PURE EXCITEMENT! – SHADESSPEAK IS HERE!

Welcome to Shadesspeak!  I’m Deon Brown, a lover of all things cultural, linguistics and community. I’m fascinated by everything from dialect variations to cross-cultural communication, and how these shape our understanding of identity, connection, and care.  

And of course, how could I not be?  Born in Jamaica, my first home and moving to the United States gives me a perspective that I have often found missing in mainstream narratives for people of color, and particularly SLPs of color. 

My work as a lead speech language pathologist, working  for a non-profit organization in Kenya, further strengthens that belief. Part of that work included providing telehealth services for children with disabilities.  Experiences such as these are priceless but where are these stories?

As a woman and a speech-language pathologist (SLP), 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.

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.