Deaf Echo

Jeffco Schools clears way for deaf school to buy land
Deaf Echo The Rocky Mountain Deaf School saga continues! Deaf Echo writer Tara Schupner-Congdon reports on new updates in denverpost.com!
Sat, Jan 19 2013

The Mad Lib legacy
Deaf Echo In October, the world lost the humorist Larry Sloan, best known for creating Mad Libs. In this popular kids’ game, one volunteer asks the players to fill in the parts of speech in a story. Only the volunteer doing the asking knows the story, and the players’ random nouns and adjectives make for some ridiculous prose when everything is read together. I think the ga...
Thu, Dec 06 2012

Caption Success Story with Game Show
Deaf Echo Recently, many people in the signing community have pushed hard for more captioning on internet video — from Netflix to YouTube, Amazon to Hulu; and I want to share with you a success story! When a friend tipped me off to a Kickstarter campaign for a web series of shows about a fantastical arcade where video games are discussed, reviewed, and occasionally poked fun...
Mon, Nov 19 2012

So Expressive!
Deaf Echo Lydia Callis, signed language interpreter for New York City’s Mayor Bloomberg, is getting a lot of attention these days for her interpreting during Hurricane Sandy. She’s been spoofed on Chelsea Handler’s show, she has Tumblrs dedicated to her, , and she’s even been named  Hot Slut of the Day by Dlisted. Why all the attention? Is it because she’s an attrac...
Fri, Nov 02 2012

Awareness about candidates’ stances on disability crucial...
Deaf Echo This column is modified from a two-part video in American Sign Language. The video is available on YouTube. Part 1 focuses on Governor Romney and Part 2 focuses on President Obama. In this election, voters typically prioritize certain issues to help them decide for whom to vote. Some rank the economy, immigration, foreign policy, or health care as their top concern. F...
Thu, Nov 01 2012

Naming and (not) Necessity*
Deaf Echo   The conventions behind name signs and naming are well known to members of the deaf community: what gets to be a name sign, who can give another person a name sign, when name signs are used and how to adjudicate duplicate name sign use in a local community, are just some of these cultural standards. There are conventions (past and present) about signing in public. I...
Thu, Oct 11 2012

Hearingsplaining
Deaf Echo   Mansplaining has now become mainstream  – that phenomenon of an arrogant man explaining what he thinks he knows about a subject to a woman who knows more than he does about the subject. Or as writer Rebecca Solnit notes, the “intersection between overconfidence and cluelessness where some portion of (the male) gender gets stuck.” I’ve experienced my shar...
Thu, Oct 11 2012

AT&T Blocks Mobile FaceTime
Deaf Echo Will AT&T Realize How its Decision to Block Mobile FaceTime Impacts the Deaf and Hard of Hearing? Some of you may have seen an opinion piece I wrote for Wired on AT&T’s decision to block FaceTime over mobile connections unless users agree to pay for an unlimited voice plan. The premise of the article is simple: why can’t I just use the data I pay for? Why is AT&T ...
Thu, Oct 11 2012

Hearingsplaining
Deaf Echo   Mansplaining has now become mainstream  – that phenomenon of an arrogant man explaining what he thinks he knows about a subject to a woman who knows more than he does about the subject. Or as writer Rebecca Solnit notes, the “intersection between overconfidence and cluelessness where some portion of (the male) gender gets stuck.” I’ve experienced [...]
Thu, Sep 20 2012

AT&T Blocks Mobile FaceTime
Deaf Echo Will AT&T Realize How its Decision to Block Mobile FaceTime Impacts the Deaf and Hard of Hearing? Some of you may have seen an opinion piece I wrote for Wired on AT&T’s decision to block FaceTime over mobile connections unless users agree to pay for an unlimited voice plan. The premise of the article is [...]
Mon, Sep 10 2012

Naming and (not) Necessity*
Deaf Echo   The conventions behind name signs and naming are well known to members of the deaf community: what gets to be a name sign, who can give another person a name sign, when name signs are used and how to adjudicate duplicate name sign use in a local community, are just some of these cultural [...]
Wed, Sep 05 2012

With power comes responsibility
Deaf Echo Effects of professors’ language choice at Gallaudet When the professor asked her to stay after class, Melissa felt her pulse quicken. She had always been uncomfortable with some of this professor’s behavior. She knew she should speak up and ask him to stop, but for a student to confront a professor was risky, especially before [...]
Thu, Aug 30 2012

Meet the Superhumans–AWESOME New Paralympics Commercial!
Deaf Echo     Check out this awesome new paralympics commercial! And when you do, ask yourselves… if “disabled” people had always been represented in this manner, would deaf people still face the social difficulties (employment, education, etc) that they do today?
Thu, Aug 30 2012

Run Our Way
Deaf Echo   During this summer of the Olympics, my Facebook friends have “shared” a particular picture of Oscar Pistorius, the double amputee Olympic runner.  I’m sure you’ve seen this picture – it is a really sweet photo.  In it, you see Pistorius, crouched in a running stance, looking down with a broad, white-toothed grin at an angelic-looking [...]
Wed, Aug 22 2012

Exploring Hearing Privilege
Deaf Echo   In her 2008 Masters thesis, Tiffany Tuccoli states: “…hearing privileges are advantages or entitlements that are enjoyed by people who can hear which are denied to those who are Deaf. These advantages give hearing people power and authority to decide how society should be designed (p. 23).” In exploring this further we have drafted [...]
Fri, Aug 17 2012

Announcement: Walk for ASL!!!
Deaf Echo [Editor's Note: For more information, please visit the Walk for ASL website, which will go live on Monday, August 13th, at 9:00 a.m.! (Credit goes to Greg Bland and Matt Webster for the website development).]    
Sun, Aug 12 2012

Lies and Deception: The Fight for a Deaf School’s Future...
Deaf Echo Since I wrote my column, “Stupid Deaf People: 2090 Coalition Behaving Badly,” a follow-up to “Not in My Backyard: The Truth About the Fight for a Deaf School’s Future,” much has happened in Rocky Mountain Deaf School’s struggle to secure a property on which it can build a facility of its own. The 2090 Coalition, [...]
Thu, Aug 09 2012

Four ways to create a safe space
Deaf Echo Through my experience at being involved in the DYUSA petition to CSD Fremont to move The Bear Hunt statue, I have experienced many reactions from other people — from the beautiful to the ugly. One thing I have taken away from all of that is the extreme importance of safe spaces. Quite often I felt [...]
Mon, Aug 06 2012

NAD announces support of RMDS
Deaf Echo The National Association of the Deaf on Friday released a statement declaring its unequivocal support for the Rocky Mountain Deaf School in its battle for a new home in Lakewood, Colorado. Chief Executive Officer Howard Rosenblum, in response to my e-mail request for comment, said NAD staff and board members previously were “aware of some [...]
Sun, Jul 29 2012

“Stupid Deaf People”: 2090 Coalition Behaving Badly
Deaf Echo Since I wrote my column about Rocky Mountain Deaf School’s battle with 2090 Coalition, a number of people have reported misconduct or deception by the coalition’s members and petition circulators. Lakewood citizens have written letters about their experiences – including one in which a coalition supporter referred to “stupid deaf people” – and even capt...
Thu, Jul 26 2012

‘Stupid Deaf people’: Lakewood’s Citizens Speak Out...
Deaf Echo Since I wrote my column, a number of people have reported misconduct or egregious deception by 2090 Coalition petition circulators and members. A Lakewood resident with no connection to the issue even reported hearing blatant prejudicial, anti-disability statements by a coalition member; his letter is below. These people include supporters of Families for Rocky Mount...
Thu, Jul 26 2012

Not In My Backyard: The Truth About the Fight for a Deaf...
Deaf Echo In the foothills of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, a battle is unfolding that could have implications for the future of deaf education. During a week when much of the Deaf community’s attention was elsewhere, a small charter school went head to head with a local neighborhood group, with the future of hundreds [...]
Sat, Jul 21 2012

Cue Camp: A Parent’s Guide
Deaf Echo On June 29-30th, cuers of all ages gathered at Nazareth College outside of Rochester, NY for the annual Cue Camp, which alternates locations every other year between New York and Maryland.  Cue Camp is a place where people of all ages, hearing levels, languages, and backgrounds can come together to practice Cued Speech, meet [...]
Thu, Jul 19 2012

The Elephant in the Room – An Interpretative Conversation
Deaf Echo I am back with another dialogue about the phrase “the elephant in the room.”   I am positive that most have heard this phrase before.  The problem is that there are so many different interpretations that my friends and I decided to dissect it. The conversation started because there has been an election.  The National [...]
Sat, Jul 14 2012

In speaking to my 25 year old self….
Deaf Echo It is okay to love yourself without judgment.  Love doesn’t judge. You don’t deserve judgment and pain from the one you are desperately in love with. This is not love. That is fear. Love yourself fully. Love yourself until you are overflowing with it. Love yourself speaking imperfectly. Love yourself stumbling through ASL. Love yourself [...]
Sat, Jul 07 2012

Why ‘Dirty Signs’ Should Not Be Banned
Deaf Echo All censorships exist to prevent anyone from challenging current conceptions and existing institutions. All progress is initiated by challenging current conceptions, and executed by supplanting existing institutions. Consequently the first condition of progress is the removal of censorship.
–George Bernard Shaw Everyone is in favor of free speech. Hardl...
Fri, Jul 06 2012

Resisting Dialogue: The Bear Hunt Statue at California...
Deaf Echo Deaf Youth USA- Bay Area chapter released a public letter and petition to the California School for the Deaf, Fremont and wider Bay Area Deaf communities following an announcement about three new brands that CSD superintendent, Sean Virnig developed in collaboration with Convo Relay.  The three brands were modeled after a statue that is [...]
Thu, Jul 05 2012

Cannibalistic Throes/Tribal Wars (Two Poems)
Deaf Echo Cannibalistic Throes For targets of naïve sorts that meets no criteria that suits Deaf natives that set boundaries that makes an island that no other can alight that cold cauldron is ready. Tribal Wars Sounds from hearing aid feedback pestering earmolds, festering sores Hurting – iodized and bandaged. Sounds from cochlear implant cut up, [...]
Thu, Jun 21 2012

Tugs and Thugs: Sounds the same?
Deaf Echo It was a sunny and beautiful Saturday afternoon. We were gathered to celebrate the graduation of several African and African American men. For us, it was a milestone of great accomplishments. After fixing a plate of fried plantains, Jolly of Rice and chicken stew, and mixed vegetables, an excellent impromptu conversation began. This time, [...]
Thu, Jun 14 2012

An Open Letter to the Washington Post (#captionTHIS)
Deaf Echo Dear Mr. Brauchli: I am contacting you as a member of the #captionTHIS social media movement, and as a member of the Deaf Community. I want to make you aware via this open letter of the #captionTHIS social media movement.  We want the Washington Post, among other major internet news outlets, to caption ALL of [...]
Wed, Jun 06 2012

A Letter to the American Association of Retired Persons...
Deaf Echo Dear American Association of Retired Persons (Board of Trustees): I am sending you this letter to make you aware of a political movement that has arisen within the Deaf Community of the United States called #captionTHIS. Its aim is to confront major media outlets about the lack of accessibility to online videos via internet [...]
Tue, Jun 05 2012

An Open Letter to American Heritage Dictionary
Deaf Echo [Editor's Note: DeafEcho.com is including this note at the start of this article/letter rather than at its conclusion as we normally do because of an important update. The American Heritage Dictionary is discussing a revision to the definition of "audism." Please go to the comments section under this excellent letter at John Lee Clark's website, where it was or...
Thu, May 31 2012

Jewishness and Deaf Culture: A Comparison
Deaf Echo Many people think of being Jewish as belonging to a particular religion.  What many people don’t realize is that it is more than that: being Jewish means being part of a specific culture and holding an identity as a Jew.  Many people also know of the different denominations of Judaism; for example, Orthodox, Conservative [...]
Thu, May 31 2012

The #captionTHIS Social Media Movement (Deaf Politics...
Deaf Echo Over the weekend, Adam Jarashow and Megan Malzkuhn launched a social media movement for online accessibility known as #captionTHIS. Their goal is to rally people to take action on June 6. Watch the video for more information about the cause. The video is captioned. (Go universal access!) Here is a template letter for your use. Feel [...]
Fri, May 25 2012

Deaf Echo Joining #captionTHIS to Confront Social Media...
Deaf Echo Deaf Echo is joining #captionTHIS in its bold, amazing effort to get more internet news providers to caption online video content! Watch the video below to learn more about what is happening. Deaf Echo's share of the fight will be to take the issue to the Washington Post! If you wish to join our efforts to [...]
Wed, May 23 2012

Word Lens revolutionizes deaf travel
Deaf Echo This is the first in a series of articles about technology, culture, and the Deaf.  If you have any good tips about new technology that is beneficial to Deaf and Hard of Hearing people, please let me know. Word Lens is a iPhone application that does one thing, and one thing well — it is an [...]
Thu, Apr 26 2012

I am a man in a hoodie and Trayvon Martin didn’t have to...
Deaf Echo I am a Black man in my hoodie. I live in Washington, D.C. I am Hard of Hearing (HoH). I am educated. I am a man, brother, father, uncle, friend, and a human being. No matter what propaganda is put in the media about the Black man to defame, demolish, squash, belittle, or portray me [...]
Fri, Apr 20 2012

National Public Radio’s Article on Cochlear...
Deaf Echo Many of the comments under the article on cochlear implants that appeared on National Public Radio's (NPR) website on April 8th, 2012 claim that it is heavily biased in favor of cochlear implants, and poorly researched. Also of note are two remarks by Dr. John Niparko, an expert in the field, and the lack of [...]
Thu, Apr 12 2012
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Finding My Name Sign
Deaf Echo My first name sign was given to me by a hearing person. The A handshape tapped squarely in the feminine area on my cheek. It weathered years in a mainstreamed classroom, and traveled with me to the deaf school in eighth grade. The deaf school was also my eye-opening immersion into Deaf culture and [...]
Thu, Mar 29 2012
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Time for the “ASL Cobra?”
Deaf Echo [Editor's Note: This vlog first appeared in Dr. Donald Grushkin's "Deafhood Discourses" website on March 21st, 2012.]
Thu, Mar 22 2012

On Why Dora the Explorer Isn’t a Superhero—Where a Lack...
Deaf Echo Quite a few deaf people, I would bet, have experienced the following scenario: A couple of years ago I was at the airport (using a major airline). I told the people at the desk near my gate that I was deaf; a standard practice of mine in case somebody announces a gate change. [...]
Thu, Mar 22 2012

ventriloquist dummy
Deaf Echo She said it sounds funny when you say that Say it again And it made her laugh So I said it again that funny sound He said no that’s not how you say it The ‘g’ is silent And he said you have a beautiful voice And when I said what I said they [...]
Fri, Mar 16 2012

Selective Mutism
Deaf Echo He has selective hearing. People say this a lot about hard of hearing folk. Wives chide their husbands with this bon mot; parents do the same with their teenagers, who hear the vibration of their pagers in noisy rooms, but miss repeated requests to take out the trash. I’m interested in another phenomenon: selective [...]
Thu, Mar 15 2012

Signing Hands Across the Water
Deaf Echo Signing Hands Across the Water An International Festival of Sign Language Poetry from the United Kindom and the United States On March 16th – 18th 2012, Swarthmore College  in Pennsylvania, USA, celebrates sign language poetry. Sign language poets from Britain and America will come together  and explore this rich and beautiful art form with members o...
Mon, Mar 12 2012

Feeling Stupid or ‘Smart-for-Deaf’
Deaf Echo I work in an environment where one’s intellect is often a proxy for self-worth. I’m not endorsing this view, mind you, but it is hard to ecape it. Deaf and hard of hearing people have a special version of this: what I call the ‘smart for deaf’ version. That is, we acknowledge that there is [...]
Fri, Mar 09 2012

IMHO: From a Parent’s Viewpoint
Deaf Echo In a recent article, “The Distrust Runs Deep on Both Sides?” the author asserts: It’s not like these parents find out their child is deaf, go on the internet, discover a deaf community sharply divided between the oral and ASL-using camps, panic, and somehow decide they’ll embrace the oral camp while never trusting any [...]
Thu, Mar 08 2012

Gallaudet’s New “Imagine Yourself Here!” Commercial!
Deaf Echo Check it out!
Tue, Mar 06 2012

Indiana’s Journalgazette.net Publishes Excerpt of “The...
Deaf Echo Indiana's Journalgazette.net has published an excerpt from Christopher Jon Heuer's recent DeafEcho.com article “The Distrust Runs Deep on Both Sides?”. Check out the excerpt under “Public's denial driving frustrations of the deaf”. (The Journalgazette.net article is a compacted and slightly edited version of the origin...
Mon, Mar 05 2012

Speech Therapists I’ve Known
Deaf Echo Can't remember one Too many to remember All had their hands on my throat Saw their tongues Too many times One had huge boobs With last name “Hay” Sign name looked strange Too much like ‘roll in hay' Another one was from Jersey With last name Tague Learned ‘ue' was silent Speech is so [...]
Fri, Mar 02 2012

Is HearIndiana/AGBADHH Delusional?
Deaf Echo ‘When the kids don’t consider themselves deaf, the magic begins’  Noami Horton, HearIndiana Director Seriously? What are you teaching the oral deaf children? Do you honestly think pretending that the oral children with cochlear implants aren’t deaf is helpful to them? Oral children wearing cochlear implants have no delusions that they are deaf. Everytime they...
Fri, Mar 02 2012