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Category: Advocacy

  • Day 8: Deaf Accessibility Wins – The Lasting Impact of Teaching ASL

    In yesterday’s post I mentioned teaching the MLA the sign for “congratulations.” That small moment brought back memories of my early teaching career.

    Right after completing my MA in Deaf Studies at Gallaudet University, I taught a class for students in the Teacher of the Deaf (TOD) program at the University of Manitoba. That experience opened doors to other teaching roles: instructor for Disability Studies at the University of Winnipeg, instructor for the interpreting program and Deaf literacy program at Red River College, and ASL instructor at the University of Manitoba.

    Teaching ASL never felt like just teaching a language. It was always deeply connected to Deaf culture, the local community in Winnipeg and Manitoba, and my own lived experience as a Deaf person.

    My favourite part has always been seeing what happens after the course ends. Students expanded their knowledge and went on to apply it personally and professionally. One nurse realized the importance of effective communication with Deaf patients and the need for qualified interpreters. A couple of students were inspired to become advocates, used me as a reference, and got into law school. Others went into careers working directly with Deaf people or simply became better communicators with Deaf family members, friends, and neighbours.

    To this day, some former students stay in touch or we run into each other in the community.

    The classroom is like planting seeds. When you nurture students with knowledge, empathy, and Deaf perspectives, they grow into agents of change — carrying accessibility forward wherever they go.

    What about you? Did a teacher, mentor, or course ever shift how you think about accessibility or inclusion? Or have you seen the impact of learning ASL in your own life or career?

    Share your experiences in the comments!

    See you tomorrow for Day 9!

  • Day 7: Deaf Accessibility Wins – Small Gestures, Big Connections

    Recently, I had the honour of giving a speech at a high school graduation. The MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) was also on stage. I actually knew her from years ago — we worked together at a social services agency, where I was a case manager and she was the social worker supporting the same individual. Back then, collaborating made advocating for that person’s needs much smoother.

    It was great to see her again in a different stage of our careers, still working for the same community.

    After the speeches, as we mingled with the crowd, she came up to me and asked, “What’s the sign for ‘congratulations’?” I showed her, and she practiced it right there.

    Little things like this go a long way. When someone genuinely wants to connect by learning even a small piece of our language, it moves beyond basic “access” or “inclusion.” It becomes a real human connection — being seen, understood, and valued.

    When hearing people take the initiative to learn from us, it opens up space for Deaf and non-Deaf people to coexist more naturally and authentically.

    These small, sincere moments are powerful wins.

    What about you? Have you ever had a meaningful moment where someone made an effort to learn a bit of sign language or bridge a communication gap? How did it feel?

    Share your stories in the comments — these small wins are worth celebrating!

    See you tomorrow for Day 8!

  • Day 6: Deaf Accessibility Wins – From Nodding Hello to Real Conversations

    For years, when I walked my daughter to school, the drop-off spot was the same routine: nods, smiles, waves, and quick goodbyes. As a Deaf parent, communication barriers made anything deeper difficult. Gestures were usually the best we could do.

    This went on for weeks until some parents started learning basic signs from YouTube — “Hi, I’m Trevor. Nice to meet you. How are you? I’m fine.” It was a nice shift from pure gesturing to a mix of signs, gestures, and superficial chats about the weather.

    Of course, learning a few signs doesn’t mean full conversations. When it was my turn to respond, things would slow down. Real connection only happens when both sides can understand and express themselves comfortably.

    One day, I used VRI On-Demand at the drop-off. The parent I usually gestured with was impressed. Suddenly we could have a real conversation. I learned he was a web developer and his wife was a nurse. Word spread, and I started learning more about other parents — a home technician, landlord, construction worker, retired teacher, and several running home-based businesses.

    VRI On-Demand helped “speed up” the process of getting to know each other when communication barriers were removed. While learning ASL is valuable and takes time, tools like VRI make meaningful interactions possible right away.

    These small moments at school drop-off turned into real community connections — and that’s a beautiful accessibility win.

    What about you?

    Have you experienced a moment where better communication tools helped you connect more deeply with other parents, neighbours, or people in your community?

    Share your story in the comments!

    See you tomorrow for Day 7!

  • Day 5: Deaf Accessibility Wins – Communicating Through Windows

    Yesterday, a door-to-door sales rep came by asking about our phone and internet service. I wasn’t available to speak with him, so my spouse met him at the front door. She explained that I’m Deaf and we communicate in ASL.

    The rep was surprised — and impressed — that we could communicate clearly through the windows using sign language. My spouse stayed outside while I stayed inside working, and we were still able to have an accessible conversation.

    This is one of those small but meaningful examples of Deaf Gain — the unique advantages that come with being Deaf, such as the ability to communicate visually over distances where spoken language wouldn’t work.

    The rep was there because his company is installing fibre optic lines in our area and looking for people interested in switching for faster internet. The conversation was quick and low-pressure, and my spouse handled most of it while I jumped in when needed.

    Moments like this remind me how valuable ASL is for real-time communication. Of course, learning sign language takes time for most people. That’s where VRI On-Demand could be a game-changer — instant connection with a qualified interpreter right at the door.

    I’ll share more about my own VRI On-Demand experiences in a future post.

    What about you? Have you had a creative or unexpected accessibility win in everyday situations like this? Or what’s one small change that made communication easier for you?

    Share your stories in the comments!

    See you on Monday for Day 6!

  • Day 4: Deaf Accessibility Wins – Advocating as a Deaf Dad

    As a Deaf dad with Deaf daughters, advocacy is a constant part of life. From asking people to repeat themselves, using voice-to-text on my phone, writing notes, or requesting ASL interpreters — I’ve done it all. Advocating for interpreters is often hit-or-miss because funding isn’t always in place.

    Now that I have Deaf daughters, I’m advocating not just for myself, but for them, their Deaf friends, and other Deaf families (including hearing parents of Deaf children). The responsibility compounds.

    A Recent Win Recently, we signed our Deaf kids up for soccer. All the Deaf children ended up on the same team. The league was funded solely by registration fees, so they hadn’t planned for interpreters. We reached out to an organization that has dedicated funds reserved for ASL interpreters and connected them with the league.

    It was smooth sailing. The league coordinator was proactive, and we secured interpreters for games, wind-up events, and more. With clear communication and the right people involved, the coaches could communicate effectively with the Deaf players and parents — and vice versa.

    This experience showed me that knowing how and where to advocate makes all the difference. When the right motives, funding, and guidance come together, accessibility wins become possible.

    What about you? Have you had to advocate for accessibility in sports, school, or community activities? What worked well, or what would have made it easier?

    Share your experiences in the comments — your stories help all of us learn and grow.

    See you tomorrow for Day 5!