Festival to provide resources for Deaf community

An organization that supports the Deaf community is holding a festival and walk to raise awareness about deafness and help provide resources for people who are deaf.

What is it?

SignFest will be held Sept. 21 from noon to 6 p.m. at Gastonia's Rotary Pavilion. Organizer Starr Clinton said in an interview that the goal of the event is to honor Deaf Awareness Month, connect people to community resources, and educate people who can hear about deafness.

"Last year we had deaf individuals from Virginia, Asheville, come down to be a part," Clinton said.

What will happen?

The event starts off with a walk around City Hall. Participants are given earplugs to simulate deafness.

Then, the festival will begin with a ribbon cutting, and a variety of vendors will be present in the pavilion.

"So this is a way for business owners, families and just everyone that is in the area, just to kind of come and support and really just to mingle around, get to know our Deaf community a little bit more," she said. "If you've taken some of our classes, this is a way for you to practice things that you learned.

"This also is a great way for deaf entrepreneurs to have booths set up so people can shop with their businesses, as well for hearing businesses to learn how to become more deaf friendly in their business."

The vendors will include community organizations that serve the Deaf community.

"And so we're very, very picky with that, because we want to ensure these resources have been vetted out as well, that they do understand the Deaf culture," Clinton said. "So we do work with them closely, just to make sure that they have what they're needing to be able to service the Deaf community in whatever capacity that is."

Who organized it?

Clinton operates the organization behind SignFest, Nita's Silent Hands. Her mother was deaf, and Clinton said that her first language was sign language.

"Yes, I had people talking around me, but my mother had to use sign language with me at the very beginning, and that's what I picked up before I learned how to talk," she said.

Nita's Silent Hands focuses on providing resources for deaf individuals, education, giving back to the community and raising awareness about deafness. The organization provides sign language classes, helps businesses train their staff, holds workshops, and sponsors the prom for the North Carolina School for the Deaf in Morganton.

"And then we also do small service projects, like show appreciation to the Deaf school, to their teachers. We also do like … school supply drives … just to make sure that we're giving back in a way that is beneficial to our deaf students at North Carolina School for the Deaf," Clinton said.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Festival to provide resources for Deaf community