Tommy Wickerd is a hearing man currently in prison at San Quentin, California, who has recently gone viral because of his new documentary called “Friendly Signs”, which has premiered at film festivals. Wickerd is hearing, though he grew up with a Deaf brother and learned American Sign Language (ASL) through him. While incarcerated, Wickerd organized and led sign language classes for Deaf inmates at his prison. He says that he wanted to help Deaf inmates who felt isolated in prison by using these classes to grow a supportive community. This later led to these Deaf prisoners teaching ASL to other inmates. 

Cuba has officially recognized Cuban Sign Language as a formal communication system, as announced in a recent decree published in the Official Gazette. This significant step was celebrated by President Miguel Díaz-Canel and fulfills a long held aspiration of the Deaf community in Cuba. The new recognition of the language promotes inclusivity and equality and aligns with the Cuban political principle of "With all and for the good of all", inspired by national hero José Martí. The law not only recognizes the language but also ensures steps to improve accessibility in social, cultural, and economic spaces for Deaf people.

Niamdh Braid, a 16-year-old Deaf student from Glenrothes, Scotland, has won a legal battle against Fife Council to secure a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter for school. Niamdh was born Deaf, and relies on BSL for communication. She says she struggles to follow lessons in noisy classroom settings. Despite her school offering some support, Niamdh’s request for a qualified BSL interpreter was repeatedly denied. As a result, she launched legal action with the help of the National Deaf Children's Society after her learning was seriously impacted by the lack of adequate support. The legal case argued that she was being placed at a disadvantage, missing key parts of her education and felt unsupported.

A court in Alberta has stayed charges against Kendal Longclaws, 31, from the Ermineskin Cree Nation, due to the court’s inability to provide him with an interpreter. Longclaws, who was born Deaf, does not use standard sign language and is illiterate, making him unable to participate in his defense, Judge Debra Yungwirth ruled on January 10. The judge emphasized that proceeding without an interpreter would violate Longclaws’ right to a fair trial. Although prosecutors argued that his capacity to stand trial should be assessed, the court concluded that his condition, described as “language deprivation syndrome,” does not constitute a mental disorder under the Criminal Code. According to the defendant’s mother, Longclaws can only communicate through rudimentary gestures due to the lack of resources on the reserve to teach him sign language. Experts noted that while training might enable him to communicate partially, he would not reach the level required to face trial. The judge stated that no alternative solution was available other than to stay the case, though she acknowledged the impact on the victims.

The Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes (MPBA) will offer guided tours in Mexican Sign Language (LSM) for the exhibitions “Ángela Gurría. Señales” and “Alan Glass. Sorprendente Hallazgo”. These activities will take place on Saturdays, January 18 and 25, and February 1 and 8, at 11:00 a.m. Since 2018, the MPBA has collaborated with the Escuela de Artes y Empoderamiento Alas de las Artes to make the museum more accessible to the Deaf community through LSM videos and inclusive guided tours. The exhibitions will remain open until February 2025.