Local Deaf community celebrates nearly 60 years of International Deaf Awareness Day

Monday marked the start of International Deaf Awareness Week. Students from St. Mary’s School for the Deaf joined Erie County officials for a flag raising and offered thoughts on the week’s significance. Being part of the Deaf community goes beyond having the same disability, said St. Mary’s student Yhindi Garcia via sign language interpreter. “The purpose of Deaf Awareness Week is to reduce attitudinal barriers and to enlighten the community that Deaf people are part of a diverse group of people with rich heritage and culture, language, art, history, sports, traditions," she said. A major emphasis remains on improving accessibility to more places for members of the Deaf community, St. Mary’s Principal Scott Gentzke added. This week is a chance to recognize the efforts of advocates, students and their families, said City of Buffalo ADA Coordinator Brittney Montgomery, who is deaf. “Right here in the City of Buffalo, we have a strong and constantly growing Deaf community," she said. "This is a time to celebrate our Deaf community, recognize the work of the advocacy organizers, and to continue building a community where everyone has the opportunity to participate fully.” September also is Deaf Awareness Month in the United States. Buffalo has a Deaf Artifact History display up until the end of September at City Hall, Montgomery said. Erie County is working to increase input from residents with disabilities, said Frank Cammarata, executive director for Erie County Office for People with Disabilities. "We want to have the input from all the disability communities, so that the county executive can make decisions and determinations based upon all of our population knowing their specific needs, and that will certainly continue," he said.