Tag Archives: deaf

Deaf workers

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Many of us who are deaf and hard of hearing workers got the short term years of their experience job history.   I looked back in old times of years, I have met deaf who has good retired from their work.   This year, we not get any good or best retirement plan…reason economy poor and discrimination of deafness.  Why I did say discrimination of deafness is because of their communication and fear.

Communication is number one to understands.  Fear is second.  Many times, I heard they kept saying, “not know to deal with them.” and “can’t talk their language.”   Sign Language is like foreign language, Spanish or French.   Many people create the communication normal like always face with.    They have hire them for their motivation to work.   Not because they are deaf and cant speak their language.    Fear is everyone’s fear as always.  I know it is uncomfortable to meet anyone like that, but trust them as coworker.   Not just who they are.   They are alike normal human, race, religious, and gender.  

In old times, most of deaf jobs are like plumbing,  machinery,  and assembly.    Since my years in 70s to 2013 are different than I see in old times deaf workers does.   Deaf has degrees for Management, Doctor, Lawyer, and Businessman.   No one want them, they decide to work at retail stores or merchandise for part time.  Alot of them had SSDI (security social disability income) for their support and many time, they not like the idea because of their rejection of hiring on their experience history.    You know like hearing has Welfare for their support after laid off or no job. 

I have faced few interviews for the job and not find any that match my skills.  For example,  office duties, administrative support, and basically duty that no one wanted to hire me because of my deafness.    I worked in office for more than 20 years but some college credits with no degrees.   Hope that would help others and spread.

-DW

Brief from the diversity workshop

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Last conference weekend I attended to.  The workshop was talk about the diversity of deaf culture and what the face they has viewed of.   I watched all 5 panels sit where their details of their background like disability of Usher Syndrome, Italian,  Jew, Gay,  Elder and late Deafness individuals given speak of their experience of face in the world.

That is good opportunity for me to write on next book. This is briefly of what we discuss about.   That workshop is good education for any interpreters and teachers…..possible good for advocate  in the future.

Something is interesting is their theory of their experiences of their different culture that many people not realized that we are the same face but background has different story to tell.   For example, one person who is late deaf, he is also gay.  His gay is not the point but his point is late deaf in his life.   He felt that he is deaf when he was kid due to his tumor attack in ears that possible deaf.   He is hearing almost all of his life but when he get older in high school, his ears attack become worse.   The doctor told him possible to have surgery to removed or damage nerves to be full deaf.   His first choice to removed so he did.  Guess what, he is full deaf after surgery…of course, he upset for while because he used to be hearing same time he is happy to be deaf.

One person has US and deaf.  He admitted he ignore his US because he was embarrassed about his sighting within his deafness.   He not realized his US when he is in 20s.  His mother noticed him when he was about 10 yr old but he did not pay attention till later on.   He has limits of sighting but he can DRIVE during the daytime. 

I forget to add to this, deaf guy just told everybody that sex is sort of insult for LGBT is because of the gender identify.   Correction is sex/gender instead of sex because sex mean sex organism.

Deaf people has a lot of story to tell from their background, nothing can be compare the same, but Deaf.

– Deafwriter

girl with boy’s name

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You may will figure somewhere in your family ancestry,  find odd names in the past.  I have been known from my uncle who been researched over our family ancestry and find something awesome.  I read few women named boy’s name in my family ancestry, I actually recheck the name and it is fact.  My mother’s cousin has one and my father’s cousin has one, too.   I believe there is a lot women named in the past, for example, Michael as Mike.   Also, I overlooked female names in 1800’s and pretty odd names like initial name like my father, uncles or, aunt too.

I met deaf woman has boy’s name, I can not believe how she took the risk over her name.
One day, I read on the names list for camping and not realize the name was actual a woman. When she came and told me her name. I was like she had me brainwashed! Hehe, she is a girl with boy’s name. 

– DW

Need Video Remote Interpreting?

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It is very important for deaf and hard of hearing community to use VRI at doctor office or any business office where hearing meet deaf in uncommunition equipment for the meeting or discusses.  

Why use VRI is because they can be connects you to a highly skilled interpreter within minutes, they are fleible on time, no limited trips or scheduling conflicts.   Also, they provides back-up when things don’t go as planned and serves communities where interpreters are not available.

Where shall VRI used in a variety of settings, including but not limited to Medical,  Educational, Employment, Legal, Mental Health, Community and Government Agencies.

When is VRI available for Walk-ins, Brief Interactions,  Unscheduled Services, Regions with No Local Interpreters,  and Appointments or Meetings with Short Notice

VRI is a growing field. One popular application is in the hospital emergency room. In this setting, it is essential that patients and caregivers communicate readily with medical personnel, but it may take time for a live interpreter to arrive onsite. Hospitals with VRI capability can connect with a remote interpreter quickly and conduct triage and intake surveys with the patient or caregiver without significant delay. Also, employees who work in office settings are increasingly converting to VRI services to accommodate brief interactions or regular meetings which would be difficult to schedule with an onsite interpreter. Schools and business located in areas not adequately served by existing community interpreters can also benefit from increased access to professional interpreters and save the expense of vendor travel reimbursements.

Using VRI for medical, legal and mental health settings is seen as controversial by some in the deaf community, where there is an opinion that it does not provide appropriate communication access—particularly in medical settings where the patient’s ability to watch the screen or sign clearly to the camera may be compromised. This is balanced by many in the services and public services sectors who identify with the benefits of being able to communicate in otherwise impossible (and sometimes life-threatening) situations without having to wait hours for an interpreter to turn up, even if this initial contact is used just to arrange a further face-to-face appointment. Therefore, businesses and organizations contend that it meets or exceeds the minimum threshold for reasonable accommodation as it’s principle is built around offering “reasonable adjustment” through increasing initial accessibility.

Hear!
-DW

Republican deaf an gay?

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At first, I am speak for freedom and openly Democrat voter.   I am not correction anyone who is Republican or Independent.   I just want to speak out and hope understanding here.  I have seen Republicans who is gay, their opinion is strong alike Democrats.   I can understand their view of point and support what amusement is.   Democrats do same thing.

Deaf has same common of Republican and Democrat view of their beliefs.   I don’t blame them and it is right to vote to any amusements. 

Why am I write here is lot of people kept said, “they (diversty) has strong democracy theory.”  The diversty is not right primary for just democrats,  they can be independent or republicans theory.   I see blacks republic,  jew republic,  and mexican republic believes.   

I can agree with some of republic amusement which is right for eveyone, not just political party.

Now I can sign off…..
DW

You deaf?

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Why I ask?  Many times, I was asked “you deaf?”  Yes, sure I am deaf.  Other time, unfortunately I also was asked “you hearing?”  Haha but true!  I born profiund deaf and had total communication before ASL comes out.   I used oral with sign language but NO voice at all.   The deaf people thought I am hearing.  They should know I uses the sign language, of course obvious I am deaf.   The hearing people knew I am deaf and whisper a lot so no one understand me.  Many times, I was asking to interpreted for them, I would be totally lost! 

Why I am write here?  Lot of people thought all hard of hearing are HEARING like them.   I would say, “no, not all.”  Because of their life as deaf in their growing up social with deaf people and they considered themselves deaf too.   Most of people who are hearing loss in late year, can be hard of hearing because they knew how sound like or use the regular phase in their life.   

Let’s say about cochlear implants users who has been deaf at born and still DEAF.  They not aware how sound like or use the regular phase in their life.  They had speech therapy to understand them.  The people who has hearing loss in late years, will quality have CI because they can hear again.  We, deaf adults not like the idea for deaf kids to have CI in earlier years (in born to teenagers years) because the kids would not have good life in the future.  I mean they can’t play in rough sports or careless accident happens in earlier years.   You know how kids careless accidents happens offen, right?  That is not good idea. 

I know few deaf adults who had kids who also deaf and put the CI.

We were told that adults who has CI when they were kids, “they are not happy with their life because they can’t play like any kids.”  They are very self-conscious.   So will you ask them, “you deaf?”   Yes with their face smiled.

– DW

My Language?

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Few times, I was asked to see if I am from other country or what is the language I am using?  At first, let me ask.   When baby born and parents speak the first language to their baby.  The baby learn and speaks the first language before know second langauge when grow up? 

I was born and know the English language before Sign Language.   Okay, lets go back.  My parents not know I will be deaf or what I could be in the future or short.  They never learned by anyone teach them about sign language.   They teached me the English before start on signs at 3 or 5 years old.  I understand the English very perfect and sign language too.  Now run forward to now, I had gaps with my language that which I been misses some from my past.  My parents not want me to blame on language I am using on signs and English.

You might seen of your friends or families have few language that speaks different.   Their accents are different by its languages,  sign language?   Sign Language is also foreign language same as other second language.    English can be foreign because of oversea country learn our language, right?

I am survived to learn my language !
– DWSHANDSPEAK

Deaf Language

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I was told by my teacher from my classroom that, I should have make sentences in the right english language.  I was figure it out because sometimes, I ended up sloppy english language ine one day.   Other day, I was straight and in other, another day I would be out of my mind like throw my language that you never seen at ever!   That sound bad, so I better watch out that I am saying because I am deaf and not in english language.

I was think what I been done since I grad my high school in best english language ever I had.  What is happening to my language?  All are gone and my deaf language take over English!  I did had chance talk with hearing workers and my language hanging better.   When I am not around with hearing people and my language become deaf again.  Something interesting?  Practice to be perfect or not.  I better get back to my class and take my time to fix the language it should be for graded.

Lets get DOMA to work on

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DOMA is Defense of Marriage Act, million people stand up for the equailty and still stubborn congress officers on thin line that across the highest mountain to other.  DOMA put all LGBT and straight to fight for right to marry.  I have learned that straight couple want hold the wedding till that passes.  That is real awesome for them support for their friends and families sake.   LGBT has thank for all support and stand up for.  That means to all of them and it is show LOVE.  

Many times, they misunderstand about sex and gender who they are.  They got on them for wrongful and misunderstanding.  The subject of this are HATERS, and not respect them.

I was told by deaf people that they are struggled to get marry because they are deaf and mental illness.  Oh that is painful to hear that and it been fight for long time.   Now everyone can marry like this show that we all are fight for others.   Don’t you remember black and white?   Baptist and christian?  Asian and Mexician?  Deaf and hearing?  Think about it, let’s go and support your friends.

Have a stubborn day!

Career Center failes.

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I attend to Career Center for my fourth week for my unemployment check in.  I was told by friends these people at center did not respect for anyone who is deaf and unemployment.  The reason why, there is no intrepreter available to be on schudale for the deaf.  Also I read here in letter that they said they have TTD/TTY users and no one know how to use it.  I have hard time to understand the person saying.  Also, we told at front desk that we are deaf and other person never get the information that we are deaf.  How do we know?  By reading lip on my name calling.  Whew, it is hard to pay attention to my name. The front desk person never remind or post-it about client who is deaf. Before I leave the building, I saw the small sign on the door at enter said, “ucomm for the deaf and hard of hearing.”. I found nothing no one shown me or my partner about ucomm or TTY for the deaf.  No one know how to use them!  They are FAILED for the deaf community….