Deaf Awareness Month Celebration
For Deb Atwood, the energetic Executive Director of Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services, the importance of Deaf Awareness Month is pretty obvious.
“It’s in the name,” she said with a smile. “It’s so important, not just in September but every month, to raise that awareness for those who have not been exposed to our communities, for those that may have someone who is Deaf in their family, or at work, maybe a friend or a neighbor, and they would like to learn more on how to properly co-exist.”
Still, Atwood added, the chance to celebrate all things Deaf in September was not one that D&HHS wanted to miss.
So, in the month’s last full week, D&HHS threw a party and invited people to come for food and drink, resource tables, games, and, of course, lots of time for good conversation.
And the community that D&HHS serves responded with a hearty “yes” as 120 people came to D&HHS’ home at the SOMI Unified Sports and Inclusion Center.
Erica Chapin, the D&HHS Community & Partnerships Manager, said the event was an important way for the Deaf community to come together and celebrate, as well as connect to resources.
“Connection is so important, and that is what we aim to build,” she said.
She also recognized the value of having an event during Deaf Awareness Month.
“Although we work to educate on a daily basis, it is encouraging to know that there is a month when people around the country are learning from and recognizing those in the Deaf community,” she said. “It reminds us to be more intentional and bring awareness to the Deaf community and culture.”
Attendees agreed.
Gary Wright has been involved with D&HHS for about two years and has grown to love the work the organization does in West Michigan and beyond.
“I recognize more and more the importance of spreading the word,” he said. “It’s so important for people to better understand Deaf culture and community. But it’s also important for Deaf people to know the resources that are available to them and D&HHS does a lot of work in that area.”
Wright so appreciates D&HHS that he has become a faithful volunteer, including setting up for numerous D&HHS events.
“I’m retired,” he said with a grin. “So I am happy to do the things other people might not want or might not have time to do.”
Tyler Smeltekop attended the Deaf Awareness Month celebration as a vendor, a D&HHS board member, and someone, he said, who is becoming the Deaf person he always wanted to be.
Smeltekop was born Deaf and raised oral with two hearing aids, but his hearing loss is progressive, and he now uses a combination of ASL, lipreading, and one hearing aid. He works for Michigan State University Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities as their Assistant Director for Assistive Technology Innovation and represented MSU as one of 14 vendors who were part of the event.
He also was happy to interact with attendees as a D&HHS board member, he said.
“I first got connected (to D&HHS) through their ASL classes,” he recalled. “The agency does a great job offering ASL both in person and online, so about five years ago, when I made a commitment to start ASL again, their classes caught my attention.
He added with a broad smile: “When I was invited to join the board, of course I had to say yes. I thought it’s time to make a commitment to the Deaf community and to myself and to really engage with the community and understand the issues we are facing.”
Engagement also was evident at the Deaf Awareness Month celebration, something Atwood said is important for the Deaf community.
“The Deaf community is a very tight community,” she said. “But they often do not get to see each other in a physical setting. To see our communities gather, to hug and to greet each other warms my heart and is a big part of why we do what we do. To have not just an event but a place that is devoted to them is the reason our agency exists.”
As she scanned the crowd that night, Atwood spotted a young person who she said gave her goosebumps.
“Their parent brought them to our agency when they were much younger, and the family needed assistance on how to access the services the child desperately needed,” she said. “We worked with them for years, walked beside them through the rough parts and the best parts. To now see this young person at the event, hanging out with others, so grown up and so mature, my heart is beaming. Whenever I have a hard day, I look back on success stories and know it has all been worth it.”
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