The ASL Program at the Department of Linguistics proudly presents Philip Bravin, Trustee Emeritus at Gallaudet University.  Dr. Bravin will present on "How the World Changed for the Deaf Community in 7 Days".

Controlling Our Destiny: A Board Member's View of Deaf President Now by Philip W. Bravin is a firsthand account of the 1988 Deaf President Now (DPN) movement at Gallaudet University, offering an insider's perspective on the crucial, behind-the-scenes decisions of the Board of Trustees as deaf students demanded a deaf president, highlighting the fight for self-determination and its lasting impact on deaf culture and leadership. 

A 1966 graduate of Gallaudet and an IBM executive, Bravin became the intermediary between student leaders and the Board during the protest. When Spilman announced her resignation on March 13, 1988, Bravin became the first deaf chairperson of the Gallaudet University Board of Trustees, serving as chair from 1988 to 1993.  He has held various positions within the deaf community and in the corporate business community over the years. He was formerly the president and chief executive officer of the National Captioning Institute (NCI)—at that time the largest provider of closed captioning services in the world. Prior to joining NCI, he worked for IBM for nearly 25 years in a variety of technical, marketing, and management positions.

ASL/English interpretation will be provided.