Historians have not agreed on exactly when the enslavement of Black people started; however, between the 1850 and 1860 U.S. Census, Deaf people made up approximately 14% of all enslaved people with disabilities. Dr. Lissa Ramirez-Stapleton, PhD focuses on that population and its descendants, building bridges between Deaf and hearing communities of color through education, activism, and mutual respect. We spoke to her about her activism and her new children's book, Black Deaf Lives Matter.
About Dr. Ramirez-Stapleton
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I am originally from Columbus, Ohio. I have many identities, but those I'm most proud of are being a wife and a Black queer mama to our little girl, Kalia. I am an associate professor at California State University Northridge in the Department of Deaf Studies and core faculty for the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies program. My research focuses on equity and access, identity development, and the educational history of Deaf students, faculty, and staff with a particular interest in the intersections of race, gender, and disability. I previously worked as a student affair professional and with Semester At Sea. My desire to support Deaf college Students of Color, led me to pursue my doctorate at Iowa State University where I graduated in 2014 with my Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis in Higher Education and Social Justice and a minor in Women's Studies. As a private consultant for over 15 years, I conduct trainings, workshops, and keynotes on issues of social justice, equity, and diversity across the country as well as support campus climate assessments as a qualitative research specialist with Rankin & Associates Consulting. I am professionally involved with the Association for the Study of Higher Education and active within the National Black Deaf Advocates organization. I love traveling, going to the movies, and hosting friends and family!
WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION TO CREATE THE BOOK?
Last summer, I was unable to fully engage in the streets with BLM and the racial uprising because I was pregnant and COVID. I was so frustrated, but my wife, Dr. Marcela Ramirez-Stapleton, really encouraged me to think about what I could do. I was already working with Shawn Richardson (the eventual illustrator) to translate my research on Black Deaf education into visual characters for a historical timeline that would be more accessible for Deaf folks and kids, so she suggested I create a coloring book with the work we had already done together. As I thought more about it, I decided to expand the idea to an activity book too. Many Deaf education teachers have asked me about resources and race based supplemental curriculum. The book creates an interactive way to start conversations about race, racism, and audism (discrimination against Deaf communities), as well as introduce Black history, Black Deaf culture, and more, which is exactly what I hoped it would do.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE READERS GAIN?
As we fight for justice, our movements and all forms of activism must be accessible and inclusive of the diversity within the Black community. No one person, classroom, or moment can teach our children how power and privilege work in the U.S., why self-love and loving others is critical, what it means to be in solidarity with others, and so many other important lessons. Ultimately, kids are never too young and adults are never too old to learn about the complex world we live in or their role and ability to make it better for everyone!
Black Deaf Lives Matter: A fun coloring & activity book about Black Deaf life, history, culture, & sign language is available on Amazon or direct from Dr. Ramirez-Stapleton.
