In Amarillo, the Deaf community builds strong connections through shared experiences and local gatherings, overcoming isolation. It is common for a deaf person to feel alone and misunderstood because, in most places, there are so few like them. This is why community is so important. A deep connection is formed through shared experiences, such as that of being deaf.
Deaf people often face challenges in our hearing world, but it is also challenging to communicate with those who don’t share their experiences. In the United States, American Sign Language (ASL) is the most common form of communication among the deaf, as well as people that are hard-of-hearing. However, not all deaf or hard of hearing people use ASL, and even fewer hearing people know any at all.
Additionally, there are very few schools for the deaf, and the only university specifically designed for deaf students is Gallaudet University in Washington D.C.. In other schools, deaf students must rely on interpreters. West Texas A&M University provides interpreters for deaf students through the Office of Student Accessibility. WT also provides training for people that wish to become language interpreters.
Deaf people spend so much of their lives singled out and feeling as if they are alone in their experience. There are not many things that can relieve these deep feelings of loneliness and separation from the world around them.
Amarillo is home to a beautiful deaf community that is rooted in the shared experience of being deaf. There are several places and events in Amarillo for fellowship among the city’s Deaf community. These include the Amarillo Deaf Church, St. Mary’s Cathedral and the Amarillo Independent School District, which offers regional day school programs for the deaf. Retired San Jacinto High School teacher and coach, Scott Tankersley is currently serving as the Amarillo Deaf Church pastor.
“Deaf are the loneliest people in the world, we are, so I can reach out to them and they know me, being Deaf to Deaf I can connect that as my advantage,” said Scott Tankersley in an interview with News Channel 10 in 2022.
Caprock High School and West Plains High School in Amarillo and Canyon High School each offer ASL courses for students that are interested in the language. West Plains offers ASL I and Canyon offers ASL I, ASL II and ASL III courses. Canyon also offers ASL as a dual credit class.
The cities of Amarillo and Canyon also host several events for the Deaf community. One of the most prominent events is the ASL Hike in Palo Duro Canyon. The event typically occurs once in the spring and once in the fall, though it is often susceptible to change due to weather changes. Palo Duro Canyon advertises the event when dates are available. The event is highly anticipated by the community and open to anyone in Amarillo and Canyon who would like to join.
In previous years, WT Theatre has provided an ASL interpreter for the productions they put on. This accommodation allows for more accessibility to the arts for people of the Deaf community.
Additionally, high schools from surrounding areas come together for a Language Festival, in which students in ASL and Spanish classes can present their own pieces of traditional art of the culture they are representing. This may include poetry, music, dance, storytelling and many other forms of art that are sacred to these cultures and communities.
A sense of community and fellowship is found at the heart of all places called home, no matter how big or small. The Deaf community is no exception to this rule.
