September is Deaf Awareness Month!
September 22: Rise of Deaf YouTube Creators
SignDuo, one of the many deaf YouTube creators, is the name of the YouTube and social media channels of a deaf-hearing couple, Ryan Alex (deaf) and Ellen Mika (hearing). They create content about their lives and use ASL to connect with their audience.
They started sharing their journey in 2016, initially vlogging their experiences and later focusing on educational content that helps bridge the gap between deaf and hearing communities by dispelling myths and teaching American Sign Language (ASL).
Brief history: Ryan and Ellen met as a high school sweethearts and began their YouTube channel around 2016. Their initial videos included vlogs about their experiences as a deaf-hearing couple, such as their first trip to Costco. Then they shifted towards creating educational videos to explain what it means to be deaf, and some videos teach ASL, building a connection with a wider audience.
Their goal is to bridge the gap between deaf and hearing communities, foster understanding, and dispel common myths about deaf-hearing relationships.
SignDuo’s YouTube: youtube.com/@SignDuoChannel
SignDuo’s Instagram: instagram.com/signduo/