About Us

About Hands & Voices Headquarters 

In the early-1990s, the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., was preparing an exhibit called "Silent America."  It was intended to raise positive awareness of the Deaf Community, highlighting cultural and linguistic (American Sign Language) aspects of the Deaf experience.  Meanwhile, a number of people who were deaf or hard of hearing, but who were not living with those aspects of the Deaf experience, had a problem with the exhibit.  From their perspective, it did not represent who they were specifically, listening/oral communicators.  They resented what they perceived to be the exclusionary nature of Silent America's point of view.  Controversy roiled across the land.  Both camps fired off angry letters towards each other, and at the Smithsonian exhibit planners.  In the end, the Smithsonian scrapped the whole project.   Regardless of what side any one was on, we all lost the battle.  National Chapter website: www.handsandvoices.org

About Hands & Voices South Carolina

SC Hands & Voices is working hard to build a community of parents and professionals throughout the state that will support families of children who are D/deaf or hard of hearing.   SCHV is an IRS approved 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.  Currently, our team is a volunteer parent-driven and parent majority serving with professionals who are dedicated to building SC Hands & Voices into a strong organization that will help our children reach their highest potential.    SC Hands & Voices depends on the continuing support of parents and professionals, and we value greatly your input to this organization.    If you like what we do, please consider membership or donations which help us support the D/HH community.  View DONATE tab or click HERE for general donations.