What is a C.O.D.A?

A C.O.D.A is a child of a deaf adult.

They say that when a person suffers the people beside also suffers, well that is true, deaf people in their childhood suffer from bullying because of their condition, I my case it was present when I was in elementary School one of my classmates said:

-My dad said that your parents are stupid.

And since I was really hurt I only answered 'why?'

Because they don’t hear anything. How did you survive?

I left that classmate, and I started to run and cry to the bathroom and swore to myself to never speak to that person again and make sure that no one speaks like that to my face again.

I have two friends that are also codas and had similar experiences. One thing I would like to say in representation of the C.O.D.A community is that please make us comfortable and do not make jokes about deaf people; just asking us to teach you swear words in sign language.

If you can learn some basic sign language do not be afraid of asking us to teach you. If you find a deaf person and you do not know sign language, as you speak make your gesticulations bigger than usual but not exaggerated or write in a paper simple sentences of what you want to communicate.

I am a C.O.D.A; and finding about other fellow C.O.D.A s on YouTube, who share their experience and funny moments, made me very happy. I realized that every person who meets a C.O.D.A asks the same questions. So, I wanted to answer some of them:

Common questions to a C.O.D.A and answers from my perspective. (this might change from other C.O.D.A ‘s perspective).

How can you talk with them on the phone?

We text but to read their messages is a whole new world, because even if it is spanish, they text as if they were signing.

screenshot of a text with my mom in Spanish.

-Mom, do I go home in uber or should I wait for you?

-No. Go to for you

and we also videocall.

How you can talk with them each day?

By signing and talking with more articulation of my mouth than normal.

How did you learn to talk?

My grandparents, teachers, and my dad 8who has a lower percentage of deafness) taught me.

Is sign language universal?

No, as a spoken language is different in every country so is in sign language.

Do your parents like music?

Even if they can’t hear they can feel the music by touching the speakers and use their auxilians to hear a bit.

Why do you move your hands a lot?

That is because in home I talk in sign language.

Can deaf people drive?

Yes, because they use the mirrors and their auxilians.

Are your parents deaf-mute?

No, they can talk with both their hands and mouth< as many others in the same condition. Some people simply prefer to speak sign language, and others just haven't learned how to talk with their mouths.

Fun facts about C.O.D. A’s