A change is gonna (going to) come
She twirled her fingers at us, writing in the air with dancer’s fingers. Then she wrote with a borrowed pen (all pens are borrowed) on the bar napkin in front of us “I AM A DANCER. ARTIST.” She also added, “ANGER” above “DANCER” and grimaced and smiled at the same time. We are in a [...]
Keyboard and Measuring Tape (Two Poems)
Keyboard I long to impart words all my own, but his stubby fingers do the talking. He’s way too dull. I’m kaput from input. I’m a punctual email, a simple “thanks,” a click on “send.” Or I’m saved for later. I’m lucky if he fires an angry note to his boss. The sharp jolt of [...]
The N-Word terrorization: To boldly go where black men are not welcome
I woke up this morning to a lovely conversation about the N-Word. I immediately had this idea about the word. The idea is to terrorize using the N-Word. Before I delve into terrorizing using the N-Word, I want to share the conversation with you. The conversation began with a thought about the evolution of [...]
Word Lens revolutionizes deaf travel
This is the first in a series of articles about technology, culture, and the Deaf. If you have any good tips about new technology that is beneficial to Deaf and Hard of Hearing people, please let me know. Word Lens is a iPhone application that does one thing, and one thing well — it is an [...]
I am a man in a hoodie and Trayvon Martin didn’t have to die.
I am a Black man in my hoodie. I live in Washington, D.C. I am Hard of Hearing (HoH). I am educated. I am a man, brother, father, uncle, friend, and a human being. No matter what propaganda is put in the media about the Black man to defame, demolish, squash, belittle, or portray me [...]
National Public Radio’s Article on Cochlear Implants–Heavily Biased?
Many of the comments under the article on cochlear implants that appeared on National Public Radio’s (NPR) website on April 8th, 2012 claim that it is heavily biased in favor of cochlear implants, and poorly researched. Also of note are two remarks by Dr. John Niparko, an expert in the field, and the lack of [...]
The Republic of You
Do you think it shocking that when I turned eighteen I found my vote never existed no of course not why because according to the republic of you i’m an unfit child I’m an unfit mother Do you think we didn’t notice how ironic it’s a corporatocracy that ordering at a mcdonald’s is much [...]
You Pray They Fall Right
I built a rope swing for my son Jack the other day. Not the world’s safest creation… yet. The tree is old and gnarly—it’s possible his weight (increasing hourly) could yank the whole branch down. Or the knot could slip, though I tied it seven times. Or he could fall again as he did [...]
Finding My Name Sign
My first name sign was given to me by a hearing person. The A handshape tapped squarely in the feminine area on my cheek. It weathered years in a mainstreamed classroom, and traveled with me to the deaf school in eighth grade. The deaf school was also my eye-opening immersion into Deaf culture and [...]
Deaf Spotlight/Seattle Film Festival (March 30 – April 1, 2012)!!!
Seattle, WA- GET YOUR TICKETS FOR THE SEATTLE DEAF FILM FESTIVAL! Eleven different, exciting, and inspiring programs, including five feature-length films, will be shown at the Seattle Deaf Film Festival, beginning Friday, March 30th, and ending Sunday, April 1st, 2012, at Kane Hall 120 on the University of Washington campus. It is [...]