ASL VIDEO LINK:

Link

ADDITIONAL VIDEO FOOTAGE LINK:

Link

IRELAND HATE CRIME LEGISLATION LINK:

Link

WRITTEN ENGLISH TRANSCRIPT:

Teach-in Against Hate in DC:

A Joint Regional Town Hall. Effective Community Responses to Hate.

I'm Jason Tozier, Director for We the Deaf People, Inc. WTDP stands against hate. I want to thank you all for your service and leadership. Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)--thanks for providing captions for "Ten Ways to Fight Hate" video for Deaf community. Randy Blazak, you changed my life forever after taking hate crime and bias class 11 years ago. You influenced me very much where I am now.

The term, Surdophobia "fear of Deaf people"--for example, last week in England, two Deaf men were using sign language were attacked, punched and stabbed in the chest few times by two white men. Whitness must be recognized. It is not the first time. This morning, I received SPLC newsletter and there was an article called "Invisible Hate Crime" about people with Disabilities.

The term of 'Deaf' is still under reported since 1990. Statistics about Deaf people who experienced hate crime in America: ZERO. Why? Under-reported. Stigma. There are many, many cases out there. How do we challenge Surdophobia? Audism? You all have discussed Racism, White Supremacy, etc, but what about Surdophobia and Audism? It is important to discuss about those more often in mainstream society. (APPLAUSE!)

Southern Poverty Law Center Outreach Director, Lecia Brooks answers:

YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. WE HAVE A SECTION ON DISABILITY HATE CRIMES THAT CAME OUT IN THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OF THE INTELLIGENCE PROJECT AND YOU'RE RIGHT, IT DIDN'T HAVE A STORY OF HATE CRIMES AGAINST THE DEAF. AND YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, IT IS A BIG ISSUE AND WE WILL DO BETTER. AND I WILL MAKE SURE WE DO BETTER.

England has already set up a system for Deaf people to report hate crimes. England is ahead of us. I strongly believe that the U.S. should lead the lead.