Community members, advocates, and local officials gathered Saturday at the University of the Virgin Islands for Celebrating Deaf Awareness, an event hosted by the Virgin Islands Deaf & Hard of Hearing Advocates to honor Deaf culture and recognize the contributions of the territory’s deaf and hard-of-hearing residents.
Territorial ADA Coordinator Julien Henley addressed the audience, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in advancing accessibility. “Accessibility is not the work of one office or one agency. It is a shared responsibility of us all,” Henley said, underscoring the need for community-wide commitment to inclusion for people with disabilities.
Edi Utibe, special assistant in the Office of the Governor, reflected on the event’s wide-ranging program and its intended impact. “As we move through today’s program, from education to history to creative performances and heartfelt tributes, we want to leave here inspired to act, to listen more deeply and to ensure that accessibility is embedded in every part of our territory,” Utibe said.
The event included a tribute to former Sen. Virdin Brown, recognized for his long-standing commitment to public service and advocacy for the deaf community in the Virgin Islands. Brown served in the Virgin Islands Legislature during the 1970s and 1980s, where he played a key role in advancing education and services for deaf residents.
Brown’s efforts, alongside his wife Patricia, led to the creation of advocacy groups and successful petitions for improved educational opportunities for deaf students in the territory. Event organizers credited Brown’s leadership with helping many deaf students graduate from high school and pursue higher education and professional careers.
Members of the Virgin Islands Deaf & Hard of Hearing Advocates engaged the audience with a lively trivia segment designed to educate and raise awareness about deaf culture and history.
The trivia covered a range of topics. Attendees correctly identified that ASL stands for American Sign Language, and that ASL is not a universal language, as different countries have their own sign languages. When asked about Deaf Awareness Month, participants responded that it is observed in September, while Deaf History Month is celebrated in April.
Organizers shared that approximately 2,000 Virgin Islanders are deaf or hard of hearing, based on the 2020 census. Nationally, the number is estimated to be 48 million people across the United States, underscoring the widespread importance of accessibility and inclusion.
The group also challenged the audience to name famous deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. Answers included Ludwig van Beethoven, the renowned composer; Helen Keller, a deaf-blind activist and author; and other notable figures such as hard-of-hearing actress Katie Leclerc.
Among the speakers was Shanelle Lawrence, a deaf tour guide and business owner based on St. Thomas and St. John. She operates VI Deaf Tours, a company that provides accessible tours for deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors, highlighting the history and culture of the Virgin Islands.
In addition to her work as a tour guide, Lawrence teaches about sign language and advocates for greater inclusion of the deaf community. Her efforts focus on making local tourism and education more accessible to all.
During her remarks, Lawrence spoke about the strengths and capabilities of the Deaf community. She emphasized that deaf individuals possess a wide range of skills and talents and are fully capable of contributing to society in significant and impactful ways.
“The Deaf community is fully skilled. We are creative. We have leadership ability. We can have our own businesses and make things inclusive for everyone,” Lawrence said.
Lawrence emphasized the need for more effective communication strategies when interacting with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. She explained that lip reading is often unreliable and can cause frustration.
She encouraged the use of alternatives such as writing messages down, using text on mobile devices, or learning basic sign language. These approaches, she said, help ensure that deaf people are fully included in conversations and community life.
Lawrence spoke about the language used to describe the Deaf community, urging attendees to reconsider terms with negative implications. She explained that the phrase ‘hearing impaired’ is now considered outdated, especially among younger generations, and encouraged the use of ‘deaf’ or ‘hard of hearing’ instead.
“The world uses the term ‘hearing impaired,’ but it’s no longer really used or acceptable, especially for the new generation coming up,” she said. “It’s almost like an insult — it makes it sound as if we are broken, that something is damaged or wrong with us that needs to be fixed.”
Lawrence emphasized that deaf people are whole and complete. “Deaf people are not broken. We are whole. We may not hear, but we are whole, period,” she said.
Awards were presented to several community members in recognition of their advocacy and support. The celebratory event also featured skits, video presentations, and dancing.
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