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#FollowFriday: Anne Reuss
During the opening party for SOBCon this year, I noticed a sign language interpreter at the event.
I asked who needed the assistance and was told, “Anne Reuss!”
What?!? Anne Reuss is deaf?
You see, this social media world not only levels out the business world and the world in general, it makes it easy for everyone to participate. And, based on the online conversations I’d had with Anne, I had no idea she is deaf.
In fact, when you spend time with her, it’s pretty difficult to tell because she does such a great job of communicating. Sometimes you have to get your phones out to text one another, if you really don’t understand, but she reads lips very well and has spent her entire life learning how to communicate with the hearing world. And, when I hang out with her, I get to practice the sign language (remedial at best) I learned as a kid.
On top of it that, she is wicked smart, absolutely adorable, and has a great sense of humor (and we all know how much I like funny people). Every once in a while I’ll get a text message from her that is a really funny cartoon or a person making a face at me…and that’s it.
I recently had dinner with her and we talked about the job market for a deaf person, which really depressed me. She described how hard it is to get a job because most people see it as a disability so she can’t even get an interview.
What the heck is wrong with people? Seriously.
Enter my friend Jeannie Walters who just hired her to run social media and content for 360Connext! A great job for Anne and a huge help for Jeannie.
So now you can find Anne not only on her personal accounts (Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, LinkedIn, and her own blog), but also on Twitter and Facebook for 360Connext.
Plus you can check her out on video. The girl is fearless!
I highly, highly recommend you introduce yourself to Anne (in the comments below) and get to know her online. She will enrich your life. I guarantee it.
HI, Anne,
Knock. My. Socks. Off. Awesome.
The message of your video came from a perspective that I never considered before, Anne. We all talk about the access social media can deliver... access to new customers, prospects and communities... but not about accessibility and the ability to simply communicate.
Following you in 3..2..1. Now.
@BobReed HEY Bob! I hope you had an awesome weekend. Did you get your socks back? Look forward to tweeting with you!
@AnneReuss HI, Anne. Yes, I'm wearing them now.
@AnneReuss - so nice to meet you. I work quite a bit with the deaf and hard-of-hearing community here in Arizona. In addition to the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing and the Arizona Relay Service, we also do some project work for the Arizona School for the Deaf and the Blind. Like @ginidietrich, my ASL skills are elementary at best, but thanks to my very patient clients and some awesome interpreters, we are able to make great things happen to raise awareness of the deaf community on such issues as education, healthcare, transportation, etc.
If your travels find you in Phoenix, I certainly hope we can get together for a "wine glass big" as my client likes to say :)
@AbbieF Hi Abbie! I hope you had a great weekend, thanks so much for commenting. I appreciate you (and @ginidietrich ) for trying no matter how basic your skills are. It makes me tickled happy! Hopefully I find my way to Phoenix before too long.
@ginidietrich ShoutOutTo & Follow @DanielKyce Please Retweet and check out his video http://t.co/Ww33GRil
Hey Anne,
How can you not love someone with a winning smile like that? You'll give @ginidietrich a run for her money with that grin.
Lots of great folks here to connect with, huh? Off to check out your site now!
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@rdopping That was just so sweet, thank you! I hope you liked doing some detective work on my site.
@AnneReuss @rdopping Anne he only comes for the free cupcakes
Anne - Hi! Wow, with friends like Gini ... how can you lose? Just watched your videos. Very cool, passionate, intelligent and fun. (someone should tell you to get a personality though, ha!! :-))
And Gini? Just want you to know that you have re-introduced me to online communities. I lucked into you (was it luck?) on my second day of looking around and I'm grateful. Thank you!
@Carmelo You're a hoot! Glad you're joining the cult.
@AnneReuss
Cult? k, grab my hand - repeat after me, I Anne Reuss take you … wait that’s a different kinda cult ;-)
Hi Anne! Nice to meet you! Off to stalk you now ;)
Followed! Gini gives the best recos. I look forward to getting to know you better Anne. Have a great weekend!
What a great choice for #FF. @AnneReuss is definitely fearless and connects with people in a seemingly effortless way. I absolutely loved meeting Anne in person in New York, and am so happy that she lives in Chicago. I have already learned so much from her, and hope to see more of her :)
@martikonstant I adore you so much!!
@patrickreyes High five! Thanks for sharing!
@AnneReuss Absolutely! And I love college football too!
@patrickreyes Wait where did you see that I am nuts for college football??
@CarmeloBryan @annereuss hahaha we were looking for a first person account
@bryanwillmert @AnneReuss which one of you asked if i was at the first July 4th celebration? I heard that! not the 100th either! meanies!
@AnneReuss @carmelobryan lol!!
@CarmeloBryan @bryanwillmert that's a cool tidbit of information!
@CarmeloBryan http://t.co/R69F0bvH
@bryanwillmert @AnneReuss not to confuse with the FARRR more popular Pekin, IN. Home of the longest running 4th of July parade 182 yrs ;-)
@AnneReuss right by Peoria. South of chi by 2 hrs
@bryanwillmert @patrickreyes Please excuse me a moment while I look up where this Pekin town is.
@AnneReuss @patrickreyes yes I am!! Lol and yes.. I grew up in pekin
@bryanwillmert @patrickreyes LOL! Totally cool. Call it assertive :) Yes, I am an IL native. And you??
@AnneReuss @patrickreyes this is me jumping in rudely!! Lol did you grow up in IL?
@AnneReuss I noticed that! At least you're not a Michigan fan! Can't wait for the season to start!
@patrickreyes AHA! Yes yes. At least we're both Big Ten fans....(I went to Illinois!)
@AnneReuss The video that @ginidietrich linked to in her blog post today!
@AnneReuss, it is an absolute pleasure to meet you! I'm going to start following you on Twitter, because I do pretty much anything @ginidietrich tells me to do. (Just kidding, Gini!)
@patmrhoads That's what I like to hear!
Latest blog post: Gin and Topics: The Chatroulette Version of Call Me, Maybe? | Spin Sucks
@AnneReuss @ginidietrich
Duh! ALready following you!
@patmrhoads Champ! I loved Gini's post on you.
@AnneReuss
Aww, thanks! Although I can't take credit - Gini made me seem a lot more cool and interesting than I am in real life. :)
Hi Anne, nice to meet you.
@thejoshuawilner Likewise, Joshua!
Oh. My. Gosh.
What an AWESOME #FF recommendation! Where in the world do you come up with these awesome #FF ideas from? Hi Anne!
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@Sean McGinnis <--- What he said. Thanks Gini. And hello, Anne!
@Sean McGinnis I take back my invitation for you to join us for a Chicago Spin Sucks cocktail party.
Latest blog post: Gin and Topics: The Chatroulette Version of Call Me, Maybe? | Spin Sucks
@ginidietrich Hahahahah! Remember what Groucho Marx said? My version is I wouldn't want to attend a dinner with any group of people who would have me present. :)
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@Sean McGinnis @ginidietrich WOO-HOO! I'm in!!!
@ginidietrich And for the record, I'm writing you out of my will.
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@ginidietrich @Sean McGinnis I tried Sean.
In response to @HowieG and @KenMueller .....http://bit.ly/P34DSE (it wouldn't have been right to not insert at least one or two of my comics here)
Oh you'll get along just fine 'round these parts. :)
Latest blog post: poetry friday - e.e. cummings
Yeah, another great follow Friday recommendation! Pleased to meet you @AnneReuss look forward to getting to know you!
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