Joanna's response to AG Bell's letter

February 3, 2008

To whom it concerns,

I congratulate PepsiCo's effort in including the Deaf community and its employees in the creation of this advertisement that celebrates the other aspect of the Deaf community which AGBell continues to deny children and adults these days. American Sign Language and Deaf people who do not produce 'sound' are a vital part of the human culture; it enriches our ability to incorporate into the mainstream of daily life.

AG Bell promotes sound and sound only. There are advertisements that are spoken - 99.99 percent - and yet you want to deny us our opportunity and right to place an advertisement that is uniquely different on basis of language use. It has nothing to do with us being Deaf; again, it has to do with our language. The language you have denied us because we simply must 'hear'. There are different ways to 'hear' and it does not constitute 'hearing' in terms of only in sound. We hear and listen to more than just sound; we incorporate our sight and tactile capabilities.

What about the Deaf people who speak American Sign Language and Spoken English? We chose to speak two languages because we simply want to bridge two subcultures (Deaf and hearing), the capability to speak two languages broadens our lives, or an attempt to understand why hearing people (in general) keep denying us our right and/or opportunity to obtain and utilize two languages. For those who utilize both languages, we are accepted in the Deaf Community more than AGBell's community is. I happen to be one of them.

Technology is only a tool. It does not make us hearing in equivalent terms as the hearing subculture. The illusion of hearing through technology is what is promoted and the Spoken English a requirement, which demeans the Deaf subculture. This continues to show society that AG Bell has yet to understand who we truly are as people. We continue to be perceived as 'deaf'. There is more to life than sound only.

Yes, we are Deaf, we do not have a problem with that nor do we have a problem with hearing people other than frequent culture misunderstanding. The true cohesion of both subcultures can be found on the YouTube videos in the production of the advertisement. It further proves that both subcultures can live together no matter what use of language.

In all, I congratulate PepsiCo's and its employees for putting a foot forward into expanding the understanding of the Deaf subculture which does include deaf people who use Spoken English solely as well as the Deaf people who use American Sign Language and Spoken English.

American Sign Language is a vital and vibrant language. Deaf people do have a Culture, PepsiCo has recognized that and for that they are allowed the freedom to choose what they want to do other than being 'suggested' to go to a conference to support the illusion of 'sound'.

Thank you,
Joanna T Witulski

Valiant and Vibrant Human who speaks both languages with profound hearing loss, wears a hearing aid, and the sole person with hearing loss within her family.