The deaf community walked yesterday morning from the Monument to the Homeland towards Felipe Carrillo Puerto on Paseo de Montejo, accompanied by members of the Human Rights Commission of the State of Yucatán (Codhey), in a march in which they advanced together to make their struggle visible and express to the population that it is necessary to break down barriers.
The activity was carried out within the framework of the National Day of the Deaf, which was celebrated last Friday the 28th.
For those who participated, this date is an opportunity for people to understand that sign language is a language and that actions as simple as including subtitles in movies or audiovisual content can open horizons.
Before the walk began, María Georgina Canto Ramírez, from the Deaf Culture Institute (Inculsor), shared a few words through her interpreter, in which she shared what it means to her to see the community gathered together.
She said she was happy, but also spoke of the pain and urgency behind her cause. He pointed out that it is necessary to open our minds to seek accessibility and that “it is very important to break down these barriers that exist”, since for many deaf people it is still difficult to communicate or ask for help.
Likewise, he recalled that the lack of interpreters in sports associations slows down processes and generates discrimination. He mentioned that in the Mexican Association for Communication and Improvement of People with Hearing Disabilities (Ame) they also face difficulties that hurt.
He then expressed his hope that they would meet again next year and valued the efforts of those who make these meetings possible.
After the message, attendees were asked to maintain order to begin the walk, due to the constant passage of bicycles in the area. The march advanced with sports associations of deaf people, members of Ame, students from Uady and Law, convened families and Codhey staff.
Although there were many, María Canto insisted that the number is not essential, but rather that citizens understand that sign language is a language and that small actions, such as putting subtitles in the cinema, can transform their access to the world.
Discrimination
One of the points they shared was that discrimination is still present, especially when it is assumed that a deaf person “cannot” or is at a disadvantage compared to someone who hears.
For people in the community, equity begins by recognizing that they are on equal terms and the only thing different is the way they communicate.
Likewise, it was highlighted that there are different ways of being deaf; There are those who oralize, only sign, who learned at home or did not have access to therapies. For this reason, it was insisted that one cannot generalize or put the entire community in the same category.
“Deaf people have the power, we are empowered, deaf with a capital S,” María Canto stressed.
When the march ended, the participants shared a pleasant moment in which they answered some questions to win some gifts, and later live together in a place they had agreed upon.— KARLA CECILIA ACOSTA CASTILLO