It’s obvious why Dickie Drew Hearts is someone ALLMYNE would want to collaborate with. Not only does he advocate for LGBTQ and deaf/hard-of-hearing communities, but he also has such an infectious bubbly personality that stays with you long after you’ve gotten to know him. I had the honor and pleasure of interviewing Dickie, a person who is so much more than his ability to make others feel welcome.
Dickie Drew Hearts was born deaf in Queens, New York and spent his upbringing in Virginia. He went to Gallaudet University in D.C., determined to make his theater dreams a reality.
Despite the setbacks of the pandemic, Dickie thrived in the worlds of acting and film production. Since then, he has starred in many stage plays, received an Obie Award, and recently wrapped up the sequel to his short film Passengers (which he won the “Best Filmmaker” award for from the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge!).
So, without further ado, let me introduce you to the Dickie Drew Hearts.
Advocate for LGBTQ and Deaf Communities: Meet Dickie, the New ALLMYNE Ambassador
Hello, Dickie! Can I just say that your advocacy for deaf, BIPOC, and LGBTQ communities is incredibly inspirational. How do you see your role as an ALLMYNE Ambassador helping you achieve your goals in terms of increasing your visibility, engaging with a global audience, and making a positive impact?
Aw, that’s a very sweet thing of you to say. I’m thrilled to embrace my new and exciting role as an ALLMYNE Ambassador, where I hope to further my reach by representing Deaf/disabled, Sign Language, LGBTQ, and BIPOC communities. Being visible already makes an impact, but it’s what we do, our actions, and how we can give back that really makes a difference. So, I aspire to see greater accessibility and acceptance worldwide—I feel like that’s a beauty pageant answer, but it is genuinely true from the bottom of my heart of hearts!
I also want to see greater acceptance of Deaf/disabled individuals, as well as the broader Deaf community and the recognition of sign language—American Sign Language. This acceptance has to begin at a grassroots level, in your hometowns, local communities, and schools, rather than just in the media! Fun fact: there are over 300 different sign languages globally, and everyone should learn sign language, period. Martha’s Vineyard, hello? It provides benefits to all, which is the essence of accessibility—improving life for everyone.
Hey, no one is knocking a beauty pageant answer when it is that profound! And I agree people should be learning some type of sign language! How have you seen recognition of the Deaf community change throughout time?
Well, open captioning in movie theaters is slowly and finally becoming more common, but it wasn’t like that two decades ago. Deaf people had to always request it, and there was such resistance towards captions on screens. Today, more hearing, younger individuals purchase tickets for open captioned films and put on captions on even social media and television, which is a wild and grateful concept to me. This demonstrates how captioning, a form of accessibility, benefits everyone, including ESL (English as a Second Language) users!
Acceptance and accessibility go hand in hand, if you think about it. When you accept others, you find ways to make it accessible for them. When you make it accessible, you are also accepting others who are different. Does that make sense?
It makes total sense! It’s like a cycle of kindness and caring, and who wouldn’t support that? In that same vein, you had an interview on HumanActually. You mentioned that you found love and belonging to be universal experiences. How have you continued to capture the ideas of love and belonging in your works since that interview in 2021?
Yes, we all want to love and be loved, to belong and help others find a sense of belonging. I continue to weave these themes into many of my past and current projects. I try to express this through my Instagram reels, using a cinematic, narrative approach. And love, of course, isn’t confined to just romance; it can be platonic and familial bonds as well.
Recently, I created a mini-series titled Passengers: New York City, which features diverse Deaf/disabled, LGBTQ, and Sign Language communities. This series is centered around discovering love and making connections with others, transcending language barriers.
That is truly remarkable. Your series sounds similar to your work Disconnected: The Musical you made for HumanActually! I loved the story so much, and you said you created PDFs for all the cast members—who were remote!—on how to use their iPhones for filming. This is something I feel most people wouldn’t think about when met with these sorts of constraints—in this instance it being COVID. Your ability to adapt in sticky situations is admirable. How have those skills translated in what you’ve been working on since then, especially regarding Passengers: New York City which has just entered the post-production stage. (Congratulations by the way!)
Haha, I did create those PDFs! And thank you for acknowledging my admirable efforts! I had a lot of creative fun with that, adding Memojis, emojis, and cute graphics. I mean, it was the pandemic of 2020, which was a traumatic time for everyone, obviously. And you had to find the glimmers of light in those dark moments.
The reason for those instructional PDFs on how to shoot with your iPhone was that I do not, ever, compromise on quality. What that meant was using the rear camera of your iPhone, not the front/selfie cam of your smartphone or your computer’s webcam. The rear camera can shoot high-quality 4K or at least 1080p, which was crucial.
That was a lot of work for the cast because they couldn’t see themselves. After each take, they’d have to get up and then go behind to review it to make sure it was recorded and it wasn’t out of frame. We’ve had instances where we thought we had it, but then no, we didn’t, and that warranted a couple of reshoots later on for some actors.
I’m so, so grateful for my cast who had such patience for my painstaking meticulousness and their extraordinary dedication to Disconnected: The Musical. It was because we wanted to make good art, especially during a dark period. That philosophy of uncompromising on and creating exquisite quality has always and will continue to carry on throughout all of my works, especially in Passengers: New York City. I just can’t wait for you guys to see it. It’s gorgeous. And it’s certainly a step up from my previous works.
Point: Dickie Drew Hearts is synonymous with high-quality content.
It is inspirational for so many of us to see the effort you put into what you’re passionate about, and we can’t wait to see all your hard work with Passengers: New York City. You’ve not only been in our hearts with your adorable and bubbly personality, but you’ve also been all over our screens and on our stages. From Grace and Frankie and Tales of the City to Private Jones and Dark Disabled Stories, you make sure you’re unforgettable in everything you do. Now that Passengers: New York City has wrapped up shooting, how do you see this new project fitting into your broader career goals and advocacy work?
Okay, now that was the sweetest thing to say! Awwwww, I’m genuinely heartwarmed; thank you so much. Omigosh, I am so excited but also very nervous, as we transition into the post-production phase of Passengers: New York City. There’s the uncertainty of the final outcome, especially how everything fell into place just before production began. There’s always the concern of how well it will be received, too.
Films, especially those made on a microbudget with limited resources and a small team, always come with unpredictable challenges. Me being a Virgo perfectionist doesn’t help either! I always remind myself that I am an emerging storyteller and filmmaker. I am still learning and will always continue to learn, and that’s okay!
Nevertheless, we achieved it. I am so incredibly grateful to my cast and crew, who made it possible. I would’ve never pulled this off without them, and it means a great deal to me because clearly they saw something unique in this and believed in this. I am pleased to report that so far, it seems like we have created something special—even before editing, color correction, and the addition of the original score.
I’ve always wanted to create an ensemble show where everyone can catch a glimmer of themselves. Visibility, or authentic representation, leads to acceptance, which in turn fosters accessibility. I’m particularly excited about having a cast that is half Deaf and half hearing; it’s a beautiful dynamic. This aligns perfectly with my career and advocacy goals, showing how people can come together and unite, embracing our differences.
In that same vein, as you know, ALLMYNE is all about connecting travelers with other people who want to see the world in a sustainable way while being offline. As a New Yorker, what recommendations do you have for places to see and be in The Big Apple for those in the LGBTQ and/or Deaf communities? Recommendations outside NY are also welcomed!
Right now, I would recommend The Center, which has great resources for the LGBTQ Community in New York City. They also provide accessibility upon request. The Center always has stuff going on, like workshops, events, and art shows. So check that out!
Another one I would recommend is The Stonewall Inn—they occasionally have drag shows in American Sign Language. And I don’t mean an ASL-interpreted show; no, the drag queens themselves literally perform in ASL! Yes, there are both Deaf and hearing drag queens who incorporate ASL in their sets, and it’s so fun. It’s also a beautiful and rainbowlicious gathering of our Deaf LGBTQ community. Even non-signing, hearing people are present—typically because they’re curious or they know someone who is Deaf or hard of hearing. It’s just lovely, and so gay.
Stay tuned for more recommendations!
I love it and will definitely check them out the next time I visit! Speaking of events, are there any upcoming events, campaigns, or content pieces where you will feature ALLMYNE? ALLMYNE Ambassadors can place free mobile ads in our app, so what specific content can our users expect to see from you, and how will those contributions benefit them? Do you have any new initiatives or collaborations in the works?
Oooooooh, let me get back to you on upcoming events, campaigns, and content pieces! I most definitely will feature ALLMYNE wherever I go. Our users can expect to see content based on American Sign Language and accessibility for the Deaf. Of course, I will always be visibly representing LGBTQ and BIPOC communities with love! I do have a new project that I want to develop soon—a horror comedy.
How exciting! Where can people learn about what you’re up to and support you?
I will develop a website where people can see what I’m up to and support me! For now, instagram will have to do: @DickieHearts Follow me, please!
It was delightful getting to talk with you and learn about all the things you do for the arts. We look forward to seeing your content on the ALLMYNE app, which is currently available on the Google Play Store and the App Store. Thank you for your time!
Thank you so much for this honor!
Isn’t he the greatest? Again, you can find out more about Dickie on his instagram (linked above) as well as the ALLMYNE app available in app stores right now.
Thank you, Dickie, for joining the ALLMYNE team as an Ambassador!
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