Exploring the Curriculum of Colonization and U.S. Deaf Education and Deaf Studies

Dr. Gloshanda Lawyer discusses the intersections of race, ethnicity, nationality and deafness, emphasizing the global experience of Blackness beyond the U.S. context. Lawyer reflects on her personal journey, grappling with her Hard of Hearing, racial and multiethnic identities amidst a predominantly white Deaf community and systemic injustices. She exposes colonization's role in the establishment of social constructs which shapes identity development and embodiment and erases linguistic practices. Lawyer urges the importance of decolonization from and for Deaf peoples indigenous to various lands, appealing for a nuanced, individualized yet collective approach to addressing systemic oppression while respecting the diverse experiences within Black Deaf communities. She underscores the need for dismantling multiple forms of oppression, including audism and linguicism, as a collective effort to forge an inclusive, equitable future.