(Madison Muller/MNS)
WASHINGTON — Throughout the summer, chants reverberated through the streets of D.C. as protesters demanded justice for Black lives. At the same time, a different type of battle cry was also being demonstrated – for those who knew how to spot it.
In D.C. on Thursday night, a group of people gestured in unison: four fingers swiping across the brow line, then two thumbs rising up the abdomen, followed by two hands drawn down in fists from the chin to the heart.
This is a common translation to ‘Black Lives Matter’ in American Sign Language (ASL).
These socially-conscious community members gathered to participate in an ASL workshop in Malcolm X Park to increase inclusion within the racial justice movement.
Participants met at Malcolm X Park at 3 p.m. for a three-hour workshop and introduction to ASL. (Madison Muller/MNS)
Fluency in ASL is essential for communication with deaf protesters, increasingly so because coronavirus mask mandates have inhibited their ability to lip read. From spirited chants to safety terms, ASL phrases keep protesters with hearing impairment protected and engaged. But, it’s not just the deaf community that can benefit from knowing ASL.
“The more that I’m out here, the more that I can help the deaf community, I can be their voice and back them [up] when the time comes,” Kass, who declined to give her last name for safety concerns, said. Kass, 22, is a member of the deaf community and also an organizer with the Cooperative, one of D.C.’s youth-led racial justice organizations. She hopes to make both communities more inclusive.
Participants learned popular protest chants like, “fire, fire gentrifier” in ASL. (Madison Muller/MNS)
At Malcolm X Park in Adams Morgan, around fifteen attendees sat in a semi-circle on the grass, laughing like old friends as they waited for the workshop to begin. Kass kicked off the event by teaching participants the alphabet and numbers. After some review, they moved to safety terms, like ‘stand back’ and ‘come on, come here.’ Kass ended the workshop by teaching common protest chants, followed by dancing and free food.
“My main focus is not just my voice when it’s chanting, but also making sure that the community can chant with me,” Kass said. “I think it’s very important, just having that anger and knowing how to say it and knowing how to sign it.”
D.C. is home to one of the largest deaf communities in the country, largely due to the presence of Gallaudet University. Gallaudet is the only American university that offers all instruction in ASL and English.
Kass said she expects to plan future workshops and continue cultivating inclusivity for hearing impaired folks within the movement for Black lives.
It was hugs all around as friends and strangers alike showed up to Kass’s event. (Madison Muller/MNS)
Symbol and Kristen, members from the Cooperative, also cooked participants burgers and hotdogs. (Madison Muller/MNS)