Awareness Ends September 30. Deaf Careers Don’t.
Deaf Awareness Month ends next Wednesday.
The graphics will get archived. The hashtags will fade. Organizations will move on to the next observance.
So what's left for the Deaf employee on October 1?
Awareness Isn't Access
Every September, companies celebrate Deaf culture. Many of those same companies still struggle to provide consistent, qualified access at work.
Awareness is visible. Access is operational.
Present vs. Effective
I know this from experience. As a Deaf CEO, I lead meetings, pitch clients, and negotiate partnerships through interpreters.
When access works, I'm the CEO in the room.
When it doesn't, I'm managing the interpreter instead of the meeting.
Awareness Without Understanding
This week, I met with a Deaf professional who works in access services at a university. Her job is making sure others get the accommodations they need.
She asked for designated interpreters. The university said no.
Instead, they offered the interpreters who work in classrooms. Her colleagues. The people she sees in the hallway and works with every day.
Imagine having a sensitive conversation with HR through a coworker.
That's not access. That's awareness without understanding.
Why Designated Interpreters Matter
A designated interpreter works consistently with a Deaf professional. They know the work, the vocabulary, the people, and the pace.
They're not interchangeable with whoever is available that day.
That's the difference between being present and being effective.
For Employers
If your organization posted for Deaf Awareness Month, here's what to do in October:
Ask your Deaf employees what's working and what isn't. Then act on the answer.
Treat interpreting as professional infrastructure, not a scheduling task. Consistency and fit matter as much as availability.
Take designated interpreter requests seriously. Especially for leaders, specialists, and anyone whose work depends on nuance.
For Interpreters
Excellence in interpreting requires active partnership.
Working with Deaf professionals is its own specialty. It takes preparation, familiarity with the work, and an understanding of how Deaf leaders want to show up.
It also means recognizing when you're not the right fit. Sometimes the most professional move is saying so.
The Work Continues
The post comes down. The work continues.
Employers, start with the three steps above.
Interpreters, join us at the Interpreting for Deaf Professionals Summit, September 25 to 27. It starts tomorrow, and it's not too late to register. Register here: www.2axend.com/IDPSummit.
Awareness lasts a month. Access has to last every day.
