September marks National Deaf Awareness Month, a time to promote awareness, understanding, and inclusion of the d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities. The month focuses on educating the public about deafness, breaking down stereotypes, and advocating for equal rights, access, and opportunities.
Why Deaf Awareness Matters
- Promoting Inclusivity: Deaf Awareness Month is an opportunity to promote inclusivity and accessibility in all aspects of life. It’s about ensuring that public spaces, workplaces, and educational institutions are accessible to everyone, regardless of their hearing ability.
- Celebrating Deaf Culture: Deaf culture is rich with its own traditions, values, and forms of expression. From sign language to social norms and a strong sense of community, understanding and celebrating these aspects is crucial to recognizing the contributions of d/Deaf individuals.
- Advocating for Rights: Advocacy is a key component of Deaf Awareness Month. It’s a chance to address issues like discrimination, lack of accessibility, and underrepresentation, and to push for policies and practices that support equality and inclusion.
Interested in learning more? Check out these resources:
- Suggested Readings on Deaf History and Culture from Gallaudet University
- Self-Identification in the Deaf Community
- Deaf culture: what is it, history, aspects, examples & facts
Upcoming local events:
- Facebook group for Deaf/ASL events in Washington: Washington State Deaf/ASL Events & Night Out | Facebook
- DeafNation Expo – touring trade show for, by, and about deaf people: 2024 DeafNation Expo: Seattle, WA