This was done for Clerc Scar.
By my own guess, more than 75% of VRS companies are owned by hearing people. Many owners are themselves interpreters. This rate probably applies to interpreter referral agencies as well.
If Deaf people are hired, they tend to be the lower-level employees, doing much of the marketing and customer service tasks. It makes me feel like the companies are profiting off of deaf people without actually investing into the community.
Granted, I do appreciate that some hearing people have taken an interest in deaf people and are investing in technologies and services that will benefit all of us. However, this interest needs to expand into seriously empowering deaf consumers — by employing more deaf people in higher-level administration position, and allowing opportunities to become partners and co-owners.
In fact, why not have referral agencies/VRS companies run like cooperatives? Allow deaf people to buy shares and have voting power over executive decisions? Or is the prospect of allowing deaf consumers more power too frightening for the establishment?
Just something to consider…
I agree with you. It’s like hearing people are better than us which is stupid. What about those catalogs to help deaf people to know the phone is ringing, door bell ringing and etc? I feel like they’re robbing us (they’re expensive to buy) and should be helping us. -_-