Empowering Deaf Society reflect on “Empowered through BSL” – an event celebrating deaf people, culture and language (BSL)

In a landmark event held during Deaf Awareness Week 2025, leaders from politics, education, and the Deaf community gathered in the heart of Westminster to celebrate British Sign Language (BSL), honour Deaf culture, and call for lasting systemic change.

Organised by the Empowering Deaf Society (EDS) and sponsored by Jas Athwal MP, the event — titled Empowered Through BSL: Celebrating Deaf People, Culture and Language — took place in the Wilson Room of Portcullis House. The gathering brought together MPs, ministers, Deaf professionals, academics, and local community members, including members of Ilford’s Deaf community.

Presenter Ahmed Mudawi opened the evening by reflecting on the significance of holding such an event within Parliament itself — a space where, he noted, Deaf voices have too often been excluded.

He emphasised that such gatherings signal critical progress in challenging systemic barriers and increasing representation.

Jas Athwal MP, host and sponsor of the event, welcomed guests and praised the ongoing work of Deaf-led organisations like EDS. He stressed the importance of greater government accountability and collaboration with Deaf advocates to create meaningful change, particularly in public policy, healthcare, and education.

Deaf advocate, and member of the BSL Advisory Board Sylvia Simmonds, delivered a moving speech drawn from her personal and family experiences.

Focusing on the long-standing barriers to BSL access and inclusive education, she argued that while the legal recognition of BSL through the BSL Act in 2022 was a milestone, its implementation has lagged behind.

She also argued that access to BSL must be treated as a fundamental right and not as an accommodation, urging greater support for early language access for Deaf children and better resources for families from the point of diagnosis.

Dr Joanna Atkinson, a neuropsychologist, academic, and member of the BSL Advisory Board followed with a powerful speech on the value of Deaf and disabled peoples contributions to society.

Challenging the idea of disabled people as passive recipients of care, she emphasised that removal of access barriers should be seen as an investment in a valuable resource of innovators and contributors — particularly in fields like spatial thinking and mental health.

She also previewed key findings from a forthcoming report to the BSL Advisory Board, calling on policymakers to engage directly with the data and the community.

NHS Pledges Reform Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and MP for Ilford North, acknowledged persistent failings in the NHS’s ability to meet the needs of Deaf patients.

Influenced by conversations and speeches by Deaf leaders, he promised that accessibility and inclusion would be embedded in the forthcoming NHS 10-Year Plan.

He emphasised how inclusion must be designed from the outset, pledging to integrate the perspectives shared during the event into future health policies.

Mangai Sutharsan, Director of Empowering Deaf Society and lead organiser of the event, and BSL Advisory Board delivered an impassioned speech calling for authentic representation and structural change.

Sharing her experience as a Deaf woman of colour and grassroots advocate, she urged MPs to go beyond symbolic gestures. She stated that

“BSL is not just a way of communicating, it’s a rich language, a lifeline, a source of identity, expression and culture”.

She called for equal access and equal rights and stressed the need for long-term investment in Deaf-led solutions, rather than performative inclusion.

The final address came from Rt Hon Sir Stephen Timms MP, Minister for Social Security and Disability, who reaffirmed the government’s commitment to centering disabled voices in policymaking.

He highlighted emerging initiatives — including the potential of AI in improving sign language services — and thanked attendees for their work in advancing equality.

As the evening closed with informal networking, attendees from across the political spectrum and the Deaf community reflected on the powerful discussions had, new connections made, and a shared commitment to systemic change.

“Empowered Through BSL” was not just a celebration — it was a call to action.

Written by Empowering Deaf Society. 

To find out more about the charity EDS and their events, please view their website here.