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TOC Focus Week: The Wright route to success

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14 years ago

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This is our sixth article in our Focus Week on people who, despite their disabilities and special needs, have overcome obstacles and challenges they faced.

Deborah Choo

Professional photographer Kenichi Wright works with top notch firms and deals with clients like Jackie’s Chan son, Jaycee. He is also an artist, a painter, a professional surfer, a martial arts instructor in schools, and a personal gym trainer.

And he is deaf.

Born and raised in Florida, the ruggedly handsome man had a dream since he was young – just like all kids his age do. But while every other kid was showered with encouragement, praises and support, all Ken got was a cold, snide remark: “You can never achieve that because you are deaf.”

He dreamt of being a famous photographer one day. The rampant discrimination that continued throughout his life only fed his steely determination and feisty nature. Needless to say, Ken shocked those who doubted him when he graduated from university.

That tenacious and sanguine young boy back then is now living his dreams. “The deaf can do anything! They only can’t hear,” Ken said.

He used to work as an assistant football coach in America before coming to Singapore. The kids he teaches are all hearing kids. How then does he communicates with them, you may wonder. “It’s easy! Just show them placards with the number of sets, demonstrate once, done!” he exclaimed with excitement.

Wright, 38, first “met” his wife, Karen Tan, 36, on a social networking site online through a mutual friend. Soon they were chatting on the site every day and for the next three months frequently exchanged emails. Then one day, like how all fairytale stories come alive, Ken flew to Singapore to meet Karen.  Karen is also deaf. Their love blossomed. Ken was shuttering between the US and Singapore for two years before they finally tied the knot. They are now happily married with a five-year hearing son who knows not only the basic two languages taught in Singapore, English and Chinese, but also sign language.

His son reminds Ken of his own younger days. His father insisted that Ken learned both speech and sign languages. Ken was schooled in Florida School for the Deaf and Blind from 2nd to 9th grade before he went to Model Secondary School for the Deaf from the 10th to 12th grades.

“The deaf can do everything in America. In Singapore, the deaf are weak,” Ken said agitatedly.

He revealed that he faced discrimination of a level he has never faced before, having been rejected multiple job applications solely on the basis that he is deaf.

“Deaf can do anything; they only can’t hear. Most Singaporean employers feel that the deaf cannot do it. I want to show them that I can!” he says.

Faced with anger issues when he first moved to Singapore with his wife in 2005, he fought to survive in this unforgiving culture. He claimed that Singaporeans often confuse mute with the deaf as well. “I tell people: No, I am not mute! Mute hears but can’t speak.”

Ken shared with me what he deems are the three categories of people with their various misconceptions here in Singapore:

(A)   20 to 29 years old  –  Thinks Deaf cannot hear

(B)   30 to 39 years old  –  Thinks Deaf cannot speak

(C)   40 to 60 years old  –  Thinks Deaf are mute

Ken rightly pointed out that on top of educating the public about the needs of the deaf in order to eradicate discrimination, services such as emergency SMS, TV closed captions and telephone relay service are necessary to help the deaf integrate into society.

For Karen, she was born in Malaysia and became a Singaporean citizen when she was 21. Her experience is slightly different. Karen dreamt of working as an air stewardess. However, she gave up her dream eventually. “They [friends and family] told me I can’t because I’m deaf. So I just dropped it,” said the petite lady.

She has been working as an accounting executive in a Japanese firm for close to 15 years now. Karen reveals that she is happy there as she is lucky to have met an employer who appreciates her hard work and who is extremely patient with her. “My boss thinks I can do it and I show her I can. She thinks very positively of me,” she says with a smile. She also says her boss is keen to learn sign language to close the language barrier.

For Ken, art has always been his medium of expression. While in Singapore, he created several art pieces that expresses his disdain of our discriminatory culture and hopes that his audience will learn to keep an open mind to the disabled.

Below are two photographs of Ken’s recent paintings republished here with his permission. They were created late this September.

Tan person (deaf person) is trying to use Sign language for I love you! Green person (hearing people) is telling a green person, “Hey dont use this sign language”.

The Coclear Implant (bad) is trying to cut “deaf” on watermelon but I L Y stand (white) is watching Coclear Implant, so the brown weapon is for I L Y stand to use punch at Coclear Implant’s face as a protection.

Ken is now in California and will return mid next year to teach sports in Singapore.

To read more of Ken’s life and view his paintings, visit http://ichirodesign.blogspot.com/

To contact Deborah: [email protected]

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Arts & Culture

M’sia Guan Gong Cultural Association apologises for China flags waved in Perak event

A video showing people waving China flags during a 24 October procession in Teluk Intan, Perak, sparked online uproar. The event organiser has since apologised, explaining that the flags were held by a delegation from China attending the International Guan Gong Cultural Festival and clarifying that this was not part of the planned programme.

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4 hours ago

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25 October 2024

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PERAK, MALAYSIA: A video depicting a group of people waving China flags during a procession outside Menara Condong, Teluk Intan, Perak, has caused an uproar on the internet.

Uploaded on Thursday (24 October) by the TikTok account @sadiqsegara, the video shows the group waving several Chinese national flags while chanting “Heng, Ong, Huat!”—a Hokkien phrase meaning “Prosperous, Lucky, Rich!”

The caption read: “suddenly felt like in China.”

A subsequent video from the same account also showcased a lion troupe and a dragon dance accompanying the procession.

Although the original video of people waving the Chinese flags has since been deleted, it has been widely shared by other netizens.

Opposition Politician Criticises Incident, Calling China Flag Display “Overboard”

Opposition politician Mohd Hafez Sabri from The Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) expressed his concern over the video, criticising the behaviour as “overboard.”

He questioned, “Why are they so excited to raise the flag of other countries while in our homeland? What kind of ceremony is this?”

The Deputy Head of PAS Youth further highlighted that under the National Emblem (Control of Display) Act 1949 (Act 193), Section 3 states that no person shall display any national emblem, including the flag of a foreign country, in a public place or school.

Organiser Clarifies Chinese Flags Were Waved by Visiting Delegation at International Guan Gong Festival

In response to the incident, Soon Boon Hua, chairman of the Guan Gong Cultural Association, issued an apology.

He clarified that the Chinese flags were waved by a delegation from China who participated in the International Guan Gong Cultural Festival.

“This was never part of the programme,” he said.

 He explained that the International Guan Gong Cultural Festival has been held for many years, taking place in various states from Johor to Kedah, with Perak being one of the involved locations.

He assured that the organisers typically raise the Malaysian flag, Jalur Gemilang, as a symbol of patriotism during celebrations in different states.

“The procession and celebration in Teluk Intan on 24 October was no exception,” he added.

“As the organiser, I apologise for the incident and will look into how we can improve this programme.”

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Singaporean activist shares experience of spending a night with refugees in Lebanon

Gilbert Goh shared his experience of spending a night in a car park with approximately 300 displaced individuals in Lebanon. He described the freezing conditions and the difficulties of finding rest, emphasizing the health concerns facing refugees as winter approaches and the urgency for humanitarian assistance.

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1 day ago

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24 October 2024

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Singaporean activist and founder of Love Aid Singapore, Gilbert Goh, recounted his experience of spending a night in a car park with the displaced individuals in Lebanon in an Instagram post on Wednesday (23 Oct).

The car park, home to approximately 300 people, serves as a temporary shelter for those Goh and his team are endeavouring to assist.

Goh explained that he had missed the last bus home following a late-night food distribution at Saida Lebanon.

Describing the experience, he noted that the freezing temperatures characterised the night, as the location is situated near the Mediterranean seafront, where a strong draft made for an uncomfortable sleep.

To stay warm, Goh borrowed a thin jacket and wrapped himself in two thick blankets while lying on a foam mattress at the side of the car park.

He observed that many of the displaced individuals huddled together under thick, form-less blankets, with most having at least one to keep warm.

Around the middle of the night, a commotion broke out when a woman screamed for attention, causing everyone to awaken and assess the situation.

Goh, a light sleeper accustomed to a familiar sleeping environment, struggled to find rest, waking frequently from the cold rather than any other disturbances.

The consistent draft circulated throughout the open-air car park, exacerbating the discomfort.

As dawn broke at approximately 5 am, people began waking up to wash and prepare for another long day ahead.

When Goh departed around 7.30 am, he noticed that more than 70% of the individuals were still asleep, oblivious to the bustling sounds of early risers.

A few motorbikes roared to life as their riders set off for work, attempting to make productive use of their time.

Urgent Need for Safe Haven Before Winter

Goh mentioned the potential involvement of a charity group that is considering offering shelter for the displaced homeless, although no firm plans had been established yet.

With winter approaching, he expressed hope that these individuals would soon find a suitable place to rest, as conditions are expected to worsen by November.

“Let’s hope that they will get somewhere decent to rest their bodies soon as winter approaches and things will get very difficult by November,” he wrote.

Throughout the night, Goh noted the frequent sounds of coughing and sneezing, raising concerns about the health of the frail individuals with poor diets, who may be more susceptible to illness over time.

Humanitarian Crisis Deepens Amidst Intensified Airstrikes

The escalating conflict and intensified Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon are inflicting a devastating toll on civilians, prompting an increasing number of people to flee to Syria.

Each day, more individuals are displaced, adding to the growing humanitarian crisis in the region.

On 14 October, evacuation orders were issued for 20 villages in southern Lebanon, with approximately a quarter of the country now under Israeli military evacuation directives.

In response to these orders, many families are seeking refuge in open public spaces, desperately trying to escape the bombings while struggling to find adequate shelter.

The Government of Lebanon has estimated that around 1.2 million people have been displaced due to the ongoing violence, underscoring the urgent need for humanitarian assistance and a resolution to the conflict.

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