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steps by kei-che believes...
Black Deaf Students Matter
Join our movement and support a Black woman, Deaf led organization by purchasing a Black Deaf Students Matter t-shirt ($20).
About Us
Dedicated Educator, Who? Ms. Kei-Che
Sign name, “cute, smile” in ASL with a “K."
Kei-Che Randle is a 32 years old, Black and Deaf, mother of two hearing children, Zion Abrielle and Zaire Ali. As a child, she identified as being "hearing impaired." Being the only Deaf person in her family, she wasn't aware that this term was unacceptable within Deaf communities. Up until the age of 7, she mastered the art of lipreading and later received hearing aids in second grade. Falling asleep in class led her school community to look further into her hearing developments.
Kei-Che was exposed to fingerspelling as an adolescent. She was introduced to American Sign Language formally as a senior in high school in Tucson, Arizona. It was in college where she learned to accept her deafness and challenged others to do the same through kindness and spreading love. It was then when she noticed the beauty of American Sign Language and it’s impacts on communities but she wasn’t yet conscious of the transformation that she would soon undergo, as she identifies with being "Deaf."
In 2014, she received the hybrid cochlear implant in IA. During the following six months, she lost her residual bilateral hearing, resulting in total deafness in her right ear. Kei-Che continues to appreciate her amplification devices. She wears a Resound hearing aid in her left ear and hybrid cochlear in her right ear. As a Teacher of the Deaf in Oakland, CA, she advocates for total communication.
Later, Kei-Che began to self-teach herself ASL through performances of songs, in conjunction with college ASL classes and Deaf community events. She reached out to the deaf community in Cedar Valley and felt ostracized and often excluded. This inspired STEPS by Kei-Che, to continue going against the grain and break barriers as a Black and Deaf woman in America.
March 2015 (STEPS anniversary), she hosted her first “Def Gospel Jam” at the Black Hawk YMCA with over 100 people in attendance. These efforts evolved to annual showcases and Summer camps.
Knowing that one day she may lose all of her hearing, Kei-Che continues to connect with families all over the US and Jamaica by bridging the gap between Deaf and Hearing communities. #shiftingtheculture #stepsbykeiche #BlackDeafStudentsMatter
Join our movement!
One-on-One ASL Session
Ms. Kei-Che is available, upon requests, for 1:1 sessions of ASL dialogue/communication between any community member. All inclusive! To learn more, email stepsbykeiche@gmail.com
Community Engagements
One of the ways STEPS by Kei-Che stays involved with the community is through volunteer experiences. Ms. Kei-Che is always willing to collaborate with other organizations.
Proposals are available upon request.
All programming includes t-shirts and ASL incentives. STEPS by Kei-Che prioritize working with families as it foster a community to practice with, inside the home.
join our movement!
Your support and contributions will defray the cost for youth to learn American Sign Language, in any community. Your generous donation will fund our mission and vision.
Our mission is to showcase the evolution and enhancement of people learning American Sign language through gospel, contemporary, pop, and hip hop music. We embody rhythm and passion through creative use of American Sign Language (ASL), music and dance.
Our vision is to bridge the gap between the Deaf and hearing communities by providing education to all in regards to layers of being marginalized, navigating micro aggressions, miscommunication and stereotypes. We aspire to break barriers by learning, encouraging, rebuilding confidence, and celebrating each other’s languages.
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