4th Annual, Ever Widening Circle an Evening of Entertainment Celebrating Art And Disability

From: PR Newswire (Press Release)
Nov. 6, 2002

The World Institute on Disability Presents the Communication Access Award To Vinton Cerf, In Person, for His Work in Support of People With Disabilities

WHEN: Thursday, November 7th, 2002 at 7 p.m. WHERE: YERBA BUENA CENTER for the ARTS THEATER in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Vinton Cerf, senior vice president of Internet Architecture and Technology for WorldCom and "One of the year's 25 Most Intriguing People." -- People Magazine 1994 -- will be receiving the Communication Access Award from the World Institute on Disability at its annual benefit performance, Ever Widening Circle: An Evening of Entertainment Celebrating Art and Disability, on Thursday, Nov. 7. Widely known as "one of the fathers of the Internet," Vinton Cerf is being honored for his work in support of people with disabilities. Vinton has been hard of hearing all his life. His wife, Sigrid, is deaf and the recipient of a cochlear implant. His personal frustration in communicating with other researchers helped motivate him to make some outstanding advances in communications technology, among them, participation in the development of ARPANET -- the Internet's precursor -- and co-design of the TCP/IP protocol suite for the Internet. On Nov. 7 we celebrate his achievements, which have made a tremendous difference in the lives of numerous people with disabilities worldwide, by presenting him with a special award during the performance event.

On the Board of Gallaudet University, Cerf has demonstrated sensitivity to the needs of deaf and hard of hearing students through action such as supporting computer-building programs for deaf students. He serves as Chairman of the Board for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). In December 1997, President Clinton presented the U.S. National Medal of Technology to Cerf and his partner, Robert E. Kahn, for founding and developing the Internet. He also has his own section within the WorldCom corporate Web site, "Cerf's Up" ( http://www1.worldcom.com/global/resources/cerfs_up/ ) -- a detailed history of the Internet, a photo gallery of Cerf's career from the early '70s through the mid '90s and a page for submitting e-mail to Cerf himself.

Actor and San Francisco resident DANNY GLOVER is the honorary chair of the event. This is a one-night only performance on Thursday, November 7, at 7 p.m. at The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theatre, 700 Howard Street (at Third St.) in San Francisco. Tickets are $15 - $100. The evening is sponsored by SBC Pacific Bell and Verizon. To order tickets, or for information, please visit our web site at www.wid.org or call 510-251-4370.

This year's celebrity line-up includes WESLA WHITFIELD, jazz singer extraordinaire, performing with her husband and pianist-arranger Mike Greensill. Also performing will be Chris Fonseca, a wildly funny stand-up comedian, performing for 17 years, who describes himself as "a comedian who happens to have cerebral palsy"; LIGHT MOTION (Director Charlene Curtiss and Joanne Petroff) a dance company established in 1988 to develop the artistic expressions of both disabled and non-disabled artists working together to enhance awareness of disability issues through the arts; Lynn Manning an award-winning blind playwright, poet, actor and former World Champion martial artist in Judo and Valerie Zamora, a classically trained concert pianist, who is also deaf.

The World Institute on Disability (WID), founded in 1983, is a non-profit public policy center dedicated to promoting independence and full societal inclusion of people with disabilities. Founded in 1982, the Corporation on Disabilities and Telecommunication's (CDT) mission is to promote and support artists, performers and media makers with disabilities.

Braille programs, audio description, sign language interpreting and limited wheelchair seating are available. Attendees are requested to refrain from wearing scented products.

To arrange an interview with VINTON CERF, any of the performers or for additional information, please call Lawrence Helman at 415-661-1260. For additional information visit WID at their Web site at www.wid.org.

CALENDAR EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

WHAT: The World Institute on Disability (WID) and the Corporation on
Disabilities and Telecommunication (CDT) present the fourth
annual EVER WIDENING CIRCLE: An Evening of Entertainment
Celebrating Art & Disability, featuring talented performers
with disabilities. This one-night only performance is
sponsored by SBC Pacific Bell and Verizon.

WHEN: Thursday, November 7, at 7 p.m.

SPECIAL PRESENTATION: WID Presents the Communication Access award to
Vinton Cerf, senior VP of Internet Architecture and Technology
for WorldCom, in person, for his work in support of people with
disabilities.

PERFORMERS: Wesla Whitfield -- singer Chris Fonseca -- comedian Light
Motion -- dance company Lynn Manning -- performance artist
Valerie Zamora - pianist

WHERE: The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater 700 Howard Street
(at Third St.) in San Francisco

TICKETS: Tickets are $15 - $100
BOX OFFICE: To order tickets, or for additional information, call
510-251-4370

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Source: The World Institute on Disability

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