There is NOT a lack of diversity in hiring Deaf writers, producers, actors and content creators. The issue is white supremacist gatekeeping happens in who are hired to play Deaf roles. #WGAFeatureBoost #POCDeafTalent

What I mean is that White Deaf actors, writers, producers hire mostly white Deaf talent & gatekeep. White supremacists do not hire and promote from a large vibrant pool of Deaf People of Color. They promote whose talent they value. #WGAFeatureBoost #POCDeafTalent

This gives Hollywood the impression that #POCDeafTalent are few and rare, which couldn’t be further from the truth. And this allows white Deaf talent to be the majority of representation of Deaf people in tv shows and films. #WGAFeatureBoost

There is the misconception that Deaf actors, writers, creators’ experiences on screen promote diversity due to Deafness as a topic yet race and ethnicity is often ignored. #WGAFeatureBoost #POCDeafTalent

And also behind the scenes, there is a chasm between white Deaf actors, writers and producers catching Hollywood’s eye while ignoring the diverse #POCDeafTalent and Black Deaf talent pool that exists. #WGAFeatureBoost

There are well known white Deaf talent who were mentees of Black Deaf writers & producers before they reached Hollywood. They saw up close the battles that Black Deaf writers and content creators face. #POCDeafTalent #WGAFeatureBoost

When hiring white Deaf actors, writers, producers, directors PLEASE make known your interest in Black Deaf talent, and POC Deaf talent also! There is a vibrant Black Deaf culture that would add depth&texture to how Deaf people exist on screen. #POCDeafTalent #WGAFeatureBoost

Maybe this will also stop Deaf people being played in tv and film by hearing people who are just mimicking our language and culture very poorly on screen. #POCDeafTalent #WGAFeatureBoost

Mimicking ASL on screen is not using fluent ASL. https://www.instagram.com/p/BwFvqhTlacr/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=ivmzqj3nv2nz #POCDeafTalent #WGAFeatureBoost