When Deaf staff are left out of social events, it’s not “just a night out.” It’s exclusion.

Written By Stephanie Todd

Micro-Stories series

Soft, muted evening photograph of a group of coworkers standing outside a busy bar and restaurant laughing together during after-work drinks, while a young Asian woman sits alone on a bench nearby watching quietly from a distance.

It’s the after-work drinks.

The team meal.

The place where connections grow, but only for some.

Inclusion doesn’t stop at the office door.

Belonging means everywhere.

Exclusion isn’t always obvious. Sometimes, it hides behind invitations never sent.

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Stephanie Todd
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When their eyes go to the interpreter, not the Deaf person, it’s erasure.
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When schools don’t provide signing support for Deaf children, it’s not inclusion. It’s isolation.