KANSAS CITY, Kan. — KSHB 41 News aims to share stories from all areas of the greater Kansas City metro – among them the American Sign Language community.
Enter April Redic, who owns a Kansas City, Kansas, ice cream shop called Kaleidoscoops.
“I opened Kaleidoscoops for the community, for the Black culture to have a dream,” Redic said.
But it’s also a place of inclusion for the ASL community and her father, Edward Redic, who is deaf.
“Us hearing people, sometimes sound – we don’t pay attention to how much in the world we can hear,” April Redic said.
So she gives her employees a different kind of training in inclusivity through teaching the ASL basics.
“I wanted the deaf community to feel comfortable coming here,” Redic said.
April knows first hand the difficulties of the deaf in our community as her father was deaf since birth.
Edward Redic said it’s not easy being deaf, but he’s thankful for his daughter.
“I was proud and truly happy that she included us,” he said, “and all the people would see the, ‘I love you’ sign that meant that ASL is being used.”
Both April and Edward Redic hope the deaf community ventures out more across the metro.
“I would try to get people to join me, to go in other parts of Kansas City,” Edward Redic said. “Let’s go get ice cream in Kansas City.”
But in order for the deaf and hearing impaired community to venture out more it’s going to mean more businesses wanting to learn ASL.
“I would like different businesses to try to look at different ways to include the deaf community, whether it be pencil and paper,” April Redic said.
Ultimately, the father and daughter father have just one message.
“Just try,” April Redic said. “The deaf community loves when hearing people try to include them. Or try to do sign.”
KSHB 41 wants to thank Deaf Expression Inc., for helping with the interpreting during this story. If you or someone you know is deaf and in need of some sort of service below is a list of places to find resources:
- Hearing Loss Association of America – Kansas City Chapter
- AMC Theatres: Sensory Friendly Films
- Kansas City Repertory Theatre: Accessibility information
- KC Accessible: Sensory Friendly
- The Whole Person: Deaf and hard of hearing resources
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During the pandemic, 41 Action News wants to spotlight people, organizations and companies helping the community. To share these stories, use #WeSeeYouKSHB on social media.
