Help Wasted is an experiential artwork rooted in my childhood as a Deaf person growing up in a hearing environment.

Before I was exposed to Deaf culture or Deaf adults, my world was shaped entirely by hearing spaces—school, home, and systems that believed accommodation meant simply signing. As a child, I carried the belief that one day I might become hearing. That belief remained with me until I grew older and came to understand my truth.

This work emerged from that realization.

The smiling faces represent emotional masking—acceptance through survival rather than genuine happiness. They reflect how I learned to move through systems by adapting, not thriving. My teachers carried similar expressions: well intentioned, yet unaware of what was truly missing.

The teacher’s outstretched hand is rendered in gold. Gold symbolizes opportunity, but also funding and institutional incentive. The teacher knows how to sign, but not ASL. Signing allows for basic communication, yet it does not carry Deaf culture, identity, or lived understanding. The gold hand represents systems that continue to receive support while offering only partial access.

The child wears a turquoise glove on one hand, symbolizing exposure to Deaf adults and Deaf culture—a glimpse of belonging and possibility. Yet the child remains between two worlds. The raised hand reflects what the system expects: participation, compliance, and continuation, even when deeper needs remain unmet.

As a child, I experienced this tension without fully understanding it. As an adult, I see it clearly.

Help Wasted speaks to the importance of supporting Deaf children beyond surface-level communication. True access requires cultural understanding, representation, and community—not just signed words. Every Deaf child deserves more than adaptation. They deserve to be seen, understood, and fully supported.