologies. 2 – Ability to call 9-1-1 directly in sign language. 3 - And to make sure new technologies are built with accessibility from the start. Tech access shouldn't be a luxury! All people should have access. It's our right! We’re almost there! Contact your lawmakers in your state and tell them you support the CVTA.]

🚨 Big changes are coming to video meetings! ✨ Federal Communications Commission (FCC) dropped new accessibility rules for video conferencing platforms. These rules are still rolling out and will be required to follow by January 2027. This is a total gamechanger for how people with disabilities use Zoom, Google Meet, etc. Especially as a Deaf and Hard of Hearing person. So, what other accessible features would you love to see more on video conferencing platforms? [Video Description and Transcript: Guthrie stands indoors in front of a wall with four framed pictures arranged in a 2-by-2 grid with a large flat-screen TV on a stand and a tall potted indoor plant with large green leaves on the left. In the video, when Guthrie explains the FCC’s three new rules, an overlay image and video of the Zoom conference meeting appear above Guthrie. The video begins with on-screen text, “Huge Accessibility News!” with icons of video conferencing. GUTHRIE: Huge news! Video conferencing platforms (like Zoom, Google Meet, and more!) are required to update their platforms to be more accessible by January 2027! The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) just released new rules. Sign language access. Platforms are required to let sign language interpreters join calls directly and easily. No separate apps. No workarounds. Captions. The platforms are required to show every word exactly as it’s said. And they must appear right when people speak, no lag. User control. The platforms are required to let you, the user, resize screens, move windows, and highlight interpreters. You decide what’s best for you. All these changes are rolling out from now until January 12, 2027. Accessibility isn’t optional anymore but a requirement! Curious – what other accessible features would you love to see more on video conferencing platforms? Video ends with the CSD logo and fades to black.]

How do you make the world more accessible? You listen. You act. You build. In 1975, CSD was founded in response to community demand. Since then, we’ve turned community voices into real solutions. We've created housing, programs, services, and real opportunities for us to thrive. We believe that impact is measured in lives changed. 👇 Tell us! What does accessibility mean to you? [Video Description and Transcript: The video begins with montage clips of various interviews and B-roll footage. ON-SCREEN TEXT: How do you make the world more accessible? Black and white photo of Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD) founder, Ben Soukup, at his desk inside CSD's first office, which was in the closet. ON-SCREEN TEXT: You step up... BEN: We established CSD because of the community. ON-SCREEN TEXT: ...and create new services. BEN: People asked CSD to build apartments for Deaf people to live in. Photos of senior apartments that CSD built. BEN: People asked us to provide programs for Deaf seniors. Photos of different Deaf seniors events that CSD organized. BEN: We developed and set them all up. They all came from the community. ON-SCREEN TEXT: In a society that often overlooks us... ALLYSA (VP of DeafHealth): The system was not built for us. ON-SCREEN TEXT: ...we navigate anyway. TJAY (Board Member): The fact is, we're outnumbered by folks who do not understand Deaf community members, Deaf people with disabilities, and other communities... ON-SCREEN TEXT: When the stakes are real... SASHA (Executive Director of Deaf Organizations Fund): There's a fear of losing tax exempt status, funding, our rights, and so on. I think we play a pivotal role in lifting-- TOPHER (VP of Information Technology): -- lifting the deaf communities. ON-SCREEN TEXT: ...how do you measure impact? Through lives changed, not numbers. MARK (Senior Finance Partner): Yes! I show up to work every day because I see the impact CSD makes for our communities. ON-SCREEN TEXT: Community. Montage of b-roll videos begins: CHRISTINA (VP of Program Impact): ...strong community there... yes... Video Description and Transcript continues in the comment section]

Do you remember CSD in the 90s? April is Deaf History Month, and we're feeling a little 90s nostalgia. [Video Description and Transcript: A montage video includes various images and one footage. Video begins with a community smiling and handwaving at the Gala with an on-screen text, “Hey CSD, what were you like in the 90s?” Followed by a montage of images and video. An image of a roadside sign reads "Communication Service for the Deaf" with listings for CSD office, USA Relay Center, Olde Grinde Apartments, and a Division of South Dakota Association of the Deaf. An group photo of six adults indoors, gathered closely around a table, with several of them wearing green hats and smiling. A video clip of a man standing against a plain white background, holding a white TTY, he signed, “This old technology?” And threw the TTY to the side out of the frame. A group portrait of about 14 people posing in a studio against a white background, with many of them handswaving. �A black-and-white photo of a woman watching a television showing a person with a closed caption on, “Welcome to Communication Service for the Deaf” The group photo shows about 13 adult men posing inside an unfinished wooden building. A photo of pickup truck is towing a small trailer. A large dark banner on the side of the truck has white text that reads: COMMUNICATION SERVICE FOR THE DEAF. DEAF AWARENESS WEEK. MARCH 10-16. Two people are standing behind the truck bed. A photo of a presentation in a classroom. Two adults stand at the front of the projection screen behind them. A photo of seven adults standing close together along a wall, facing toward the right side of the room front of a large off-white CRT computer monitor on a desk. Video Description continues in the comment section.] #ThisisCSD

Meet some of the CSD team who are passionate about supporting our community with their work! #ThisIsCSD #TeamCSD [A carousel set of all childhood photos of our CSD team members with white caption text over the bottom of the photo of their first name and their job position. ID 1: A childhood photo of a smiling young Drew hugging a medium-sized dog indoors. Text: This is who keeps projects on track (not the dog). Drew, Marketing Operations Manager. ID 2: A close-up photo of a young Rydrea indoors, facing forward with a neutral expression. Text: This is who creates the videos you watch. Rydrea, Video and Events Specialist. ID 3: A studio-style portrait of a young Estefani against a blue background with bare shoulders with a bright blue feathery fabric. Text: This is who makes our logos and brochures fancy. Estefani, Graphic Designer. ID 4: Two large chipmunk mascot characters standing side by side with a smiling young Marlene in front of them. Text: This is who responds to your comments and DMs. Marlene, Social Media Engagement Specialist. ID 5: A photo of a young Maria outdoors, seated on a playground rocking toy and holding the handles. Text: This is who gives major legal advice. Maria, Chief Legal Officer. ID 6: A close-up portrait of a young Eric with short black hair and a slight smile. Text: This is who keeps our employees happy and thriving. Eric, Vice President of People and Culture. Image descriptions continue in the comment section.

Before video calls, making a phone call was hard. Back then, Deaf people had no access to make their own phone calls. Ever since then, CSD began pushing for communication access in 1975: TTYs, Video Relay Service (VRS), and then Direct Video Calling (DVC)! Each step gave more independence, more connections, more opportunities for us! The Deaf community led the way, and we are all proud of how far we’ve come - and we’re not done yet. [Video Description and Transcript: The video consists various images and montage clips of B-roll footage and various interviews. Video begins with a montage of faded black and white photos as a background with a on-screen text: In 1975, our push for access began. Video cuts to all black and white images and video - a photo of TTYs, a footage clip of a child, and a photo VRS on a old computer. ON-SCREEN TEXT: We helped people geet their first TTYs... CHRISTY McBEE: Green Machine! Video cuts to a photo of the green TTY. THOMAS MEANS: I got a Christmas present. TTY. Video cuts to his childhood photo with the TTY. ON-SCREEN TEXT: connecting Deaf people with each other. Video cuts to more photos of the people using the TTY. ON-SCREEN TEXT: We launched the first 24/7 Telecommunications Relay Service... Video cuts to various historical CSD photos. ON-SCREEN TEXT: connecting a nation. Video cuts to photos of the Deaf community. ON-SCREEN TEXT: Access didn't happen overnight. Video cuts to pixelated video footages at the Gallaudet University. YAN LIU: The moment I saw the crowd of people signing together (at Deaf Way 2), I grabbed the opportunity to check out the new technology. At that time, I didn't know what video relay service was. Video cuts to pixelated a video footage of a VRS on the CSD booth at the Gallaudet University, followed by a black and white photo of people looking at the new VRS. ON-SCREEN TEXT: We pioneered Video Relay Services... Video cuts to various photos of people trying the VRS. ON-SCREEN TEXT: and became the first FCC-recognized DVC provider. Video description and transcript continues in the comment section.] #ThisisCSD #DeafHistory

Wonder why you still don’t have full access to videos and online stuff in 2026? Easy answer: the laws haven’t caught up to the new tech now. That’s why we need the CVTA, so everyone can understand everything online. How to make it happen? Contact your congressperson to let them know the CVTA is important to you. Look at our blog to learn more at csd.org/cvta/ #AccessibilityMatters #CVTA #DeafCommunity #ASL #EqualAccess Video Description and Transcript: The video begins with various B-roll footage of employees doing different activities, then cuts to Megan explaining about CTVA. Some overlay relevant icons appears while Megan talks, such as phone, CC, and alert icons. Video ends with the CSD logo, words underneath, In collaboration with, two logos from Deaf Equality and TDI. Estefani asking someone at the gym]: "Hey, have you heard about CVTA?" [Marlene is looking at her phone] [Rydrea typing on the keyboard] [Drew writing a letter] [Sam appeard front of a cat on the high balcony, asking cat]: "Have you contacted your congressperson?" Lizzie is talking to someone on the computer: "Yes, I'd like to leave a message to the Senator. Hi! I'm -" Video cuts to Megan sitting at the wooden table. Megan: It’s time to make videos, calls, and emergency info accessible for everyone. First, a tiny history: past laws required captions, relay services, and some emergency access. Big wins! But fast-forward to now, we’re streaming, video calling, watching the news on our phones… and past laws are still stuck in the past. This is where the CVTA comes in. It takes these prior laws and levels them up to catch up with new tech today. The government can’t do anything until you do something. Contact your lawmakers - email, call, mail a letter....anything. And hey - there's a template linked with this post. Use it, tweak it, send it. Honestly, it's the 21st century. We shouldn't have to fill in the blanks when it comes to access. It's time to pass the new law that requires access for all of us.

Join a team where your work makes an impact in your own community. At CSD, you’ll enjoy flexibility, connection, and a mission-driven environment and vibes that helps communities thrive. Some roles require state residency, see if they apply to the one you're interested in 👀. csd.org/careers #TeamCSD [Image Description 1: “What it’s like working remotely at CSD”. A home-office desk setup with a monitor and laptop, eyeglasses, and a hand holding a pen on a small notebook. ID 2: “You still wake up each morning, get ready...and walk into your kitchen to work, home office, or your fave cafe. It’s still full-time work, you just choose the environment where you thrive best.” The image shows a woman working on a laptop at an indoor cafe with soft-focus hanging round lights. ID 3: “Did you know? We’ve been fully remote since 2017 before it became a trend. We did it so our teams could stay in their communities wherever they live, making an even bigger impact across the country.” A white background with a photo at the bottom shows a small colorful toy figures sitting on the top edge of a computer monitor. Behind the monitor, a blurred man is facing forward. ID 4: “To get to work we hit the information highway, not the asphalt highway. No communting means you save a lot of time. So go for a walk, water your plants, then jump into your meeting.” On the left, a video plays a child following a goose. On the right, an image shows a plant being watered. ID 5: “Staying connected is everything. We use Slack, video calls, and team meetings to chat and collaborate. Plus, there are channels for plants, travel, pets, books, and niche things, whatever your interests are.” A photo of two adults hugging. On the left, An inset screenshot of a Slack chat featuring a dog photo shows the channel name “# pet-central” Followed by with a small message, “sleep with us….We ended up adopting him. We couldn’t live with the fact that he’d be going through multiple trail weekends trying to find his forever family.” Reaction counts next to the teary-eyed emoji, and three different colored heart emojis. Image descriptions continue in the comment section.

Captions missing. Interpreters disappearing. 911 in ASL? Still a problem for many Deaf people. The CVTA can fix this, but lawmakers need to hear from you. Swipe to see how and learn more at /cvta Image Description: Each includes a white background and a pink top and bottom borders. The CSD logo is on the top left. The text is black throughout. 1: "Don’t get left out. Online content should be accessible to all. Want to make it real? Swipe to see how you can support the CVTA." Icons of Interpreter, CC, and video calls are above the text. Below is a photo of the US Capitol building. 2: "First, let's find out who your representative is. Go to www.house.gov. Enter your zip code." A small video shows 78702, and a cursor clicks on the red button, "Look Up." Underneath, a screenshot of a webpage shows a map of an area. The left side shows the information of a representative as a headshot, bearded man in a suit and tie. 3: "Click on the icon under the congressperson's picture. This takes you to their website, where you'll find different ways to contact them." Followed by an arrow pointing to the right, upon a pink-bordered square with text with the representative's information and the same headshot previously. 4: "Choose one or more: Send a DM. Email them. Give them a call. Mail them." with icons above them. Below shows the text: 'Your message can be simple, like: “Hi, I’m Deaf and live in your district. I support the CVTA because access to captions on online video programs, 911 direct video calling, and being able to see interpreters clearly when they are provided on TV matters to me and everyone. Please support the CVTA.' If you choose to mail a letter, use the congressperson's Washington, D.C. office address or the district office address. Tip: include your full return address so the office knows you live in their district." 5: "You can also use the templates available on our website," with a letterhead screenshot and "download" button on the top right corner. Underneath it, it reads: "Your message matters! Every call, email, or letter counts. Learn more at csd.org/cvta"

Not happy about no captions during Super Bowl commercials? Share your comments with the FCC. ➡️ [Carousel Set Image Description: All graphics have black-and-white background are about lack of captions on Super Bowl commercials with a different image in the center. A logo of the CSD display on the on the top center in first 2 graphics. The final graphic has the CSD logo in the bottom right corner. 1: “MILLIONS WATCHED. MANY WERE LEFT OUT. Captioning matters, even during Super Bowl commercials. What does the law say?” with a small icon of a clicking hand and arrow. In the center, an TV image of a polar bear on a TV screen with a black banner across the bear that says “NO CAPTIONS?” 2: “DID YOU KNOW. Short commercials are not required by law to have captions, but you still have a right to access and understand information. Here is what you can do” and there is a white hand cursor icon pointing left. In the middle is an TV image of a white blonde woman holding a phone to her ear, with a black banner across the image that says “NO CAPTIONS?” 3: "SHARE YOUR COMMENTS WITH THE FCC. Inform them how missing captions impact your access and to help improve captioning standards. Contact information: consumercomplaints.fcc.gov. and [email protected]. 1-844-432-2275 (Video Phone). Then click on Closed Captioning to submit your experience." In the middle is a screenshot image of a “File a complaint” section that shows different categories with a orange circle drawn around "Access for People with Disabilities"]

Here’s “5 Things We Must Do To Improve the US Healthcare System.” to improve care for our deaf patients. For too long, the system has failed our deaf patients. True change begins with seeing deaf people as real, complete individuals, not as challenges to solve. Access isn’t optional, and inclusion must start at the table where decisions are made. We’re proud to see Deaf leaders like Allysa shaping the national conversation about healthcare about making healthcare work for all communities.💙 Stay Informed: We’ve got you covered! Sign up with your email at deafhealthaccess.org/sign-up or follow us on social media for new and current health updates. #AccessibilityMatters #AuthorityMagazine #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs [Video description: The post has a video thumbnail with blue shading overlaid. The middle has a text bubble that reads “5 Musts for Better Healthcare” in white text with rose background. In the video, a woman with blonde wavy hair is sitting in front of the camera. She is wearing a black top. Transcript 1/2: 1. See us. Too often, deaf people walk into hospitals and become invisible. Providers talk to the interpreter, not to us. They turn away while speaking. There’s no eye contact, no connection. If you can’t look at me, how can you care for me? 2. Include us. Healthcare often makes decisions about patients without patients. Too often, programs and services are designed for deaf people instead of with deaf people, leading to systems that seemingly look good on paper but fail in practice. If you want to build healthcare that truly works, start by including the people it’s meant to serve in the decision-making process. If you don’t know what we need: ask and listen when we tell you. 3. Understand us. Access must be built in, not requested. Deaf people shouldn’t have to fight for interpreters, captions, or other accommodations every time we need care. Access is the foundation of safety, trust, and quality care. A missed interpreter or an inaccessible telehealth platform can lead to missed diagnoses, medication errors, or even life-threatening outcomes. Communication is a basic right, not a luxury. Cont’d in the comments section.)]

Tech has changed. Access laws haven’t. 😬 CVTA fixes that. ✅ Captions. ✅ 911 video calls in ASL. ✅ Visible interpreters in emergencies. Watch ➡️ Learn ➡️ Take action. Template: csd.org/cvta 👀 #CVTA #DeafAccess #AccessibilityForAll