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Today is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. When we talk about the history of residential schools, language loss and colonization, there is another experience that I believe needs much more attention: Indigenous Deaf people. For many Indigenous Deaf children, getting an education meant leaving their home community and travelling far away to attend a school for the Deaf.
A special message for Deaf Awareness Month, International Week of Deaf People and International Day of Sign Languages — September 23 Every September, I see organizations celebrating Deaf Awareness Month, International Week of Deaf People and International Day of Sign Languages. I appreciate the recognition, but I also notice how often Deaf awareness is presented alongside hearing aids, cochlear implants,
This is something that can happen so naturally that people don’t even realize they’re doing it. I’m standing right there, but someone turns to the interpreter and asks, “Can you tell her…?” Or they ask the interpreter a question about me while I’m sitting beside them. Sometimes it’s even something as simple as, “Does she understand?” I’m right there. I
This takes the last blog one step further, but it isn’t the same issue. The last one was about participation in the room. This one is about what happens when information is constantly passed to a Deaf person after the moment has already happened. I have heard some version of this many times throughout my life and work. “I’ll tell
Sometimes we think accessibility is complete once everyone is in the room. The interpreter is booked. Captions are available. The Deaf employee has been invited to the meeting. Everything looks accessible, so we assume the job is done. But being able to enter the conversation and being able to participate in it are two different things. I’ve been in meetings
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that most people genuinely want to do the right thing. When I walk into a workplace, museum, or organization, I rarely meet people who are intentionally trying to exclude Deaf people. Most are welcoming. They care about their staff, their customers, and their visitors. They want everyone to feel included, and I
