PURE EXCITEMENT! – SHADES.SPEAK IS HERE

To say that I’m excited about launching this blog is an understatement—I’m ecstatic!

Welcome to Shadesspeak! I’m Deon Brown, a passionate storyteller and lover of all things cultural, linguistic, and community-driven. My roots trace back to Jamaica, where I was born, and my journey brought me to the United States—an experience that has shaped my perspective in ways I’ve often found missing in mainstream narratives.

As a woman of color and a speech-language pathologist (SLP) with over 18 years of experience, I’ve found the stories we tell about people, culture, and communication often feel limiting, lacking depth and flavor. But when we broaden our lens—exploring language, community, and identity from a global perspective—unique and amazing stories emerge. Life itself becomes more vibrant, more colorful, and infinitely more interesting.

Recently, I traveled to Kenya as the lead speech-language pathologist for Travel and Give, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing therapeutic services to individuals with disabilities in developing countries. Our mission on this trip was to assess the progress of our telehealth program and conduct evaluations with children for future services. The experience was nothing short of transformative—but where are these stories being told? They’re scarce, tucked away, or simply overlooked.

That’s why I’ve created Shadesspeak. This blog is my way of exploring the untold stories, expanding our collective knowledge, and diving into topics that spark curiosity and connection. Together, we’ll learn, teach, and share—one story, one conversation, one journey at a time.

Let’s get started.