Why "Dandelion"?
I was eight years old and our Minnesota yard was covered in beautiful, sunny yellow dandelions. I proudly gathered an armful and brought them to Grandma Doris, just like I did every year. She took out a vase and the kitchen table had its new centerpiece. Those left outside eventually turned into puffy white whispers that my siblings and I would blow into the wind. It wasn't until I was much older and Grandma Doris had passed away that I realized most people thought of dandelions as weeds and actively tried to eradicate them from their lawn. I could not comprehend how someone could despise my sunny yellow covered lawn!
Clayton Valli is a prominent Deaf poet and linguist who created and performed a piece entitled "Dandelions," revealing the unassuming flower's life cycle and resilience. Stories of oppression from Audists who want to take away language and access are common. Some see deaf people as something that needs to be fixed with a technical aide, as something unworthy or broken. My experience has shown the opposite to be true. Deaf individuals can be an amazing addition to diversity. They are proud of their identity and bring something incredibly valuable to this life. They are worthy of the respect and kindness every human should be given, and I feel privileged and honored that they let me be a part of that through my interpreting work.
Experience Clayton Valli’s poem here.
