TAD Board Cancels MTDP

Posted in: Miss Deaf Texas Pageant by TAD Administration on January 25, 2009 | 0 Comments

Miss Deaf Texas Pageant Cancelled

Among the many issues and topics that the Texas Association board addressed on January 10 in Austin was the future of the Miss Deaf Texas Pageant. Similar to other state associations that are canceling or postponing their pageants, due to the current flat lined economy that will not improve for a few years, TAD board decided to cancel the pageant this year. The unfortunate but necessary decision is in best interest of the 45th biennial conference in San Antonio from June 11 to 13, which will also host an unprecedented statewide mini-youth conference.

Terri Levine, MDTP director, will continue to develop the first handbook for the contestants and complete it before the TAD conference. Such a handbook will be ready for the 2011 pageant. She encourages local cities, such as Houston, Corpus Christi and San Antonio, to continue their own event, but there will be not statewide competition. Ms. Levine will also work on compiling historical information about the pageant with her committee as well as raise funds for MDTP.

Additionally, Katherine Murch of Corpus Christi, our reigning Miss Deaf Texas and lst Runner-Up at the 2008 Miss Deaf America pageant in New Orleans, will make her final appearance on June 13 at the TAD Conference in the ballroom of Holiday Inn’s El Tropicano Riverwalk Hotel. Afterwards, her title will remain vacant until a new winner is chosen in 2011. The winner will represent TAD at the 2012 NAD conference.

Historically, this is not the first time the pageant has been cancelled or postponed since its founding in Fort Worth in 1977. At different times it has been inactive or resurrected, with or without the financial support of TAD in the last 32 years. A month or two before the 2007 MDTP in Irving at the Texas Society of Interpreters for the Deaf Conference, there were only a couple of contestants, then five more joined at the 11th hour. Some 300 people attended the event and a good profit was made. But this time, like many events across the country, sponsorship is hard to find during the slow and devastating recession.

With or without the pageant, the 2009 TAD conference promises to showcase some great speakers and presenters. Watch for further information on this website and from the upcoming winter issue of The Deaf Texan.

If you have any questions or need information about local pageants, contact Ms. Levine at terri@deaftexas.org.