Our Writers
Learn about our great writers and contributors.
Let it Snow
Right now as I write this (December 12th) Felix is in his glory seeing all the snow that fell over the past weekend. He said he got 9 inches. He loved it. He thought it would be nice if it would snow all the time. Of course, you are looking at a southerner who was
Update on Felix
“I like it here.” I hear those words from Felix a lot. He still feels blessed and happy to be in Virginia. I know it has been a very long time since I have written anything on Felix. While it does mean Felix is doing well here in VDOC – thanks in large part to
Watching the Movie, “I Am Not Your Negro” on MLK’s Birthday
We celebrated Rev. Martin Luther King’s birthday by watching the 90-minute PBS special documentary, ‘I Am Not Your Negro.’ The movie was part celebration, part eye-opener, and part sadness-filled and left us wondering, when will racial hatred stop? Why does the color of one’s skin have to matter? Why do we hate people who look
Using a Young CODA as A Sign Language Interpreter: Never a Right Decision
Consider this scenario. During a domestic dispute, a husband who is deaf hits his wife who is also deaf. This occurs in the couple’s kitchen with their young seven-year-old hearing daughter watching such a horrible incident. The assaulting husband flees out the door. The mother, badly bleeding from a mouth cut, calls 911 on video
The Language of Light: A History of Silent Voices
Book Review: The Language of Light: A History of Silent Voices (2017) by Gerald Shea Yale University Press. New Haven. By Jean F. Andrews This is a history of sign language – “the language of light” – and how Deaf people have fought for centuries for the right to use their language. The controversy of
Caught in the Web of Parole
By Jean F. Andrews For many Deaf individuals the parole process is a complex web. And for those Deaf persons who have poor English and sign skills and are not aware of their Constitutional Rights, the stakes are particularly high. What creates this web of confusion? For one, the rules and regulations of the parole
Perils of the Pen: Note Writing Not Fair Communication For Deaf Defendants
Many police, criminal justice and court officials assume the since a deaf person asks for a paper and pencil or a computer screen that they can communicate through writing. This seldom is the case. They typically ask for paper and pencil or the computer screen because they have no other recourse. Routinely police officers and
Read More