Close your ears and open your eyes to the reality of people who are deaf next Tuesday, September 24.
Drive-throughs, phone calls, shopping at the grocery store—these day-to-day experiences aren’t the same for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. But next week at Deaf Deaf World, you will have the opportunity to navigate the hearing world as an individual who is deaf might.
Attendees will be able to try simulations of buying a snack at the grocery store, going to the post office, and mailing a letter without speaking or hearing, explains WVU ASL English interpreter and transcriber Rachel Lanham. “They’ll have to do that by getting a little bit creative and using some basic signs as well as other tools that deaf people use when navigating the hearing world,” she says.
Deaf Deaf World’s goal is to provide insight and exposure to those who might not know much about the language and culture of the Deaf community. Lanham wants to encourage others to learn some signs and feel more comfortable interacting with the deaf in Morgantown. “The Deaf community is really excited about it, too,” she says. “It is an opportunity to allow the hearing population here a kind of insight into their world.”
You can attend this free event in the Milano Room at WVU’s Downtown Library on Tuesday, September 24, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
READ MORE ARTICLES FROM MORGANTOWN LOWDOWN
READ MORE STORIES FROM THE MORGANTOWN FALL 2024 ISSUE