CULTURE

Deafness (as a culture): a set of social beliefs, behaviors, art, literary traditions, history, values, and shared institutions of communities that are influenced by deafness and which use sign languages as the main means of communication.

VALUES

4 Core Values:

1. Identity

2. Self-Determination

3. Information sharing

4. Full access to communication

ADDITIONAL VALUES

Eyes - "Eye People"

In the absence of one sense, the others are more valued and cherished! Ensuring sight lines, touch/hugging/interactivity, and regular/attentive eye contact are pre-requisites to culturally sensitive and appropriate interactions with signing Deaf individuals! (Regardless of amount of hearing loss or remaining/residual hearing, those who subscribe to and support Deaf Culture will similarly value and uphold norms that encourage clear sight lines, ability to touch/hug/interact for "hellos" and "goodbyes", and keep regular/attentive eye contact while signing to each other.)

"What about those who are DeafBlind?"

The remaining senses are even more treasured and protected by DeafBlind individuals. And those who are DB are usually not fully deaf (unable to hear anything) or blind (unable to recognize anything or any gradations of light).

INDIVIDUALISM

• Hearing perspective

• Prioritizes the needs/wants/desires of the Individual

• Introductions include the name and profession

• Profession/Career is an identifying/hierarchical feature

• Privacy of the individual is of utmost importance

• Personal Space and "alone time" are prioritized

COLLECTIVISM

• Deaf (capital "D" [culturally] Deaf) perspective

• Interconnectedness between members, which engenders solidarity

• Open communication is prized and prioritized

• Group discussions and decision-making occur for the betterment of everyone in the group ("the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few")

• Introductions comprise name, name sign, and connection to Deaf Community at large (School for the Deaf, Deaf organizations, mutual Deaf friends, etc.)

Solidarity is extremely important!

Deaf Community members share: interests, objectives, standards, and the sense of unity because of their lived experiences (Deaf World, Sign Language usage as a minority language, and Oppression by mainstream hearing society [including family, friends, teachers, and clergy/religious leaders!]).

Deafhood

A relatively new concept, coined by Dr. Paddy Ladd in his book "Understanding Deaf Culture: In Search of Deafhood" (2003), Deafhood is the process whereby the Deaf individuals learns to accept his/her/their Deaf identity as affirmative and positive, flipping the script of the perpetual misnomer and myth of viewing Deaf individuals only through the lens of disability, impairment, and struggle/challenge/sympathy. Mainstream American society already marginalizes and disenfranchises those deemed weak, unable, disabled, impaired, chronically ill, mentally ill, immigrants from a minority culture/country, etc., weaving a tale of poverty-level subsistence, dependence, unemployment, and illiteracy as the only future options for such individuals.

Deaf people have been directly and indirectly told these false claims all of their lives, being dissuaded from following their dreams, building their self-confidence, being self-determining in their futures, and feeling a part of "American Society" in many ways.

Paddy Ladd focused on finding one's Deafhood first through ASL and Deaf Culture, which incorporates attendance to Deaf Clubs/Events and socialization, learning about Deaf History (and famous Deaf contributors/achievements). This leads to a sense of Deaf Solidarity: similar life experiences with hearing family members, hearing educational systems, hearing workplaces, and hearing society/institutions. Ultimately, recognizing that one is "D"eaf and not "d"eaf, becomes the pinnacle of reclaiming one's value, one's existence, one's Deafhood.

The world is no longer perceived through a negative lens of "hearing impairment", but instead a positive outlook of "Deaf Gain".

Some important questions all Deaf must eventually struggle with and attempt to answer for themselves:

• What do Deaf have to offer each other? To their local Communities? To America? To the world?

• How is identifying as Deaf positive? Supportive? Encouraging? Helpful?

• What benefits do I gain as Deaf (as opposed to deaf)? Are there perks to using a visual language, instead of a spoken language?

Though hearing people struggle to find their places in the world, Deaf individuals' struggles are massively compounded because the challenges and isolation are perpetrated against them (consciously and unconsciously) by loved ones, family, friends, teachers, clergy, and trusted authority figures. Historically, Deaf Americans (and globally, all Deaf individuals!) have always taken a back seat to deciding their own worth, identities, educational options, employment options, and even language preferences. Deafhood is a re-empowering, life-long process that has only just begun!

Crab Theory (AKA "Crab Mentality")

Metaphor to describe a negative component of the Deaf Community (and other minority communities that prioritize the value of Community of that of the individual). The statement "If I can't have it, no one can!" best exemplifies this mindset. If a specific individual receives praise, honor, celebrity, and fame WITHOUT recognizing their community and "people", then the community will put them in their place and remind them that community is most important!

Just like a bucket of crabs, when one tries to crawl out, the others further down will grab at the higher one, preventing it from escaping. The self-esteem of the independent individual is quashed, sometimes due to jealousy, envy, resentment, spite, conspiracy, or competitive feelings on the part of community members who have not achieved or succeeded so well.

"Dinner Table" Syndrome

Since 90%-95% of Deaf children grow up with hearing families, it's a conservative estimate that 30% (or less) of families with Deaf children have hearing parents that learn much beyond basic sign language and communication skills. Though the Deaf child may learn sign language and manual communication at school, for the remainder of his/her/their days/evenings/weekends no one else at home can effectively engage in deeper conversations and communication (beyond EAT, SLEEP, BATHROOM, ANGER, Thumbs-up/-down, waving off = "we'll tell you later"...and then never will!, etc.).

While the Dinner Table represents family, togetherness, unity, sharing, and camaraderie for many American mainstream hearing families, for American Deaf individuals, the Dinner Table can typically represent the darker side of human experience: loneliness, inaccessibility, neglect, and frustration—even today. This stark comparison usually goes unnoticed by countless hearing families with a single Deaf individual/child. The negative experiences and isolation are only exacerbated during holidays, larger family gatherings, and important events (funerals, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, etc.).

For signing Deaf Americans, many feel the most isolated amongst their families in their childhood homes (if no one is fluent in sign language), and have little motivation to visit and stay for extended lengths of time there.

Countless meals can be remembered with watching other family members eat, laugh, enjoy each other's company, share stories, talk about work and school, and share "inside jokes". If none of this is signed and relayed to the Deaf family member, then the content of all of the laughter, facial expressions, arguments, sly looks, embarrassment, etc. is secretive, unknown, and unknowable. Occasionally a family member might hold up an index finger, to gesture "hold on"...as if to placate the Deaf person's curiosity and inquiry as to "what's so funny???". But the actual clarification, interpretation, or summary never comes. And the isolation, alienation, and "neglect" of the Deaf family member continues, day after day.

Signing Deaf who have signing hearing family members (usually the mother, the oldest/youngest sibling, or closest-in-age sibling) potentially have it much better, gaining access to table conversation, household comments and louder conversations that are overheard and "interpreted" to them. These Deaf family members can be at less risk of future language deprivation, academic delay, and educational milestones, when compared to hearing peers.

*Note: The "Dinner Table" Syndrome is not consciously perpetrated against the Deaf family member by hearing members in order to control, oppress, or willfully neglect their development and participation in the family unit. Nor is it usually even contemplated by hearing family members, since hearing/speaking is natural and normal for them…and they don't mean to alienate and segregate. But, regardless of intentions, the negative impact of un-interpreted side conversations, whispered communications, inside jokes, witty repartée, and other typical hearing-centric talk during meals is oppressive, offensive, neglectful, and rude towards Deaf individuals who rely on sign language.

Deaf Artists work in a variety of typical media: painting, drawing, sculpture, theater, cinema, etc. But there's a special honored place for those who work with ASL in addition to these standard media forms!

ASL Poets and Storytellers (like Clayton Valli, Peter Cook, Patrick Graybill, Ella Mae Lentz, Bernard Bragg, and Mark Morales) have dedicated their professional lives to keeping ASL content alive and performed for Deaf Community members around the world.

*More will be discussed about these particular ASL "Arts" (Storytelling and Poetry) during the last week of Session 2.

Other Deaf Artists are stars of the stage, screen, and streaming platforms! Artists like: Marlee Matlin, Linda Bove, Dr. Shoshannah Stern, Troy Kotsur, Deanne Bray, Anthony Natale, Daniel Durant, Millicent Simmonds, Garrett Zuercher, Lauren Ridloff, and many others.

While there is not enough time in this overview course/session to discuss the wealth of talent, ability, and experience to be had from qualified, professional ASL/Deaf actors, more and more are getting their 15 minutes of fame (if not more!). Additionally, actor/performer diversity in ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, country-of-origin, multiple-disability, and neurodiversity is providing nuance and depth to the "Deaf American" perspective in modern-day USA. Feel free to look up some of the aforementioned Deaf artists and performers, and prepare a question, comment, or piece of trivia to wow your classmates with during our next meeting!

How many Asian-/Pacific Islander-Americans live in the U.S.? (You'd be surprised! Make sure you attend to see Lee Ann's response.)

Describe the totality of "Asia"

Approximately 6 Regions and the Pacific Islands:

1. East Asia

2. Southeast Asia

3. South Asia

4. West Asia (AKA "Middle East", but they prefer West Asia)

5. Central Asia

6. North Asia

7. Pacific Islands

Historically, Asia has been viewed by Westerners (Americans, Europeans, British - Colonizers) as merely a geographical area, a "monolith"—The Orient, The East, Occidental, "The Other". We know this is not true. This obsolete name is generalized, encompassing many diverse, complex, and different countries, cultures, languages, and peoples. "Asia" cannot be defined as just one thing. No continent or huge geographical area can be "just one thing"!

History of Asians coming to America

• Railroad Labor

• 19th Century

• World War II

• Southwest Waves of Immigration

• Asian Adoptions

Asian Perspective Regarding Deafness (disabilities)

Karma

Current life situation is due to performance, quality, and abilities in prior lives. Therefore those who are deaf have to work off negative karma in this life in order to return in a future life better off (hearing, successful, less physical problems, etc.).

Some Asian Deaf Characteristics

Culture

• Somewhat a "sub-culture" of American Deaf (greetings more subdued, less physical contact/gestures in public than that of American Deaf—bowing, side-hug, etc.).

• Behavior may be more passive/submissive, non-aggressive due to influence from hearing Asian family cultural values.

• Care, utmost respect, and supporting of elders—such as offering help around the house, running errands, making meals, cleaning up, even financial help.

• Classism

Education

• Focus on personal education as a means of upholding family honor/name, as well as respecting one's own name/reputation.

• Expected to do well in school, focus on studies (instead of "trivial interests" like socializing, arts/crafts, non-academic hobbies), and ensure a good future career. [Similar to hearing Asian educational expectations, but may be more challenging due to language barriers and literacy issues.]

• Highest number of Cochlear Implantees

• Communication throughout education is ineffective

• Many language barriers

Language

• Responsibility to translate/interpret for family members or other Deaf.

• May be expected to know family's written/spoken (reading lips) language, as well as written/spoken English. (While this may be difficult for Asian Deaf with hearing Asian families, it's nigh impossible for adopted Asian Deaf children into hearing American families whose native language is written/spoken English!)

• Strongly Oral (using residual hearing/speech, lipreading, etc.)

• Signing in English word order, English-based signs, possibly signing conceptually inaccurate signs

• Less expressive ASL (compared to non-Asian Deaf signers)

• Classist attitude towards other Deaf people's language and preferences

Asian Deaf Organizations

• GWADA - Greater Washington Asian Deaf Association

• Asian Deaf Resource Center (Private FB Group)

• Asian Signers

• Deaf Asian Connection (Private FB Group)

• MSADA - Metro South Asian Deaf Association

• BAADACA - Bay Area Asian Deaf Association of California

• SCADA - Southern California Asian Deaf Association

• NADC - National Asian Deaf Congress

• MADA - Metropolitan Asian Deaf Association

• ASAD - Aloha State Association of the Deaf (FB Page)

• Asian Adoptees (ASL) (Private FB group)

• RIT-ADC - Rochester Institute of Technology Asian Deaf Club (FB Page)

• APIA - Asian Pacific Islander Association at Gallaudet University (FB Page)

...and many more!