The word “awareness” brings an important notion for the community of deaf people with deaf rights. Deaf rights is to be identified in the group of disability rights law. Speaking of awareness of deaf rights is to be specified within the employment level. Many deaf, deaf-blind and hard of hearing people have struggles to bring awareness, adaptability and make a positive contribution at employment level in any agencies, companies and NGOs regarding their abilities with professional skills related with disabilities. In true reality, many with their disabilities are having reluctance/awkward moments, self-confidences issues, and insecurities when it comes for a job interview or when it is about to place a reasonable accommodation with accessible services at workforce place due to the struggles they have experienced with oppression, stigma, societal attitudes and all forms of discrimination. Bringing awareness of deaf rights into hearing society at employment level is to come in breaking the stereotypes and overcoming preconceptions regarding disabilities. On the other level, it is also about to break the barriers by using their rights enshrined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), civil rights law related with labor and equal opportunity employment and human rights law in the US.
Awareness is to bring in educating among people about disability rights and share a knowledge of the various abilities the deaf/the deaf-blind and hard of hearing people can do in all kinds of levels related with educational and professional skills with its own challenges in the workforce place. Discrimination, stigma, societal attitudes and oppression persist to exist however with the awareness to bring is to tackle that issue which is paramount. For the past 45 years the US has made an advancement with law for people with disabilities. We currently have Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act), Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). These five laws represent modern national disability employment policy that define prohibition on discrimination in federal, state, local government programs, contracts and employment including at business company and the NGOs, promotion on accessibility services, requirements to follow in establishing accommodations for workers with disabilities and provide a guidance of creating a workforce system designed to increase labor force participation and employment of people with disabilities in the public and private sectors. It has been noted that federal government has become the largest employer of individuals with disabilities as it has taken steps to provide increasing levels of recruitment, hiring and retention of people with disabilities. State governments, private and public sector of employments referring to business companies and NGOs/IGOs do follow the same steps as the federal government does however the awareness of deaf rights has not been well reached there than in the federal governments. 30.8 millions people are with disabilities in the US, the data being mentioned in 2018. The labor force participant rate for people with disabilities is at 21.4% while the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is at 7.3%. (US Senate: Disability Employment – Outdated Laws leave People with Disabilities behind in Today’s economy) The employment gap for people with disabilities remained to have an improvement however we need to address the awareness for deaf/deaf-blind and hard of hearing people at employment level more often. US has so many skilled and qualified deaf/deaf-blind and hard of hearing people with all level of degrees in all kinds of profession. The barriers and the competition is something that deaf/deaf-blind and hard of hearing people often face when there is a job interview. On the other level, many deaf/deaf-blind and hard of hearing people at workforce place have no confidence in raising the awareness about deaf rights related with disability rights. Even though we have all disability rights law in the US, but we also have civil rights law related with equal employment opportunity and human rights law that support the provision altogether for the group of people with all various kinds of disabilities. While we have all kinds of law, all deaf, deaf-blind and hard of hearing people at job interview and at workforce place have the ability to bring and raise awareness regarding of their disabilities with their rights enshrined in all disability rights law. With this awareness at job interview and at workforce place is important to show about what the deaf, deaf-blind and hard of hearing people can contribute to the organization based on its own mission/goals. Awareness and contribution often is to go altogether and it is the way to have the ability to break all barriers. Regarding of competition, it is always tough to face when it is about the concern of communication. Competition is always going to be there no matter what even between disabled and non-disabled people in all kinds of profession. My saying for this matter in all level of job position even at job interview and at workforce place is important to bring adaptability in order to realign to the organization’s expectations to meet including their missions/goals. Contribution is very vital to show as it is the only way to bring an impact that is to see the benefit of them being part in any organization in one whole even in one whole community. Indeed, this kind of contribution can bring diversity, inclusion and equality with good adaptability. The only thing is that deaf, deaf-blind and hard of hearing people are not considered to be the special people and they are the human being that they can do all kinds of abilities as the hearing people except that they cannot hear and see. The deafness including the blindness toward the hearing community is to make inclusion with diversity and equality in one whole community in which these kind of disabilities with the hearing people can benefit from each other in making in greatness in all level at public and private sector with their job positions. These groups of disabilities have cultures, American Sign Language and Pro-Tactile American Sign Language and visions with abilities that represent the diversity in the community in one whole altogether with the hearing people sounding more transparency to have and bring more creative ideas to make the society for the greater good. Disabled and non-disabled are to benefit each other in one whole community when working together in which it is to help, to grow, to learn, to develop creative ideas, to contribute, to support, to educate and to advocate in all kinds of topics, themes and issues at political, business and social level.
Wherever the deaf, deaf-blind and hard of hearing people go for job interview or are at workforce place, they shall not feel oppressed with stigma and face the societal attitude including the all kinds of discrimination because facing job interview or being at workforce place is always to be challenging. The challenges are to the point to show through awareness, contribution and adaptability when it is about a job to get or when it is about to work for a job position in doing the achievements in a positive way at any public and private sectors. We all have disability rights law and education which are the powerful tools to bring in raising awareness and to contribute with it for the abilities deaf, deaf-blind and hard of hearing people can show during the job interview and at the workforce.
Madam Advocate 