Does It Make You Think?

This is the poster that I am using to promote deaf awareness and education. If you have not already, join Listen, Sign, Love on Facebook. 

A New Way To Speak...

    Sign language is very easy to learn, most of the signs being self explanatory and very easy to remember. If you are interested in learning, a good way to learn any language is to start with the alphabet. You will be surprised how quickly you will be able to associate the signs with the actual letters. A good exercise to help you remember is to have a conversation with a friend by just using sign letters. At first it will be difficult, but as you practice it will start to come naturally. Did you know that there are actually people who choose to speak sign language but aren't actually deaf? This is a way of embracing Deaf Culture. If you are serious about learning sign language or if you just want to learn a couple signs ASL Pro is an excellent website to look into.

ASL Pro: http://www.aslpro.com/

Real Life

      

         One of the most challenging thing any one can do is reach adulthood alive and well. For most, thats easier said than done. This episode of MTV's Real Life: Im Deaf creates a realistic portrait of how two youths deal with their everyday lives. Follow the link to see the full episode or a preview. 

Preview:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKJo-krJJNY 

Full Episode: http://www.mtv.com/videos/true-life-im-deaf/1590956/playlist.jhtml

I recommend this for people who are curious about the everyday lives of the deaf.

Together Forever

       Family life for Deaf people can prove to be rewarding but at times extremely difficult. Every situation is unique, but a very common one is to have hearing as well as deaf in your immediate family. Genes are tricky little things, so you never know if a child of a deaf parent will be able to hear or will be deaf. Some hearing learn english as their second language, sign language as being there first. In these types of families, everyone works together to help each other out. The hearing usually have to help out with extra tasks to help compensate for their deaf family member. This includes translating. Here is a little peek at a family and what their life is like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-Gc85nQK8w

Personally, this video opened my eyes to how strong a family bond really is. The secret is love.

Art Through New Eyes

      

       Whether you have ever pondered the concept of the Deaf or if it is entirely new to you, I’m sure we can all agree that the subject is one that isn’t usually considered often. Most reason that there really isn’t much to it. But on the contrary, there is an immense crowd with a passion for Deaf culture and those in it. The definition of culture is the totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought.  That means that The Deaf have a society that is distinctive in its arts and interactions. Deaf art is tremendously meaningful. Like any other art form, art provides a window into the soul of the artist and reveals what he or she is feeling. One famous deaf artist that is extremely influential in Deaf culture is Chuck Baird. He was born with moderate deaf and has created hundreds of works like the one above. For more info on him, the cause and his foundation, visit http://chuckbairdfoundation.org/ 

    For more artistically inclined people, visit http://www.rit.edu/ntid/dccs/dada/authorize.htm 

    This is a great site to see some art by deaf students and to hear their stories.

A Whole Different World

                Usually, when people think of the Deaf, images of silence and isolation fill their minds.  What do you think of? If you have ever been exposed to the Deaf, you know that they can be far from that. In fact, they are some of the most eccentric and expressive people around. They communicate in one of the most intimate languages known to man, sign language. Most deaf people view being deaf not as a disability, but as an entirely different human experience. In reality, deaf people can do most things Hearing can, minus one thing, but really they gain another. A whole new world is theirs to explore, and is perceived in different ways just like those with hearing.

                A positive attitude toward deafness is common in Deaf culture. It usually isn’t considered a condition that needs fixing. People take pride in the way they experience the world that they live in. The purpose of this blog is to create knowledge and awareness about the Deaf to the general public. In further posts, I will explore elements that are intertwined with Deaf culture.  

              This is an EAST based project. The EAST Initiative is a nonprofit organization that provides new ways of learning for modern students. For more info about EAST visit http://www.eastproject.org/