Deaftown within a City:
As you know, I love being part of the Deaf community and want to create a good Deaf community. Laurent, SD has my support, the Prince Edward Island Project also has my support too.
However, I do not believe EVERY Deaf person will want to relocate to be part of a Deaf community. There are many populated cities such as Washington DC, Rochester, Chicago, etc. These major cities have Deaf communities with a good number of Deaf people.
These cities also have other communities with people from different backgrounds, i.e. Italians, Chinese, Koreans, Middle East, etc. The difference I see between these people and Deaf people is that they have managed to create some kind of a little town within these cities, such as China Town or Italian Town.
Would it be cool if Deaf people worked together and supported a project that calls for the creation of a Deaf Town within major cities?
9 comments:
Yea, your walking along in Toronto and NYC and all the sudden hands are flying! Street names are, Laurent Ave, Galludet Way, Clerc Street
Signs on the stores are spelled out with images of fingerspelling.
There is music everywhere with the bass vibrating the whole street!
The street lights flash when there is a air raid siren...
Ok..the last one is going a bit too far..but sounds like a cool idea! :)
Awesome imagation you have! Would love to see that happen, more reasons to try to find people who support that idea and are willing to set up their own business in the same location. :)
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oneninefive
Mike, would you move to Laurent, South Dakota?
Nate,
I understand your point, however if the general population is Deaf-friendly, the Deaf businesses would also have hearing customers, and loyal Deaf customers may find it worth stopping by the stores...
I could even try setting up a Canadian store that sells Canadian stuff, those Canadians who go to RIT or immigranted to USA after college might find stuff they want from Canada in my store, the same can go with you could set up a Korean store or restaurant, the only difference is the restaurant or store is run by someone who is Deaf Korean. It is the Deaf language/culture that would define the "town".
Who knows, more oralists and hearing power people will realize that it is alright to be Deaf. :)
Pam,
I know about Laurent. I was kind of focusing more about the Deaf people already living in cities. Why relocate in a different place of the country when there are plenty of Deaf people already living in a city?
If there are good business or employment opportunities that I feel outweight the cons of living in the middle of no where, I would be willing to give the town a chance.
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oneninefive
Matt - in Fremont, California - there are streets named after Gallaudet and Clerc (Gallaudet st, Clerc ave) and theyre in an expensive gated community. :)
for some reasons Laurent, SD is making me a little nervous. Yes - I love the idea of having a Deaf town, but I like to get lost in a city too. You know, I value my privacy and I just know when I move to Laurent, i'll lose that.
I hate SD too. ugly state.
Lore, I understand what you mean about Laurent.
It is starting out as a small town with no big hopes of becoming a metropolis.
Creating a "Deaf town" within a major city would be more satisifying or a better alternative for Deaf people who want some kind of Deaf community.
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oneninefive
I like the city idea better too. SD is in the middle of no where..plus once your in, where can you go?
If your sick of seeing deaf, deaf, deaf everywhere..no privacy..you can walk a couple blocks to Chinatown or Little Italy :)
In SD your stuck! Like the twilight zone! Middle of nowheresville
Lore - thats cool about Freemont..didn't know they had that. A lot of deaf people live in that area? If its hearing people mostly..I wonder if they even know what their street names mean!
yeah it's by the deaf institute - there is a big deaf community in Fremont - a good place to live because it's 40 min away from San FRancisco, the wine country and all the bay cities.
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