Community Organizing & Activism

Access to healthcare is a fundamental right, yet Deaf individuals often face obstacles when seeking medical treatment due to a lack of ASL interpreters on site. Medical institutions, such as a doctor's office or hospital, often fail to provide timely and effective communication access which can lead to patient frustration and even misdiagnoses. 

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires all medical institutions to provide reasonable accommodations, including ASL interpreters for Deaf patients. However, many hospitals either fail to comply or rely on ineffective alternatives such as VRI (Video Remote Interpreting). At first glance, VRI seems like a great alternative, but there are often connectivity and technical difficulties, which can cause confusion, frustration, and even medical errors due to inadequate communication access.

 To address these issues, I will raise awareness of the challenges Deaf patients face in medical settings, advocate for hospitals to hire on-site certified interpreters, and educate medical professionals on Deaf culture and the importance of in-person interpreting services.

 Firstly, I will survey the local Deaf community regarding their experiences in various medical settings. Next, I will contact local hospital administrators and advocate for policy changes. I will present my survey findings and stress the importance of having a qualified in-person interpreter who has had specific medical interpreting training including relevant experience and participation in workshops or certifications.

 Public awareness is also an important part of this strategy. Rather than leading these efforts myself, I will collaborate with Deaf community members to make sure that their voices are at the forefront. I will support a social media campaign by using hashtags (such as #medicalaccessmatters) and assist in making and distributing informational material for both the Deaf community and healthcare providers.

 If hospitals refuse, I will encourage and support Deaf-led activism, such as peaceful protests outside of a hospital. This protest could feature Deaf patients and allies holding signs with phrases like “Deaf rights = human rights”. Deaf patients would be able to share their medical access struggles- there would be use of ASL and English interpreting for media outreach. I would ensure that messages come from within the Deaf community.

 Through this initiative, I expect medical professionals will become more aware of the communication needs of Deaf patients. Hospitals will be encouraged to hire an on-hand interpreter and ensure that they are qualified for the position. By working with the Deaf community, we can help create a medical system where effective communication is standard practice, not an exception.