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Letters

Very Few People Know How to Use Sign Language

By

Seleena

Seleena writes from a prison in WA.

Samantha Gades via Unsplash

To whom it may concern,

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My name is Seleena and I am a prisoner in WA. While being incarcerated, I have learnt how many members of the community are Deaf and have a lot of trouble communicating as very few people know how to use sign language.

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I am aware of how many Indigenous families have Deaf family members and the embarrassment that comes along with it when people can’t communicate with their family.

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I would love to be part of spreading awareness and learning Auslan myself, as I only know the bare essentials. I have at least 10 more years in prison and would like to run some programs with girls willing to learn.

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If there is any information or starter packs you could provide I would be very grateful.

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Thank you for your time,

Seleena

This
letter
was originally printed in the
February 2026
edition of About Time.
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