Hailing from Chicago, Carol Nemecek-Kowalski embodies the passion for leadership and advocacy, and we are thrilled to recognize her for this month’s #NADhandwave! Carol invests a great deal of her time and efforts in the deaf community and holds a special place in her heart for the Chicago Club for the Deaf (CCD). In case you didn’t know, CCD is one of the oldest deaf clubs in Illinois, as it was established in 1942! 
As Vice President of CCD, Carol continues to ensure that CCD stays open, despite many challenges and the changes in the deaf community. She also has worked for the past 12 years as a Deaf Service Coordinator for the Progress Center for Independent Living in Forest Park. In her job, she advocates on behalf of deaf consumers. She believes in and encourages self-advocacy. Additionally, Carol teaches American Sign Language (ASL) classes at the Moraine Valley Community College. She enjoys teaching ASL and seeing our language bloom throughout society.
Carol also believes in deaf youth! Prior to the Youth Ambassador Program, (YAP), Carol was the Director of the Miss Deaf Illinois Pageant program through the Illinois Association of the Deaf (IAD) between 2008 and 2011. In 2010, the Miss Deaf Illinois representative won the title of Miss Deaf America at the NAD Conference in Philadelphia.
Thank you Carol, for your advocacy!
The NAD gives monthly #NADhandwaves to people in our community. This is great opportunity for the NAD to recognize exemplary people for the work they do. With such great people, the world continues to progress. If you know someone who deserves a #NADHandwave, submit your suggestion online!
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The NAD was established in 1880 by deaf leaders who believed in the right of the American deaf community to use sign language, to congregate on issues important to them, and to have its interests represented at the national level. As a nonprofit federation, the mission of the NAD is to preserve, protect, and promote the civil, human, and linguistic rights of deaf and hard of hearing people in the United States. The advocacy scope of the NAD is broad, covering the breadth of a lifetime and impacting future generations in the areas of early intervention, education, employment, health care, technology, telecommunications, youth leadership, and more.