Analysis of "D-PAN: Deaf Performing Artists Network"

I watched the D-PAN interpretation of John Mayer's song, "Waiting on the World to Change." This video shows a number of people signing in American Sign Language along to audio of the Mayer song. I really enjoyed this video because it had so many engaging and interesting elements. The author of this video is actually a combination of people signing with words and pictures interspersed throughout the song. The purpose of the message is to show that deaf people can and do experience things, like music, that hearing people don't think they can. It also aims to reveal the remaining social ills that affect the deaf community including but not limited to: police brutality, discrimination, ignorance, abuse, etc. The video is extremely well done and was likely edited numerous times before it was published. The technique of using visual and audio simulataneously attracted me because I understand (a large amount of) ASL and I could observe how the signers/interpreters were using ASL to communicate the meaning of the song in their own way. The video also uses pictures, and newspaper and video clips of deaf people throughout history to demonstrate the fact that they are indeed STILL "waiting on the world to change." This video comes from the point of view of a deaf person/deaf people but it is aimed at both deaf AND hearing people. The point of this website is to show that "it's everybody's music" (d-pan.com). This could be interpreted a variety of different ways depending on the audience. As an ASL student, I am immersed in Deaf culture more than most hearing people. I also understand the signs I see in the video. For someone who does not understand ASL, the video might not be as effective because they might only see it as visually stimulating, but not be able to get to the next level. However, it might be more powerful for the non-signer for the same reason. One thing that is omitted from the message is a "how to guide." There are no directions/suggestions for changing the dynamic of hearing and deaf cultural relations or creating a more accepting environment for deaf and hard of hearing people.