Discovering Deaf Worlds Presentation for PNASLI Davin B. Searls, DDW Executive Director

WHEN TO CLICK PREZI SLIDESHOW Times follow Davin’s video

00:00 – DDW Overview slide • It is my honor to present at the Second National Interpreters' Conference. I first met Naty when I visited the Philippines in 2009, and was humbled when Naty asked me to present. • My name is Davin Searls. I have been the Executive Director of a non-governmental organization called Discovering Deaf Worlds (DDW) for the past 4 years. Come from Rochester, New York, which has one of the largest populations of Deaf people per capita in the world.

00:53 – Zoom into DEAF • I am Deaf, and I come from a fourth-generation Deaf family, which is an extremely rare occurrence as less than 5% of Deaf people have Deaf parents. • However, unlike many Deaf of Deaf, I was mainstreamed my whole life- from kindergarten through college. I used interpreters extensively. Became involved in DDW after I taught at a Deaf university in China for 10 months through PEN-International, run by Jim DeCaro, whom some of you may know. Dr. DeCaro is also Vice-President of DDW’s Board. In addition to DDW I now serve on the National Association of the Deaf International Committee. • Before I continue, I would like to introduce my co-worker and colleague- who is not here to present- but DDW could not exist without him- David Justice. David is also a Rochester native. He is hearing, and never met Deaf people growing up. He has been involved in the Deaf community for the past 12 years as interpreter, job developer and co-founder of DDW. To present, David has connected with people from 12 or so countries in person - deaf of deaf families, audiologists, sign language teachers, interpreters, late-deafened adults, and so on. • Together, David and I represent both sides of the continuum – a Deaf person from a Deaf family who has been and continues to be heavily involved in the hearing community, and a hearing person who once knew nothing about Deafness and is now a staunch ally. Together we have volunteered 30,000 hours for DDW for the past 4-5 years and continue to be full-time volunteers for the organization. Let me tell you a little bit more about DDW and its work.

03:16 – UNCRPD • DDW’s work coincides with UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities- which recognizes sign language as a linguistic identity of Deaf community.

03:31 – Our Mission • Our approach is to provide organizational development training to Deaf leadership teams in developing countries. We do not start new programs, fix things, or encourage them to model their efforts after what is done in America.

03:50 – Overview of hands / DDW logo • When we first go to another country, we have one goal: to listen and learn. We also identify hardworking, motivated leaders doing something to improve their communities – and that’s where we then invest our time and resources– a combined effort w/ local leadership teams.

04:14 – Zoom into what DDW offers • DDW provides training on how to run program more effectively- resource management, fund development, book keeping, leadership succession, etc.

04:28 – Pan right: what local leaders offer • Local Deaf leaders provide knowledge of their culture, language, business practices, network, et cetera.

04:37 – Pan down: DDW logo (people/hands with globe) • Together, we work to identify and utilize local resources. This includes financial and human resources – and hearing allies like YOU. As interpreters, you are extremely important allies – facilitating communication between Deaf leaders, their constituents and the hearing community. Deaf people have a voice, certainly- but it is YOU that assists them in being heard. • DDW and local deaf leaders collaborate, both investing to improve deaf education, vocational opportunities, human rights, and ultimately expand the deaf leadership pool in those countries • Right now, organizational development training is not readily accessible to Deaf people in their local sign languages- this is the gap that DDW fills.

05:38 - Goals • Now that you have a better understanding of DDW, let me share my goals for today’s presentation: 1) For you to gain a better understanding of what circumstances are like for Deaf people in other countries, and 2) Leave with an increased awareness of what Deaf people and their hearing allies are doing to improve these circumstances.

06:06 – Timeline Overview • You might be wondering – why is it so important to learn what is happening in other countries when there is so much happening in the Philippines? We get asked this question as well- from Americans asking why we are working in other countries. • Well… because of advances in transportation and communication technology, our world is becoming increasingly interconnected and globalized. Look at this timeline:

06:35 – Zoom into 100000 BCE • For at least 90 thousand years, our method of transportation was simply walking.

06:42 – Pan right to 3500 BCE • Then humans invented the wheel about 5500 years ago, and we started using horses for transportation 4 thousand years ago.

06:55 – Pan right to Steamboat invented • Then time went on and suddenly people had steamboats and trains, and not too long after that, motorcycles.

07:04 – Pan right to 1908-2012 • A little over 100 years ago, humans figured out how to fly, and in that time, we’ve broken the sound barrier, invented helicopters, sent people to the moon, and are preparing to send people to other planets! • As for communication, I remember growing up and my mother would tell me how if she wanted to get together with her best friend, Sherry, who is also deaf, my mother would have to run next door and ask the hearing neighbor to call her friend Sherry’s hearing neighbor, who would then run over to see if Sherry was home. They would communicate with the hearing neighbors through pen and paper. This was how Deaf people got together just 50 years ago! If one of those people was not there, the whole thing fell apart.

08:03 – Old TTY • Well just in the past 20 years we’ve gone from that to TTYs…

08:06 – Pager • to pagers…

08:09 – iPhones • and now we can video chat with people on the other side of the world. • 100 years ago, it took 2 months to travel from New York to Manila. Now, it takes 2 days. 100 years from now, it might take 2 hours by who knows what means of transport. We have no idea of what’s happening next, but one thing we can say for sure is that with the world becoming increasingly accessible and smaller through improved transportation and communication technology.

08:42 – Overview of globe • Our actions will have repercussions not only at home, but around the globe. As people who are involved in the Filipino Deaf community, you will have an impact on Deaf people across the globe as well. As signers – people with a base in visual communication – this is an advantage, one that will guarantee you have a greater impact as well. Let me explain…

09:12 – Is sign language universal? • A common misconception we’ve encountered many times is that people think sign language is universal. However, as you may already know, every country has it’s own signs, , grammar, and so on. • For example, here’s my name in … D-A-V-I-N. Now here it is in Indian Sign Language: D-A-V-I-N. Vastly different, even though both Americans and Indians speak English.

09:49 – Overview of interpreter chain • At first when we started traveling for DDW, we communicated through interpreters -sometimes chain of 4-5 people ( -> spoken Japanese -> spoken English -> ASL.) • David, my co-worker, always says that one thing he learned as a hearing person – he felt more effective communicating with local people using sign language. • In China, after a month of traveling, he might be able to say a few phrases horribly in Mandarin, but could after immersing in Deaf community could be conversationally fluent in . I don’t mean to say that learning sign language is easy, but we can fill in the gaps with gestures and have more fluid communication, which just isn’t possible with written/spoken language. Let’s share an example- if you know Chinese, please don’t give it away!

10:56 – Chinese characters • Many of us may look at this word and not know what it means. Now if we add the English spelling-

11:05 – xie xie • We also may not be able to easily pronounce it- it’s strange for English speakers – we don’t typically put X and I together. That word means…

11:19 – thank you • “Thank you.”

11:22 – Chinese characters • It’s a very simple word, but it is hard to pronounce. Their sign is this. So, which is easier to remember? These characters, or this sign? Written and spoken languages can be complicated, difficult- requiring repetition. Sign language can be easier to acquire. • That’s something you can apply your foundation in sign language to – giving you the ability to communicate directly with Deaf people and signers in another country. • This is a benefit for us, in the work we do. Plus it is a benefit for you!

12:00 - Overview of globe • Due to advancements in transportation and communication technology, we have been fortunate enough to travel the world… and here’s what we’ve learned.

12:11 – 250 schools and organizations in 50 countries • In the past five years, we have connected with over 250 Deaf orgs/schools from 50 countries. We’ve learned about the range and severity of issues that Deaf communities face- for example:

12:26 – New Zealand • In New Zealand, there are not enough interpreters. There is a 1 to 100 ratio of interpreters to signing deaf people. This means that accessibility is a big issue. Deaf people, most of the time, are unable to get interpreters for schools, doctor’s appointments, et cetera.

12:47 – China • In China, there are almost no interpreters. Those that they do have are usually not trained – sometimes person talk for long time, then translation is two words – many gaps in communication. Plus, while deaf people can go to university, they are only permitted to study art. If they want to become a teacher, engineer, doctor, businessperson, they are on their own. There’s a serious lack of opportunity there.

13:23 – Cambodia • In Cambodia, there is a lack of community. Fifteen years ago, most deaf people had never met another deaf person before, and were extremely isolated. There was no concept of Deafness.

13:43 – India • In India, 1/3rd of the population lives on less than $1/day. If a family has a hearing child and a deaf child, and can afford to send only one child to school – they will probably send the hearing child over the deaf child. That deaf child might be abandoned on the street.

14:10 – Tanzania • Tanzania is the most severe example of what Deaf people face. I’ll let Ally, a local Tanzanian, explain.

14:19 – PAUSE DAVIN’S VIDEO, CLICK FOR VIDEO: TANZANIA WHEN FINISHED, UN-PAUSE DAVIN’S VIDEO AND CLICK PREZI

14:10 – World Federation of the Deaf • It is a different world for Deaf people out there. We’ve witnessed all these things on our travels, and we discovered a statistic that validates our experience– according to the WFD, at least 90% of deaf people in developing countries have no education at all and only 1-2% receive education in sign language. • That means there are over 180 million deaf people in the world with no education at all – Deaf people who cannot communicate or self-advocate. • That’s where people like you come into the picture. A deaf person without an education or much language- you can assist in conveying important information between them and the hearing community. • It is true, Deaf people face unfortunate circumstances around the world. But- there are also amazing leaders like Ally, who was just talking on video, who are doing something about it. That’s why DDW exists- and that’s how can support Deaf people’s efforts. • Now I would like to share with you a few stories of Deaf leaders we’ve met and worked with to give you a better sense of what life is like for Deaf people in other countries- as well as what hearing allies are doing to support their efforts. I hope these stories will inspire you to become more involved with the Filipino Deaf community.

16:15 – Overview of Nepal • Let’s start with Nepal…

16:20 – Flag photo • Nepal is a colorful place- prayer flags fluttering in the wind, vibrant clothing, people smiling everywhere they go… The Himalaya Mountains tower over you at 28,000 feet-

16:40 – Village photo • And more people live in mountain villages than in the cities. Time there is measured in “how many days walk” and sometimes there are no roads, only small paths.

16:57 – Porter photo • In Nepal they use porters- who carry 200 pounds on their backs for 80 miles in just a few days- walking over 18,000 feet in elevation, wearing flip flops! It’s remarkable!

17:17 – Rice field photo • For Deaf people, it’s a double isolation—geographical and social. In Nepal, being deaf often means you are seen as worthless, given a simple task like working in the rice fields. They may be seen as a mistake from god – bad karma.

17:43 – David and Suresh photo • So, David went hiking with a deaf man named Suresh. He is president of the Nepali National Association of the Deaf. Upon going into small villages, they would met Deaf people with the same story- they couldn’t read, write, sign, hadn’t been to school, had no interpreters, and so on. • Suresh and David would converse in and get laughed at.

18:23 – Suresh interacting photo • But- Suresh did not get offended. Instead, he would sit down with the hearing villagers and write back and forth with them. For them to see an educated Deaf Nepali, they were taken back- it instantly changed their perspective on Deaf people because he could write in fluent Nepali.

18:38 – Suresh with woman photo • I would like to show you this video- it is a common situation for deaf villagers in Nepal and many developing countries. It is not fully captioned because I would like you to pay attention to the woman in red/green plaid who is deaf

18:58 – PAUSE DAVIN’S VIDEO, CLICK FOR VIDEO: NEPAL WHEN FINISHED, UN-PAUSE DAVIN’S VIDEO (but do not click slideshow yet)

• This Deaf woman is an adult, and yet she doesn’t know sign, or how to read, or write; she laughs but doesn’t truly understand. Her family said that she was dumb and that they would communicate for her. Suresh was forced to write notes with family instead of communicate directly with the Deaf woman. There are no interpreters in these villages, so deaf people rely on family members for communication – but most of the time, family members take over the conversation and speak for the deaf person, rather than facilitating communication.

19:42 – Schoolroom photo • So, what’s the local response to this? Well, Nepal has a thriving deaf community in the cities. In fact, 4 years ago the first Deaf man in Asia was elected to parliament- he was Nepali. Nepal Federation of the Deaf recognizes this problem of isolation. So because they cannot bring the Deaf villagers to the cities, they bring education to them. • One teacher will hike for days and days out to villages in order to find Deaf people, and spends 10 months teaching them Nepali Sign Language, basic literacy, and mathematics. 1 teacher can connect with 200 people in a year, and not only do they teach Deaf people, but their family members too- so they can better understand deafness. While DDW not currently working in Nepal, this is the kind of local initiative we would like to support – an initiative that involves Deaf people and hearing people equally.

20:55 – Cambodia Overview • Now will tell you about Cambodia...

21:00 – Monks photo • Cambodia is called the “Kingdom of Wonder” and for good reason: monks stroll around on a daily basis, there are beautiful ancient temples like Angkor Wat in the background-

21:19 – Traffic photo • Even the hustle and bustle of everyday life is full of colors and sights and smells.

21:26 – Museum photo • However, Cambodia also has a dark history- in the 1970’s, the Khmer Rouge took over the country and murdered 2 million of 13 million people… mostly intellectuals- they wanted to revert to an agrarian society. So after all this, the whole country basically had to start over from scratch. Clearly, this had an impact on Deaf people’s lives as well.

21:57 – Cambodian Sign Language poster • Back in 1997- which is not ages ago… at that time in Cambodia: there were no deaf schools, no deaf organizations or services for deaf people, interpreters, and no sign language used. As I said earlier, 98% of deaf people had never met another deaf person before. • Since 1997, a handful of NGOs have popped up. One is the Deaf Development Programme (DDP) - they provide basic education, and vocational training and have hired Deaf people to work w/ them creating a Cambodian Sign Language dictionary and they have now begun interpreter training.

22:38 – F4 photo • DDP also takes responsibility for educating and teaching life skills to people like F4, who is named such due to the tattoo on his wrist that looks like an F and 4. He was abandoned on their doorstep – no name, no idea of where he came from, no language, and so on. When I first met him, we couldn’t communicate. When I visited again recently- five years later, I was able to have a full conversation with F4, who now has a job as a barber. DDP is still knocking on doors to let deaf people know that now there is a school now available. 23:24 – Epic Arts Café photo • Parallel with DDP, there’s another NGO that started as a cafe-

23:31 – Kids photo • A safe spot for Deaf kids to go and socialize comfortably, rather than be belittled by others- the hearing woman who founded this organization began training them on how to run the restaurant and later introduced different workshops related to dance and art. This organization has had many success stories- here’s one.

23:50 – PAUSE DAVIN’S VIDEO, CLICK FOR VIDEO: CAMBODIA WHEN FINISHED, UN-PAUSE DAVIN’S VIDEO AND CLICK PREZI

23:51 – Group photo • That woman in the middle there, that’s who Katie was talking about. This is a powerful example of how one small change can make a huge difference. Once a burden to her family, she was given an opportunity, and now she is the only person making an income to support her family.

24:21 – Kenya Overview • Last summer was our first trip to East Africa.

24:27 – Elephants photo • Americans typically envision Africa as a dry landscape with leopards, rhinos, elephants, and lions out in the wild–

24:35 – Kenyan villager photo • Which they have, but there’s also local villagers tending sheep with a lion nearby- co-exist peacefully.

24:52 – Skyscraper photo • Of course, Kenya also has cities similar ours – but it’s the little things that make a difference.

25:00 – Women with buckets photo • For example, you’ll often see women carrying heavy loads with buckets on their head – instead of a purse! Kids too- in rural areas, we’d often see them collecting water from mud puddles off dirt roads and walking 3-4 miles back home.

25:21 – Handshake photo • On our first day – upon visiting a deaf organization- they called us on stage to introduce ourselves. I went ahead and did so, and then David (DJ) began to introduce himself. He signed, “Hello, my name is David. Davin and I grew up in the same town.” We noticed that people were looking at us strangely and laughing- the American sign for “town” is the Kenan sign for “toilet!!”

26:02 – Schoolchildren photo • Anyway, over time, our improved and in total, we visited 25 organizations. We met a number of Deaf, hard of hearing, hearing people all support Deaf education and language development. One man who really inspired us was Anthony- and I want to share a clip from him.

26:30 – PAUSE DAVIN’S VIDEO, CLICK FOR VIDEO: KENYA WHEN FINISHED, UN-PAUSE DAVIN’S VIDEO AND CLICK PREZI

26:31 – Anthony and Ruth photo • Anthony’s perspective is very valuable- he acknowledged the importance of parents becoming involved in the education and language development of their deaf children- and you as interpreters can help strengthen the connection between deaf children and hearing parents. • A year ago or so, Anthony teamed up with a Deaf woman named Ruth, pictured here- they started the first parent support group in Mombasa, Kenya- Ruth providing sign language instruction, Anthony providing audiology support – together they both served as a resource to parents, local schools, National Association of the Deaf, other audiologists, KSL teachers, etc. – maximizing their local resources to provide the best opportunities for their deaf children. Interpreters play an important role here. The concept of maximizing local resources is something DDW values.

27:35 – AIDS/HIV Clinic photo • An example, shifting gears to public health. In Kenya, 1.5 million people live w/ AIDS/HIV and those with disabilities are 4X more likely to be infected, often due to a lack of access to info. • This man in the photo is Mwachia, president of the deaf club in Mombasa. He’s trying to provide HIV/AIDS testing clinic accessible in sign language – and this is his office. • After 2 hours talking with him, he asked us “wealthy American foreigners” for $12,000 to build a new office. In return, we asked if he felt we knew enough about their project to give $12,000.

28:37 – DDW hands / logo overview • That led to an all day discussion on fund development, approaching sponsors, using resources available, etc. End of day - Mwachia began drafting a formal solicitation letter seeking in-kind donations from local construction companies for materials to build their new office. • He was thinking outside the box - a conclusion he came to on his own. DDW is does not go places to provide health care training or give money to build a new office. This is an example of how DDW provides organizational development training/guidance to local leaders. If we could commit 2-3 years collaborating with Mwachia, our combined efforts would be more effective.

29:34 Davin - Closing • It’s now time to wrap things up. Every day, our world grows smaller.

29:43 – Flags photo • And with that, our actions – our work - have a greater impact not only here at home, but around the world. We have no way of predicting what life will be like in the future, but we can be sure that the world will be even more interconnected then. That’s why for people like you – people like us – it is important we understand what is happening in other countries and support it when we can.

30:17 – Lao Tzu quote • In the spirit of our work in international development, we are inspired by this quote from Lao Tzu. Now, I would like to show you a 4-minute slideshow that sums up DDW’s work.

30:44 – PAUSE DAVIN’S VIDEO, CLICK FOR VIDEO: OUR WORK WHEN FINISHED, UN-PAUSE DAVIN’S VIDEO AND CLICK PREZI

30:18 – Website top • Thank you all for watching. If you want to keep in touch or learn more, please visit our website at:

31:05 – Website bottom • If you scroll down, you can sign up for our free monthly newsletter. We are always sharing stories directly from Deaf people and their allies from around the world. Thank you!