Disability Futures

Believing that prisons represent the “New Institutions,” TL fights daily to ensure that Deaf prisoners and defendants receive equal access to the legal system by educating hearing justice professionals. Having testified in front of numerous legislative bodies; and trained Congressional members, attorneys, government officials, and corrections employees about Deaf culture and Communication TL actively pulls what’s in the shadows into light to demonstrate just how truly significant the disparities are in the justice system.

TL leads HEARD’s Deaf Prisoner Phone Justice Campaign which works to ensure that tens of thousands of deaf prisoners and their family members have access to accessible telecommunications in jails and prisons, including videophones, captioned telephones, and other auxiliary aids. TL worked closely with Al Jazeera America producers for more than two years on a documentary, “Deaf In Prison,” and spearheaded a “Know Your Rights” campaign with the American Civil Liberties Union and Marlee Matlin to curtail police brutality against deaf people. TL writes extensively about discrimination against deaf and disabled people within the justice, legal and corrections systems & actively resists institutional oppression that perpetuates this status quo. TL was honored as a White House Champion of Change in 2015. TL is a founder of #DisabilitySolidarity