Week 6  The Layer of Language: Self-Worth and the Right to be Understood   Deeper into the onion, we reach the layer where learning and living touch the heart: language and self-worth. Language is more than vocabulary, grammar, or even expression. It is the mirror through which we come to see ourselves. When a child grows up with full access to language, whether through ASL, Auslan, or any form of genuine communication something profound takes root. They learn that their thou

First: take a breath. Whatever you're feeling right now is okay. You might feel overwhelmed, relieved, confused, or scared. Maybe all of these at once. That's completely normal. You might be thinking about what comes next. Or looking back at your life in a new way. You might worry that things just got more difficult. We understand. Many of us have been right where you are now. This diagnosis isn't the end of something. It's the beginning of finally understanding yourself. Her

We are wishing you and your loved ones a very happy and joyful Kwanzaa! Let's come together to celebrate this wonderful occasion! OUL Team Videos: Kwanzaa in ASL (Alice Rash) ASL What Is Kwanzaa? National Black Deaf Advocates Kwanzaa: Cultural Holidays by Sheila Anderson

To the World of Community, Welcome to the December OUL Bulletin! This holiday season is the perfect time to spend quality moments with family, close friends, and beloved pets. Thank you for being an integral part of the OUL journey this year. We've had our ups and downs—with both the website and our team—but we remain committed to our mission. As Cristina Berdickevsky always says, "Never give up." In 2026, we'll continue moving forward with website improvements and our regula

Week 5  The Educational Layer: Misunderstood Intelligence   Peel again, and we find the classroom. For many Deaf children, and for many who are also autistic or ADHD, school is the first place where the story of being “misunderstood” begins. Intelligence, for them, is often measured by how closely they can fit into hearing norms or neurotypical expectations by how well they perform within systems never designed with their minds, rhythms, or languages in mind. A Deaf child ma

"You're smart. You just need to work harder." If you've heard this—or said it to someone—you know it feels good and bad at the same time. For millions of people with learning disabilities, ADHD, and Autism, this phrase doesn't help. It's a lie that stays with them for years. It says their problems are their fault. That if they just tried harder, everything would be okay. But learning disabilities, ADHD, and Autism don't work that way. Why This Label Is So Damaging When you te

Week 4  The Layer of Belonging: The Space Where We Breathe   The next layer we reach is the social one, the profoundly human need to belong . To be Deaf, to be autistic, to live with ADHD, often means standing at the edge of conversations that move in unfamiliar rhythms. It can mean being the only one signing in a sea of spoken words, the only one pausing to process while others rush ahead, the only one whose timing and energy seem out of sync with everyone else’s. That diffe

Week 3  The Layer of Communication: Expression and Understanding   Peel back another layer, and we arrive at the heart of interaction: how we communicate.  At the surface, many people assume that “communication” simply means speaking and listening that it begins with sound and ends with words. But that is only one narrow slice of the vast landscape of human expression. Real communication is richer, broader, and infinitely more nuanced. It lives not just in the voice or the ea

Week 2  The First Layer: Access   Once the thin skin of visibility is set aside, the first true layer we reach is access . For many people outside the Deaf community, this is where the conversation begins and often, where it ends. Access is what they see on the surface: captions glowing across the bottom of a screen, an interpreter standing beside a speaker, hearing aids or cochlear implants presented as “solutions,” or technology marketed as a bridge to the hearing world. Th

Greetings to everyone, Happy Friendsgiving from the entire OUL team! We want to extend our warmest wishes to you and yours during this festive season. It's hard to believe how quickly time has flown by—we're already approaching the end of another remarkable year. We hope you enjoy a delicious meal surrounded by your beloved family and friends during this special time of gratitude, reflection, and togetherness. From all of us! THE OUL TEAM!

Week 1 The Surface Layer: Visibility The surface is where most people begin. It’s where curiosity first meets awareness. You notice what’s easiest to see: someone signing across a room, someone reading captions at the bottom of a screen, someone using their eyes, hands, and expressions to navigate a conversation. That first impression matters, it’s an entry point, a doorway into a different way of being. But like the paper-thin skin of an onion, it’s only the beginning. It is

Prologue: Why an Onion? Why an onion? Because an onion holds its truth in layers. At first glance, it seems ordinary: smooth, pale, and wrapped in papery skin. You can hold it in your hand and think you already know it. But once you begin to peel it back, something happens. The air sharpens. The scent grows stronger. One layer gives way to another, each thin but distinct, each essential to the whole. The deeper you go, the more your eyes water, and you realize that understand

Dear OUL Community, Welcome to the November OUL Bulletin! We hope you're enjoying your Thanksgiving holiday with wonderful food, family, and friends. We have exciting news to share: Lavosi has updates, and we're thrilled to welcome a new Content Writer to our team. Check out this month's bulletin for more details. I welcome your feedback and suggestions at oulorg22@gmail.com . You'll receive this bulletin monthly via email, and you can visit our website anytime. We're expandi

The Organization of Unique Learners welcomes Bret Cummens, M.Ed., as a new Content Writer. With his educational background and understanding of Deaf individuals' challenges, Bret will impact through his writing. Subscribers can expect insightful posts every Saturday on Deaf culture and experiences, featuring storytelling, educational lessons, and inspiration. His content will include personal anecdotes, historical perspectives, and contemporary issues, fostering appreciation

Happy Halloween! We hope you're having a truly fantastic and wonderful day filled with fun and celebration. We're excited to announce that some upcoming changes are coming to our website in the near future. The updates will begin to roll out in November, with new features and improvements being added on a regular basis throughout the month. We'd love to hear any suggestions or feedback you might have at any time. Please feel free to reach out and email us at oulorg22@gmail.co

Introducing " Interpreting with a Deaf Heart " at Scarlett's Park , College of Health and Human Services at Fresno State Scarlett's Park is excited to announce the launch of an innovative new session titled "Interpreting with a Deaf Heart," scheduled to take place on February 21, 2026. This session is designed to deepen the understanding of interpreting within the Deaf community, focusing on the emotional and cultural nuances that are essential for effective communication.

Hello everyone, I would like to take this opportunity to share my thoughts and reflections about the presentations that took place last month. On September 19, 2025, I had the privilege of joining a Zoom meeting that was focused on the important topic of " Autism in Deaf Education. " The presentations were absolutely wonderful, and I found that I learned something valuable and meaningful from each and every one of them. Scarlett's Park in the Silent Garden at Fresno State is

OUL Community, Welcome to the OCTOBER OUL Bulletin! This October bulletin features articles from community news, schools, and other...

Disclaimer:  We are not scientists or researchers, and this article simply collects and presents information available at the time of...

Disclaimer:  We are not scientists or researchers, and this article presents information collected and available at the time of writing....