I was made aware by a friend that there was a movement to do something, so I wrote Vallejo City Council on this as well:

Dear Mayor and City Council –

I’m a resident of Vallejo who, like many, is enamored with how diverse our community is. 

The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that a qualified sign language interpreter be available to deaf individuals upon request.  I want to add to the chorus of hearing allies that all Vallejo City Council meetings be ASL-interpreted going forward.  Deaf citizens of Vallejo shouldn’t have to ask every two weeks for their rights to be respected.  They are part of our community, and we all benefit by their being included.  Zoom captions alone are insufficient, particularly as we return to in-person meetings.   Having accommodations for other languages is helpful, but the distinction is that languages can be learned; a deaf person cannot learn to hear.  I hope we can prevent our fellow deaf community members from being excluded in our city’s gatherings going forward.

Thank you.