Bridging Silent Worlds

Joanne Lockwood is joined by Maria Gallucci, a multi-award-winning realtor and author of Raised in Silence, to explore the realities of growing up as a hearing child of Deaf adults. Maria shares how American Sign Language shaped her family life, how she often became the bridge between Deaf and hearing worlds, and what it taught her about being seen, understood, and included.

Together they unpack common misconceptions and everyday moments that can exclude Deaf and hard of hearing people—from speaking to an interpreter instead of the person, to assuming lip reading or “fixing” through devices is the default. They also reflect on Deaf identity and pride, the emotional weight of child interpreting, and the ways technology such as video relay and captioning has improved access while not eliminating stigma.

The conversation closes with practical guidance for listeners: make the effort, learn a few basic signs, use respectful ways to get attention, and focus on genuine connection. The central message is simple but powerful—trying matters, and small acts of communication can create real belonging.

One-sentence summary

Maria Gallucci’s life is a quiet promise: that no one should feel invisible simply because the world hasn’t learned how to listen.

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Synopsis (two paragraphs)

Maria Gallucci grew up between two worlds. Born to Deaf parents in an Italian-American household, American Sign Language was her first language; voice came later. As a child, she was the bridge — interpreting medical appointments, financial conversations and everyday life long before she was old enough to carry that weight. She remembers the stares, the questions, and the way people spoke about her parents as if they were not fully present. And she remembers making a vow: “I will never, ever let anybody feel left out or not included or feel not seen.” That promise became her compass.

Now an author and property professional, Maria builds accessible home-buying experiences for Deaf, disabled and LGBTQ+ clients — not because it’s niche, but because she has witnessed what exclusion costs. She has seen clients move from feeling invisible to feeling confident and understood. For her, inclusion is not a strategy. It is dignity in action. It is eye contact. It is learning to say “thank you” in someone else’s language. It is radical empathy — the kind that changes how a room feels.

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10 Small, digestible concepts for easy learning

1. Invisibility is a wound.

Being overlooked chips away at a person long before anyone names it as harm.

2. Talk to the person, not around them.

Eye contact is respect made visible.

3. Trying matters more than perfection.

Effort communicates care, even when the sign or word isn’t flawless.

4. Difference is not deficiency.

Deafness is a culture and language, not something to be “fixed”.

5. Children notice everything.

Maria’s empathy was shaped by watching her parents being judged.

6. Responsibility grows character.

Interpreting as a child gave her strength, but also an early awareness of injustice.

7. Technology restores access — but not humanity.

Apps help, yet dignity still depends on how people behave.

8. Inclusion is sensory.

Feeling the beat of music can be as powerful as hearing it.

9. Assumptions isolate.

Speaking louder does not create understanding.

10. Love is the common language.

“Love is love,” she says — across ability, identity and difference.

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The “why” in the story

What they believe is true about people

Maria believes everyone wants to feel seen, heard and accepted — that belonging is a basic human need, not a special accommodation.

What they cannot unsee

She cannot unsee her parents being ignored while someone addressed the interpreter. She cannot unsee the stares. She cannot unfeel the self-consciousness of being watched for signing in public.

What they are no longer willing to tolerate

Casual exclusion. People being spoken over. The quiet assumption that difference equals limitation.

What they are trying to build instead

A world where accessibility is natural, where buying a home, attending an appointment, or ordering in a restaurant does not require extra courage.

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Narrative structure

1. The trigger:

Growing up as the main interpreter for her Deaf parents, Maria witnessed them being dismissed or underestimated. Those repeated moments formed a childhood vow: no one around her would feel invisible if she could help it.

2. The tension:

She built a successful career, yet realised she was thriving in systems that still excluded the community that shaped her. There was a pull between professional achievement and personal conviction.

3. The insight:

Inclusion is not about noise or recognition. It is about connection. A simple signed “thank you” can change how someone feels in a room.

4. The pivot:

She chose to centre accessibility in her work — learning, advocating and writing Raised in Silence to widen awareness. She stopped separating success from service.

5. The destination:

A world where Deaf and hearing people meet as equals; where a child never has to feel protective because others refuse to try; where belonging feels ordinary.

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Five key takeaways and learning points

1. Exclusion is often subtle.

Being ignored in conversation can hurt more than open hostility — so pay attention to who you’re addressing.

2. Small gestures create safety.

Learning one or two signs tells someone, “I see you.” That shifts the entire interaction.

3. We all rely on our senses more than we realise.

Lose one, and you understand how fragile independence can be — so design with vulnerability in mind.

4. Children carry the emotional weight of adult prejudice.

When parents are marginalised, their children feel it too.

5. Empathy can be radical.

Choosing to include, consistently and publicly, reshapes both families and communities.

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Ten distinct ideas explained

1. Radical empathy

Not pity, but the willingness to experience someone’s world on their terms — to ask, learn and adjust without embarrassment.

2. Coda identity

Being a Child of Deaf Adults means living between languages, cultures and expectations — constantly translating, emotionally and practically.

3. Cultural Deafness

Deafness, with a capital letter, represents shared language and community — not simply audiological status.

4. The burden of early responsibility

Interpreting adult matters as a child builds resilience, but also exposes young people to systems not built for them.

5. Visibility as validation

Direct eye contact affirms someone’s presence; avoidance diminishes it.

6. Language as belonging

Sign language carries history, humour and identity. It is expressive, embodied and communal.

7. Technology as bridge, not cure

Video relay services and captions expand access, yet human willingness still determines inclusion.

8. The myth of “fixing”

Suggestions of cures can imply that a person’s identity is a problem.

9. Sensory appreciation

Feeling music through vibration shows that joy doesn’t depend on a single sense.

10. Intergenerational learning

Teaching her grandchild to sign keeps culture alive and reminds Maria that inclusion begins at home.

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How people should change as a result

1. Think

• Shift from “How do we accommodate them?” to “How do we connect?”
• Recognise Deafness as a linguistic and cultural identity, not a deficit.
• Understand that invisibility often happens in ordinary interactions.
• Accept that you, too, may one day need accessibility.

2. Feel

• Move from awkwardness to curiosity.
• Replace fear of getting it wrong with willingness to try.
• Trade pity for respect.
• Let empathy become personal, not abstract.

3. Act

• Learn a few basic signs such as “hello” and “thank you”.
• When speaking through an interpreter, look at the person themselves.
• Gently get attention by positioning yourself within someone’s line of sight.
• Use captions in meetings and online events as standard practice.
• Ask, “What works best for you?” instead of assuming.
• Challenge dismissive behaviour when you see it.
• Model inclusion for children — explain, don’t whisper.

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One thing to remember

Inclusion begins the moment you choose to truly see the person in front of you.