Not all Deaf are at Gallaudet

We try to volunteer in the Deaf community as much as possible. We often ask people if they know any Deaf people or where they may live so that we may offer support and direction to community resources. Too often the answer is, "Ummmm...no...oh but you may want to try that Deaf college....Gallaudet." Ugghhhh!!!! There is so much more to the Deaf community than Gallaudet.

Please don't get me wrong, Gallaudet is the premier Liberal Arts University for those that use Sign Language. It is absolutely amazing, to be at a place that uses visual language. When people are learning a language, they are told to go to the country where that language is used. At Gallaudet, you can go to the "country" of ASL. It's like a little city of "Deaf space." Gallaudet is a beautiful thing.

However, there are many Deaf that do not go to Gallaudet. Does this make them less Deaf? Or does it mean they are deaf (to be clarified in a later blog). I interviewed one such person. Does this person share some or any cultural norms of the Deaf community?

This young lady was born 1989 in Nigeria. Imo Ambasie of State in Euguguiogu to be exact. She was brought here around the age of 13 or 14. But for her time in Africa, she attended a Deaf school, Kano River State.

When she came to America (she's been here for about seven years), she was placed in a mainstreaming situation at Eleanor Roosevelt High School. She graduated June 3, 2011. But can you imagine what she had to get used to? Coming from a Deaf school where EVERYTHING is accessible with the use of a visual language to now being placed in a self contained classroom with periods of time with non-deaf kids? Or can you imagine knowing British Sign Language but coming here and having to learn the manual alphabet. Or what about her friends? She had to leave her friends at such an age when friendships are forged to last into adulthood.

In her family there is her mom, dad, two sisters, two brothers, this young land, then a baby brother. To date none of them use Sign language. They communicate with each other by writing back and forth, pointing and gesturing and using the VP. One sister says she is interested in learning Sign Language and one of her brothers is planning to take it up in college next year.

But why hasn't this young one who has a supportive and loving family chosen NOT to attend Gallaudet? She states its hard to pass the SAT. So she has chosen to start at a local college. Also she is receiving training in Baltimore, MD at a program that teaches life skills and employment training. She is being trained for hotel work.

This young lady is such "the young person." She is interested in soccer, cooking Nigerian food, fashion, and helping others.

Can you see that although this young woman hasn't decided on Gallaudet University (not yet anyway) that she is still Deaf?

So when you think of Deaf/deaf, don't just think Gallaudet University.

Next blog, "What is the difference between deaf and Deaf?