International Day of Sign Languages is September 23, kicking off the weeklong celebration of International Week of the Deaf. On this day, the world highlights how sign language unites communities.
Jefferson County had a population of 773,399 people over 18 in June 2022, and 119,877 of those people were deaf or hard of hearing. That is more than 15% of the population, not accounting for those under the age of 18.
Heuser Hearing & Language Academy (HHLA), formerly the Louisville Deaf Oral School (LDOS), “is a comprehensive educational community that exists to empower those with hearing loss or speech, language and communication disorders to reach their full potential and effectively participate in the community,” according to its official website. It was established in 1948 and was the first of its kind in Kentucky. It has a preschool and kindergarten program that provides individualized and comprehensive education for each student at no cost to their families. This only touches on the services offered; the staff not only works with the students, but also provides support and education for their families; approximately 90% of deaf infants are born to parents without hearing loss.
Will Frentz, HHLA philanthropy officer, was a 1997 graduate of LDOS, and is the former captain of the U.S. deaf men’s national soccer team. Born deaf, Frentz grew up in a supportive family and was entirely dependent on sign language for communication until the age of 5, when he received his first cochlear implant. His first language was Signed exact English (SEE). He said it “is different than American Sign Language.” American Sign Language (ASL) is more condensed, allowing for faster signing. ASL also has its own set of grammatical rules and syntax.
At the age of 16, when playing for the national soccer team at the inaugural Deaf World Cup in Greece, Frentz had his first experience with universal sign language. He described it as a very basic language, as a bridge for people from different countries. Sign language is like any other language and every country has their own sign language. Many outside of America learn ASL, similar to how English is taught as a second language.
When asked what his favorite form of sign language is, he said that “ASL is a very expressive and beautiful language because you are using your whole body.” ASL is closer to French Sign Language than British because the early educators who came from the United States were French. Also, before widespread integration of ASL, households and schools for the deaf made up their own signs to communicate, so people weren’t always able to communicate with those outside their family.
When Frentz was younger, he identified as hard of hearing instead of deaf, but as he has grown older, he has immersed himself in deaf culture. This is a community of deaf people who are proud of who they are, are deeply involved in their culture, and have more relationships with those who are also deaf. He believes it is helpful and important for the deaf and hard of hearing to have a community to create a sense of belonging.
Louisville has a strong deaf culture. Though HHLA is perhaps the biggest resource for those in this area, the Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) Exceptional Child Education program offers a range of services for students who are deaf and hard of hearing. Another service JCPS provides is a four-week deaf and hard of hearing camp in the summer, where children can socialize, develop social skills and become part of a community.
Both Southeast and Northeast Christian churches have deaf ministries. Southeast Christian Church offers a weekend fellowship group, ASL-interpreted services and online closed-captioning services. Northeast Christian Church has services led by Pastor Todd Stinson, who is deaf, and provides ASL interpreters for their typical worship services.
In addition, Louisville’s deaf culture boasts strong options for interpreting services. Language in Motion and ASL Interpreting Services are two interpreting agencies that serve the greater Louisville area. Over the years, interpreting services have become more available and standards have been raised, making communication safer and more accurate. Frentz pointed out that “interpreters are better now,” which helps the deaf community break the barriers that keep them dependent and limited by the system.
“Job prospects are so limited,” Frentz said regarding the deaf community, adding that barriers to health care are real. Because deaf people may struggle with phone communication, people are often stuck in low-paying positions or working in manual labor. He pointed out that Kentucky has the second-lowest high school graduation rate in the country, and unemployment rates and reliance on Social Security disability income are very high for the deaf.
Another challenge is low health outcomes. Legally, providers must provide interpreting services, but Frentz points out that this doesn’t always happen and can be a challenging process. Depending on the length of the visit or hospitalization, more than one interpreter may be needed, as it is difficult to interpret for more than 15 minutes without a break.
“Deaf people are very grateful for people being more willing or open,” Frentz says, pointing out that there are many social media accounts that teach sign language. Look for those using straight ASL.
If you are looking for local, in-person classes, JCPS offers adult learning courses via their Ed2go online program. Sign language courses are also offered at both Kentucky Community and Technical College System, and the University of Louisville. Another local company, Parliament Tutors on Mellwood Avenue, offers sign language tutoring from beginner to advanced levels.
