Hierarchy/Levels

There is an understood hierarchy within the American Deaf Community that stresses Culturally Deaf individuals (with ASL-Signing Deaf parentage) at the top, and non-signing hearing people at the bottom. This was somewhat highlighted in the overly-dramatized, Netflix reality-TV Show "Deaf U", where the ASL-signing "Deaf of Deaf" university students were called the "Elite" of the American Deaf Community.

Core Deaf Community

In the picture below, Deaf Leaders are at the center of the "Core Deaf Community". These leaders are users and proponents of ASL as the natural, visual language of "D"eaf people. They value all of the cultural characteristics we've discussed in the past few weeks, including a collectivist mentality and approach to decision-making, Deaf arts, and "Deaf Gain", to name a few. They are typically appointed by local Deaf Community members, as "leaders", based on their prominence and trustworthiness/history. Usually, there is not a formal election process, although in certain instances, Deaf can campaign for "Chair" or "President" of their local Deaf Club, statewide Deaf Organization, or even nationally—the National Association of the Deaf), in addition to other positions.

The next level outward from the center is the Deaf Community, at large. Though this simplistic model doesn't show it, the American Deaf Community is not a monolith or homogeneous. Individuals with a broad range of communication needs/expectations, beliefs, and perspectives belong to this section of the circle. A common linkage between them all is still the primary value of ASL (including storytelling, folklore, jokes, poetry), solidarity in their everyday deaf experiences (oppression, perception, communication gaffes and misunderstandings), and a collectivist mindset.

The next ring is CODAs, Children Of Deaf Adults. This group is primarily those CODAs who grew up with one or both parents who signed regularly, and thus ASL was most likely their first language in the home. Since they grew up surrounded by "D"eaf Community ASL-users, they also attended Deaf Club functions and events, visited other Deaf families, went to Deaf sporting events, and acted in some capacity as impromptu interpreters for their parents (and other Deaf family/friends). There are also people who have non-signing deaf parents—those who spoke and used residual hearing/hearing aids, those who read lips, and those whose parents may have gone deaf much later in life and English was their primary first language. They are usually not included in this ring (from the Deaf Community's perspective), until they learn ASL and socialize more with their local ASL-signing Deaf Community.

The next ring is Interpreters, specifically ASL-English Interpreters. They act as the "bridge" between the Deaf and hearing worlds, and are entrusted to be part of the Deaf Community, inasmuch as they can be (without being physically deaf and living in a Deaf world). Prior to the 1980s, most interpreters were hand-picked and trained 1-on-1 by their local Deaf Community members. This meant Deaf people were the gatekeepers to whom became their cultural and linguistic bridges to the outside world. Other interpreters were family members (CODAs, PODAs [Parents Of Deaf Adults], SODAs [Siblings Of Deaf Adults]), Teachers of the Deaf, clergy, or other trusted family friends.

With the passage of the ADA in 1992, more Deaf ASL-users were promised the provision of qualified, professional ASL-English Interpreters as accommodations under the law. This created a surge in demand for trained and qualified interpreters! Interpreter Training Programs were established hastily and with little research and best practices to support their curricula and educational approaches. Unfortunately, the "Spaghetti Approach" for "Interpreter Puppy Mills" was very common around the country (churn out a large number of graduates by throwing every learning approach at the wall and see what stuck!), resulting in sub-standard training, dysfluent/non-fluent "interpreters" graduating from AA and BA programs, and even some interpreters going out into the profession, never having met more than 2 or 3 Deaf individuals (ASL instructors) during their academic careers!

This lack of true vetting and connection to the Core Deaf Community is still a huge concern to many ASL-signing Deaf professionals and Deaf Children in K-12 settings who rely on these sub-standard/inexperienced interpreters as language models and during their formative and foundational educational years.

The final, outer ring includes Teachers, Vocational Counselors, and other "Deaf-adjacent" careers and positions. These individuals may be anywhere on the spectrum of "very fluent" in ASL to "barely able to fingerspell their names", yet they interact and provide services to Deaf consumers/patients as part of their usual job descriptions. They have a limited perspective on the American Deaf experience, but it's still a lot more than the average hearing American who has never had to interact with an ASL-signing Deaf person.

Not shown here is Mainstream hearing America (all of the white-space background) within which the Core Deaf Community exists and must interact with everyday.

The "Avenues to the Deaf Community" PDF below in the Resources Section mentions four ways in which people can be a member of the American Deaf Community.

Culturally

Based on the information presented in the first few weeks, learning about American Deaf Culture, recognizing and standing in allyship/solidarity with ASL-signing Deaf people, and working to unpacking and identify one's hearing privilege/audistic tendencies/able-ist language is a great start at participating in American Deaf Culture. Barriers to Culturally supporting Deaf people would be: focusing on the disability instead of the person, mixing up people's sensory losses as one big "disability group", speaking in front of people who use ASL when you also know some sign language!, and being resistant to using/providing ASL-English Interpreters for access and equity.

Linguistically

Learning ASL, attempting to use ASL when in the presence of Deaf ASL-signers, actively working on fluency and being honest about missing information/asking for clarification, all go a long way in feeling more welcomed in Deaf Community situations. This also includes ensuring that environmental sounds, conversations, and other important announcements/discussions are adequately shared and "interpreted"/summarized to those Deaf ASL-signers in a mixed group. (Asking if someone wants to know about a discussion, conversation, or announcement is a good way to see if they'd like to know. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. And being willing shows your support and value of ASL and a collectivist approach!)

Socially

Attend Deaf/ASL-signing events in your area, and now interact through web-cam/Zoom/video chat apps! Showing up to events where others are signing and supporting Deaf organizations, causes, and needs is another way to gain entry to the American Deaf Community. Volunteering to help (with set up, tear down/clean up, working the registration table, providing tech assistance, etc.) are all great ways to stay involved with the American Deaf Community, brush up on your ASL, and indicate by action that you support Deaf people and their activities.

Audiologically

Being physically deaf, unable to hear. By sheer fact of not being able to hear, one can easily join the American Deaf Community. (It does take work to join via the other avenues, in order to feel fully embraced, supported, and in true solidarity with other ASL-Signing Deaf Community members, but it can happen.) Children who are born without the sense of hearing, whether because of genetic (congenital) reasons or injury/accident (adventitious) occurrences, will naturally gravitate to wanting to communicate in a visual/gestural/signing mode because that is most accessible and available to them.

Preparation Resources

Our presenter, Karen Ruiz, as an undergraduate student at CSUN (California State University at Northridge) majoring in Deaf Studies with a minor in Chicano Studies, produced a documentary on undocumented Deaf students.

Undocumented - Deaf Students Documentary (CSUN)

Undocumented Deaf have become a huge under-served and marginalized population, especially in border states like CA, AZ, and TX. Daily, undocumented Deaf individuals face continued prejudice/stigma/trauma/struggles surrounding:

• escaping their previous countries' oppressive regimes,

• poverty in their home countries, and now continued poverty in the U.S.,

• disconnection and separation from family, friends, and all "safety nets"/support networks in their home countries,

• language fluency (lack of access to educational opportunities and formal language classes),

• dubious and constantly changing legal status (due to the U.S.'s political upheavals),

• their ability to access healthcare, social services, education, and other basic services many Americans take for granted,

• difficulty in obtaining qualified and professional multi-lingual interpreting services,

• intricate, complex, not-always-guaranteed processes working towards U.S. Citizenship (and lots of money!),

• lack of access to intelligible information (in whatever language they are literate and prefer) regarding the U.S. Government, Citizenship processes, and even local/state/federal laws and policies, etc.

Adding on to all of the above challenges, Undocumented Deaf become more marginalized and oppressed, by mainstream hearing Americans who cannot communicate with them (and may not even try!).

Deaf Refugees - The Hangout (Convo, 32:12)

Convo, a Video Relay Service (VRS) provider, posted this video to their YouTube Channel. This is a brief interview with refugees from Ethiopia and Bhutan/Nepal.

Melmira, Episode 31, an Immigration Journey (Melissa Elmira Yingst, 7:28)

Another interview with a Deaf Mexican couple, with Deaf children, who have successfully worked through the U.S. Citizenship process. Even between international Deaf communities, American Deaf may not always be accepting and supportive of Deaf who immigrate to the U.S. for many reasons. In this interview, some American Deaf respond "Just go get your papers!" to undocumented Deaf, as if the process is that simple. (It's not!)

Resist Through Our Eyes Docseries (Jade Films, 14:41)

Snippets from Jade Films' work-in-progress Documentary series "Resist Through Our Eyes". A variety of Undocumented Deaf, Deaf of color, Deaf LGBTQIA+, Deaf activists, and "movers and shakers" in the Deaf World discuss "Resistance", "Activism", "Rights", and "Freedom", from their personal perspectives.