Community
Discover the Voice Championing Maricopa’s Hidden Deaf Community
Fred Greenspan, an 80-year-old retired marketing representative, is dedicated to empowering the deaf community in Maricopa. Operating from his home in Tortosa, Greenspan focuses his efforts on bridging communication gaps for individuals facing hearing challenges.
Years of research led Greenspan to establish a specialized training program in 2014, aiming to educate public services, including police, fire departments, and schools, on the nuanced needs of their deaf and hard-of-hearing constituents. This initiative has expanded into a national training service, gaining recognition across various municipalities.
His training sessions have reached notable organizations, such as McCarran International Airport and the North Las Vegas Police Department. Currently, he is negotiating with Pinal County to extend his training services to municipal employees.
Greenspan is also keen on partnering with the city of Maricopa. His efforts have already drawn commendations, like those from Page, Arizona’s administrative assistant, Alexandra Malnack, who praised his implementation of a video phone system to improve communication with residents who are deaf. “This ensures individuals have access to necessary services at all times,” she remarked.
Greenspan emphasizes that deaf sensitivity training is crucial for law enforcement. He recounted a tragic incident where an officer shot a deaf man who intended to express gratitude through a hug, mistakenly perceiving the act as a threat. “Such misunderstandings could easily happen in Maricopa,” he warned.
His interest in the deaf community ignited years earlier during a chance encounter with a deaf man in Phoenix. Through this interaction, Greenspan identified significant barriers the deaf community faces, especially within employment sectors. A story he shared illustrated the struggle: a talented deaf programmer was denied opportunities purely based on his hearing inability. Despite initial resistance, advocacy led to the man being hired through a staffing agency, highlighting the pressing need for advocate support.
Greenspan estimates around 6,000 to 7,000 residents in Maricopa deal with hearing loss. “They are often invisible in their struggles,” he noted, pointing out the community’s silence compared to more visible disabilities. He believes it is crucial for public servants to enhance their understanding of the unique experiences of deaf individuals.
Having collaborated with various universities specializing in deaf education, Greenspan’s knowledge of traumatic brain injury has also informed his advocacy work. Ultimately, he strives to foster a community in Maricopa that is aware and responsive to the complexities faced by the deaf population.
