DEAR Week, Day 2: Multicultural Celebration!

Youth and Family Connections

Welcome to DEAR Week 2023!

Day 2: Multicultural Celebration!

Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing kids are part of a diverse and global community. There is so much to celebrate and learn about this community and all the special and important people who make it what it is. Reading is a great way to build empathy and learn about how others think and feel. Today, let's explore diversity and international Deaf experiences!

"Guri and Gura" in ASL

Read by Andy Tao

Asian Signers!

Asian Signers is an organization that creates and compiles stories in ASL. The stories feature culture, heritage, and history important to Asian countries, as told by Asian and Asian-American Deaf adults. Celebrate Asian representation with these stellar videos.

See their whole library here.

Soon, Your Hands (2023): Jonathan Stutzman

Picture Book

Join these three neighboring families as their little ones learn new things and gain new experiences. One of the families features a Deaf daughter who uses hearing aids and signs with her family. See what it's like to be them and just imagine all the things your hands are able to do as you grow!

Dancing Hands (2023): Joanna Que

Picture Book

Get an introduction to Filipino Sign Language in this beautiful picture book about a little girl whose new neighbors are Deaf! Study alongside her as she befriends the neighbor girl and learns how to communicate with her.

Deaf Author

Brooms (2023):

Jasmine Walls

Teen Read

In this graphic novel, the Night Storm racing team is competing in illicit broom racing in a magical version of 1930's Mississippi. With a diverse cast of characters, including an indigenous Deaf racer, this Fast and Furious on brooms is a wild ride from start to finish.

A Sign of Affection (2019):

Suu Morishita

Teen Read

A Sign of Affection is a series of manga (Japanese comic books) about Yuki, a Deaf college student in Japan. Learn about Japanese Deaf culture, Japanese Sign Language, and the right-to-left manga reading style as Yuki discovers love and friendship. The back of each volume even includes cultural notes about Japanese life and the Deaf representation!

Want more recommendations? Check out last year's DEAR newsletters!

Teaching Tolerance

Looking for ways to teach about race, racism, and diversity? Learning for Justice has you covered. Their website features lesson plans, activities, and the award-winning magazine Teaching Tolerance. Take advantage of these great tools to expand conversations around race at home and in the classroom.

Check out Learning for Justice here.

Beyond the Golden Rule

Check out this parent's guide for more information about teaching tolerance with lessons and activities separated by age groups: preschool to graduation.

Find the full PDF guide here.

Want YFC to read with you?

Youth and Family Connections partners with schools and families to provide READ Days. A Deaf, DeafBlind, or Hard of Hearing adult goes into classrooms to read with students, foster a love for reading, and connect with students as a DDBHH role model. We also give out free books donated by the American Library Association!

Request a READ Day!

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Disclaimer: CHS does not necessarily endorse the content of the recommended books. It is the responsibility of teachers and family members to ascertain the appropriateness of the texts for their readers.

CHSYouth@anixter.org