CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

Project Proposal

Mend
Email: embem.mitchell19@gmail.com

the
contact phone: 319-360-9213

gap
Other info at: DIAA.org

Between the
hearing and deaf
communities

Proposed by: Emily Mitchell

Index

index -1

Summary - 2

diaa -2

exposure to the deaf -3-4

Problem/solution -4

the deaf divide - 5

timeline - 6

references - 7

1
Summary
"Mend the Gap" is a project that involves a range of deaf and hearing
individuals in the Cedar Rapids area. This project will partner with DIAA
- Deaf Iowans Against Abuse- to inform the public about the deaf
community. They are hosting a Thanksgiving Feast for the deaf, an What is the purpose
obstacle course 5k (for both deaf and hearing) to "Wipe Out" domestic
of "Mend the Gap"?
violence in the deaf community, and take part in Giving Tuesday to
raise funds for their services to the deaf. In order to mend the gap with
the youth, third graders in the Cedar Rapids area will learn about the
deaf community and basic ASL signs.

THANKSGIVING
E O U T Celebration with the Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing

W P
ISTIC VdIOeaf
LE NCE Communities.

DO ME ur in o
unity.
m
com

"DIAA provides support services to help Deaf victims and

their families deal with the trauma of Domestic Violence,
Sexual Assault, Teen Dating Violence, Bullying, and/or
Stalking. All of our services are free and confidential.
What is . . .
Mission Statement: Our mission is to cultivate a safe,
informed and empowered community for Deaf
individuals, those with any type of hearing loss, and their
families, by providing culturally competent and fully
accessible services, advocacy and education."

2
Exposure to the Deaf- Why does it matter?
According to Schein and Delk, nearly 13 million people in America have some sort of hearing
impairment. Of that 13 million, almost 2 million are deaf. Many of these deaf individuals became deaf
at a young age and never went to speech therapy or didn't want to go to speech therapy
because they have pride in being deaf. This is a commonality in the deaf community. Because of
this, they never learned to use their voice, so they don't. This is when deaf services and basic ASL
can help make their lives easier.

"We have our own culture, our own community. A lot of

people don't realize that. They just assume that deaf people
are very unfortunate, very disabled, but no. "
-NYLE DIMARCO

This is Rickie. Rickie lived in Cedar Rapids for

several years. He became locally famous for
creating balloon animals, hats, and other creations.
Despite being deaf, he broke the barrier of
discomfort between himself (deaf) and others
(hearing). Preforming at birthday parties,
graduations, and even at the local "Play Station",
he kept himself very busy. On top of his party
entertainment business, he was very successful
working a night shift at Rockwell Collins, a large
corperation in Cedar Rapids.

To the right, is the sign that was taped to the top of the
balloon "menu". Having small children point to what they
wanted helped him communicate with the hearing world.
Now for a moment, imagine the joy and excitement brought
to Rickie's life when someone knew the sign for dog or
sword. This happened on few occasions, but when it did,
the smile on his face was priceless.

3
Exposure to the Deaf- Why does it matter?
Believe it or not, Iowa has several different deaf communities. Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, and Iowa City being a
few of the largest in the state. However, the deaf world is everywhere, and in fact, Dubuque itself has a deaf church
(Word of God Lutheran Church for the Deaf), which means there is a deaf community in the area!

Many individuals who are hard of hearing, deaf, or deaf-blind struggle to find jobs, order at restaurants, and carrying
out everyday tasks in a hearing world. In any occupation interaction with a HoH* or deaf individual is likely to occur.
Knowing basic sign is important for communication with individuals who face several challenges in day-to-day life.

*server, social worker, or working for a large or small organization

*Head of Hearing

Problem

Divide between deaf and hearing communities.

Difficulty of Deaf/DeafBlind/Hard of Hearing to
obtain help after sexual assault, domestic
violence, other violent crime.
Most Americans unaware of deaf community and
American Sign Language

Solution
Bring deaf and hearing together for events
Create a safe space for
Deaf/DeafBlind/Hard individuals to obtain
help
Teach young kids basic American Sign
Language

4
The Deaf Divide

For ages, there has been a divide between the hearing and deaf community. The gap exists
because several deaf individuals are born deaf, or soon after birth diagnosed as hearing impaired
(a term rarely used within the deaf community). Many of those born deaf, don't learn written
English until later in life.

English and ASL are different grammatically and different in form. American Sign Language is a
language designed for those who are deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind. Most people who do
not have any of these impairments don't know any ASL. This is a problem that makes everyday
life in America hard for those who are deaf.

Spanish, French, and German are all commonly taught in schools across America, yet very
rarely do middle schools or high schools teache ASL. ASL is the third most commonly used
language in America not counting English. Many people at least know how to say, "Hello, my
name is ____. Nice to meet you," in one of these three languages, however, ASL often gets
forgotten.

Living in a hearing world can be challenging for those who identify as deaf, deaf-blind, or hard of
hearing. Small communities are formed all over the globe for those who fall into this group.

One of the largest challenges someone who is deaf/DB/HoH can face is domestic violence,
bullying, sexual assault or other violent crime. The reason this is especially challenging for
someone in this community is because everyone knows everyone. This makes it hard for victims to
seek help. On top of this challenge, it is difficult to find a place anywhere that provides counseling
in ASL or for oral deaf individuals.

In fact, Deaf Iowans Against Abuse is the only organization in Iowa who serves the deaf victims for
free. They are able to do this through generous donations and state funding.

The deaf face enough challenges on a day to day basis, getting help should not be an additional
challenge for them.

5
timeline

6
References

Signgenius.com. (2017). How many Deaf People are in the USA by SignGenius. [online] Available at:
http://www.signgenius.com/sign-language/how-many-deaf-people-in-usa.shtml [Accessed 24 Sep. 2017].
YouTube. (2017). Deaf Balloon Artist Speaks Through His Art. [online] Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX6SKtGJkCE [Accessed 24 Sep. 2017].
DIAA. (2017). Deaf Iowans Against Abuse | DIAA. [online] Available at: http://www.diaaiowa.org [Accessed 25
Sep. 2017].
Schein, J. D., Delk, M. T., & National Association of the Deaf. (1974). The deaf population of the United States.
Silver Spring, Md: National Association of the Deaf.