ENGAGE AND EDUCATE: HOW DGM WOKE ME UP
The Center on American Progress stated in The State of Civics Education: “Civic knowledge and public engagement is at an all-time low. A 2016 survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center found that only 26 percent of Americans can name all three branches of government, which was a significant decline from previous years. Not surprisingly, public trust in government is at only 18 percent and voter participation has reached its lowest point since 1996. Without an understanding of the structure of government; rights and responsibilities; and methods of public engagement, civic literacy and voter apathy will continue to plague American democracy. Educators and schools have a unique opportunity and responsibility to ensure that young people become engaged and knowledgeable citizens.” In late 2015, Deaf Grassroots Movement (DGM) and Wesley Arey, quite the animated character that he is, began popping up in my feed on Facebook. He ranted about many issues that I could relate to being a Deaf person living in an auditory-based society that largely fails to embrace our diversity. A burning passion to seek out change lit up in me. I came to the realization that I should do something. I started reading up on other Deaf people that shared similar experiences I had, other trending obstacles in the Deaf community, negative policies, legislation, and I delved into politics more than ever before. DGM opened my eyes to see the need for Deaf leaders. I stopped taking my rights for granted. It is true, participation lies at the core of any democratic society. My belief for the reason of the disconnection from the political process by those in the Deaf community demographic is either due to plain ignorance, lack of equitable access to critical information, or even a missed opportunity to receive the most basic civics course in previous educational settings. 18
Jay Isch with Fmr. Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa at a Louisiana Democratic Party fundraiser in 2019.
Corey Axelrod, Founder and CEO of 2axend, wrote in a 2017 article: “72% of Deaf People will not vote for inaccessible candidates running for public office” How do we fix this? Collectively, we all must share common ground focusing on issues that negatively impact us as a group by looking past the political differences and the systemic ignorance for the sake of our own existence. The disconnection is the fault of a system that failed to embrace us, understand us or even accommodate our unique educational needs. This is why we must engage and educate. Voter turnout levels in proximity of model schools for the deaf in progressive cities tend to be higher than those in rural or southern ones. A variety of explanations, including a stronger sense of community, stronger political organizations and traditions, as well as an older population have been put forward. The lack of participation by so many people, including our own, distorts the results in any election and the politicians must implement innovative means to overcome this growing trend. This is why we must engage and educate.
