A recap of wins for the deaf community, and where we can improve.

Deaf History Month is celebrated between March 13 and April 15. It celebrates the achievement of people who are deaf and hard of hearing. Throughout history, the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities have been underserved and underrepresented.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the deaf and hard-of-hearing community has endured a new layer of challenges to overcome to advocate for themselves. According to the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), “up to approximately 650,000 Americans who are deaf, hard of hearing or DeafBlind may go to the hospital for COVID-19 treatment.” With hospitals overrun and limited communication due to facemasks, the community has to work even harder to self-advocate.

“Deaf” generally means a hearing loss that is so severe that little or no functional hearing is possible for the person. In contrast, “Hard-of-hearing” refers to a person who has lost enough hearing that a device like a cochlear implant or hearing aid provides an adequate experience.

Here are some of the key milestones, so far, for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community*.

*All images under creative license commons