SAN DIEGO, Aug 12, 2009 -- Celebrating the stories, culture and heritage of America's Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Community, Purple Communications(TM), Inc. will honor San Diego resident, Jeremias Valencia, professional basketball player and founder of Deaf Sports Academy, offering aspiring Deaf children the chance to learn and play in a competitive deaf league.
Community members are encouraged to join in the celebration on August 15, 2009 at the Marriott San Diego Del Mar, 11966 El Camino Real in San Diego, CA. The event will feature former Miss Deaf America, Lauren Teruel Ridloff, as emcee of the festivities, which include an onstage interview with Mr. Valencia and 'Q&A' session from 6:45 pm to 9:00 pm, PDT. Purple will also host onsite workshops earlier that day, from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, which include topics on local number registration and a product demo on its P3 optimized Purple Netbook.
The Dream Bigger campaign recognizes trailblazers in the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Community and aims to celebrate the advances they have made. Whether it has been the breaking down barriers or establishing new status quos, these Trailblazers have improved the overall quality-of-life for all members of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Community. Mr. Jeremias Valencia, along with nine other visionaries in the in the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Community, have been chosen as one of this year's finalists. Each finalist was awarded a $1,000 cash prize from Purple Communications to be donated to a non-profit organization of their choice and in their name as a way of paving the road for the next generation of trailblazers in the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Community. Mr. Valencia chose his organization, Deaf Sports Academy (DSA) as the recipient of his $1,000 cash prize.
In October 2009, Purple Communications will announce the 2009 Trailblazer of the Year, one of the ten finalists, at the Dream Bigger Gala in Washington, D.C. The selected individual will be chosen by online voting at www.purple.us/dreambigger. The person selected will best represent the essence of the Dream Bigger initiative, and will receive $10,000 to be donated in their name, to their non-profit organization of choice, as well as an all-expenses-paid vacation.
Having no other option but to have his family live in a neighborhood filled with gangs, Jeremias Valencia's father put up a basketball hoop hoping his children would steer clear of bad influences. Jeremias excelled in sports from an early age and was particularly skillful in basketball which led to his accomplishment of playing for the American Basketball Association. However, going pro was only one part of Valencia's dream. He also wanted to provide opportunities for deaf children to grow in sports and give kids from preschool through eighth grade access to better coaches, certified with the necessary skills to assist deaf children advance their skills.
In 2007, Jeremias Valencia founded the Deaf Sports Academy (DSA) and began recruiting regionally and nationally certified coaches. Valencia's determination has helped the DSA grow into an organization that has over 20 teams, offering kids aged four to 15 access to basketball, soccer, football, and even dance. "I would like to make DSA a national resource for kids. Right now, we're regional, but kids across the country could benefit from greater access to sports, particularly if the sporting environment supports effective communication between coaches and players," explained Valencia.
"Jeremias' vision to give Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing athletes a conduit to learn and excel exemplifies what being a Trailblazer is all about. He's an exceptional role model for Deaf youth," said Brandon Arthur, Vice President of Marketing Communications for Purple Communications. "The Dream Bigger campaign is all about recognizing community visionaries who have the tenacity to fulfill personal dreams and lead the way for individuals in the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Community to pursue theirs. Purple has always focused on creating cutting-edge technology services that make communication more convenient for its customers."
To learn more about the Dream Bigger campaign, find out dates and locations for all events, view and read Trailblazer stories, and vote for the 2009 Trailblazer of the Year, visit www.purple.us/dreambigger. Also, be sure to follow the Dream Bigger campaign on Twitter - www.twitter.com/idreambigger and Facebook -http://www.facebook.com/pages/Purple-Communications/42541479161.
About Purple Communications
Purple Communications is a leading provider of onsite interpreting services, video relay and text relay services, and video remote interpreting, offering a wide array of options designed to meet the varied communication needs of its customers. The Company's vision is to enable free-flowing communication between people, inclusive of differences in abilities, languages, or locations. For more information on the Company or its services, visit www.purple.us or contact Purple Communications directly by voice at 415-408-2300, by Internet relay by visiting www.i711.com or www.ip-relay.com, or by video phone by connecting to hovrs.tv.
To view this press release in video format please click here: www.purple.us/Press/Valenciavideo.
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