Black Deaf Experience: Being Black, Being Deaf

Submitted by Bridgetta Bourne-Firl

From left to right: Lori Bonheyo, MDCC Vice President; Dr. Mary Perrodin-Singh; Evon Black; Usherla DeBerry; Darrin Smith; Kevin Johnson, MDCC Board Member; Bridgetta Bourne-Firl, Project Coordinator

The Black Frederick Festival started on this festive day, Saturday, August 23, 2025, and the Maryland Deaf Community Center (MDCC) hosted the panel on the Black Deaf Experience for the first time in Frederick, Maryland. At the Carroll Creek on this summery day, there were booths mostly owned by Black businesses/organizations. 

During the Black Deaf Experience panel presentation, Usherla DeBerry from the Governor’s Office on Deaf and Hard of Hearing (GODHH) moderated the story-sharing time with panelists Darrin Smith, Evon Black, and Mary Perrodin-Singh. Our takeaways included becoming aware of the Black Deaf Experience and how it shapes the presenters’ life journeys and successes while recognizing the two identities: Being Black, Being Deaf. 

Evon’s mother, her role model, was a cotton field picker, telling her to do more/better, and Evon has gone far in working with college students. She did not grow up with a Black Deaf role model and is currently one herself, mentoring many young Black Deaf adults. She has been pulled over by the ICE twice just because of the color of her skin, although she came from Arkansas and her family has been in America for years and years.

Mary comes from eight generations of Deaf family members, surrounded by strong role models from an early age who shaped her identity and values. Education has always been a guiding principle in her life, instilled with the understanding that as a Black Deaf woman, it would be the key to opportunity and success. Driven by this belief, she earned her Ph.D and has dedicated herself to guiding and supporting college students in every aspect of their lives. At the heart of her work, Mary emphasizes the importance of the power of love, a principle she believes is essential for uplifting and empowering others. 

Darrin Smith’s great-grandfather, who was hearing, worked at the Maryland School for the Deaf and was delighted to learn his great-grandchild was deaf and provided tips to Darrin’s mother on how to successfully raise Darrin. Darrin has gone as far as running for an elected office, with challenges related to getting interpreters to support his campaign. He is currently studying for a doctorate and will consider running for office again. His advice to allies is not to be saviors, but to be supportive instead of being passive out of fear of not being Black. 

During the Black Frederick Festival, one of the Black Deaf interpreters, Rosalee Timm, signs the musical performance. MDCC had a booth near the band. Many people came to the booth and asked for information about ASL classes and the new MDCC building in progress.

The dynamic musical performances on the main stage were interpreted by Black Deaf interpreters, Felicia Williams and Rosalee Timm for 6 hours straight, who fluently brought hip-hop, gospel, jazz, and rap songs into mesmerizing ASL. The festival attendees, whether they are signers or not, all enjoyed it immensely. Thanks to the feeder interpreters who ensured that the Deaf interpreters followed the music.

The MDCC had a booth near the band. The board members met many people at their booth. The most popular inquiries were about our community-based ASL (American Sign Language) classes.  

The audience watches Usherla DeBerry from the Governor’s Office on Deaf and Hard of Hearing (GODHH) introducing the Black Deaf panelists on Carroll Creek during the Black Frederick Festival in Frederick, Maryland.

So much gratitude goes to William Brown and his Black Frederick Festival committee for including us from the start; thanks to Keystone Interpreting Services (KIS) for coordinating the interpreting needs and the Spoken English-ASL interpreters Briiane Miller, Dreu Davis, Hossein Miller, and Shaunflow Odom; Usherla DeBerry from the State of Maryland for the partnership in making this event happen; to Kevin Johnson and Lori Bonheyo, MDCC Board members behind the scenes; and to Frederick County Office and the State’s Telcommunications Access for Maryland (TAM) for grant funding to support bringing the Black Deaf experience to all of us.