BEHIND THE PAGES

The Voices Within

When Silence Becomes a Story

Introducing Brenda Curtis, author of "Jordan Lee's Journey into Silence"

Brenda Curtis is a retired teacher, author, leader and devoted Christian. She has worked with Deaf and Hard-of Hearing students of all ages. She was inspired to write her first book, "Jordan Lee’s Journey into Silence" after teaching Deaf students for more than thirty years. She is currently working on her 2nd book of the Jordan Lee’s series.

Although she is retired, she enjoys tutoring and teaching American Sign Language in her community. She is an active member of Southside Baptist Church where she serves as the Deaf Ministry Director. Brenda likes spending time with family and friends, especially within her deaf community. Brenda enjoys gardening, traveling, and playing with her cat, Sami. She lives in Kathleen, Georgia, and hopes you enjoy reading her book as much as she enjoyed writing it!

Tell us more about when you first realized you wanted to write a book? I first realized that I wanted to write a book when I became a Deaf Education teacher, and because I became increasingly aware of the lack of Deaf characters in children’s books. I wanted to do something to help deaf children see themselves through the eyes of other deaf and hard-of -hearing people. It was not until seven years ago that I seriously started to write down my story on paper, but due to the pandemic, I paused to focus on online teaching. It has been a dream of mine to publish a book based on my life story. I published Jordan Lee’s Journey into Silence last year in 2025.

Whose writing or storytelling has inspired you? I have always been inspired by authors who shared the human spirit overcoming adversity. Helen Keller's Teacher by Margaret Davidson and Helen Keller (In Their Own Words) by George Sullivan were both inspiring. Deaf Like Me is a powerful non-fiction book by Thomas and James Spradley, is another one. Most of the current list are books written by deaf authors themselves such as TrueBiz, El Deafo, Song for a Whale, Deaf Utopia and many other books. As a child, I was also fascinated with Judy Blume who wrote Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, a classic coming-of-age novel first published in 1970.

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How did it feel to revisit and write about your childhood memories of becoming deaf? As a child, mostly I felt isolated because of the challenges I faced. For two years had no deaf peers or role models for support. However, I could see the hand of God on my life as I wrote my story. This inspired my faith as it confirmed that God was calling me to write my memories as the words floated from my pen to the pages many nights into the early morning hours. It was a rewarding experience.

Who are you hoping to reach with your story and why? I am hoping to reach deaf children and parents as well as teachers & educators of deaf and hard-of-hearing children. I want others to understand what a deaf child may be experiencing through my own lens in life. As a retired educator, I want those who have the most influence on a deaf child’s life to help each deaf student navigate the challenges they face by providing full access to language including American Sign Language. The goal is for them to reach their highest potential. Their education cannot wait! The earlier the intervention, the sooner language acquisition can begin.

How has being deaf influenced the way you see the world? Being deaf has influenced how I look at the world by giving me courage that I might not have had if I was hearing. I am more sensitive and supportive of people with disabilities. I have had a positive attitude and outlook on life growing up. I am grateful to Gallaudet University and my years in Fairfax/Houston County. I stand up for my rights! I push others to do the same. If we make our world more accessible, we can improve the lives of deaf children in America and around the world.

What message do you hope young readers will take from Jordan’s journey? My message is as with any disability; it is a learning process as well as a journey. We all have different and similar experiences, but a hearing loss is a common factor that we all must navigate through at the onset of deafness. I want deaf children to know that they are not alone and that they have choices in life.

What do you wish more people understood about your daily life? I wish more people understood that daily life still presents its challenges with hearing loss. Many still struggle to have full communication access in schools, hospitals, and even their workplaces. Discrimination still happens and misunderstandings are common. Lack of interpreting services and dealing with people who cannot sign is a part of life. Be patient with us. We need you to partner with us.

What message do you hope parent of a deaf child will take from Jordan’s journey? I hope parents will see how Jordan’s life changed from year to year, and sometimes week to week, and getting the right educational services is critical! Invest in your child and educate yourself about hearing loss. Be their BIGGEST VOICE and ADVOCATE FOR THEIR RIGHTS AS A DEAF CHILD/CHILDREN.

What message do you hope to share with the world through your work?

I believe we must stand up for the WHOLE child! I want to see more parents involved in their Deaf child’s education and their social and emotional wellbeing! It takes a village and it starts with parents, educators, interpreters and the Deaf Community! Together we can make a difference in our community, our cities and our nation!