Deaf Business Series The Rise of the Deaf Entrepreneur

Press ▶︎ Play on the video ↓

2022 has been a phenomenal year for Deaf sign language users in the UK with the passing of the landmark BSL Act for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ winner Rose Ayling-Ellis igniting public interest in the lived experience of deaf people with the unforgettable “silent dance”. This year also saw American Deaf actor Troy Kotsur win an Oscar for his role in the film ‘CODA’. However, are these events simply passing headlines, or are we witnessing a cultural shift towards inclusion in mainstream commercial sectors? What does this mean for Deaf entrepreneurs and the wider Deaf community?

Hosted by Love Language in partnership with Barclays Eagle Labs, this DE&I business panel discussion and forum is a platform for Deaf leaders to share their experiences of business and discuss the future of Deaf entrepreneurship. Join moderator Nadia Nadarajah as she leads an open conversation exploring the successes, challenges and inclusion strategies of Deaf entrepreneurs Yvonne Cobb (Yumma Food), Troi Lee (Deaf Rave) & Marilyn Willrich (Zebra Uno, Zebra Access & Deaffest). Finally, we will ask the question of - and as - Deaf business owners how we can ensure Deaf entrepreneurship becomes (and remains) a reality.

Open to Deaf business owners, serial entrepreneurs, start-ups, and freelancers.

Doors open at 3:30PM. Please do arrive early to the event which begins at 4:00PM sharp.

Event Moderator: Nadia Nadarajah

Panel: Yvonne Cobb (Yumma Food), Troi Lee (Deaf Rave) & Marilyn Willrich (Zebra Uno, Zebra Access & Deaffest)

Nadia Nadarajah — Event Moderator

Nadia Nadarajah is an award-winning actress, creative writer, director and moderator. Trained at the International Visual Theatre in Paris in physical and bilingual acting, she went on to be part of Deafinitely Theatre's Creative Hub training scheme. Nadia promotes the creative process of infusing real-life Deaf experiences into fictional Deaf characters as well as acting projects that aim to transform the public perception of Deaf people. She campaigns for arts inclusion, indeed acting as ambassador to a host of Deaf Arts Festivals.

— Panel Members

Marilyn Willrich— Zebra Uno, Zebra Access & Deaffest

Marilyn Willrich is the Co-Director of Zebra Uno Limited, a successful media company established in 2003 whose core focus is digital media and communication. Her passion for the Deaf community has led her to co-found Zebra Access CIO in 2005 to ensure accessibility. In 2006, Marilyn co-founded Deaffest, the UK’s leading Deaf-led Film and Arts Festival, to celebrate the talents of Deaf filmmakers and artists across the globe.

Yvonne Cobb — Yumma Food

Yvonne Cobb is an award-winning businesswoman and the BBC’s first Deaf female news reporter with an extraordinary career beginning in Human Resources that led her to become a qualified teacher and assessor who founded three businesses and transitioned from a Ltd company into a sole trader. Known as the ‘Deaf Nigella', Yvonne runs a successful food business, with cooking, teaching, and lifestyle vlogging, Yumma Food. She is also the presenter on the BBC See Hear.

Troi Lee— Deaf Rave

Troi Lee, best known as DJ Chinaman, is a London based Deaf DJ, performer, festival curator and events organiser, putting on raves and producing online streamed showcases in signsongs, dance, comedy, and other visual performances made by and for Deaf communities worldwide. Backed by Microsoft, Troi is the founder of Deaf Rave. The company entertains inclusive audiences, provides event management, entertainment, Deaf Awareness taster workshops and trainings to bring up another generation of Deaf music creators.

Rezene Woldeyesus— Host

Rezene Woldeyesus is the co-founder, co-CEO and brand ambassador of Love Language, a Deaf equity and inclusion consultancy and sign language interpreting agency. He helps forward-thinking organisations take the leap into inclusion for Deaf people. Using his lived experience of the systemic barriers Deaf people face, Rezene consults on Deaf community engagement to make spaces relevant, inclusive and accessible for clients including Apple and Microsoft.

Brought to you by Love Language

Love Language is a leading UK disability, equity & inclusion consultancy and sign language interpreting agency. Love Language was co-founded by Deaf entrepreneur & actor Rez Woldeyesus, and hearing entrepreneur & BSL interpreter Naomi Bottrill in 2013. We are a group of creative thinkers who celebrate Deaf culture and values, bringing radical ideas and tools to the world of accessibility and inclusion.

We focus on a wide range of disability, equality and inclusion initiatives, such as organisational consultancy specialising in Deafness, in-person interpretation for events, in-vision interpreting for the media and BSL training. Everything we do promotes greater access, bringing the Deaf and hearing worlds together, one conversation at a time.

In partnership with Eagle Labs

Eagle Labs are spaces to help entrepreneurs and ambitious businesses to innovate and scale.

Eagle Labs have dedicated co-working, office and event space for businesses to work, to receive structured mentoring, attend technical events and participate in industry-focused transformation programmes.

From each location Eagle Labs aims to cultivate a community of likeminded entrepreneurs who can benefit from access to a collaborative environment and peer networks. Each community benefits from access to curated activity relevant to maximise growth opportunities, including Barclays’ transatlantic connections and Barclays’ banking products and services.

Further information can be found at: https://labs.uk.barclays

Host or Publisher Love Language