“Proud to be Deaf”- The Story of Isabella

Growing up in a hearing household, I was never taught to love my Deafness. It was one of the many things that set me and my family apart. No one ever labeled me as “Deaf” or even “Hard of Hearing.” To everyone else, I was just a hearing person who was broken.

In high school, I went through a legal battle that changed my life. I had gone through two years of discrimination and abuse at school based upon my disability. All of this happened behind closed doors, until a call for help brought everything to light.

After the dust had settled, I stumbled upon my first advocacy project. One of the lawyers that helped with my case invited me to join her and the National Association of the Deaf (@nad1880) create new laws benefiting Deaf/HoH people in Texas.

That was the first day I truly felt part of a community.

Since then, I’ve dedicated time and effort to speak out against discrimination, ableism/audism, and language deprivation. I’ve joined others like me with the same goal.

⭐️ So why am I proud to be Deaf?

– I am proud to be in a community that was willing to stand up for me at my lowest point.

– I am proud to have Deaf friends who encourage me to succeed.

– I am proud to follow in the footsteps of Deaf elders who taught me the Deaf world.

– I am proud to encourage Deaf youth to be themselves and know their worth.

– I am proud of our language(s) and our culture.

– And I am especially proud to live freely as a Deaf queer woman of color and fight for my communities.

Deaf or hearing, it’s never too late to embrace your culture and have pride in your history or achievements. You are worth more than you know. ❤️

A word from the artist:

Isabella wrote her story on an instagram post and I immediately fell in love with her honesty and the way she turned things around for herself. She’s now an example and inspiration for others who go through similar journeys. I wanted her painting to reflect someone who dreams big and is able to achieve far and wide. Thank you for inspiring us and being who you are!

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I’m truly grateful for everyone who has shared their stories with us in the MyLuckyEars platform. I believe we can learn something from each and every one of them. With your help, I want to be able to continue making these portraits and honor everyone’s stories. When you purchase one of my paintings or any of the products available, you are supporting what I do so I can continue to paint even more portraits such as this one and you get to have something to remind you of the beauty of each human being portrayed here and remain inspired by them.

Buy this Art for Your Wall at the PriscilaSoares.com Professional Art Store:

This artwork can be purchased as a high quality professional print in the material, size and hanging feature of your choice. Use my newest “Augmented Reality” Tool which allows you to try this piece of art right on the wall you plan to hang it, by using the camera on your device. Can’t use your device? Choose the “Wall Preview” tool, where you can visualize my art in common areas such as living rooms, cafes and even bedrooms, change the artwork size and the wall color to your preference.

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