As the sun rises over campus, the hustle and bustle of college life begins. Among the crowd of students navigating their paths, a group faces unique challenges that often go unnoticed. Deaf students share the same aspirations for education and social engagement as their hearing peers, but their journey is marked by barriers that demand resilience and determination.
In a crowded college classroom, the professor’s voice fills the air, but for Joey Perez, a deaf sophomore, it is a silent world.
Perez is a 35-year-old Deaf and Hard of Hearing student who is on the verge of concluding his education at Mt. SAC. He is a business administration major who dreams of becoming a human resource worker and advocating to change their old system and hiring more DHH individuals.
The Center for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students, a place deaf students call “their safe heaven” on campus, plays a crucial role in their lives.
One of the most significant obstacles for him and any other deaf college student is communication. Classes often involve lectures, making it difficult for deaf students to fully engage. Many rely on sign language interpreters and note-taking. Perez shared he had to request help to accommodate his note-taking needs but that no one wanted to take notes for him in class.
“Things weren’t his way years ago,” Perez said. “I guess there’s a new generation now, and they aren’t willing to take or share notes with me.”
Deaf students often express frustration when professors and hearing peers are unaware of how to effectively communicate with them, leading to feelings of isolation and disengagement.
Beyond the classroom, deaf students face challenges navigating campus life, such as social events, group projects, and other activities on campus. The reality is that not all events are designed with accessibility in mind.
Despite these challenges, many deaf students are becoming advocates for change, and Perez is one of them. “I am always seeking ways to advocate and speak up for myself and encourage other deaf students to not be afraid and join me so together we can fight for our rights.”
Just like any other hearing student on campus, Perez has a job. He works at the DHH Center, running the front desk. He also works at the Speech and Signs Success Center as an American Sign Language tutor and at the Associated Students as a Student Service Senator.
Despite his challenges on campus as a deaf student, Perez shared that in 2011, he lost his father. He mentioned that his life was forever changed that day because his father was the only one who looked after him. “Besides taking care of me, my father taught me how to read, write, and speak a few words,” Joey said.
When asked about his mother and other close relatives, he mentioned that he has no one else but his German Shepherd dog, who has been keeping him company since he was 22 years old. Even though his dad’s passing has been one of the hardest situations he had to endure, Perez said it shaped him into becoming the independent, hardworking, resilient, and determined individual he is today.
Perez is currently waiting to hear back from Gallaudet University in Washington, where, if accepted, he plans to attend next year in the fall.
In the meantime, he wants to continue advocating for other deaf students who are just starting the college journey. “I want to encourage them to work on their motivation and advise them to manage their time wisely and have healthy balance and boundaries between their personal life, and their education.”
The journey of a deaf student in college is one of resilience and advocacy. While they face challenges in communication, social interaction, and accessibility, they are breaking barriers and opening the way for a better educational environment.
Lastly, Perez wants to remind his professors and hearing peers: “We, deaf students, are not disabled, a burden, or a liability to businesses or colleges,” he said. “Let’s break that barrier within our communication and work together to make this world a better place.”