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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 20, 2002)
nTuîTTîm??nneu;s O n the A ir ames Rae and Debi Duren will tell you Hank Stack was irreplaceable. J ^ Two deaf queer interpreters fill the seat of morning news mainstay Hank Stack The longtime supporter and member ' of the deaf and gay communities was also by lim i Stevenson a well-known personality in Oregon through his 30-plus years as a sign language interpreter for KGW-TV. He died July 31. Now, it is up to Rae and Duren to carry on his work as the Portlanders take over signing duties at KGW, waking up each morning and bringing the news to members of the region’s deaf com munity. Both have a great deal in common with Stack: They have been deaf their entire lives, are members of the queer community, have been signing for years and are activists of sorts. And both truly admired and respected Stack and have pleasant memories of him. “Hank was an incredible man,” Rae says. “W hen I first moved to Portland, Hank made me feel very welcome. He always made an effort to make sure I was invited to functions or had been introduced to people.” Duren adds: “It was a huge loss with Hank gone, and there’s no way I could replace him as he was very well liked and well known by the deaf community and KGW community as well. How ever, 1 feel very honored to be able to carry the ‘torch’ in his name and continue with this impor tant piece for the sake of the deaf community.” Duren recalls Stack’s adventure stories and his laughs. “He was very generous with love and care,” she says. James Rae and Debi Duren are carrying Rae and Duren are excited about the door on the leiiacv of Hank Stack (below) tation. He attributes that partially that has opened for them. They admit to a touch of “nervousness” but are enjoying being sign to the fact deaf people have shown “they are watching and value the segments that Rae, who has been deaf interpreters for K G W are interpreted.” since infancy as a result of Duren is not totally new to the job, either. meningitis, was bom and She had served as a substitute for Stack during Rae says his mornings at KG W tend to be raised in New York. He challenging. “Upon arriving, we are given a the past four years. later attended Lexington “I have gained more confidence in signing in script of the segment’s information. Sometimes School for the Deaf. front of the cameras and in signing update news we get them pretty close to the airing, and then He has been signing his I do some modification so it is easier to interpret. in such a short time,” says Duren, who notes that entire life but says in the I make notes of things to pay special attention several members of the deaf community have 1970s sign language was to, like spelling or a number.” told her they are glad KGW chose to continue having interpreters on the morning news broad not encouraged, so his par First they work on the 8:56 a.m. segment of ents decided to encourage casts. “T he deaf community deserves something the news, which is taped, then they prepare for that meets their needs for [American Sign Lan speaking and lip reading. the 8:26 a.m. segment, which is live. Rae admits guage], and I feel KGW has been kind to work “It didn’t work,” he told the last thing he does before going on the air is with Hank for many years and to keep this com look in the mirror and make sure he looks “sassy.” Just Out. mitment going. I feel touched by the comments Duren says she’s getting used to the hectic Rae acknowledged to from the deaf community and am grateful for morning schedule. “A t first, when I started sub himself that he was gay in bing [for Stack], I required about a half-hour to junior high school, “denied KGW in attempting to keep it there.” Rae says he is honored to fill Stack’s seat. “I prepare and to make sure I remembered the it to people in high school” can do a job that I love and also have fond mem news. But now, I do two update news segments, and then came out in col ories of whom I am replacing. It also has been including preparation, in about 20 minutes.” lege. He has long been stressful knowing that so many people are involved in both the deaf Rae and Duren didn’t grow up in Portland watching. I get nervous pretty easy, which and queer communities, but have become actively involved in the com affects my interpreting. So...for all viewers, munity since moving here. and although he does not please be patient with me.” He, too, is pleased that KGW has continued the tradition of providing sign language interpre- v- ctf.-': ■ "v *; ¿v i v'-v'xyjtZiCi ,’iVAY- V ' fin e and fiien d ly objectsfirom fanrw ay places FURNnVRE-SILK TEXTILES-HOME DECOR G ive th e consider himself an activist, he does admit he can be “a pain.” “Most of my activism is in regards to interpret ing,” he says. “I have dedicated my efforts to make sure that events are accessible to the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities. I am pretty out spoken, and I don’t beat around the bush when it comes to injustice. I am willing to do whatever it takes to educate people to influence a change.” Duren, who was bom in Colorado profound ly deaf, spent most of her time growing up in Long Beach, Calif. She has been communicat ing in A SL since she was 14- Like Rae, Duren has long been an active member of the deaf and queer communities. She is vice president of Northwest Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf, served as program co chairwoman for the Seattle Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf Conference in 2001, has volun teered at community events such as Portland Pride and has worked on fund raising for a num ber of groups. Although she and Rae acknowledge that some of the challenges faced by the deaf and queer communities are similar, they do not nec essarily see a tight bond between the two groups. “Right now there’s a new nonprofit organiza tion named [Deaf & Hearing Out Reach] found ed by two lesbian couples, both hearing and deaf,” Duren says. “This organization’s goal is to reach out to the queer community and bring hearing and deaf members to bridge and communicate together.... It’s hard because the deaf community is hard to reach at times.” Rae says he does not personally feel any great bond between deaf and queer people. In fact, he thinks many hearing members of the sexual minorities community are intimidated by those who are deaf. “Most of it is due to the communication issue,” he says. “I think until the mainstream [members of the queer community] becomes more aware and are willing to learn about different needs, whether it is signing or other subcom munities, the bond can’t happen.” J R T om S tevenson is a Portland free-lance writer and a full-time Portland State University student who can he reached at ruraltom @ yahoo.com . 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