The event will include resource tables, games and food and a chance for the local Deaf community to socialize and celebrate.<\/span><\/p>

Nancy Piersma, the D&HHS community education & advocacy coordinator, is looking forward to her organization hosting an event where Deaf people can come with a sense of pride about their language and culture.<\/p>

And she thinks Deaf Awareness month is valuable for many.<\/p>

\u201cIt is good to have the hearing world, including hearing family, friends and co-workers be able to learn about the culture, language and history of the Deaf,\u201d she said.<\/p>

Atwood agreed.<\/p>

\u201cEducating and raising awareness of our Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of hearing communities is at the forefront of what we do,\u201d said Atwood. \u201cThis will be one more opportunity to raise awareness and to celebrate together.\u201d<\/p>

D&HHS board member Mickey Carolan is a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) and working on a memoir of his life as the son of two Deaf parents. He said he appreciates the work of D&HHS and the designation of September as Deaf Awareness Month.<\/p>

\u201cAnytime we can bring more visibility and awareness around the issues that face the Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing, that\u2019s a good thing,\u201d he said. \u201cMy parents are my two biggest heroes. It\u2019s one of the reasons I wrote my book. I\u2019m all about putting the spotlight on the community I grew up in.\u201d<\/p>

Atwood said that estimates show about 13 percent of the U.S. is Deaf or Hard of Hearing. In addition, more than 90 percent of Deaf children are born to hearing parents.<\/p>

That latter statistic is why D&HHS is a firm believer in the power of American Sign Language as a terrific tool by which Deaf children and their families can communicate, offering numerous ASL classes both in person and online.<\/p>

Interestingly, Atwood said, there is no universal sign language with estimates ranging from anywhere between 100 and 300 different sign languages in use today around the world.<\/p>

\u201cThat\u2019s just one more misconception about the Deaf,\u201d she said with a laugh. \u201cThere are many, but we are working every day to help clear them up. We\u2019ll keep doing so in September but beyond that, we\u2019re here for the long haul and will continue this work all year long.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t