Helping increase d/Deaf representation in the media industry

Even though over 15% of the world’s population has some form of disability, people with disabilities continue to be underrepresented in the entertainment industry. One organization helping change that is Deaf West Theatre, which was founded in Los Angeles in 1991. This group uses the expressive power of sign language to engage artists and audiences in theater and media. They also support actors who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing actors as they kick start their career, making sure they have access to the same opportunities as hearing actors.

David ‘DJ’ Kurs, the artistic director of Deaf West Theatre, and Daniel Durant, an actor who is Deaf and a member of Deaf West, both know firsthand how important communication and connection is in their industry. With the help of tools, like Live Caption and Live Transcribe, they’re better able to connect with others when American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters may not be available. This is why our Social Impact team is partnering with Deaf West Theatre to share Pixel phones, which have these helpful tools and others available on them, directly with d/Deaf and hard of hearing actors, producers, writers and other creators.

Learn more about some of our most helpful tools on android.com/accessibility and join us in building more accessible and disability inclusive creative work with the help of our toolkit, google.com/all-in.