agentpigeon

You need to get a job, so you set up an appointment and meet with a prospective employer. It just so happens that you are deaf, but that doesn't matter to her. She knows you are capable of doing your job and hires you on the spot.

We all need to be able to get a job, so we can pay our bills and continue living. Unfortunately, sometimes it can be harder to land a job if you are deaf, because many hearing are ignorant of what deaf are like and what they are capable of. Hearing can be scared, not knowing anything about these ordinary individuals who are a little different from them.

You can do something about the hearing's ignorance. You can help me spread knowledge and awareness about deaf culture and ASL. I've been into ASL for six years and am getting into deaf culture myself. (I joined this website last summer and have been following the conversations since then. ) As part of my studies, I'm part of an ASL club at my university, and my club has assigned me as their temporary representative to the community.

My job is to ask you, the deaf community and those connected with it (interpreters, university professors), to share with me your knowledge. I have 18 questions for you, and my goal is to get 15 answers in the form of articles. Please go here to find the questions and the official project document - https://docs.google.com/View?docid=ddm5246n_113hjvkvmfh . I would like them to be about 500 words in length, but they can be as short as 150 words. If you don't feel confident in your writing abilities, I will gladly edit them for you. If you have experience with the topic, you are perfectly qualified to write on it, no matter your writing skills, and I am eager to read about it! Just respond to this post with whatever you write. Once I get 15 answers to the questions, they will be sent out to the ASL club members every week during the upcoming semester and, after that, compiled and submitted to the campus library, after which the compilation will be available nationwide by inter-library loan.

Remember, by helping me out and writing, you will be helping to spread knowledge and awareness of deaf culture and ASL, first to the NCU ASL club, and then to the rest of the hearing community. Please write! Who knows? Maybe someday, nobody will be ignorant of what deaf are like, and getting a job won't depend on whether or not you're "different."

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Byrdie714

Is this for a term paper and you are actually suppose to meet members of the Deaf community instead?

jillio

I was wondering the same thing. However, if the OP is proposing to act as an advocate in the career field, he/she needs to learn laws and specifics regarding accommodations.

Mrs Bucket

Yes, it is for a term paper.

The OP is supposed to go inter-mingle with the community.

Participating in an ASL club at the university does not entitle you a wealth of knowledge about Deaf Culture, the Deaf Community, ASL and her linguistics.

You need to be deeply ingrained much more than just writing a term paper & "demanding" us to reply to your questions.

One comment to you - it is pretty tacky of you to imply we have weak English comprehension skills.

Not good.

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jillio

Do you think the OP could use some deaf awareness?

Mrs Bucket

Big time! Especially when the OP preaches about spreading deaf awareness.

I don't believe in attacking the OP, I question the OP's methods/motives especially when the OP approaches about changing perspectives.

The OP needs to check his/her perspective first..that's my personal belief.

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jillio

I agree with you, Mrs. Bucket.

Bottesini

Bottesini smiles pleasantly as she thinks about the altruism of the OP. I need an intermediary between me and the real world.

Bottesini is occasionally extremely sarcastic.

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It's a joke Nathan!

jillio

Its one of the things we love about you, Bott!

agentpigeon

Nope. If I were supposed to go talk to deaf, I'd go talk to my friends.

My semester is over. It's not for a term paper.

Yeah, participating in an ASL club doesn't entitle us to anything, but why does it keep us from it if you want to share? All participation is entirely voluntary.

I don't understand where the term paper thing came from. I've actually been actively participating in deaf culture for a while, and I feel pretty well informed. I already know the answers to most of the questions I posed, but I have to focus on the other members, most of whom have no knowledge of the deaf.

I didn't intend to imply that deaf have bad English comprehension/writing skills. Quite a few deaf on AllDeaf have better grammar than some of my hearing friends. I just didn't want anybody to be stopped from writing, in case it happened that they didn't have perfect grammar. (Again, some of my hearing friends don't have as good grammar as quite a few people on AllDeaf.)

Right. Thanks a bunch.

See if I EVER follow my professors' instructions again. In composing my "petition," I took the approach my communication professor said is best for getting people's attention. (I was worried people would brush me and my project off, like so often happens. I hate that.) You follow this outline:
I. Get the audience's attention with a story.
II. Tell the audience why they should listen. Present something they NEED, and tell them how paying attention will satisfy the need.
III. Tell the audience how you are credible, why they should listen to you.
IV. Present your information.
V. Remind them of the need.
VI. Remind them of the story.

The only thing I could come up with that corresponded to what I'm trying to do was deaf awareness, which I don't think is as big a problem as I presented it as. My presentation doesn't really reflect my perspective; it reflects my desire to get people involved.

In retrospect, I think what I did wrong was approach the entire thing a little too vigorously. Everything got a little distended as I tried to make it formal, business-like, attention-getting, involving, etc.

I'm pushing all pretenses aside. All I want is to get some feedback from deaf. I happen to have specific questions that hopefully you will be kind enough to answer. I'm the one who came up with the idea for the project. Originally, I was going to write articles myself, just to get our members more informed about ASL. Then I thought, "Wouldn't it be great to get it from the horse's mouth?" We decided to write questions on deaf culture and present it to actual deaf. Don't you think that's better? I could pose the questions to any number of the deaf I know personally, but I wanted to expand my horizons and contact YOU. Now, PLEASE, won't you help me with this project?

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Bottesini

But we have already helped you with your deaf awareness. You now know that deaf groups don't cooperate with strangers who rush in with a bunch of requests.

I bet if you had been participating here for a year or so and people were fond of you, you would have had a different result.

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It's a joke Nathan!

agentpigeon

If you'll pardon my saying so, helping strangers is a character quality that ranges from person to person.

I'm actually quite surprised at the response I've gotten so far. Like I said, I've been reading avidly here since last summer (half a year), but I haven't been posting so much because I don't have much to add to the conversation yet. I know you, but you obviously don't know me. (And before someone accuses me of it, I'm not claiming I know you deeply. )

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Mrs Bucket

For someone who claims to have been actively participating in Deaf culture should know that Deaf Culture and Deaf community and the knowledge of the Deaf always starts with a capital D.

Again.. the implications of poor grammar. You need to be extremely careful with gross generalisations especially if you are spreading Deaf awareness. If you are to help dispel the gross generalisations, you need to stop creating one.

You mention you haven't been posting much and now you return & post quite serious questions and quite demand us to answer your questions.

How can you expect us to react towards you?

You tell me.

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My new nieces/nephews are arriving soon!

agentpigeon

You've got me. I do know that, and you can see it used correctly in the document I linked to in my first post (https://docs.google.com/View?docid=ddm5246n_113hjvkvmfh). But I can offer no explanation as to why I failed to capitalize them in my posts here. I obviously haven't been typing the words "Deaf Culture" and "Deaf Community" often enough.

I agree. Generalizations are terrible and inaccurate (not to mention a logical fallacy! ). The subject should have remained unsaid.


Gladly. Whatever my expectations were, I obviously made a misjudgment. Please recognize me as an individual who has a voracious appetite to learn, harbors only good intentions and, despite his professed familiarity with Deaf, is apparently lacking in (at least) this area. Gently correct me, and tell me what approach I should take to 1) respect all involved, and 2) achieve my objectives.

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jaggedstone

I am hearing, but I can definitely understand where people are getting somewhat offended by your post -- honestly if I was Deaf/HOH your post would come off as a bit rude, though I think you are understanding that now everyone makes mistakes though.

I understand that you were taught a certain way from your professor on how to get people interested, but at the same time this is a public forum, and those techniques are almost unnecessary. Maybe your professor failed to mention (or perhaps he/she needs to learn him/herself!) the best places to use those kinds of techniques

Sometimes it's just easier to post around a bit, then ask for help in a separate post, and forget all of the "get the audience's attention" stuff -- many students come here looking for answers to papers, so people are definitely a bit hesitant to help/be as friendly.

I hope this makes sense/helps a bit. It's 5am and I haven't slept yet

jillio

I have a question. This "communications professor you speak of...is he/she hearing? Keep in mind that a hearing professor's advise on how to reach out to the deaf community and become involved in Deaf Culture is pretty much the same advise that anyone who doesn't have experience with, or involvement in, the deaf community is exactly what turned people off here. You are approaching things from a hearing perspective, and when you approach the Deaf/deaf community, you need to do it from a deaf/Deaf perspective. Otherwise, you come across as just another hearing person setting out to save the deaf.Deaf from themselves. Not the best picture to present if you are truly interested in learning. If you want to know how to address Deaf Culture and the deaf community, ask them, not a hearing professor with no experience in the deaf world. You say you have deaf friends. Perhaps they could give you some information regarding social and communication norms and values as they pertain to Deaf Culture.

missywinks

interesting post.

here in british columbia, the only people that spread deaf awareness amongst the hearing communities are the deaf people themselves. we have a hearing person working for the deaf access office, answering phones, but when she organizes presentations or educational workshops, she has the deaf person do it, or they co-present together where she offers a hearing perspective to deafness, while the deaf presenter, gives the deaf perspective. she never, never discusses deaf people's experience. i dont feel it is appropriate for hearing people to speak on behalf of the deaf community, and discuss our experiences as a deaf person.

agent piegon- i appreciate your interest in our language and culture, however, you are a visitor and will always be one. as a visitor, no matter how much we explain to you about our experiences, you will NEVER be able to fully understand. Therefore, you are not the best representative to speak on behalf of our community.

maybe you could try a different approach? work with the NCU ASL Club but you would need a good relationship with them first. Deaf communities across the country varies and it is always best to ask within your community. maybe you can write something from a hearing perspective, discussing your OWN (not other people's) experience learning about our culture and have a deaf co-writer add her/his perspective as a deaf person. that in my opinion, shows respect to our culture. i am curious to what others think!

jillio

I think that is an excellent suggestion, missywinks! And, I agree. It is respectful to the culture to address it in this manner.

KristinaB

This has been a very intering post to follow. I know I am new to my hearing loss, and I'm am learning quite a bit while on the forum. I am also glad to know that I am not the only one who needs to learn to be diligent as to what I read and do. Thanks to jillio, Bottesini, and the others who I am learning from each time I am here.

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KRISTINAB

agentpigeon

Thanks for being positive with me. I was feeling pretty down, but no longer. You make a lot of sense. I know I can never truly experience Deaf Culture as a deaf individual. That's one of the reasons I decided to try to get some answers to my questions from the "real deal" instead of doing my best to answer them from my own perspective, but we've already established that I went about it wrong.

I like your idea for a different approach (if I understand it right). So, I would write my perspective on the questions, and then ask one of my friends to write his/hers? I had hoped to have a bigger scope than just our local community, but I guess that's all right. I don't suppose anyone here would want to add his/her perspective, or give me feedback on what I write, or both?

I think some of my friends wouldn't really want to *write*, but would most likely let me "interview" them for some questions. How would you feel if I took what they said and wrote it into article form for them? What do you think?

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Mrs Bucket

Know what you could do? Write a short summary explaining your perspective as an "outsider" experiencing this approach (this forum) for your article.

You described feeling down as a hearing person wanting answers, yet you met rejection from the deaf community, put yourselves in our position. It's perfect as you can get to experience what we experience.

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Berry

agentpigeon person,

Old hearing guy here. I'd like to tell you what I see.

A young college kid hanging out with his friends who all think it is an adventure to learn about "other people", but the truth is you have never been out on the streets and you know absolutely nothing about the hearing community you believe d/Deaf people should want to impress and receive acceptance from.

You are so academically inclined that when you mention "people connected with the deaf community" you ask for (interpreters, university professors) not even thinking about "friends, family, co-workers, fellow students" who would probably have much more of value to offer.

I say you have never been out on the streets because if you had the basic error of your initial post should have JuMPeD out at you: It is patently racist, or it would be if the term deaf were replaced with Black, Mexican, Native American, or any other ethnic group.

What kind of reaction would you have expected then?

I think you got off easy.

Bottesini

Hi Berry. You don't speak often, but you do speak accurately!

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It's a joke Nathan!

society's_child

I think you're on to something, there..

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Tousi

While I appreciate the OP's intent, I'll slink out from under the microscope until the weather improves.

society's_child

So what you're telling us is that you're gonna do one of these numbers:

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Tousi

Society's child, really, I'm not one to run; just trying to inject a bit o' levity here.

jillio

Well said, and so very true! Glad to see you posting, Berry.

Berry

Blush:



Thank you.

agentpigeon

Thanks, everyone, for the good perspective, regardless of how uncomfortable it is. :red cheeks: And thanks for the hug, Mrs. Bucket; I needed that.

You are quite perceptive, Berry. O_O I am, perhaps, too enamored with and focused on academics. (Heh heh. Just last week I was insisting that this one sentence I wrote hit the audience a certain way because the important part was at the end, despite my Dad's insistence otherwise. He said it made him feel a different way! I got caught up in theories and overlooked the actual effect! Oops.) And I've not seen racism in action a whole lot, so I guess it doesn't jump at me (like you said) when I'm sounding like it, even if I don't mean to be it.

I'm a little bit puzzled at your saying (implying?) that learning isn't an adventure. Isn't it an adventure to learn? I want to learn EVERYTHING! . . . But you're right that I'm ignorant. That's why I want to learn.

I still would like some feedback on the ideas I threw out (and I do REALLY like your suggestions, Mrs. Bucket and Missywinks). But I'm not going to be on again until after Christmas. Don't bash me too bad while I'm away, eh? :wink:

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