AIRPORT VOICE, OCTOBER 2020 17
PEOPLE + TECHNOLOGY
WWW.APIGLOBALSOLUTIONS.COM
SIGN OF THE TIMES
LEARNING TO SIGN
Jerri Parros, a customer
service agent for
Alaska Airlines, recalls an
interaction she had with
a man last year at Newark
Liberty International
Airport. She approached
him at a self-service kiosk
to ask if he needed assistance.
Instead of verbally
responding, he gestured
with his hands. “I felt bad,”
says Parros. “I knew a little
sign language, but not
much.”
For years, Parros had
wanted to learn American
Sign Language. Then,
in April, shortly after the
state went into lockdown to
help stop the spread of Covid
19, she discovered a virtual
class offered through
the Newark Public Library.
“I thought, Now’s the
time,” she says. Although
still working, she had some
newfound free time. She
wanted to put it to good use.
She was not the only
one. The first virtual class
on April 7 drew more
than 12,000 viewers from
around the world on Facebook
Live. There have been
several thousand attendees
each week since. After
each free, one-hour, live
class ends, a recording is
posted on YouTube.
The popularity can be
attributed in part to the
charismatic instructor.
Thyson Halley, a program
events coordinator at the
Newark library, brings
enthusiasm and exceptional
patience to the video
classes. Hard of hearing
himself, Halley was a language
specialist for nearly
20 years. Most recently, he
worked with children with
autism at the Phoenix Center
in Nutley. He also signs
at Chosen Generation Ministries
in Newark, where
he estimates nearly 40 deaf
parishioners come to worship.
ASDO delivers business
Connects vendors & buyers
Dolores Hofman, the Program Manager
of the Queens Airport Services Development
Office (ASDO) recently joined the
Queens Chamber of Commerce on a Facebook
Live event.
Hofman presented a special webinar on
how local businesses can access ASDO and
become vendors for the various different
buyers in the aviation industry of Queens.
ASDO offers:
Aviation Industry Buyers a free referral
service that provides information about local
companies that provide goods and services
in over 800 categories.
Vendors access to the aviation industry
that generates billions of dollars annually
and the second largest employer in Queens
County.
An annual networking event that enables
local businesses to meet with representatives
from the aviation industry, which include
Airlines, Terminal Operators, FAA,
PANYNJ Engineering, Purchasing and Redevelopment,
as well as General Contractors
with major projects at the airports.
As proof of ASDO’s success, the Queens
ASDO has helped local businesses obtain
over 11,000 contracts with the aviation industry
totaling over $1.8 Billion dollars.
She invited event attendees to visit the
ASDO website and to sign up as a vdnror to
see what commodities category are avaialble.
Here is the link to the form: thttp://
www.asdoonline.com/registration/
Because of the pandemic, ASDO now
hold events online coverng a wide range of
topics which can also be found on the ASDO
website.
For information on the various airport
redevelopment proects please visit:
www.AnewJFK.com
www.AnewLGA.com
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