In October 2024, a workshop on “anti-racism” was held in Flanders, led by Lydia Gratis from Ireland and Romel Belcher from Sweden, both representing Saved By the Sign. The workshop, organised by Visual Box, a media company for Deaf people in Flanders, was exclusively for Deaf BIPOC individuals. “BIPOC” stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour, an inclusive term highlighting the shared experiences and challenges of systemic racism faced by Black, Indigenous, and other people of colour. This workshop was remarkable, as it marked the first time that Deaf BIPOC youth from across Flanders came together.

A breakthrough for deaf BIPOC in Flanders?

“There are many Deaf BIPOC in Flanders, but they often meet only in private settings,” explains Ayfer Iceloglu, co-initiator of the workshop. “Until now, there had been little opportunity for a broader gathering of Deaf BIPOC in Flanders. Small groups of people of similar age sometimes meet, such as the private group of Deaf BIPOC women of my generation that I’m part of.”

Although young Deaf BIPOC in Flanders often come together for sports or picnics, there was no larger community of Deaf BIPOC in the region. According to Ayfer, this issue partly stems from the predominantly white Flemish Deaf community: “We often don’t feel welcome there. The feeling of not belonging is probably why we haven’t progressed as a community.”

The experiences shared during the workshop revealed a strong need for a dedicated community for Deaf BIPOC in Flanders. Ayfer Iceloglu emphasises that such a community is essential for an anti-racism movement within the predominantly white Deaf community: “We have our own culture, language, and identity. Without a community, we cannot bring about changes within the structures of Deaf organisations.”

Challenges in European deaf communities

The integration of Deaf BIPOC within European Deaf communities does not always go smoothly. Romel Belcher from Saved By the Sign points to the lack of accessible information in sign language about anti-racism and discrimination within the Deaf community. “There is little in-depth discussion on these topics. That’s why Saved By the Sign is working to fill these gaps, and we’re noticing a growing demand for this work.”

Although Saved By the Sign was originally intended to empower Deaf BIPOC, Lydia Gratis notes that over the past two years, more white participants have attended their workshops than BIPOC. It was even Visual Box, led by white Deaf leaders, that managed to bring BIPOC youth from across Flanders together for a workshop—something these young people had not yet achieved themselves, despite their strong desire to do so. “It’s primarily about who has access to resources,” Lydia explains. “Within the Deaf communities, funding and resources are mostly controlled by white people, which creates significant barriers for Deaf BIPOC.”

While there is no specific association for Deaf BIPOC in Flanders, as in some other European countries, there is Ubuntu European Deaf Youth (UEDY) on a European level, a safe space within the European Union of the Deaf Youth (EUDY) for Deaf BIPOC youth. “The first time I attended a lecture by Lydia and Romel, I was deeply moved,” shares Alexandra Dongal from France, who participated in UEDY’s focus group. “It was emotional for me, and I felt safe sharing my own experiences. It’s a fantastic place for Black people to exchange ideas.”

Alexandra recounts experiencing frequent microaggressions within the Deaf community: “As a child, I wanted to be friends with someone, but the feeling wasn’t mutual because of my skin colour. Some people touched my hair because it was ‘different,’ which I didn’t like.” She adds that this was exhausting for her: “I don’t think it’s my responsibility to educate them, especially since I was never trained to handle such situations. Deaf Black people lack empowerment programmes addressing anti-racism, unlike the programmes available for issues like audism.”

Alexandra is also reluctant to join local Deaf clubs in France. “What do they have to offer me? These clubs are mostly white. I have nothing against that, but I don’t see the point in becoming a member. I feel the same way about the NAD (National Association of the Deaf) in France.”

The need for structural change in NADs

According to Romel Belcher, three elements are crucial for better integrating Deaf BIPOC into NADs in Europe: access to resources, strong relationships, and representation. “Without representation, there is no relationship,” Romel explains. “An unequal distribution of resources favours one group over another. NADs often claim there are no BIPOC candidates for their boards, but they ignore the need for representation and relationships to make BIPOC feel welcome.”

Alexandra also highlights the lack of media representation of BIPOC Deaf people in the French NAD: “When the media only shows white people or familiar figures who don’t share our culture, we’re less likely to watch those videos. Even if we do, we absorb the information less effectively because cultural differences make us feel uncomfortable.” Ayfer Iceloglu points out that this issue also exists in Flanders: “In our NAD, mainly white people are represented, which makes Deaf BIPOC feel unwelcome. They get the impression that the NAD is only for white people.”

Ayfer also notes that in Flanders, the threshold for BIPOC to be represented in the media is often too high due to language differences. “That’s unfair because their linguistic backgrounds differ from those of white people,” Ayfer defends Deaf BIPOC. “BIPOC don’t have the same educational opportunities or resources to develop their language skills as white people. This inequality in privileges is unjust because white people have more access to better opportunities.”

Yet, Lydia and Romel from Saved By the Sign caution that NADs must be careful when they start involving BIPOC in their media. They should not be included solely as a diversity token but must genuinely invest in relationships and sufficient resources for this group. “If BIPOC are only used to improve the diversity image of NADs, they will face obstacles and eventually drop out. That is not sustainable,” Lydia says. “NADs need to practise self-reflection and implement structural changes. Only then will BIPOC feel genuinely welcome, and the Deaf community can progress.”

LEAD REPORTER – JARON GARITTE & SARA BOUHOUT
CO-REPORTER –  ESTELLE ARNOUX
SUPPORTING REPORTER – KENNY ÅKESSON