BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - This week is Deaf Awareness Week and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown announced an enhanced effort to include sign-language interpretation at future news conferences for city events.
"It's so important to recognize that when we celebrate our diversity, when we celebrate each other, when we lift each other up, we build a stronger community for each and every one of us," Brown said. "So today is a very proud day in the City of Buffalo."
Brown stressed the importance that all city residents have access to information, including those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
The city raised a blue and yellow flag to commemorate Deaf Awareness Week, will light City Hall in those colors on Monday night, and issued a proclamation for the deaf community.
"With years of advocating to show the world what the community can do to spread awareness, being deaf is no different," David Wantuck of Deaf Access Services said. "We're just like you. We look at ourselves as an individual or a person, just like you, with abilities. Abilities to accomplish. Abilities to succeed in life and set goals. Our goal here for this is really to show everyone who we are, sharing our culture, our language, and values."
Several events will be held this week to celebrate the deaf community. Click here for those activities
