Monday, February 17, 2020

What It's Like To Be Deaf? An African American Man Shares Remembrance Of His Childhood & Teen Years

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a video blog by De'Angelo Brown, a Deaf man who shares some remembrances of his childhood and teenage years. In this vlog De'Angelo Brown encourages families to be more supportive of their Deaf children than his family was.

This post also features a few comments from this video's discussion thread.

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The content of this post is presented for cultural and educational purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to De'Angelo Brown for sharing his remembrances with us and thanks also for his advocacy on behalf of Deaf people. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to De'Anglo Brown for publishing this vlog on YouTube.

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SHOWCASE VIDEO LOG (VLOG)- What is it like to be DEAF?



Iamdeffamilia, Feb 20, 2013


Hi! My name is De'Angelo Brown.

Thanks for watching!


[...]

This VLOG is to educate the hearing people and help spread the awareness about our Deaf culture. The VLOG part two coming soon but If you have any stories to share what you or someone you know went through similiar experience and want to make a VLOG please email Iamdeffamilia@gmail.com and I can be reached at hangouts by using that email as well.


I hope to stay connected with every one of you!! ---Def Familia
-snip-
I didn't include the two social media links that are given in this summary because they are no longer operable.

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Here are a few comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. Doffloffle27, 2013
"This is going to sound cheesy, but I honestly started trying to learn sign language because of the TV show Switched at Birth. But honestly, as I researched more into Deaf culture and language, I've found I've really come to have such an appreciation and respect for it. I couldn't imagine how difficult it is, yet I've seen so many Deaf people share their stories throughout which they're so positive. Rather than being pessimistic about their circumstance, they don't let it hinder them at all and so many of them come out with such amazing character! I think it would be really beneficial if it were possible for hearing people to try to go just one week without hearing. I think their perspective would really change and they'd be able to understand and respect Deaf people much better. I'm hoping to spend a part of my future helping to educate Deaf children as they grow up, and give them the love and support they need and that their families might not always provide simply because they don't know how. Keep being strong and confident in who you are! :) You're awesome!"

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2. Darin McIntier, 2014
"Awesome video. I am the father of a deaf or HOH child. I never know which is the more appropriate to say. My son is 15 and hears 'well' with his hearing aides. He hears well enough that I often forget about it. Your comments about asking what they said in a movie or TV show really hit home for me. I am really big into the 'tempo' of a show or movie. I don't like to pause or interrupt the movie for anyone (ask my wife) - much less my son who has hearing aides and an FM system that is directly connected to the Audio system. I often tell him to put his "ears on" whenever he isn't wearing his hearing aides and starts interrupting the show with questions about who said what. Your video has opened my eyes to just how offensive that must be to him. I am trying to raise him to be independent in a hearing world, but I should be more sensitive to his needs than that. I really do thank you - your video has made a difference for this ignorant hearing father."

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3. Tiffany Madden, 2014
"I'm deaf I know what is like when I was growing up hearing people bully me jump me because I was nice different but they know I was deaf they did not care about so they bully me and the hearing teachers did not care about it I got jump so I got home on the yellow bus I cry all the way home to tell my mom what happened my mom is hearing my family is hearing I'm the only deaf one in the family my mom was happy to have a deaf baby girl my dad was not okay with me born deaf my dad not in my life so my mom family teach me how to read lips understand what they say so being deaf in school with hearing kids was hard my mom fight the teachers for not giving me classes to learn understand my mom push the school to give me a try in different classes my mom said to me in front of the principal don't never let a hearing person say you can't do anything because you you are very smart . so what that my child is deaf my mom said my daughter deaf but all the hearing teachers did not wanna have me in there classes my mom stand by me and said to everyone you are going to give to teach my daughter the teachers was scared of my mom because see fight for me and she love me just the way I am so teach gave me a try in there classes they were shock I understand what I was doing my mom said my daughter us just like other kids but difference in her own way as deaf is beautiful to watch my daughter sign language in school I was still bully but that did not stop me from coming to school I teach some hearing kids sign language they wanna learn what is like to sign I said to the hearing kids you want to learn from me sign I laugh so I teach them I never been to a deaf school I learn what is like to be a hearing teenager but I'm still deaf forever I don't wish to be hearing because I like being deaf my mom always told me fight back at the hearing don't let them put you down like your dumb or something you are a smart baby girl I ever had my mom said she smile at me and hug me the end .so now I'm a woman 2014 I'm proud to be deaf I thank my mom for everything in my life she helped me stay strong woman my mom teach me to understand the outside world hearing people I thank my for standing by me.:-) :-)

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4. AleahKCH, 2015
"I just wanna cry and hug this guy, not because that happened to him, but because he overcame so much (and he's pretty attractive). I hate that he barely even had his family in his corner, but he gained a new family at his school that gave him so much. His sense of pride is so admirable... I just love this video!"

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5. Dannette Lira-Anderson, 2016
"Curious.. when are you planning to make part 2 vlog? I showed your video to my ASL class. They have learned a lot from you! Even share this information to hearing parents with deaf child. :-)"

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