Antoine Hunter presented #DeafWoke with Beautiful the Artist livestreaming on the commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv Thursday 3 March 2022 at 4 p.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC -8) / 6 p.m. CST (Chicago, UTC -6) / 7 p.m. EST (New York, UTC -5).
Join us for an enlivening evening with deaf female rapper, Beautiful the Artist. Beautiful the Artist will share her #DeafWoke Story.
ASL-English voice interpretation and English captions provided.
#DeafWoke is a virtual consciousness-raising engaging online talk show, led by Black and Indigenous Deaf host Mr. Antoine Hunter PurpleFireCrow.
Founded as a response to isolation and misinformation experienced during CoVID-19, #DeafWoke provides access to the Deaf BIPOC life stories, critical coverage of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, education, Arts, social justice and analysis of CoVID-19-related news for Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, Hard of Hearing, Late-Deafened and Black Hearing communities.
Our mission is to provide opportunities for our stories to be heard by providing the #DeafWoke platform to uplift BIPOC Deaf and disabled artists voices and to contribute to the arts and larger society, increasing awareness at the intersections of audism, ableism, and racism--this includes DeafDisabled stories as a force for cultural change and collective liberation. There is also a space to talk about economics, parenthood, and education.
All episodes will be produced with ASL Interpreters and captioning welcoming everyone to the conversation. For da Hearing and Deaf! It’s inspiring, it’s funny, it’s beautiful with the ugly, it’s things people don’t really talk about, it’s unheard of, it Deaf Woke!
About the Host
Bay Area native, Antoine Hunter also known as Purple Fire Crow is an award-winning Internationally-known African-American, Indigenous, Deaf, Disabled, choreographer, dancer, actor, instructor, speaker, Producer and Deaf advocate. He creates opportunities for Disabled, Deaf and hearing artists and produces Deaf-friendly events, and founded the Urban Jazz Dance Company and Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival.
About the Guest
Briana Johnson was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. When Briana was the tender age of four, her mother was told by a pediatrician at Scottish Rite Hospital that Briana was deaf and that she was born that way. This was devastating news to most of Briana’s family but not to her mother. Her mother was amazed that Briana could talk with her, her family, friends, and teachers for four years and her mother did not know that she was deaf. Briana’s mother was the only person who did not cry or exhibit any pity towards her. She instead told Briana that being deaf was a "Beautiful" thing and that Briana was created in the image of God and that all things are possible for Briana and she also told Briana that she was her "Beautiful" blessed baby girl who can be and do all things through Christ Who strengthens her. That's where Briana’s stage name "Beautiful" comes from. The name was inspired by her mother's encouraging words and support and since then, Briana has lived by those words every day. Briana’s mother formed a children's gospel group called "Dear Children" where she taught children to sing, dance, and the Word of God. Briana assisted in the choreography of some of the group’s performance routines. "Dear Children" was a local children's gospel singing group that performed throughout Georgia. This is where music, dancing, and performing became a strong passion of Briana’s. Briana began writing her own music and even recorded her music in the studio. There was a time when Briana was the only deaf student in her class and she was severely picked on and bullied. This inspired her to prove that just because she is deaf that did not mean she could not succeed or that being deaf was ugly. Briana studied, over articulated, and accepted being deaf so that she and other deaf children would not be overlooked and misunderstood. She was a straight "A" honor student, an Honor Society member, a cheerleader captain, and on the Dance/Step Team. She earned a full academic scholarship and earned a BA degree in Government/Law from Gallaudet University. Briana was crowned Miss Black Deaf America 2009-2011 and she uses her platform to advocate for her "Beautiful" deaf culture. She has been blessed with the opportunity to travel to several states to perform for DeafNation Expo events, Apollo in NYC, National Black Advocates Banquet and much more. Briana wants the world to know about the deaf community and to learn sign language so that we all can be included in every conversation and activities as well. This is how the birth of her company Signdance was formed. In 2018, Briana formed a dance company called Signdance with the motto that states "Let's Groove to the Beat and Learn Sign Language." It's through her music and her dance company that Briana continues to spread awareness about the deaf community as well as bridge any gaps between the hearing and deaf community as well.
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