March 19, 2021 - Jules Dameron originally hailed from the southern part of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Now he currently lives and works in California. He is an alum of Gallaudet University with a degree in TV / Cinema. Jules is also an alum of the University of Southern California (USC) in film production with a specialization in directing. Jules identifies as Deaf. He uses American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate daily and has done so his entire life. Jules also identifies as a Queer man.
He is a business co-owner of Hypernovas Productions, which does film and theatrical productions and marketing work. At Hypernovas, Jules wears several hats and works on projects that involve different aspects of the film and theatrical production field, including graphic design, editing, filming, directing, writing, and social media work.
Jules shares that “It is incredibly powerful to be running a business as a deaf queer [man]. I love working with all sorts of people and clients and building beautiful relationships and friendships from all over!” Their projects took Jules and the team around the world. Locations visited include Japan, Spain, and all over the U.S., to name a few. “We look forward to more! It is incredibly inspiring to keep my passion in the work. I get to enjoy it all!”
When asked about challenges he faces at work, Jules shares: “Well, the challenge truly is in learning how to operate a business and being patient with the process. It is a lot of work, but I’ve been able to pull through it through my business partner; we’ve both stayed together and helped each other through it all. We are both deaf business owners, which means we have no barriers as deaf people since we design our business systems to fit us better. As long as we got emails, text numbers, we’re golden.”
“I think keeping an open mind and being open to learning is a MUST. If you don’t have that, then you can’t go anywhere.” Jules stresses that the biggest lesson he learned “was to form empathy with others and to learn what others are looking for and what they want. This is key to forming relationships and building them for the long run!”
Outside of work, Jules adds to his toolbox by learning new skills, including makeup (which he loves learning to do so), interior design, and cooking. They are “all amazing self-care items that everyone should learn how to do! “
Jules adds a few words of wisdom: “Remember, there’s always a way to enjoy life even in difficult times. You just have to actively find it and be creative!”
The #CanDoAnything campaign showcases people who are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing at work, giving them an opportunity to share what they do at their jobs and explain how communication access works for them. This campaign shows what our community can do, which is anything!
