Deaf culture and ASL

ASL-informed, not ASL-illustrated

• Geometry, not illustration

  The shapes of signs can inform form and rhythm. A literal hand drawn beside the wordmark is a clip-art shortcut.

• Layered recognition

  First a confident FAD mark, then the discovery that the forms come from ASL.

• Never as decoration

  A sign belongs where its meaning is used. Do not sprinkle hands as ornament.

How ASL is shown between people on screen is on the Creative direction page.

Using ASL video

• Signer in full frame with the torso visible, plain background, even light, sleeves in a contrasting tone.
• Every video has captions and a transcript. Autoplay is muted, has a visible pause control, and honors reduced motion.
• Never overlay text on the signer's hands or face.
• Key pages (membership, events, advocacy actions) should have an ASL summary video.

Language and identity

• Deaf-led. Deaf people write, sign, review and approve materials about Deaf people.
• Check any ASL use with a Deaf ASL user before it ships.
• Interpreters and allies appear as supporters, not as the face of the organization.