Introduction
[This article was published in September 2025 as a part of our Deaf Awareness Month observations. ]
Hang tight for this story. It’s about a situation where a Deaf man may have been physically harmed had it not been for the intervention of sign language. Many persons still don’t believe that sign language is a full language in its own right. But hopefully this story offers some fresh perspective on the matter.
It was a Friday afternoon, end of the month and several persons were standing at an ABM, waiting to use the machine. The line was long and tensions were already running high because of how slowly some transactions were being processed. A young man entered, then quickly retreated. It was obvious he was in a rush, much like the rest of those waiting. Moments later, he bolted back to the glass door and began banging frantically. The person inside, already on edge, was jarred and defensive. Everyone in line was confused to say the least.
Thankfully someone recognized the man banging and explained to the crowd that he was Deaf. That person stepped forward and asked him, using JSL, what was wrong. The Deaf man explained that he had left his receipt inside and wanted to retrieve it. The interpreter quickly relayed this to the person inside the ABM, who now understood that the man meant no harm and the tension immediately diffused. That situation could easily have gone in another direction, however smooth communication (made possible through sign language) shifted that outcome. Now imagine this… what if more Jamaicans were able to use JSL. Imagine how many more inclusive, safe and affirming conversations could happen? How much less isolated our Deaf community would feel from their neighbours, teachers, co workers and associates? It is a question more of us should be asking, more frequently.
For years, the Jamaican Deaf community has unfortunately had to rely on a patchwork of resources. Some imported, some improvised and most not created with their lived reality in mind. Families have been struggling to communicate at home. Teachers have been working tirelessly without culturally relevant materials. Students have had to navigate a world that rarely seems to make an effort to meet them halfway. We recognized this gap and identified that Jamaican Sign Language wasn’t being represented in a way that was accessible, practical and visually appealing. Many of the existing resources were too unrelatable, too generic or simply not designed for local use. Those charged with the task to educate have always had to be extremely creative and innovative in their methods of adaptation. They do a great localising the material available and their students do exceptionally well through their invaluable support. And so, even with the best intentions, parents, peers and educators truly felt as if they have for quite some time been without a clear pathway to build connection and fluency. We believe they should not have to work twice as hard to achieve the very things we take for granted.
The JSL Workbook was born out of the observation of that gap paired with the conviction that language is not just a tool, but a bridge. Communication should not be a privilege. It’s something every family, classroom and community should be able to access. This workbook needed to exist to normalize Jamaican Sign Language in everyday life. To give learners the confidence to pursue connection. To affirm that Deaf culture is not a side note, but a vibrant and vital part of Jamaica’s everyday story.
Coming up in Part Two:
We aim to share the design principles that guided the creation of the Convey brand and its resources. You will get a deeper perspective on how this came to life over the course of thousands of hours of research, conversations and co-creation sessions with the truly wonderful members of the Jamaican Deaf community. Over the coming weeks, we hope that you will also get a chance to meet some of these incredible individuals.