Dr. Lissa Stapleton (Deaf Studies) and some of her students presented at a Deaf People of Color conference in July. Below is her account.
We attended the Deaf People of Color Conference in Austin, TX July 20-24th. Six students attended, Jaleesa Herrington, Stacy Jones, Rarity Lemons, MJ Jones, Jasmine Ruffin, and Tyler Pugeda. William Garrow and I are the faculty members who worked with three students (Jasmine, Tyler and MJ) in a year long Deaf Studies Scholar-N-Training Program funded by the CTL grant that lead to a co-presented paper on our research entitled "Where are the Interpreters of Color? Understanding Racial Diversity within Interpreting Training Programs.” The three students lead the presentation with me and all the students helped facilitate a community wide discussion on the themes of the research. A little over 100 people attended the conference and it was a real learning opportunity for all of us. I have attached pictures and here are a few quotes from the students about their experience:
- Going to the DPOC was an AMAZING experience for me. I knew that there was POC, but never knew that DPOC exists until I went to the conference. This really open up my eyes and hopefully I can pave the way for DPOC to strive to be the best they can!
Herrington, Jaleesa - Attending the DPOC conference definitely exposed me to other issues that aren't yet mainstreamed (this is because they are rarely discussed, for example, at the NAD conference or Facebook). If Iremember correctly, the trend of Deaf children of color has been growing quickly in educational institutions in the past decade -- Deaf children of color have now become the majority in the classroom in the United States. Oftentimes, Deaf children of color feel distant from their Deaf white teachers due to lack of cultural sensitivity, which can inversely and negatively impact their academic performance. But, we still face this ongoing issue: there is a very, very small number of DPOC teachers. I didn't realize this issue until the DPOC conference! As a result, I am glad to have gained several new perspectives on the importance of having DPOC teachers in elementary, middle, and high schools.
Pugeda, Tyler - As a participant at the DPOC, this was my first time attending a Deaf conference, let alone a conference with Deaf People of Color. The conference was well-organized, with great presenters discussing pertinent issues within the Deaf community-pertaining to DPOC, that further heightened my understanding. In particular, Dr. Stapleton's research team presentation about the lack of hearing interpreters of color within the field was my personal favorite, because I am on the path to become a certified interpreter myself. However, I realize the many barriers that exist and prevent hearing interpreters of color from actually achieving this goal. Moreover, I met people representing a demographic variety with different signing styles. Lastly, although I some reserves throughout the conference regarding particular topics and communities represented within the Deaf People of Color population, I was able to expand my perspectives on different issues and topics regarding DPOC.
Rarity Lemons - As an ASL interpreter of color, attending the Deaf People of Color (DPOC) conference provided me with opportunities to build new connections with DPOC scholars, academic leaders, and communities members. This wonderful experience, has allowed me to provide the best interpreting services possible and to work in solidarity with all Deaf community members but specifically Deaf POC communities.
MJ
