This website grew out of my thesis project — but if I really think about it, it started even earlier, from a simple but powerful desire: to connect with others in the Black Deaf community.

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My thesis focuses on documenting Black Deaf historical spaces. At first, I dreamed big — I wanted to document sites all across the country. But I quickly realized that trying to do something so massive alone, within a short amount of time, was overwhelming. I shifted my focus. I decided to build the foundation and invite others to be part of it. My goal became creating something that could grow through collaboration and community engagement, so that, together, we could document both historical and current sites for generations to come.

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I chose to start with the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) areas and work outward from there, one step at a time, one day at a time.

The DMV made sense for a few important reasons:

• The sites are close to Gallaudet University, where I study. As someone with limited mobility due to health issues, working within a more accessible range was crucial for me.

 

• Gallaudet University archives is a treasure trove of lost information and so many artifacts of the Deaf community.
   

• This area holds deep roots in the history of Black Deaf education.
   

• There are strong connections here to historic members of the Black Deaf community — including Dr. Joseph Hill and Dr. Carolyn McCaskill, who both worked on the Hidden Treasure of Black ASL project alongside Robert Bayley and Ceil Lucas. Lindsay Dunn, a respected figure in the Black Deaf community, known for his contributions to Deaf education, Black Deaf history, and advocacy. ​

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This project is just the beginning — and I can’t wait to see where it grows, with the help of the community it was always meant to serve.