Tan Ting is a 30-year-old lawyer from Southwest China’s Chongqing city who is dedicated to providing legal knowledge to the hearing-impaired community. Dressed in a neat suit and a high ponytail, Tan is seen livestreaming in a studio with utter confidence and professionalism. However, the only unusual thing in this entire arrangement is that there is no sound for this live broadcast. Tan believes that the popularization of legal knowledge for the hearing-impaired is her life’s mission.
Apart from delivering lectures on short-video sharing platforms, Tan is also readily available to offer any relevant assistance, entirely free of charge, to the hearing-impaired through other messaging apps. Sometimes, she needs to answer more than 10 video calls in a day to help hearing-impaired people solve legal problems, ranging from household quarrels to financial disputes. Since the communication is based on sign language, it can often take Tan 30 or 40 minutes to figure things out. Yet she has never once grumbled about her voluntary work.
“I’m a hearing-impaired person myself, so I know their feelings very well. Even for people with full hearing, it’s challenging to deal with legal matters. So, when it comes to people with hearing impairments, it’s even more difficult,” Tan says, adding that she lost her hearing in a medical accident when she was only 8 years old and communicates with others through voice transcription apps.
Tan’s dedication to serving the hearing-impaired community has been motivated by her own experience of living with hearing impairment. Her personal struggles with communication and legal issues inspired her to pursue a career in law and help others in similar situations. After graduating from Chongqing Normal University in 2017, Tan joined a law firm as an assistant to Tang Shuai, a lawyer who uses sign language to defend hearing-impaired clients.
Tang Shuai recruited Tan and 29 other hearing-impaired people to work as his assistants in 2017, with the aim of promoting legal knowledge among hearing-impaired citizens. Tang believes that more lawyers should learn sign language to better serve the hearing-impaired community. Some may doubt the actual impact of his practice, but Tan’s success serves as the best testimony to the viability of Tang’s initiative.
Tan’s voluntary work has made a significant impact on the lives of many hearing-impaired people who struggle with legal issues. Her willingness to help and her expertise in the legal field have earned her the trust and respect of her clients. Tan’s clients appreciate her patience, her willingness to listen, and her ability to simplify complex legal concepts.
Despite the challenges she faces while communicating with her clients, Tan remains committed to her mission. She believes that everyone, regardless of their hearing ability, deserves access to legal knowledge and representation. Her dedication and hard work have inspired many others to follow in her footsteps and work towards creating a more inclusive society for the hearing-impaired community.
Tan’s work has also helped raise awareness about the importance of accommodating the needs of the hearing-impaired community in various fields, including law. Her efforts have encouraged more lawyers to learn sign language and provide legal services to hearing-impaired clients.
Tan Ting is an inspiring figure who has devoted her career to providing legal knowledge and assistance to the hearing-impaired community. Her dedication, expertise, and compassion have made a significant impact on the lives of many hearing-impaired people. Her work serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of inclusivity and accessibility in all areas of life. Tan Ting is a shining example of what can be achieved with hard work, dedication, and a strong sense of purpose.
With her mother’s encouragement, Tan passed the exam in 2020, but she still found defending a case in court daunting as a novice lawyer. However, her mentor Tang Shuai reminded her that promoting legal knowledge among the public was a lifelong duty for every lawyer, and his words gave her endless motivation to continue her work.
Tan’s success has inspired others to join the cause of bringing justice to the world’s “silent” corners. In January 2021, the Southwest University of Political Science and Law launched a new major, admitting 40 law students to cultivate professional lawyers who are able to use sign language. One of Tan’s colleagues has even passed the written exam of the national examination for legal professionals and is about to become the next hearing-impaired lawyer.
Tan’s selfless dedication to promoting legal knowledge for the hearing-impaired has made a real impact in the community, helping countless individuals with legal problems ranging from household quarrels to financial disputes. Her work is a testament to the power of perseverance and the impact that even one person can make in the world.