Interview: Group brings together D.C.’s deaf Latinx community
By hola | Published | No Comments
Cultural identity is comprised of many different facets, a well-established reality in the Latino world, where being bilingual, bicultural or biracial is the rule rather than the exception. For some groups, such as deaf Latinos and Latinas, identidad comes along with even more complexity. Celebrating this unique identity inspired the formation of the Latino Deaf and Hard of Hearing Association of the Metropolitan DC Area, Inc.
We interviewed the group’s president, Bregitt V. Jimenez, to learn more about D.C.’s Deaf Latinos/as organization and how to get involved.
HC- How did the group get started?
The Latino Deaf and Hard of Hearing Association of Metropolitan Area D.C. was founded in 2005 by Franklin Torres (Peru), Elvia Guillermo (Mexico), and Leticia Arellano (Mexico).
HC- What was the impetus and how has it grown since then? Do you have to be deaf or hard of hearing to join or do you also invite family members and friends?
Franklin, Elvia and Leticia believed that there are many energetic, talented Latino Deaf people who wanted to achieve a better life and education. The group went to Albuquerque, New Mexico during the summer of 2005, and was trained by leaders of the National Council of Hispano Deaf and Hard of Hearing (NCH-DHH). Co-Founders Franklin, Elvia and Leticia established an organization in DC, which is affiliated with the NCHDHH.
“The addition of young, talented, bright persons to our organization was a direct benefit,” according to Roberta Rieck, Legal Action of Wisconsin.
LDHHAMDC is a successful organization with more than 110 members in the DC area. You do not have to be Deaf or hard of hearing to join, people who identified themselves as Latino and fluently use America Sign Language are more than welcome as well!
HC- What is the organization’s mission? Why it’s important to have a group where Latinos who happen to be deaf, can enjoy shared culture?
At last fall’s soccer tournament. Event photos courtesy of Gabriel Arellano
“The mission of Latino Deaf and Hard of Hearing Association of the Metropolitan DC Area, Inc. (LDHHAMDC) is to support the Latino Deaf community by providing services, education and advocacy that promote independence, opportunity, accessibility, and social network.”
It is important to have a group where Latinos, who happen to be deaf, can enjoy shared culture because most of Latino folks come from hearing families that have some communication barrier at home. Therefore they do not have access to information, whereas hearing Latino families speak and information about culture values, language, etc., can be shared verbally, deaf Latino folk are not able to learn about this cultural richness that same way. So we are here to exchange information regarding our culture, language, values, and more.
LDHHAMDC is an opportunity for people to join and enrich their identity as Latino through communication (American Sign Language). For Deaf Latinos, becoming part of the Deaf community can mean losing the Latino part of themselves. We do not want that happen to again, so LDHHAMDC is an opportunity for Latinos finding ways to claim both identities as Deaf and Latino.
HC- When it comes to culture and personal identity, how would you describe the deaf Latino experience?
Deaf Latino experiences: There are many different kinds of experiences. I come from Latino hearing family who fluently uses Spanish language at home. I identified myself as Latino when I enrolled into Gallaudet University because all information regarding my culture at home was informed in spoken language which I don’t received because I cannot hear (no language accessibility). I finally learned about my culture when I joined the Latino Student Union organization at Gallaudet University, where I had an opportunity to meet other Deaf Latinos. Therefore we communicate through American Sign Language. And they explained everything about our culture. It was an enriching experience for me. I was overwhelmed. After some months, I finally started to identify myself as Latino at the age of 19.
For other members of our group, each experience is a little different. Leticia Arellano, for instance, comes from third or fourth generation of Deaf family and her background on identity is completely different from mine. I think it would be so awesome for you to interview her to see the difference between a child from Hearing Latino Family and Deaf Latino Family!
HC- How people can find out about your group and upcoming events? Do you have a big event coming up that you’d like to mention?
Social Media is the key to recruiting however we also use word of mouth to spread the word among the Latino community.
If you’d like to learn more, please visit the group’s website.
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