by Annie Bader
In North County San Diego, 1996, Roy Hensley created “Signs of Silence,” a non-profit agency with a singular mission–providing unrestricted support to the deaf and hard of hearing. The glaring lack of resources available for the deaf community at the time of the agency’s start became apparent to Hensley after a tragic event. Only expanding their scope over the years, the agency continues to offer both local and national deaf services such as access to interpreters, 24/7 emergency outreach, job search and housing assistance, food, clothing, and countless available referrals, all provided free of charge to this day.
Today, “Signs of Silence” has gained global recognition as THE top agency of its kind worldwide–thanks to rallying support for the cause, early local assistance/volunteers, and Roy Hensley’s unwavering dedication and the enduring impact of his vision.
SIGNS OF SILENCE: PURPOSE AND DEDICATION’S UNEXPECTED RECOGNITION
The North County Daily Star had the honor of learning about some of Roy’s remarkable untold stories, spanning over two, certainly very busy decades, for Signs of Silence.
On Valentine’s Day of 1991, an attempted 911 call left a father relying on their hearing young child to communicate over the phone to save their mother, Debbie Thurman. This preventable communication barrier ended in a devastating loss of a deaf parent. Close friend of the couple, Roy Hensley almost immediately began his research heading to local San Diego emergency rooms, fire and police departments, school districts and asking how they would get through to aid someone with a hearing disability? At the time, no one could give him an answer. Hensley had just completed American Sign Language 4 taking classes at MiraCosta and Mesa College, and realized that lives were at stake due to a lack of resources and awareness. Roy’s commitment to addressing these issues led him on a mission to fix the issues leaving local deaf people at a dangerous disadvantage.
Founding Signs of Silence five years later in 1996, Roy aimed at providing comprehensive support to the deaf and hard of hearing with no expense. At the time there was minimal recognition of such organizations, especially in San Diego, and simply growing awareness through local activities challenged the non-profit organization early on. Hard work continued to be put in by Roy and volunteers, spreading awareness and slowly raising funds for PACE as well as the main Signs of Silence deaf services. Fun filled community-based donation activities such as gift wrapping events during Christmas and fundraisers were conducted while personal sacrifices were being made. Nonetheless, Roy’s cause was affirmed around 2000 when the agency quickly gained local traction by attracting 75-100 people to initially small community meetings and fundraisers at locations like Starbucks. He noticed these activities primarily attracted young deaf individuals, prompting the establishment of a deaf teen group called P.A.C.E. (Positive Alternatives through Challenge and Experience), offering inspirational talks from community leaders and creating events for deaf youth all throughout San Diego/North County region.
Roy’s consistent outreach with his story to newspapers and other outlets touched a certain someone from a New York board prompting the department to send a large check of $10,000 with no note… years of focused dedication to an important cause seemed to finally pay off. Quickly, Signs of Silence grew. After appearing on ESPN radio, Roy began receiving invitations to be on set for multiple programs such as CNN and Good Morning America. Signs of Silence’s mission of deaf assistance was being heard. PACE was even invited to tour the White House. Major league baseball players called to help raise funds after hearing this mission on a Christian radio show. Famous former football running back Calvin Hill joined the cause and Roy was able to host sponsored celebrity golf tournaments with rallying community support. Still, all of the funds went directly to Signs of Silence. Annual summer deaf camping trips, taking the deaf youth of PACE to locations such as Monterey, the Grand Canyon, New Mexico, and Yosemite were all led by Roy and volunteers in the early 2000s. Eventually, a total of 300 Deaf teens were connected through Signs of Silence’s PACE, now many with families and careers as well as some amazing experiences to look back on.
Signs of Silence’s reach has now extended far beyond San Diego, connecting with 20 countries and all 50 states in the U.S. Over the years, Signs of Silence has not only continued to provide vital deaf services such as job search, arrange housing, food and clothing needs to be met but has also supported legal processes. Roy likes to use the term, “mini-market of agencies,” ensuring that absolutely any needs of the deaf community are met even if it is something they’ve never done.
FINDING IDENTITY THROUGH SIGNS OF SILENCE: An exceptional story
At the age of 19, Carlos reached out to Roy and shared his life story late at a restaurant. Born into adversity, he was orphaned upon his parent’s discovery of his deafness at age two. Carlos was sent to live with his aunt in Vista, but his situation was defined by the absence of a Social Security Number, a form of identification, and a Birth Certificate in order to acquire any information regarding his birth which had occurred at home with no American witnesses and added to the complexity of his situation. Roy took action. He sent a letter detailing Carlos’s unique legal circumstances. Applicants in similar situations face lengthy delays and paperwork hurdles to even qualify for assistance, but it luckily touched a real person. Roy’s commitment to Carlos led him to probation court to help Carlos obtain the necessary legal forms.
20 years later, Carlos now thrives in a well-paying job and is married with two children. His transformation is a testament to the remarkable impact of organizations like Signs of Silence and the unwavering dedication of individuals like Roy Hensley. Carlos refers to Roy as “Dad.”
SIGNS OF SILENCE NOW
Through unwavering dedication, Signs of Silence has created an inclusive and supportive environment for the deaf community, offering them a platform to learn, connect, and find essential and emergency services–that at one point, were not accessible. Roy Hensley’s journey from adversity to successful awareness, local and national, stands as an inspiring testament to the power of commitment to making a difference. There is help out there, and Signs of Silence is leading the way in ensuring that message can reach as many people as possible. After almost 30 years from its creation and years of non-profit awareness, listed are some of today’s Signs of Silence deserved statistics.
Community Impact
● Reached over 25 million individuals worldwide with their mission.
● Facilitated 8,000 job placements to empower the deaf community economically.
● Referred 10,000 individuals for vital food and clothing assistance.
● Provided housing assistance referrals to 4,000 individuals in need.
● Connected over 2,000 individuals to counseling services led by deaf counselors.
Youth Empowerment
● Influenced the lives of 300 deaf teenagers through the P.A.C.E. program.
● Operated the only deaf teen group in the U.S. with a dedicated Game Room.
Global Outreach
● Provides services (every U.S. provided resource–connection with interpreters, doctors, counselors, emergency services as well as housing, food, clothing etc.) in 20 countries outside the United States Demonstrating international impact.
Recognition and Awards
● Garnered extensive media coverage with 700 newspaper articles and 12 appearances on CNN.
● Featured in two Wall Street Journal articles, with founder Roy Hensley nominated for Man of the Year by the Wall Street Journal seven times.
● Received the Channel 10 Leadership Award for their exceptional contributions.
● Invitations to platforms like the White House, Good Morning America, and New York talk shows.
● Requested for services by both President George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
● Earned 10 Who’s Who Awards and has been named Business of the Year for 27 consecutive years.
Interpreting Excellence
● SOS Interpreting Agency maintains a remarkable 100% fill rate, making it the most requested agency in San Diego.
+ Notable Clients
● Chosen as the interpreting agency for distinguished individuals including George W. Bush, Ross Perot, Colin Powell, Allan Keys, and Judge Judy.
A huge thank you to Roy for taking the time to share Signs of Silence’s story with NC Daily Star.
https://www.signsofsilence.net/
