English Transcript:

Twelve years ago (2013), I walked into the NAD headquarters in Maryland to meet with then-CEO Howard Rosenblum. My goal was to raise serious concerns about the broken legal system that continues to fail Deaf people in America. Even that day, I sensed a decline in leadership—something subtle but undeniable. And from that moment on, I lost faith in NAD.

No, I never held a membership. And truthfully? I was never impressed.

I still remember Howard turning to me and saying, “We only have 7,000 members—we need at least 10,000 to make NAD stronger.” His tone felt desperate. The numbers felt inflated. I saw the bluff in his eyes, and I saw an organization more concerned with image than infrastructure. That moment stayed with me.

More recently, a post by Jimmy Challis Gore resurfaced these concerns—and it compelled me to speak out again, this time through a vlog. The question I keep returning to is: How will history tell this story? How will NAD be remembered in 2025, 2026—and beyond?

Drawing from my background in sociology, I think of C. Wright Mills, a towering figure in the field. He coined the term: “Biography as History.”
Mills argued that our personal experiences (our “biographies”) are not separate from the historical forces shaping society—they are part of history.

When we watch the news, we often fail to realize we are watching history unfold in real time. We see only the micro-level: our frustrations, our opinions, our silos. But in truth, we are not just witnesses to history—we are active participants in its creation.

We often romanticize the past. We ask ourselves: What would I have done in 1880 during the Milan Conference? Would I have marched during the Civil Rights Movement? Would I have spoken out when silence was the safest choice?

But the truth is: we are in a historic moment right now. And we are making history right now. This moment in NAD’s journey is not just another organizational controversy. It is a defining chapter. It may, in fact, be the final chapter unless radical change is embraced.

Years from now, people will ask: “Lisa Rose, what did you do?”
Lisa has made her choice—on the micro level. But that decision will echo across the macro structure of Deaf leadership in America. We are the history-makers. And right now, it must be said plainly:

Lisa Rose is actively destroying the trust and legacy of NAD.
So what now? What must we do to prevent NAD from collapsing into a fragile version of Deaf America—an America teetering on the brink of losing hard-won civil rights? We must initiate a brave, critical conversation about honest leadership, accountability, and the kind of Deaf future we want to build.

Because this isn’t about personality. This is about principle. What is happening in Deaf America right now? We must name it. We must document it. We must disrupt it. The future depends on how we respond today. And the question is no longer “What would I have done back then?”

The real question is: What will you do right now—as we write this history together?