04/23/2021
DEAF U: The Ism Controversy
By: LaToya Plummer
Photo by: Jewel Royalty
Whenever spotlight is shone on Gallaudet University, members of the institution and its affiliated communities typically respond with the combination of enlightenment and the irked frustration of getting untimely recognition. Members of the Deaf community have encountered challenges in presence and existence because of ignorance pertained to Deaf awareness. The notion to embrace opportunities that recognizes their presence as Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals. However, this new spotlight has cost further division and frustration within the Deaf community, a documentary that was supposed to shine a light on the diversity and uniqueness of Gallaudet campus turned out to be the match that lit the flame. Especially, when that dilemma is racial-related. Cue to the Netflix series of DEAF U. Featuring the several Deaf and Hard of Hearing students at Gallaudet, the series gave viewers insights of what their lives were like at Gallaudet. The selected students illustrated a painting of Gallaudet that would have put even the best painters to shame. A partying scene with black men chasing white women.
Prior to the release of the series, there was already a buzz about a documentary in the works pertained to Gallaudet. Without specifics, rumors swirled within the community about the possibilities. One thing was imminent. Nyle DiMarco, a Deaf actor who was one of America's Top Model winners and a graduate of Gallaudet, would have a significant role in the production. This triggered an anticipated response in the form of domino effect. Excitement erupted within. After the release, two entirely different types of responses were generated from the Deaf community. The white Deaf community saw the series as inspiring, beaming with pride that the school they attended was being featured. They perceived that the film earned a two thumbs up detailing what life was truly like for Deaf students at Gallaudet. However, the Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPoC) community were not the least bit thrilled. Underrepresented and often forgotten, the Black Deaf community reeled with astounding anger, constant frustration and heart piercing disappointment. Not only did the film intentionally ignore certain groups of students who are important parts of the demographics of the Deaf community, it also consisted of scenes that overtly disrespected the Civil Rights Movement and its icons. Famous for his “I Have A Dream” speech that took place in Washington D.C, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr had an important message from that speech. Because of the rights he believed Black people were entitled to, he told us of a dream he had. Including his children, Black people would not be judged based on their skin color. Instead, their characters would be at the forefront, attesting to whoever they choose to be. Rather than put an emphasis on that, the statement was riddled with fallacy and an attempt at humor that garnered no laughter from the Black Deaf community. In addition, these leaders already laid to rest turned over in their resting places. “Dr. King said I had a dream that all black men....” *laughter* Come again? WHAT?! One would need to rewind to make sure that was what was said.
It was and still is a known fact, that for the Black Deaf/HoH individuals to navigate the Deaf community daily, they also must deal with racism. Black Deaf people have always been patronized, belittled and pushed aside as if they do not matter. Black Deaf women face more scrutiny being triple marginalized- Black, Deaf and a woman. If anything, the film verified exactly that. And without mercy or consideration to the sentiments of the Black Deaf/HoH community. Thus, brings us to this question. What are the feelings and thoughts from the Black Deaf community when seeing the series? Collectively, it added insult to injury on top of the constant refusal to engage into an HONEST dialogue about racism, being racists, and finding ways to rid of them. By rid of them, it is a three-step unpacking process: Recognizing, acknowledging, and taking ownership. Typically, this does not happen because of perception from the white Deaf community that deafness somehow supersedes the privileges they knowingly hold and play key aspects to their ability to access into resources. Two panels were held in connection to the documentary. One consisted of black Deaf/HH students and the other one had professors and educators. The panel involving the students piqued curiosity of what the students really thought, as it was known that students are perceived to be the sincerest stakeholders of their academic futures.
Led by moderator Lorenzo Lewis, Jaleah Dortch, Aireyonna Crockett and Aubrey Moorman gave spectators the most authentic perspectives of the potential destruction for black Deaf/HoH students within the Deaf community. Ignorance has long seeped into the Deaf community when approaching the topic of race. White Deaf people are known to claim that racism does not exist nor that they are racists, while doing things and saying things that are. Placing accountability on them has always been a challenge. The opportunity to break it down in layman terms rarely comes. This was why the panel was an important game changer for their platform- that Black lives really do matter and why the documentary represented trauma. Moorman, Crockett, and Dortch unanimously agreed that the documentary should have no place in the Deaf community. Crockett pointed out that the film triggered issues concerning the Deaf community- racism, colorism and how black men perceive black women. As a black man, Moorman felt the anguish of his fellow black Deaf/HoH sisters. Based on his own personal experience, he has seen the utter disrespect of black women in general. Black Deaf/HH women suffer the double dose of disrespect. Like the other panelists, he was taught the value of being black, the dilemmas, and the importance of protecting black women. Grateful to have had the platform to get their voices heard, Dortch felt that the panel gave the others and her a safe place to express freely. To her, sharing the stage with the other students gave each other the confidence to take a stand.
When interviewing fifth-year English major, Jaleah Dortch one could sense her dignified pride as a black Deaf/HoH female. Her explicit understanding of what comes with that role is evident as she explains her thoughts and feelings about DEAF U. Along with the other panelists, she felt that the documentary did the Black Deaf/HH community a great disservice. Prior to the documentary coming out, the Black Deaf/HoH community did not hold its breath. For it had already anticipated lack of representation based on the community’s blatant disregard of diversity. “I knew with the Deaf Community values and its emphasis on elitism, they would film a certain few rather than having a diverse cast,” Dortch said. Expressing disappointment in the trailer, Dortch tried to give it the benefit of the doubt. After its release, her response was not of shock. It was as if nothing about the way white Deaf people moved within the community surprised her. “Where were the women of color? It didn’t include all types of Deaf people- women of color, Deaf people with extra disabilities and new signers,” Dortch said. “It only showed the lives of the standard profile of the white and Deaf.” Senior Victoria Crockett echoed the exact same sentiment. Hailing from Los Angeles, Crockett understands the value of representation and takes being reflective in inspiration as critical to her life as a black woman. “I learned that my walk of life is my own. It is not some make believe of workday standards of what black people should look like and how they should act,” she said. “All we have is our name and that stands for something with our identities. When you take that from us, that is misrepresentation.” Senior Ana Avalos is a Latina who is on a journey of understanding intersectionality and her identity as a Latina who is Deaf. Like many Gallaudet students and its alumni, they expressed excitement in the fact that the school was thrust into the spotlight. Initially, Avalos thought that the documentary would display aspects of the University in ways it would convince parents of Deaf and Hard of Hearing high school juniors and seniors to enroll them there. Instead of showing students navigating college while maintaining the overlaps of identities, the documentary showed excessive partying and black men portraying them as dogs who do not respect women. “There were no Latina women or men. No one in the film looked like me,” Avalos said. Up to the release of the documentary, Avalos expressed ignorance in recognizing how BIPoC were being perceived and treated in the Deaf community. Identifying herself as a fair skinned Latina, Avalos admitted that she had not encountered racism as often as she would have had she been a few shades darker, interjecting another issue-colorism- plaguing the BIPOC community. As a woman of color, she understands the pain and trauma the documentary represented for the black Deaf/HH community. “Like members of our community, black people were not represented accurately,” she said. When asked if there should be a series to the documentary, Avalos believed that there should be a chance of recognizing the fallacy in representation and fixing it.
Freshman Dajour Wallace from Chicago Illinois is a close friend of some of the cast featured in the documentary. When he heard that his friends would be featured, he was beyond elated. His friends were going to be a part of representing Gallaudet to the fullest. He expected for the documentary to spark discussion about the Deaf world and the people that live in it. What he did not expect- the backlash from the BIPOC community, especially his brothers and sisters. Like Avalos, Wallace is on the journey of self-discovery, learning about his identity as a black Deaf man in a predominately white Deaf community. Where he came from, racism was seldom at the forefront. It was not talked about much, therefore recognizing its presence was not of importance. The backlash was a teaching moment for him. While he asserts his loyalty to his friends who he says meant no harm, he is coming to terms with the sentiments many black Deaf/HoH women shared with him. “They did not talk to us about racism or what I was up against in life as a black man,” Wallace said. “Because of that, things like Deaf U and how it was portrayed flew over our heads.” According to Wallace, one of the characters, Rodney, is hilarious beyond comedy. “He [Rodney] could make a joke out of anything,” Wallace said. Also a friend of his, Daquan played a character he found all too familiar because of his own experience at home. Despite having to relate with Daquan on that aspect, he agreed that the I have a Dream comment he made was disrespectful. “I was kind of disappointed.” He noticed something significant- black women were missing from the documentary. “Where were they?” He pondered. “Gallaudet is much more than just parties and dates.” An avid sports lover and an athlete himself, Wallace felt that important parts of the Gallaudet community were not being showcased. “We have education, a variety of sports, and organizations. I did not see any of that,” he proceeded.
When asked if Deaf U should be around for the second season, Dortrich was understandably hesitant. “Include actual representation. Deaf+ and the BIPOC Deaf communities. Because we exist,” Dortrich We have our own culture, language, and values. In addition to ideas, we also have stories.” Rumors twirled around about the identity of the director who filmed the documentary. Unconfirmed sources said that it was a black woman who directed it. Thoughts were shared regarding that specific claim. Dortrich believed that to be a tactic. If the claim was true, then the cast should have been diverse. However, it could also be an attempt to save face and lay blame on a director of color. Avalos believed that there should be a chance of recognizing the fallacy in representation and fixing it. Wallace believes that with his two friends cast, the documentary can do way better. “It needs to really represent us as a Deaf community,” he said.
It is safe to say that the university has a long way to go when it comes to accountability pertained to race. The issue of racism and its trauma on those who are on the receiving ends of it needs to be at the center of the dialogue pertaining to community advancement. The Deaf community cannot advance when it is not inclusive and refuse to acknowledge the damage. Until every aspect of the Deaf community is valued and respected, not all lives matter.
[Image description]
Solid blue background. Two hands- Yellow and Blue- forming into hand shapes “U” and “palm facing up,” creating the sign TRUTH. “Deaf U” is capitalized in bold blue and outlined in yellow above the satellite image of Gallaudet and its surrounding neighborhoods. Two bisons- a female and a male- posing next to each other, his left hand and her right hand on their hips. The female bison is in a yellow shirt, brown khakis and yellow shoes. The male bison is in a blue t shirt, brown khakis, and yellow shoes.
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