Independent publisher of award-winning books by Kelly Brakenhoff
Welcome friends! This page is a growing directory of Deaf creators and businesses connected to American Sign Language (ASL), Deaf culture, books, education, and visual storytelling.
If you found this page through the For Parents or For Educators section of my website, you may be just beginning to explore the Deaf community, American Sign Language, and the many creative people doing amazing work in this space. When families and teachers discover ASL books, they often ask the same question: Where do we go next?
This directory is meant to be a starting point.
The Deaf community is full of talented creators including: authors, artists, educators, performers, businesses, and content creators who share stories, knowledge, humor, and culture in ways that are visual, vibrant, and deeply meaningful. The people listed here represent just a small sampling of places you can begin exploring.
Some create books and educational resources. Others share everyday life, humor, advocacy, or insights into Deaf culture. If you’re curious and want to keep learning, these are wonderful places to start.
This list will grow slowly over time as we highlight more creators. Think of it as a doorway, not a complete map. The Deaf community is far bigger, richer, and more diverse than any single page could capture.
Authors
- Book(s): I Deaf-initely Can, Rhett the Heeler, and We Deaf-initely Can, Let The Adventures Begin
- Social Media: @rhett_the_heeler
- Website: www.rhetttheheeler.com
- Book(s): Can You Imagine? ASL Rhymes
- Social Media: @asl.alexandria
- Book(s): Monster Hands
- Social Media: @jonazmcmillan
- Website: www.jonazmcmillan.com
- Book(s): Tru Biz, Girl At War, America is Immigrants, and Mother Tongue later this year
- Social Media: @photonovic
- Website: www.sara-novic.com
- Book(s): Bloom Beyond Sound, Rosie Goes to School, and Blossom Beyond Sound
- Social Media: @lifewithashleerose
- Website: www.loveashleerose.com
- Book(s): Articulate: A Deaf Memoir of Voice, and essays
- Social Media: @rachelrkolb
- Website: www.rachelrkolb.com
- Book(s): Haben: The DeafBlind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law
- Social Media: @habengirma
- Website: www.habengirma.com
- Book(s): The Heritage Series (Book 1): Water’s Grasp, Once Upon A Deaf Time, and some short stories
- Social Media: @authorktjames
- Website: www.authorktjames.com
More Coming Soon…
Families
Mini Bio: Deaf parents, Estefani & Oscar, alongside their two Deaf/Hard of Hearing children, from SoCal, post about their family, life, Deafhood, parenthood, identity, and faith. Estefani also discusses her first-generation Mexican-American identity.
Social Media: @thatdeafamily
Website & Shop: www.thatdeafamilyshop.com
Mini Bio: Deaf & Hard of Hearing parents, Kasmira & Derrick, alongside their son, post about family, life, cultural identities, and navigating a small business (Girl & Creativity).
Social Media: @thatkasmirafamily
Website & Shop: www.girlandcreativity.com
Mini Bio: Hearing parents, Callie & Leo, alongside their Deaf son, post about navigating parenthood with a Deaf child, learning and embracing ASL and Deaf culture/community, and promoting access and language through their shop (The LA Couple Shop).
Social Media: @thelacouple
Website & Shop: www.thelacouple.store
Mini Bio: Hearing and Deaf parents, Courtney and Zach, alongside their two children, post about family, life, faith, Deafhood, humor, parenting, and therapy.
Social Media: @oursignedworld
More Coming Soon…
Literacy & Language
Mini Bio: Eric Epstein teaches ASL poetry & VV (visual vernacular), as well as analyzes ASL syntax and language. He also offers various online courses.
Social Media: @signplaying
Website: https://signplaying.thinkific.com/
More Coming Soon…
Influencers
Mini Bio: Black Deaf woman educates about culture, Black identity, Deafhood, and life. She also was a BASL Performer in projects with HBO Max, including the film Sinners and TV series Welcome to Derry.
Social Media: @itscharmay
Mini Bio: Deaf Autistic Woman with ADHD who storytell, creates poetry, and discusses many topics ranging from Deafhood, life, disability, identities, and more.
Social Media: @suchalovelyred
Website: www.suchalovelyred.com
Mini Bio: Deaf woman amplifies stories, advocates, and empowers different communities. Hosts a talk show, MELMIRA, discussing important social justice, identities, cultures, and experiences.
Social Media: @melmira
Website: https://www.melissayingst.com
Mini Bio: Deaf Wheelchair user, dedicated to advocating for accessibility for Deaf Plus (Deaf people with additional disabilities).
Social Media: @deafplusadvocate
Mini Bio: DeafBlind woman that posts and advocates for access and equality, pushes communities to consider DeafBlind needs and inclusion, teaches ASL courses, and a resin artist.
Social Media: @loni.friedmann
More Coming Soon…
Organizations, Businesses, & Resources
Mini Bio: Provides mental health resources featuring the Deaf community, all in ASL.
Social Media: @deafmentalhealthhub
Mini Bio: Brittany Castle, a digital artist and small business owner of 58 Creativity, creates art that portrays Deafhood, life, and education.
Social Media: @58creativity
Website: www.58creativity.com
More Coming Soon…
Small but necessary legal-ish note (because apparently the internet requires these things):
None of the creators listed here are paying to be included, and I’m not receiving compensation, affiliate commissions, free cookies, or secret treasure for linking to them. This directory simply highlights people whose work may be interesting or helpful for families, educators, and readers who want to explore more of the Deaf community.
In other words, this is a friendly list of cool people and resources. Not an official endorsement, sponsorship, or highly regulated “Top Secret Approved Creator Registry.”
My lawyers would normally insist on several paragraphs of intimidating legal language here, but unfortunately my publishing operation is run primarily by a couple of overworked house elves and one extremely lazy dog who serves as my publishing assistant. They assure me this explanation should do the trick.
If you know of a Deaf creator who should be included in the future, feel free to send them my way!
A note about deaf and Deaf
In our stories and on our website, when you see “deaf’”with a small “d,” it means someone might hear a little bit—or not at all—with one or both of their ears. But when you see “Deaf” with a big “D,” it means they are culturally Deaf and belong to a special community that often uses sign language to talk and share with each other. We use both words on purpose to show the difference between a medical condition and being part of a culture. Often you will see the word “Deaf” used as an inclusive term for all Deaf, hard of hearing, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, and late-deafened people.