Deaf Family Matters

06/14/2025

🎆 CHICAGO! We’re turning up for the 4th of July! 🎉
Come vibe with us at the Kickback Party hosted by Million While You Young from 9PM–2AM 🕘💥

📍1325 S Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL
🎧 Music by: DJ DEF Smoove
🌟 Special Guests: Quiet Storm, Queen B, Wally B
🍹 Free drinks
🌿 Free cannabis giveaway
🍔 Free food
💨 BYOW (Bring Your Own W**d)
🎟️ Admission: $30
🎫 Get your tickets at: www.millionwhileyouyoung.com

ID (Image Description): Flyer with fireworks and neon lights promoting a July 4th party in Chicago. Text shows time, date, location, music guests, and party perks.

06/12/2025

06/10/2025

Let’s talk about how professionalism in interpreting has been policed for years especially around appearance. From long nails to shirt color, there are unspoken rules that were never made for us and we’re unlearning them.

And just so folks know that we always accommodate Deaf customers. When someone makes a request, I do my best to match them with an interpreter who fits their needs whether that’s cultural, expressive, or stylistic. If it’s a basic need, I’m flexible. But I never compromise on accessibility.

We’re reclaiming space to show up authentically. And we’re making space for others to do the same.

06/04/2025

Big shout out to my newest top fans! 💎

Bammad Bmadb, Marquis Andrews, Armien Freddy Akhtar, Kadiedra Cousin, Luis Lima, Emanuel Tobler, Christina Maria Soto-McDonald, Carmen Salas, Timothy Erhardt, Dora Vega, Dee Willie, Wink Bisalah King, Braithwaite Tubalisha, Ricardo Ruiz, Brianna Barber, Lia X Chapman, Naquay Montel Little, Terrence Smith, Matthew Alexander Kauffman, Darius Flowers, Jillian Kutini, Carlos Diaz Saavedra, Jannibel Estevez, David Travis, Brandon Summers, Josue Kabamba

Drop a comment to welcome them to our community,

06/03/2025

Stop policing our bodies, our hands, our movement, our joy.
People tell me to stop moving too much when I sign but that’s how I express myself. That’s how my culture communicates. Our nails, our hair, our faces, our energy it’s all part of how we sign.
You call it “too much.” We call it power.
And interpreters we want y’all comfortable too. Bring your full self. Be expressive. Be you.

ID: A screenshot of a Facebook comment thread. The first comment is from a user named Ka Tie who says, “What about dead faced interpreters who have no expression? That’s not a problem, but your hair and nails are? Ok…” followed by an eye-roll emoji.
The reply is from Deaf Family Matters and QB says:
“Ka Tie We gotta stop trying to follow WHITE society’s standards of what’s ‘professional’ or ‘acceptable.’ Our culture is loud, expressive, and full of flavor from our nails to our hair to how we sign. That’s not a flaw. That’s power.”
The background includes a partial image of a person with long purple hair.

UPDATED: Some people misunderstood my message, but Ka Tie got it right and I appreciate her for speaking up.

The real issue isn’t nails, hair, or how we express ourselves. It’s the fact that people stay quiet when interpreters lack facial expression (which actually impacts communication), but get loud when someone shows up with color, style, or culture ya know? That’s the double standard. That’s what I was calling out.

We need to stop chasing what’s considered “professional” by white standards and start embracing how our culture shows up expressive, vibrant, and proud. That’s not unprofessional. That’s power. 💅🏾