By Alok Doshi
A professor in my MBA program once told me that that I have a bright future but not a career in Investor Relations. Investor Relations requires constant contact with investors and the Wall Street Community. She implied that my deafness could be an impediment.
My deaf MBA friend, a finance manager, is in contact with international sales, marketing, and finance teams. He uses VRS and VI – Video Interpreting services. His company was generous in providing this support.
Alison Kaftan’s Blog, “Worlds Apart: Divergences in Perspectives on the Protest” articulates the different perspectives on the Gallaudet protests very well. However, I get the sense that it’s deeper than just the presidential selection – it is about where we are headed in the future.
The deaf community (hard of hearing, oral, and culturally deaf) have successfully fought for our civil rights – legislation is in place that prevents discrimination and promotes accessibility (captioning, relay, and interpreters). Granted – the rights we have achieved are not perfect but the groundwork is there. What’s next for us? Social and cultural rights.
Fortune magazine publishes an annual list of 50 most powerful women in the corporate world. Pepsi just hired an India-born woman as their CEO. Colin Powell and Condi Rice have been mentioned as possible presidential candidates.
What about a deaf doctor becoming the Director of National Institutes of Health? A deaf General Counsel of a Fortune 500 company? A deaf CEO at IBM?
Yes, we have some successful deaf people: Marlee Matlin, Heather Whitestone, Ben Soukup; however they are isolated examples. We should be farther along than this.
In short, deaf people face a tremendous obstacle called “glass ceilings”.
My alma mater RIT/NTID has seen its graduation rate rise; academic standards improve and job placement rate increase for deaf students. There is a culture of trust between the administration, faculty, staff and students.
Can Gallaudet achieve that?
Like it or not, the president of Gallaudet doesn’t just run the University, he/she also plays a major influential role in the nation and the world. That person can educate society by helping others understand that deaf people can do everything but hear (a cliché but true). The president has to go beyond the different factions of the community and help us all break through the glass ceiling. In order to do that, he/she must have the support of the community.
How do we prepare future deaf generations to become successful corporate, government, and academic executives? We as a minority group must achieve economic and political power. That’s the underlying reason that is motivating the people involved in the protests at Gallaudet – to move the community in the right direction instead of maintaining the status quo.
Alok Doshi is in the management program at the National Institutes of Health. A MBA graduate from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, Alok is also a RIT graduate. During his free time, Alok likes to perpetuate the deaf poker craze at the National Deaf Poker Tour.
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Alok,
Great blog entry! Well said.
BTW, I met you before, right? I am a good friend of Steve Carey’s…
Gallaudet is mainly a teacher’s college. I would daresay that 50% or more of its graduates go back to the deaf community, i.e., institutions, group homes, and the like.
Unfortunately, the culture at Gallaudet is not optimal for hearing/deaf interaction, thus there is no chance, if any, for its students to understand the importance of human relations and the need for the deaf people to work extra hard at maintaining this. In fact, there is a great distrust of hearing people and this carries over to everything they do, think, and want.
Granted, there are Gallaudet graduates who are able to do this, i.e., Stephen Hlibok, but the painful truth is that in its current form, Gallaudet will not help its graduates succeed in the ‘real’ world.
Ironically, Jane Fernandes wants Gallaudet to get out of this ‘rut’ but she’s in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I guess the whole point is: the culture at Gallaudet is like a bubble-boy mentality–sheltered from everything ‘hearing.’ Unfortunately, this IS NOT the way to go if one wants Gallaudet to prosper in the ever-changing world.
I totally agree. However, there are bright students at Gallaudet and professors who can help them deal with the real world. Dr. Fernandes may have the right idea to get Gallaudet out of this “rut” but just like in sports or corporate world, you need a leader who will know how to get the community to buy in the plan to get out of the “rut”. It can be done.
However, the main goal of my post is to open a dialogue on this and see if people there do really want to get out of this “rut”?
So, in light of the protests and its implications, do you think Gallaudet will ever get out of this rut? I don’t think so.. it will only reinforce the mentality they have right now.
I don’t know…
I’m both inspired and depressed by the protests. I’m glad that the students/faculty are standing up against the corrupt administration but the long term implications are depressing…
I don’t know…. I guess I will shut up for now.
“Gallaudet is mainly a teacher’s college. I would daresay that 50% or more of its graduates go back to the deaf community, i.e., institutions, group homes, and the like.”
I agree. This is because of the said glass ceiling. There’s nowhere to go and not everybody have the energy or the will to fight the system. When you have been doing it for 30 years it get tiring. I know it’s not an excuse but guess what, we are human beings.
Alok - excellent thoughts
I strongly disagree.
I am personally earning a six-figure income at IBM. Of course, it requires for me to interact with IBM clients, the vast majority who does not know sign language, much less ASL. Currently, I only know of one other deaf employee at IBM, and he works in Australia. He’s huge in his deaf community, though.
I know of many of my peers from NTID/RIT who are also in well paying positions, especially positions they are very happy with.
True, people like myself are huge pioneers in our positions, but here’s the thing: It was people at Gallaudet back in 1980 that claims that the best that my parents should expect from me is a vocational job.
That type of attitude is so self-defeating. Please stop thinking that there’s nowhere else to go, and look at the entire world as your own personal playground. The more we all get into the fields we love and enjoys, the more opportunities will open up.
Remember, you don’t even have to know how to speak. One of my dear friend absolutely do not speak, but he’s one of the most respected system administrators among the hearing world, so much that he’s being recruited all the time. He’s also fiercely loyal to his company, wart and all.
Why are there no deaf people in power? Because there’s not enough of us to actually push to be in those positions. There are MILLIONS of hearing folks competiting for those jobs too, you know?
Why do I fight? Because it is MY life. It is MY future. It is MY happiness I seek. I have my own goals that requires a lot of work to achieve. The same is true for everyone, really. Yes, I am incredibly selfish, but then… it’s far better than asking for handouts, don’t you think?
Well said! Hands waving!!!!
If you take Organizational Behavior 0102-430 (Bachelor level) or 0102-740 (Master level) at RIT, then you will hear that corporate/organizational culture is VERY important.
Big time.
BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG TIME.
It’s such a bunch of utter bullshit that EVERYONE have to wade through. It is so unfair, and even more so for deaf people. You have to interact in noisy environments, with people who love to wear mustaches, doesn’t even bother looking at you, and all **** like that.
But we have to do it if we want to be where we want to be.
I have a new friend who is a teacher, and she bitches to me about how crappy education is, and all the stupid things she have to do these days. Guess what? EVERY SINGLE TEACHER have to do just about as much stupid things as she does. It’s not surprising that 50% of the teachers drop out within the first 5 years (or whatever statistical figures that is being thrown around.) Is it right? Is it wrong? Who knows.
But it’s something that you just have to deal with, whether hearing, deaf, white, colored, man, woman or whatever.
I’m a deaf professional and I have encountered the glass ceiling so I applaud Alok bringing up the subject. The only answer that I know is to work twice as hard as anybody else and maintain social interaction both with your peers and bosses and don’t be afraid to let them know that you’re interested in getting promoted.
Of course, you will face many questions about how you can accomplish the responsibilities that you are seeking, including comments such as — this job requires a lot of telephone communication, how do you handle that?
Sigh.
There is no easy answer all the way around. I would be interested in listening to what other people have to say.
Oh, there is another factor as well. Some deaf people are simply content to be where they are in terms of career and finances and have no aspirations beyond that. Others, like Alok, I guess, have every intention of achieving managerial status plus a lot more. This personality issue also has to do with social intelligence. Studies show that people who are outgoing and confident are more successful career-wise than those who are introverted and withdrawn. Of course, the deaf aspect doesn’t help either.
This is being what’s done in the UK. I wonder why this hasn’t been implemented in the States yet. It’s called “instant captioning” in which the deaf or hard-of-hearing user can use a PDA, a handheld, or a laptop with telephone conversations, meetings, teleconferences, and interviews.
http://www.teletec.co.uk/captel/WebCapTel.pdf
http://www.teletec.co.uk/capte.....aption.pdf
If I recall, I first heard about CapTel from some UK website too. I was part of the CapTel trial for Federal employees in the US, and now it’s available in most states. I love 2 Line CapTel. Web CapTel sounds awesome! I only use my laptop and Sidekick at home, no landline, so the Web thing could be perfect.
Thanks for sharing. It will be in the US soon I bet.
It can’t be here soon enough for me! I’m having some difficulty in video conferences that I have to attend. I speak orally, and do not know ASL, so ASL interpreters are out of the question. I also don’t like bringing a third party such as a CART reporter in directly to the videoconference room with all that obtrusive equipment. I just want to be able to use my PDA to follow whatever’s being said in the videoconference. I wasn’t able to find anything here in the US, just in the UK.
Hello Noelle,
I grew up oral, and worked my way up to a division manager of a small company. I was constantly frustrated like you, with the difficulties of communicating.
Due to some life changing events, I decided to learn sign language. I won’t lie and say it was easy. It took several years of hard work. But it’s fantastic. I now have a whole new communication option open to me. I still use my voice when there is no interpreter, i still engage in casual voice chat with hearing people, but for group meetings an interpreter is so helpful. (again, remember it took me about 2 years of focussed effort to learn how to use interpreters properly)
Today, I’m working at a much higher level than before, when the sign option was closed to me. I feel my new co-workers feel that I am genuinely enrichening the company culture with my signing background. My co-workers love learning little signs, and I feel I am valued for what I know, not just as a token disabled person loaded down with technology equipment.
I echo Tomato’s remarks, and in fact, if you meet up with other deaf folks, a lot of them would be perfectly happy to help you learn ASL in an immersive environment.
I have been doing the same for several hearing folks here, and would be more than happy to help you if you’re in the Phoenix region. You just need to be motivated enough to learn.
It is a godsend when you have a good pair of interpreters helping you at a conference or training classes. Just lean back, watch, and offer a word or two when they keep spelling the same thing.
Plus you have no idea how sweet it feel to be among deaf people chatting away, without having to concentrate on their accents.
I am VERY interested in this technology.
Currently, I use My IP Relay to caption all teleconferences, and honestly, the vast majority of the operators utterly sucks.
They frequently skip words, and misspell them, and so on forth. Their accuracy rate is much lower, maybe 50%. If we could have a technology that achieve 98% accuracy, then I would be utterly thrilled.
But for phone one-on-one conversation, My IP Relay is just perfect, as long as the other side can be a wee bit patient as I type things out on my sidekick. :)
I agree that this is one of the best written blog entries I’ve seen in a while.
But I am befuddled a bit.
Why in the world would someone with a MBA enter the government workforce?
If someone has an MBA, I would surmise that they would want to work in the private industry like your friend (the Finance Manager) does? People who often work in the government often get their MPA (Masters of Public Administration) if they want to become government managers.
MBAs surely make significantly more $$$ than in the government arena and get much more direct business experience than they could get in the government sector.
I’m hearing that more and more deaf MBAs are entering the government workforce out of frustration since they aren’t getting the support from corporations today due to a myriad of reasons: inability to use VideoPhones due to corporate firewalls, internet security, lack of funds, insensitivity, and ad nauseum.
Now, allow me to shift the conversation a tad bit.
Many deaf employees are frustrated in trying to land jobs at corporations these days. For one, a lot of corporations either have had bad experiences with hiring deaf employees in the past or are wrongly afraid of the “costs” of hiring a deaf employee (e.g. interpreter costs, etc). Another is that many feel that deaf people aren’t qualified enough to handle the responsibilities of the position (as a result of reading and hearing about Gallaudet’s abysmal reading levels and so on). In short, finding employment in the government is a lot easier than in the private industry.
What can we do about it?
Be more proactive, I would think. Moreover, its definitely our job to educate these employers. But it is definitely going to take a lot of work on our part to convince them that we are hireable and that they should take a chance with us to let us prove ourselves to them that we are capable of doing the job. (Ironically, that is probably what Jane Fernandes is trying to do here with the deaf protesters!)
You talk about glass ceilings.
I agree there are glass ceilings for deaf people these days. I know that there are glass ceilings for a bunch of minority groups out there. Face the facts, Alok, corporations today are still pretty much a “White Boys Network (or World)”.
Have you noticed that it is extremely difficult for deaf people to network with hearing people in the corporate environment? That is primarily why deaf people have lots of difficulty in moving upwards, getting jobs at other companies, getting the plum jobs, and so on.
I’ve had hearing friends who are managers themselves tell me that they seriously doubt that deaf people can handle jobs with SIGNIFICANT amounts of public contact because they are concerned with the communication gaps that can come about between the deaf and hearing. They tell me that hearing people don’t want to deal with the “internet relay” or “video relay” because there are communication gaps built in they say. Not to mention, some of the managers point out that often the deaf do not speak very well or very clearly which we both know is often not good enough for VCO, which forces deaf people to use the interpreter instead resulting in additional delays in communicating to the hearing person. Thus, hearing people understandably are frustrated with the video relay communication lags. So these managers prefer to have a hearing person work in these positions and they often can find ways to make that happen.
It is sad but its pretty much the truth and there is not much we can do — short of litigating, which will cost a lot of money to do. You are probably aware that corporations often have deeper pockets for legal fights than we do. Look at EEOC and DOJ’s Federal Rights Division–they are overswamped with countless ADA violation cases they have to deal with and it takes YEARS to get them even to be looked at — much less taken action on.
Corporate environments are much harsher than in the government sector since business is pretty much a competitive environment whereas the government isn’t (Profits vs non-profits).
Additionally, within the government, it is much easier to file and get results with grieviance processes if you have a beef with promotions, glass ceilings, communication needs, etc. In the corporate environment, if you raise a lot of hackles with management, they are more likely to push you out and have the legal team behind them to support them for doing so. Many states have “right to work” laws meaning that employers can fire or lay you off for ANY reason without even giving you the reason. Best bet is to move to a state that favors employees more over employers.
I happen to know that Virginia is a right-to-work state and I’ve heard of companies firing or laying off deaf employees under the guise of “not needing their services anymore”. In reality, some corporations are fed up with trying to satisfy deaf employee’s demands such as hiring full-time interpreters and so on. Management just simply lays off the employee instead as they want to focus on other more urgent matters.
Just my thoughts on this subject matter. Granted, its a subject matter that can be discussed to no end but this is all I want to type for now.
*smile* - You are not the only one questioning my decision to enter the Government workforce. The fact is that: I worked in the private sector for few years, mostly with Booz Allen Hamilton. I made the decision to switch from IT to healthcare and went back to school to get my MBA. The management program at NIH gave me a chance to interact with the scientists and researchers to learn their work.
A career change is difficult and requires sacrifice but can be worth it in the long run. NIH has been educational and now I will soon return to the private sector armed with that knowledge. I hope that answer your question :-)
However - I have had no problems asking for interpreters and acccessibility at the 3 private sector companies I have worked for. I have found that it’s more frustrating to get a job when you don’t have the necessary skills to do the work they need to do so.
There’s also the factor that you work in the Washington, D.C. area, which, I think, is far more favorable for deafies in general in terms of employment than outside the area. Interpreters are more available than other areas. Employers here are more willing to take chances on deaf employees, I think, and if not, there’s always the safety valve of the government.
Actually - I worked in New York City for a company and I have found it’s the small companies that pose problems - Large Fortune 500 companies tend to be receptive.
Sure there is a safety valve of the government, but your chances of earning significantly more goes down the loo. As a deaf professional, I am earning well over 6 figures–something I wouldn’t be able to get if I worked in the federal government.
Granted that employers are more willing to take chances on deaf employees here BUT a large part of the deaf population still works for the government.
I agree- I really like knowing that I got my job based on my merits, not on my deafness. That wouldn’t be the case if I were working for the government. Granted, MANY able-bodied deaf professionals work for the government, but how did they make it in the first place? Only a handful of those did so entirely on their own- I’m not saying that there should not be incentives created to boost employment rates among the deaf, just that it can be somewhat self-defeating if you’re deaf and you think the only places you can go are the following: 1) deaf school, 2) deaf dorm, 3) post office, or 4) government. There’s nothing wrong with where you work, as long as it was not your “only choice”.
I would suggest that this is where NAD comes in regarding workforce discrimination. IMHO, NAD needs to do more advocacy in this area.
If NAD isn’t capable of doing it due to monetary reasons, then maybe the ACLU would be a good organization to do the expensive ligitation.
Man, this discussion fits my life so much!
I found that when deaf people are not working well with the hearing work forces, it is usually caused by at least one of the following:
1. Inflexibility on the employer.
2. Inflexibility on the deaf employee.
The vast majority of the folks just have to go out and demand everything under the sun, and find themselves without an advocate to protect them when the haters start gunning for their dismissal.
So basically, we have to not only be flexible, but we also have to haul ass so much that we get protected by people around us when we actually go and request an interpreter for something, or whatever.
To have a full time interpreter is illogical when there are other tools that can be provided. Can you use a computer? Then use e-mail and IMs! That’s how my sysadmin friend does his job — e-mails and IMs. :-) It was also the very reason he used to prove that deaf folks can be a labbie at RIT. It was thanks to him that I was able to be a labbie, and that other deaf folks other than me are able to be a labbie. We are able to help people using many different medium — pen & paper, IM, et cetera. Hearing folks generally like us, because we actually pay attention to their issues, and try to figure out what is going on.
We have to be flexible and find solutions to our problems. We just can not outright go and demand something simply because a lot of us demands it. It may work sometimes, but boy, you’ll have a LOT of haters gunning to fire you.
This is why I am so sad about the whole Gallaudet protests. In fact, I would bet JKF is willing to resign, but refuses to do so, because she want to teach those protesters a lesson — negotiate, not demand. That’s also why I’m supporting the CSOG group at this time.
I think Alok raises a very important point, or at least what I read between the lines in his blog which is: The Deaf culture does not exist in a vacuum.
A college education has to provide the tools for us Deaf to be able to navigate the hearing world. Because we have to interact and deal with them on a daily basis, and if we want to reach further than ever before, we do need to learn their rules, and use them to our advantages.
Does that mean we have to abandon our language? Of course not. But it does mean a shift in our cultural paradigm. I’m not a linguist or an anthropologist, so I don’t have all of the answers, nor can I completely critically analyze all of the aspects of this protest and its ramifications. But it’s definitely worth thinking about.
Good blog, Alok.
~ Deaf Pundit
I am a hearing person, retired from a large telecommunicatons company in the Midwest. I worked closely with the Deaf community in the set up of a relay service in the 1990s. During this time, I pursued and was awarded my Bachelor’s Degree with a major in American Sign Language. I studied and supported the cultural paradigm of deafness, rather than the medical model.
I wanted to comment on A Deaf Pundit’s question, “Do we have to abandon our language? My answer is No, it does not have to be abandoned. However, business in the U.S. is transacted in English. In order to be successful, and to prove to the hearing bosses that Deaf people can do anything, and excellent grasp of written English is required. Sign Language and interpreters are fine for face-to-face business, and relay works well for phone calls, but written communications need to be in correct English.
As I told the hearing people that worked with me, you may never meet the people you work with, given the national and international aspects of today’s business world. Your emails and instant messages might be the only introduction you will ever have to those people. Correct English is important.
The bottom line is, don’t give up your language or your culture! Both are beautiful and valuable additions to business and to our world in general. Just understand that flexibility and the ability to fit into the corporate world will allow you to go far!
While I was talking with a friend of mine about this blog and the fact that there are glass ceilings, my friend said: why not start your own firm –that way you’ll have no glass ceiling to deal with if you own the firm. Granted that can happen as some deaf people have established their own firms in response to this.
More power to them for doing that.
All these comments are great but I want to know: How do you change the deaf culture or a paradigm shift as Deaf Pundit stated?
Can the next President of Gallaudet somehow influence and encourage people to think outside the box? If so, how?
I believe technology is a huge part of it in starting a paradigm shift. For instance, if we were to cut out the need for interpreters with captioning devices, it would make work relationships between the deaf and the hearing easier. For instance, I know I can understand more and participate more if there’s a CART reporter in the room, but at the same time, I hate bringing in a third party as an interpreter because it delineates a clear line of difference that sets one apart. I’d rather have something that I can use like a PDA to follow conversations or meetings or teleconferences like what’s being done in the UK.
Changing something that has been there for EONS is gonna be one difficult task to do. Changing a culture is next to impossible. It can be done if EVERYONE is agreeable to doing that, which I surmise will never happen with deaf culture itself. Why change it when there are so many different factions in the deaf community that won’t allow that to happen.
The problem is not in the President.
The problem is in the individuals themselves. If they are taught to be willing to listen, learn, and apply, then they have the ability to absorb the rules, learn how it works, and apply it for their own advantages.
It helps a lot when you are stubborn at your goals, but realistic at what it should be. You should never accept that there’s a glass ceiling that can not be broken through. It may be there by default, but people of all types have indeed broken through the glass ceilings all over. Women, Blacks, Asians, Indians, are now dotting the top tiers. There are deaf people up there too. Just not as many as we all know is possible, but they did indeed break through.
Keeping an attitude that people are out there willing to listen and learn, and we can continue to teach them how to succeed, or how to help us succeed.
So basically, stop thinking that even though we are so comfortable among each other using sign language, we should give up on the hearing people, because they are ignorant of our abilities.
It does help a lot to have advocates on the hearing sides. I got my current job partly because my boss’s boss have an aunt who’s deaf, and he can sign (although it’s a pretty lousy homemade form of sign. Hehe) Because he knew how strong-willed his aunt was, he knows that I am just as capable. All I had to sell was my abilities to him, and thanks to him, all of my other bosses are fantastic as an advocate for me to my clients.
Thanks to their support, I sure made them quite a bit of money, but hey, I got my cut! :)
Maybe founding a school of business at Gallaudet would be a start? One in partnership with a nationally well known school?
I would strongly support this effort.
Heck, Georgetown University would be a perfect partner.
I believe Gallaudet has a lot of potential for this kind of dialogue to take place. It is true that a lot of us aren’t quite aware of what we can do when it comes to career advancement opportunities both in deaf and hearing settings.
Mark Stern, the vice president of product development at GoAmerica. Robert Rice, the President of BayFirst Solutions and founder of DeafDC. Marilyn J. Smith, Executive Director of Abused Deaf Women’s Advocacy Services. They all have something in common: Drive, passion, and hearing allies. Regardless of which communication mode they use, they didn’t climb up the ladder alone. They get support from their community AND outside.
And hey, is it possible that your professor wasn’t implying that it was your deafness preventing you from having a career in investor relations? Just that maybe your strengths lie elsewhere?
Hey, isn’t Mark Stern the guy who came from AOL?
My professor was clear in that she thinks communication was necessary. I knew I could do Investors Relations but didn’t want to do it. It was a matter of others believing so.
I know Mark Stern and Rob Rice well. They have the drive and ambition to do it. I made $$ before I made the decision to switch to healthcare and get my MBA. I went to NIH to get a science education and will return to the private sector only because it suits me.
However, I do know successful deaf people in government and they do very well. I cannot measure success by money but by accomplishments and happiness. Look at Marilyn Smith.
The whole point of this blog is whether we can prepare and convince future graduates of Gallaudet and other colleges that they have a choice, they can do it - the more they do it, the more society is influenced by them and thus we can gain social and cultural rights.
I agree with Anonymous that Gallaudet is a great place to have this type of dialogue especially with all that’s happening now. They also serve Kendall and MSSD - feeders of future college students and models for other deaf institutes.
I agree with you that $$$ isn’t that almighty important but with this area being SO pricey, you surely need the significant income to be able to afford the area (look at the prices of single family homes–very expensive. Last I know, the average single family home in Virginia was I heard is something like in the mid-600s! That’s another matter to discuss another time.)
But you are right–you cannot measure success by the amount of $$$–but it does HELP to have it for your family in this area.
Granted, not A LOT of deafies are exactly bringing home the kind of salaries that hearing people make. People like Dr. Davila, Mark Stern, Dr. Jordan, and other very influential deaf people probably are making good significant incomes because they had the help, I imagine, to get where they got. They also were at the right place at the right time with the right help to get where they are now. Kudos to them, BUT I want to know how the rest of us can get to where they got themselves to.
We NEED those kind of networking opportunities.
I don’t think the next President of Gallaudet has that great of influence as people think. What I see that needs to be done at Gallaudet, and in the Deaf culture, requires many things.
First, we need enough people out there to understand that social/cultural changes do not happen overnight. I say this as a Deaf person working on her social work degree. The way I see it, the best way to accomplish this is to choose our battles wisely, and one step at a time. It also requires many, many individuals working together to accomplish this.
Every one of us has to work on the local and state levels. Not many of us are willing to do that. To broaden our opportunities in all arenas, we have to be willing to make compromises at the beginning. Such as being educated by top experts in their fields, which are usually hearing. Like I wrote in another thread, I would prefer to be educated by a highly qualified professor with an interpreter, than a professor who’s fluent in ASL, but not as highly qualified.
Once we attain that kind of qualification, only then we can turn around and begin educating other Deaf ourselves.
I also think it’s a mistake for many of us to focus all of our identity on being Deaf. Every single one of us are much more than just D/deaf. And if we represent ourselves to the larger public as just this DEAF person, then it’s easier for hearing people to dismiss us. Who wants to deal with a caricature, or an one-dimensional person?
It’s been my personal experience that the best way to accomplish changes is to present yourself as this person who just happens to be Deaf. It doesn’t always work, granted. But like the saying goes: No one size fits all.
Like Alok basically said, we do not exist in a cultural vacuum. We have to understand the rules of the game. I think a good start to understanding the rules of the game is to have Ethics be required for graduation from Gallaudet. When I was at Gallaudet, Introduction to Philosophy was only required – not Ethics. And believe me, Ethics is a huge dynamic of how society operates. It teaches you how to think critically, and how to present your argument convincingly. And this is exactly what is wrong with the Gallaudet protest.
One weakness of the Deaf culture, is to take rumors as fact. If a Deaf person says it, it must be unequivocally true. And if what you say is at odds with the majority within Deaf culture, you’re an audist. What I am seeing at the Gallaudet protests, and I know I am not alone in this, is a lot of baseless accusations tossed out. When you learn Ethics, you learn that you cannot just base your arguments on rumors. You have to present verifiable facts for others to evaluate for themselves. If your argument is sound, and has indisputable facts, then you will win people over to your side.
That isn’t happening at Gallaudet or in many places elsewhere in our culture.
Wouldn’t it be great if we did welcome Oral deaf, Sim-Commers, and Cued-Speechers to Gallaudet, then through the persuasion of reason and just being our authentic selves, we win them over to using American Sign Language and our culture? Then everyone wins that way. People get a well-rounded liberal arts education, and we recruit more into our Deaf culture, and in turn, they go back to their local communities and spread our language and culture on even further.
~ Deaf Pundit
“Wouldn’t it be great if we did welcome Oral deaf, Sim-Commers, and Cued-Speechers to Gallaudet, then through the persuasion of reason and just being our authentic selves, we win them over to using American Sign Language and our culture?”
I agree! That’s how it worked for me, a DOH who grew up mainstreamed with Signed English.
I want Gallaudet to be a place where this type of environment can thrive.
That said, the President of Gallaudet DOES play a pivotal role. Granted, that role is not and end-all, neither should it be, but we cannot escape the fact that the President of Gallaudet has a very public role.
People do have a tendency, if they are not familiar with something, to pick someone who stands out, who is on the top of the hierachy to represent “all of them”. That’s just human nature. Someone ignorant of, say, Muslims might think that all muslims are like Osama Bin Laden.
I’m sure that you see where I am leading here. That is one reason why it is so important that the President of Gally be someone who really does represent the Gallaudet community.
I think that is one part of what this conflict is about. FSSA supporters (including myself, I admit I am biased) want to see an shining example of what a deaf person can be, a person who uses our language beautifully and shines for all to admire.
Anyway, I do agree with the comments that we have to work our way through the system bit by bit. I’m the only deaf employee, and I got my job through a “back door”, so to speak, and now they are much more open to hiring other deaf people.
I want to see all deaf AND hard of hearing to shine for all to see regardless of preferred communication use.
“I’m sure that you see where I am leading here. That is one reason why it is so important that the President of Gally be someone who really does represent the Gallaudet community.”
That comment in particular stands out the most to me. Because the reality is, frankly, people like JKF are the majority in the Deaf culture and community now. Many of us grew up mainstreamed or oral, and learned American Sign Language at a later age.
I would love to see a University President who signs elegantly, who’s warm yet has an astute business sense, and who’s able to fundraise like mad for the University. But I don’t think our culture has yet reached that point to be able to produce someone like that. What do we really need right now, are Deaf leaders upon facing discrimination, says: ‘I cherish my language and Deaf identity - but make no mistake about it, my deafness does not solely define who I am. Nor should you define me solely on that. I am just as capable and competent as you are, and I should be afforded the opportunity to show you that I am.’
That message is so much more powerful and resonates with the masses than screams of audism. They don’t understand or care about the nuances of our language and culture. When that starts happening, only then will we make further strides into society, and start to break through the glass ceiling.
JKF obviously does not sign as elegantly as Clayton Valli did or as Peter Cook does, but she does sign. She’s also not ashamed to be Deaf.
I also think we’re giving the Gallaudet President position too much power. The role of the Gallaudet President is to basically fundraise for the University.
In order for that to happen, the President has to know the hearing business culture and lingo. I’m not claiming to know all of the criteria required for the University President, but I would imagine that the ones I listed are part of that, and the Board of Trustees decided that she was the best qualified for that position. So, until people start giving verifiable facts about why she isn’t truly qualified, the hearing and people like me will not understand why the protests at Gallaudet are happening.
I also want to add that the business, educational and government leaders will look to the President first when it comes to representing Gallaudet, but then they also will look next to the people who make the University what it is – the students and faculty. The faculty are supposed help the students think critically, hold intellectual discourses, push their boundaries outwards, and lastly, to shape them into leaders who go on to become experts in their fields and make a positive difference in their corner of the world.
Lastly, the general public has no clue who the Gallaudet president is, but it’s a sure-fire bet that at least one of them will have an encounter with a Deaf person, who knowingly or unknowingly will influence their feelings about our culture and us. In the end, it is US, that who truly represent our culture and community, not the President of Gallaudet University.
~ Deaf Pundit
” I would love to see a University President who signs elegantly, who’s warm yet has an astute business sense, and who’s able to fundraise like mad for the University. But I don’t think our culture has yet reached that point to be able to produce someone like that. ”
I disagree. I think you are doing a disservice to the deaf community if you think there are not people like that out there. I’ve met plenty of them. I think there are BETTER options than JK. Those people are just as comfortable with the hearing world as she is. Just because they might not speak as well as she can, doesn’t mean they do not have the ability to interact with hearing people. Speaking ability is not the only gauge of which a person can make connections with hearing people.
We really don’t give enough credit to fellow compatriots who graduated from Gallaudet and is now succesful today.
That was what bothered me about your response- it seems as you don’t think “deaf people (who sign ASL and went to a deaf school) are ready to function in the hearing world”
Not sure. He used to work in Silicon Valley for a long time. Yahoo! was one of his employers. AOL might be another and I wish I could say yes but I really don’t remember.
I have been a manager in the government for a long time.
First off, when I started in thegovenment, my boss gave me a piece of advice. She told me that because I am a woman and I am deaf, I had to make sure there was never any reason not to promote me or select me. That said, she then proceeded to make sure I knew how to do every kind of task in the office. I got a lot of the hard and difficult work that we did. She made sure I kept up to date with the knowledge needed for my work. In effect, she made me one of the office experts. I moved up the ranks just like others, if not faster, and I had their respect. I do not ever feel that I have my job or that I got my job “because I am deaf.”
Is there a glass ceiling? Yes and no. In the government, there is a push to reduce the number of management employees so it becomes harder and harder to get to upper ranks. In my agency, vacancies are very rare and often left unfilled. The competition for vacancies is stiff. I haven’t applied for one in years, mainly because I am content where I am. But I have seen many people leave my agency, hoping to find greener grass on the other side of the fence, frustrated at the inability to enter management.
Could I earn more money outside of the government? Sure! LOTS more. Why do I stay - good benefits (health and retirement are wonderful!), lots of leave (private companies are so stingy with leave), a great work schedule, a fantastic boss - and I LOVE my job! I really do. So don’t knock the government.
Oh yes - telephone usage. That IS important for a lot of jobs. You have to play up that you can do it, but down play how you do it. Kind of like using an interpreter - I use one, but they blend in after awhile and people don’t notice them. And talk to people. Make them comfortable around you. Approach them on your own - show that they can talk to you without an interpreter. In other words, show your independence. That has helped me tremendously.
Interesting feedback here and that is great that you were able to get a very good mentor in your current career. It is rare to get a very good mentor who cares about you and keeps their hands off of you to allow you to do what you do best at your job. I am very fortunate to have the same experience. In my job as a manager, I often have to make a lot of split second decisions and talk with many of my “clients” off-site by phone (videophone) using vco and everyone that I work for really thinks the videophone is a cool thing because they don’t have to worry about emailing back and forth.
Aside from this. sure you get the great benefits and all like great leave (I am guessing that you get four weeks of vacation a year, which is good)…I myself get three weeks of vacation a year, unlimited sick days a year, profit sharing plan (I get roughly 10-20% of my income annually) that is deposited automatically to my 401K plan to help me avoid paying taxes on it, company-matching of my 401K contributions and more… My schedule is pretty much my own as my boss and I negotiated it prior to my arriving there because of my unique background that she was looking to bring onboard.
Sure there are trade offs one has to make if they want to work for the government or private industry. However, I chose to work in the private industry over the government for various reasons, one being the pay. I earn enough to allow my wife to stay home and take care of our children full time. If I was working for the federal government, I wouldn’t be able to do that at all! (I’d have to work on the side to earn additional income to do what I am doing now).
Of course retirement benefits are good when you work for the government; but when a lot of people want to move into management, sometimes they have to leave the government to do that for the reasons you listed above. I do know that the government has been trying to reduce middle management for years because they feel that the government is quite bloated. (I used to work for the government each summer while I was in college and didn’t like what I saw in the government–lot of incompetent people are biding their time in the govt until they retire. If you work for the private industry, you had better perform well or you don’t get the kind of bonuses you are looking for or you risk being let go, which is rare in the fed govt.)
Just my diatribe for tonight here.
I am gonna go out of my way and post my email address here - this is not my normal email but please do contact me if you want to build a network for future jobs:
alok2004@hotmail.com
Keep these comments coming …
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