• Emergency Preparedness
  • Contact The BCD
Barbados Council for the Disabled
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Annual Report
    • Board of Directors 2019-2021
    • Our Members
    • Our Projects
  • About Disabilities
  • What We Do
    • Disability Sensitivity Training
    • Empowerment Card
    • Fully Accessible Barbados (FAB)
    • Parking ID
  • Media
  • Events
  • Forms
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Annual Report
    • Board of Directors 2019-2021
    • Our Members
    • Our Projects
  • About Disabilities
  • What We Do
    • Disability Sensitivity Training
    • Empowerment Card
    • Fully Accessible Barbados (FAB)
    • Parking ID
  • Media
  • Events
  • Forms
No Result
View All Result
Barbados Council for the Disabled
No Result
View All Result
Home BCD News

Introducing Dario Nightengale

As told to The Calypso Project which empowers the Barbados deaf community to advocate their needs and wants to their government, public services, businesses and general public.

November 15, 2022
in BCD News, My Inclusion Story
Dario Nightengale a deaf videographer and co-founder of Broad Street Media

Image of Dario Nightengale as he looks at Bridgetown’s Builders of Barbados Wall – a sculpture made from thousands of red bricks inscribed with the surnames Bajan people who over the past 600 years helped to build this nation.

Dario Nightengale is a videographer and co-founder of Broad Street Media, a deaf-led information and news service for the Barbados deaf community.
For our session, I met Dario at Bridgetown’s Builders of Barbados Wall – an incredibly moving sculpture made from thousands of red bricks inscribed with the surnames of all the Bajan people who over the past 600 years helped to build this proud and independent nation. “You can see my Nightengale family name right here,” he says.
“I’m proud of my country,” says Dario, “but I feel it could still do much more to include me, as a deaf person, in its future.”
When I finished at my local deaf school, they just gave us students a ‘certificate of attendance’ for good behavior and work, but with zero qualifications on it. On graduation day, the teachers gave out the scrolls to each of us students, but said you can’t open them until you get home. It was because the scrolls were empty, no CXC grades at all. The teachers were embarrassed too. It felt like they just wanted us to keep quiet about this.”
“The teachers were never interested in finding out what we deaf pupils were good at. They just kept teaching us the same things over and over again, like we were all idiots.”
“It’s no preparation for life after school. You need good English and Maths to be able to get good jobs.”
“So, when I left school I couldn’t find a job. For a long time, I just helped the family at home. I looked after our backyard allotment. Planting seeds and cutting the grass.”
‘When I was 25, Barbados’ Ministry of Youth and Culture offered deaf people the chance to attend a videography course. So, I learnt about filming and editing there. About 12 deaf people attended with Bonnie Leonce, our island’s only qualified and full-time interpreter. It was the first time I’d attended a truly accessible classroom in my life!”
“I was inspired by this to set up my own videography and photography business. I called it D-SCOPE. I felt it was so important that deaf people are making films about their own lives, language and culture.”
‘I started out by assisting my friend with filming weddings. The most exciting job I’ve had so far was to fly to Trinidad to my first time filming a deaf wedding by myself.) I was so proud to do that. I showed people that deaf people can do a professional job.”
“I’ve also learnt how to make crafts using coconut shells. My wife Joy is an artist and jewelry maker. We go to crafts and flea markets together. Joy is hard of hearing and also able to interpret for me when hearing people come to our stall. We’re a great team.”
“I have a dream: When I was a teenager my dreams kept changing: I wanted to be a fireman or a policeman. But people would say: “What? You? A policeman?” It was always the same, hearing people would simply disbelieve that deaf people can do anything at all.”
“Now I’m a grown up, I’d like to expand my D-SCOPE business – I’d love to do more weddings, do work in the other Caribbean islands too. I would like to spread the message that deaf people can make good films.”
“I also have a business called KOKONUTZ making beautiful crafts from coconut shells.”
“My motto is “never give up”. My true education only really started once I left the deaf school. I’m always open to new experiences. I’d like to be able to learn to drive a truck. It would be a useful skill, for example, when Barbados is hit by a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, then I could play my part and help out with the disaster relief efforts.”
“I’m a Nightengale. My hearing family ancestors helped to build Barbados, and as a deaf person, I want to play my part in its future too.”
#deafcalypsobarbados
_____________________________________
To find out more about The Calypso Project go to https://www.thecalypsoproject.com
To see more of Dario’s D-SCOPE work, visit Instagram at:
www.instagram.com/stories/dscope246 or Facebook www.facebook.com/DSCOPE1
To see Dario’s crafts work, visit: www.instagram.com/kokonutz_246/
To see Dario’s videos for the deaf-led Broad Street Media, visit their Facebook site at: www.facebook.com/bsmedia17
Previous Post

Deaf brings class act to Hall

Next Post

Senator Floyd Morris' Message For International Day of Persons With Disabilities 2022

Next Post

Senator Floyd Morris' Message For International Day of Persons With Disabilities 2022

4 Useful Tips for Spending time with the Blind
Click here to Volunteer with the Council Ever heard the saying “it’s better to give than to receive” well that also applies to time. By volunteering we support an organization or cause and make a great difference in our communities. It’s also a great way to meet new people and learn about the challenges they face daily. Consider giving more than just money, give your time !

HOW WE HELP

At the Council for the Disabled, We help persons with various disabilities from all walks of life, be they resident of, or visitors to Barbados, by providing accessible transportation, property assessment with the aim of getting accessible. braille translation, beach wheelchairs, sign language interpreters and much…

GET IN TOUCH

(246) 629-0574

Barbados Council for the Disabled
Harambee House, The Garrison
St Michael, Barbados

Barbados Council for the Disabled Logo
Copyright ©
Barbados Council for the Disabled
All rights reserved.
Website designed and developed by:
creativecycle
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Annual Report
    • Board of Directors 2019-2021
    • Our Members
    • Our Projects
  • About Disabilities
  • What We Do
    • Disability Sensitivity Training
    • Empowerment Card
    • Fully Accessible Barbados (FAB)
    • Parking ID
  • Media
  • Events
  • Forms