Philip's Story

Philip has been deaf since birth and communicates through American Sign Language (ASL). Philip has a lengthy history of activism, including participation in demonstrations for the Me Too movement, the March for Our Lives, actions for climate change, and opposing war, chairing Portland’s Community Oversight Advisory Board (COAB), and running for Portland City Council to represent the needs of the entire community, including people who are Deaf or hard of hearing. 

Philip regularly attends the protests against police brutality. Philip has been subjected to unnecessary uses of force on numerous occasions because Philip is Deaf. For example, law enforcement has fired flash bang grenades and tear gas into a crowd of thousands of people without any warning accessible to people who are Deaf or hard of hearing. Philip has been hit by a flash bang grenade as well as exposed to noxious fumes causing debilitating headaches.