Deaf Culture & Identity

Through a combination of portraiture and the written word, I aimed to illustrate the  impacts  that assumptions about Deafness has on individuals. This project features portraits of students at NTID (National Technical Institute of the Deaf) and their personal, handwritten responses about their experience of being Deaf and experiencing misconceptions.
"The world is gotta look at us as human who can sign and understand just as well as hearing."

"The world is gotta look at us as human who can sign and understand just as well as hearing."

"I can talk and use ASL. I learned oral when I was 5 at Deaf school."

"I can talk and use ASL. I learned oral when I was 5 at Deaf school."

"I am proud of being black deaf male"

"I am proud of being black deaf male"

"We're tired of culture appropriation of our language to show off"

"We're tired of culture appropriation of our language to show off"

"I wish that I was stronger in the past so I can just laugh instead of letting assumptions get to me."

"I wish that I was stronger in the past so I can just laugh instead of letting assumptions get to me."

The mainstream world say that I'm dumb and can't do anything. That's not true. I'm proud who I am."

The mainstream world say that I'm dumb and can't do anything. That's not true. I'm proud who I am."

"Hearing people thinks Deaf can read lips when really they can't. Hearing people think deaf people can speak when really we can't. How can we if we never heard a sound in our lifetime. Hearing will discriminate deaf if they can't speak at all."

"Hearing people thinks Deaf can read lips when really they can't. Hearing people think deaf people can speak when really we can't. How can we if we never heard a sound in our lifetime. Hearing will discriminate deaf if they can't speak at all."

"I alway proud of being Deaf. Because I like silent, ASL, implants, and support."

"I alway proud of being Deaf. Because I like silent, ASL, implants, and support."

"What I wish for mainstream world to understand is that deaf culture exist and many tend to overlook deaf as disability but it more than that thanks to its culture."

"What I wish for mainstream world to understand is that deaf culture exist and many tend to overlook deaf as disability but it more than that thanks to its culture."

"I feel as not easy to connected with mainstream world because I grew up in deaf school also have a bad experience to tramas bullying pshyical abuse in mainstream school."

"I feel as not easy to connected with mainstream world because I grew up in deaf school also have a bad experience to tramas bullying pshyical abuse in mainstream school."

"they try to bring me down and I won't let them do it by staying strong."

"they try to bring me down and I won't let them do it by staying strong."