MSSD Salutes Black History Month "What does being an advocate
mean?" Fred Beam, chairperson of the DC Area Black Deaf
Advocates and executive director of Invisible Hands, Inc., asked
this question at the beginning of his February 22 presentation
to students, teachers, and staff as part of the Model Secondary
School for the Deaf's tribute to Black History Month. Several
audience members came up to offer their ideas. Beam nodded
enthusiastically at the various replies and then invited
everyone to take part in a fun exercise to bring the concept of
advocacy to life. He divided the students into two legal teams
for the trial of the Big Wolf vs. The Three Pigs, with the
audience serving as the jury. Each legal team came up with
arguments for their client's position, arguing their case before
the jury. The audience laughed when the wolf's lawyer claimed
the wolf didn't mean to blow the house down; he had a bad cold
that he could not control. Beam then explained how the National
Black Deaf Advocates (NBDA) organizat