Gallaudet University Press
Washington, DC
October 14, 2020
Book: Controlling Our Destiny
A Board Member’s View of Deaf President Now
Philip W. Bravin
Foreword by I. King Jordan
Philip W. Bravin reveals an insider’s perspective of one of the most significant events in deaf history and disability rights in his new memoir. Controlling Our Destiny contemplates power, access, community, and the enduring legacy of a movement that inspired deaf people around the world.
In March 1988, students at Gallaudet University led a successful protest to demand the selection of the university’s first deaf president. Although Gallaudet is considered a “mecca” for deaf people around the world, it had always been led by hearing individuals. The Deaf President Now (DPN) movement was a watershed event in American deaf history; it achieved self-governance for the deaf community and placed Gallaudet in the center of a national media spotlight.
Controlling Our Destiny is Philip Bravin’s personal perspective of these momentous events. A lifelong member of the deaf community and proud Gallaudet alumnus, Bravin was a member of the Gallaudet University Board of Trustees and the chair of the presidential search committee during DPN. Although students and other members of the campus community had been strongly advocating for a deaf president to lead the university, the board (which had a hearing majority) selected the lone hearing candidate.
Bravin recounts the discussions and decision-making that happened behind the scenes leading up to and following the ill-fated announcement. He reflects on the integrity of the process and the internal conflict he experienced as a deaf person who supported a deaf president yet felt compelled to abide by his duties as a board member. After the protests, his leadership was recognized when he was selected as the first deaf chair of the board. Photographs and documents add depth to Bravin’s account, many of which will be seen by the public for the first time. I. King Jordan, the first deaf president of Gallaudet, provides a foreword in which he shares his own unique insight into these events.
Controlling Our Destiny captures the energy and the urgency of DPN. Readers will understand the complexities of the presidential search process and the cultural and historical contexts that triggered the protest.
The author is available for interviews. Please direct inquiries to [email protected].
Controlling Our Destiny: A Board Member’s View of Deaf President Now | October 28, 2020 | $27.95
Paperback Original | Memoir, Deaf Studies, Deaf History
Print ISBN 978-1-944838-71-3 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-944838-73-7
5½ x 8½ | 256 pages | 32 photographs
Advance Praise:
“In this essential telling of a unique perspective of DPN, Bravin reveals the power of Deaf leadership and the quest for self-determination. I hope his book inspires more people to share their stories and insights. We keep moving forward with humility and gratitude for those who paved the way for us.” —Roberta Cordano, President, Gallaudet University
“As Phil Bravin makes clear, the Gallaudet Board of Trustees’ actions unintentionally led to a historic civil rights shift for Deaf people in the USA and around the world, shattering glass ceilings for many Deaf people as well as people with disabilities. This book is also timely in emphasizing that self-representation of any group is an absolute requirement.” —Howard A. Rosenblum, CEO, National Association of the Deaf
“This book provides a unique firsthand account of how the DPN movement toppled hearing domination within the deaf community. This will be an important blueprint for readers on how a minority group and marginalized community liberated themselves from years of oppression to control its own destiny.” —Benro Ogunyipe, Former President of the National Black Deaf Advocates
“Philip Bravin was a key player in historic civil rights actions. The DPN protesters closed the university, marched on the White House and the U.S. Capitol, and told their compelling story to the world. Bravin and I. King Jordan went on to compile an amazing record of achievements for Gallaudet and the deaf community. These actions paved the way for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).” —David Bonior, Former Member of Congress (D-Michigan)
Author Bio:
Philip W. Bravin is Vice President of Product Strategy and Innovation at ZVRS/Purple, a video relay company serving the deaf and hard of hearing community. He has held various positions within the deaf community and in the corporate business community, including executive roles at Communication Service for the Deaf, the National Captioning Institute, and IBM. He is Trustee Emeritus of the Gallaudet University Board of Trustees and holds an honorary doctorate from Gallaudet University.
Gallaudet University Press is a nonprofit scholarly publisher that shares knowledge by and about deaf people with the world. Our publications support Gallaudet University’s reputation as an international thought-leader for deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind people. We are the only academic press in the world with a mission to publish content by and about deaf and hard of hearing people, and our publishing program reflects the rich cultural life and diverse perspectives of this community. We are committed to advancing Gallaudet’s bilingual (American Sign Language and English) mission and disseminating works that foster understanding and recognition of deaf people and signed languages around the world.
Source: Gallaudet University Press
