April is Deaf and Hard of Hearing History month. Sarah Morris is a 22 year old woman from Rochester who is deaf. She is the daughter of Dr. Marshall Morris of MN Lakes Dental here in Rochester. Sarah currently attends graduate school in Arizona and is studying audiology.
I spoke with Sarah so that I could understand what her experience as a teenager was like growing up in our community.
Q: What was your experience like as a high school student in Rochester?
A:I graduated from Mayo High School in 2020. My experience in highschool was a little up and down. I didn’t have any interpreters but I did have a note taker to help me get any information I could have missed. In highschool I was known as “The deaf girl” because there was such a small margin of deaf and hard of hearing people in my highschool. Most of my friend group consisted of hearing people. They were the most understanding group of people and they shaped me to be the person I am today. They really helped me to become more confident in myself and they helped me face the challenges and barriers that I went through in school. They never made me feel as if I was any different from them because of my deafness, and they really helped bring my identity to the surface.
Q: Do you have any stories that you would like to share about being hard of hearing growing up?
A: When I was younger I really struggled with finding my identity. I was bullied on a few occasions and it really brought me down to a place that I was very tired of being mistreated. Whether it was because I couldn’t hear or because of my cochlear implants and the stigma around them, I was sometimes viewed as weak. I was actually discriminated against at a highschool dance competition. My coach brought it to my attention that someone had accused me of unfairness due to the FM system that I used to help me with the timing of the music. My parents and I eventually got it sorted out but it was very heartbreaking to know that just because I needed accommodations someone would accuse me of being unfair. I was able to take that experience and realize that I wanted to be someone who would speak up for others in my same situation.
Q: April is Deaf History Month, lots of people in Rochester might not know anyone who is deaf. Who are some of your deaf heroes?
A: I would say that my biggest deaf hero in the community is my dad. He is a huge part of who I am today. Seeing him face challenges and still be able to accomplish his goals really inspired me. Seeing him pursue his dreams of being a dentist helped me push through the challenges in my life and work towards my dream career. My dad taught me that no matter what anyone else says or does to not doubt myself, and that I can do anything I set my mind to. He also helped shape me as a deaf individual. He is just the biggest advocate for working around that label which is what I try to remember whenever I am having a hard time facing challenges.
Q:Who are some famous deaf people that you think the hearing world should know more about?
A: One person that really speaks to me is Marlee Matlin. She is just a huge influence over all. She puts herself out there to portray her own experiences being a deaf individual. She turns her experiences into a work of art that others get to see and learn from. I think that she is amazing because she is proud of herself and what she has accomplished and that shows other people what deaf people can accomplish.
Q: What are some things that the hearing world should know about the deaf community and culture?
A: There are so many tiers to the deaf community and so much information to be learned. I would say knowing about the uppercase Deaf community and the lower case deaf community. They both pride themselves with their own culture. In the uppercase Deaf community they built and formed their own way of communicating through ASL (American Sign Language) or any other type of sign language. For the lower case deaf community who have lived their lives at some point being deaf and getting amplification devices or cochlear implants, people still see them as weak even though they are just people trying to live their lives. Both of the communities are so strong in being who they are and facing what other people say. Another big thing that I would like to share is just to be welcoming and patient with these people. Treat them the same as you would anyone else and try to provide them with any help that they need to communicate and be involved.
Q: What are some stigma that you think need to be broken?
A: Some stigmas are that some people may view the deaf community as “weak or “dumb” simply because they struggle to hear. This stigma bothers me because I have experienced first hand from being in the deaf community that deaf people are just like any other people. Both the upper and lower case commutes are so strong for being able to push through the barrier of sound and still be able to accomplish so much. It is crazy to think that people have these stigmas when in reality there is nothing wrong with being deaf.
Q: Before we end – just share some fun stuff about you.
A: I have an adventurous side but also love to relax. I work at a coffee shop and also grade papers for one of my professors. I enjoy doing yoga, lifting weights at the gym, writing in my journal, hiking, and doing crafts.
Q: Does being hard of hearing affect any of your hobbies?
A: I make sure that it does not affect my hobbies. I make sure that I can find a way through the challenges while still staying positive. I make sure that I am able to enjoy each of these activities in my own way and with others. I really try not to let anything negative get in the way of enjoying the things that I love to do.
Q: Do you have any examples of how you get around those struggles?
A: When I was growing up I was very worried about being hard of hearing and struggling in certain situations where I felt like it was going to affect what I was doing or any of the hobbies that I was doing. I had to keep telling myself that if it is something that I enjoyed doing I had to focus on myself and my experiences rather than focussing on what might negatively affect me and the things that I was doing.
