Cheyenna Clearbrook is one of the reality stars from the hit television series, Deaf U on Netflix. The show follows a group of deaf students at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. as they navigate the complexities of college life. The show was in my que for a few days, and one day, I finally decided to take a look. I was immediately captivated and pulled in by the students’ storylines complete with dating drama, the quest for identity and acceptance, and the introduction to some of “The Elites” within the deaf community.
Cheyenna was my absolute favorite! I deeply connected to her story and love her style! She’s a YouTuber with over 125,000 subscribers and does some pretty awesome fashion and beauty tutorials. After binging the series in less than two days, with tears in my eyes, I direct messaged her on Instagram to see if she would be interested in becoming a guest on the podcast…and she said YES! I know that you all will love her as much as I do. A major thanks to Arianna Saccante, our American Sign Language – English Interpreter who made this conversation possible. Enjoy!
Full Episode Transcript:
Cheyenna [00:00:06] So three years ago, I was a student at Gallaudet University and via email they sent out a campus wide email for recruitment for a show that was supposed to be for MTV and TLC. So I auditioned, but hadn’t heard anything back for a very long time until about a year ago, where they said that now instead of MTV and TLC, and is now a Netflix production. So I kind of tried out again and reauditioned again to see whether or not it would be a good fit for the show. And I actually was selected and that’s how the whole process started.
Kirsten [00:00:49] Thank you so much for tuning into this week’s episode. Now it’s time for my favorite segment, where we get to hear from you, our listeners, about your favorite fashion moments.
Megan [00:01:08] Hello, this is Megan from Kansas City. My favorite fashion moment of all time is meeting the late and great Franca Sozzani, Editor in Chief of Vogue Italia. I was a student at the time studying fashion in Milan, and I was given the opportunity to go to her book signing for her latest book, Capricci Della Moda. I was so nervous I didn’t know what I was going to wear and I didn’t know what I was going to say. But when we got there, we went down a long corridor full of all of these photos from past editions. And I got so excited I was able to finally meet her and she was so unbelievably humble. She was just as excited to meet us as we were to her. I got a signed copy of her book and also the Spring and Summer 2011 preview edition for Vogue Italia, with Giselle Bundchen on the cover. I will never forget that it was by far my favorite fashion moment of all time.
[00:02:17] Cheyenna Clearbrook is one of the reality stars from the hit television series Deaf U on Netflix. The show follows a group of deaf students at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., as they navigate the complexities of college life. The show was my queue for a few days, then I finally decided to take a look. I was immediately captivated and pulled in by the students storyline’s complete with dating drama, the quest for identity and acceptance, and the introduction to some of “The Elites” within the deaf community. Cheyenna was my absolute favorite. I deeply connected to her story and I love her style. She’s a YouTuber with over one hundred and twenty five thousand subscribers and does some pretty awesome fashion and beauty tutorials. After binging the series in less than two days, with tears in my eyes, I reached out to Cheyenna on Instagram to see if she would be interested in becoming a guest on the podcast…and she said, YES! I know that you all will love her as much as I do. And a major thanks to Ariana Saccante our American Sign Language English Interpreter who made this conversation possible. Enjoy.Kirsten [00:03:48] I am a major fan of you and your journey.
Cheyenna [00:03:52] Thank you.
Kirsten [00:03:53] And you are just so fabulous on the YouTube, girllll with all the looks! Like I am here for it! So I’m so glad you were able to make it. And welcome to A Fashion Moment.
Cheyenna [00:04:07] Thank you. Thank you. I’m excited to be here. This will be fun.
Kirsten [00:04:11] So, you know, let’s get started. Where are you from and and where did your, your love for style and fashion come from?
Cheyenna [00:04:21] So I grew up in Washington State, close to Seattle, and I’ve lived here essentially my whole entire life and consider myself a native Washingtonian. And fashion really came to my attention. And I am thankful for my free Chota friends and my three girlfriends. And back then it was very trendy with a lot of Lao’s colors. So me growing out, I was very actually very tomboyish and didn’t really dress as stylish until these three Kotov friends called me out. They suggested that I should dress up and be more fashionable and understated to give me more confidence inside. So I went home and throughout most of my clothes went shopping. And my grandmother also, too, was an inspiration.
Kirsten [00:05:06] We just have to pause because I’ve seen her YouTube videos and I love your grandma. Oh my God. Like her eye shadow. Her looks like the beauty is just so on point. And she’s just she seems like such a loving, caring person. And I just love watching her on your videos. And Cam, we’ve got to we got to give love to Cam.
Cheyenna [00:05:32] Yes, definitely, really. My grandmother always had a lot of purses growing up. I think she had over one hundred purses and a lot of rings. So that’s where I kind of also get my fashion inspiration from. She has a shoe obsession as well, which is also kind of carried over to me.
Kirsten [00:05:48] I love it, you know, I’m curious, like, what inspired you to start your YouTube channel and start doing videos?
Cheyenna [00:05:57] So a few years ago, my best friend and I always wanted to do something where we could spread awareness about disabilities and deafness. And YouTube was already very, very popular a few years ago and a lot of my role models were on YouTube filming a lot of videos. But also we recognized that there were no deaf representations. So my friends and I said decided to start and we grew a lot from there and we didn’t really have any expectations in terms of what it turned out to, but it turned out to be something bigger than we thought. And I think that my channel too gives deaf culture and deaf people a motivation to kind of inspire them that they can do things and be successful.
Kirsten [00:06:32] Love it, love it, love it! I mean, you know I’m in the hearing community and I love your show. Everybody should watch the YouTube channel and I love the music video that you just released as well. Amazing!
Cheyenna [00:06:47] Yes, thank you! Thank you.
Kirsten [00:06:48] So is music something that you’re going to do more of? Like what’s going on, girl?
Cheyenna [00:06:55] Yep, I don’t plan to do more music. The person who I already worked with that actually made a lot of songs and turned my poem that I wrote into lyrics with a song. So that will come ahead with more videos to follow.
Kirsten [00:07:09] Amazing. You know, I got to ask, OK, how in the world did you end up on Deaf U on Netflix? Like, how did that happen?
Cheyenna [00:07:20] So three years ago, I was a student at Gallaudet University. And via email, they sent out a campus wide email for recruitment for a show that was supposed to be for MTV and TLC. So I auditioned, but hadn’t heard anything back for a very long time until about a year ago, when they said that now instead of MTV and TLC, it is now a Netflix production. So I kind of tried out again and reauditioned again to see whether or not it would be a good fit for the show. And I actually was selected and that’s how the whole process started.
Kirsten [00:07:53] That is so wild, I must say, you are my favorite. HELLO!
Cheyenna [00:07:58] Thank you!
Kirsten [00:08:00] Out of all the gals and I really, you know I really connected with your journey, like on a very deep personal level. Like I mean, I was binging it, I was crying. I was laughing. I, too, grew up in the church. I, too, am a survivor of sexual abuse. And I too saw some or had some some challenges in terms of figuring out where I fit in. I went to an all, well, I went to an all white school, and then I went to an all black university at Howard University, which I’m sure you know. You know of , because we’re all in the DMV.
Cheyenna [00:08:42] Yep, definitely.
Kirsten [00:08:44] YAAAS!. So, you know, there were times where I didn’t quite see myself fitting in with the very wealthy black folks. Then I couldn’t quite identify with some of the other folks from different areas. And I was just kind of like, where do I fit it in? And there’s this frustration like we’re all black, right? We’re all the same. So like, why are we treating each other as if we’re different? But the thing is, there are differences and those differences should be celebrated. But I think my expectation was to be embraced in a different way because of where I came from. So when you went through your journey, I was just like, oh, my God, Cheyenna, like my heart, just like I just felt for you in that moment. So I’m curious, like, what did you learn from that experience? I know that you released a video on Instagram and addressed a few things because Lord knows the hearing community over here. We don’t know about “The Elites.” I was like, elite what? You know? Haha. So I’m curious, like, what lessons did you learn from your experience?
Cheyenna [00:09:54] So growing up, I was deprived from from any type, anything related to the deaf community or culture. I really wasn’t familiar with what was going on in that kind of quote unquote world and kind of pursued my life in a hearing world with my hearing family and didn’t really realize this difference until I really went to Gallaudet University and recognized that these groups existed. And in that experience, I questioned myself. I couldn’t identify, like you, to where I belonged. I couldn’t, I couldn’t find one that was similar. I tried really working hard to kind of join those groups, kind of the elite group, and that was challenging. So I had to find my own group to kind of take a more introspective look at myself and say that I’m not like them. And there’s a lot of other deaf people that share that similarity with me as well that I relate better with. So that was my lesson that I learned is it’s OK to not fit in. It’s important that I fit in myself and I’m content with what people I have that are present in my life and end this at this current moment and not spend that time wishing or hoping to be part of other groups that actually can pull you down and be grateful for what I have, grateful for those people that actually see me and connect with me.
Kirsten [00:11:02] LOVE that! Love that! Being seen! Yes, yes, yes! You know, I just personally wanted to ask you something that I that I struggled with, being a survivor of sexual abuse in fashion, is sort of I never realized just how conservative I was and just how much I wanted to cover up. Like subconsciously. I just never thought about it. I just thought, hey, this is the way I dress until one day my therapist brought it up and was like, hey, Kirsten, maybe you should, like, go to the store, just try out like a V neck or like a sexy dress, you know, and just see how you feel. That’s not really my thing, you know. And she made that connection to sort of that experience and being covered and sort of feeling protected and wondering if you if you had something similar and sort of like how did you get over that? And did you push yourself like was it something that happened on the inside? I’m just curious.
Cheyenna [00:12:06] I can definitely relate to that one hundred percent. I felt anxious about what I was wearing because I really wanted to wear certain things and match with current trends. But I also didn’t want to show and be misunderstood or have a similar experience like that before or [not be looked at] in the wrong way. So I overthought and it caused a lot of anxious thoughts for me. I tried to build my confidence and just take a second, take some breaths, and all of that takes time. I know that that doesn’t happen immediately, but some days I definitely have that those subconscious thoughts because I want to wear a specific thing and then I’ll prevent myself from wearing that. And I’ll kind of always go between that teeter tottering of thoughts. But right now, I’m just taking it one day at a time and step by step. And those clothes that are kind of more revealing, and I may not wear them, and they usually end up staying on the hanger. So I definitely have that struggle. It’s definitely difficult.
Kirsten [00:13:00] Well, you look good. I love the looks! I’m like, OK, she’s wearing the t-shirt as a dress, I’m going to try that with the with the thigh boot. I love it! So, like, where are some of your favorite places to shop? Like, I hear a lot of ASOS on the YouTube. I see a lot of Zara, like where are you shopping?
Cheyenna [00:13:25] I think what I love most is Zara. I think that is definitely my style. That’s closest to my brand. I have a lot of Zara items. I also notice that I love European style. I was always much more fascinated by European style and fashion. So I definitely shop from more European companies than American like Missguided, Boohoo, Nasty Gal, Lioness, which is from Australia, that’s a really cool that’s a really cool brand, too. So I’m with all that.
Kirsten [00:14:03] Such a cool brand. I’m like all about it. By the way, everyone needs to watch her TED talk. I loved it. I had to watch it a few times.
Cheyenna [00:14:15] Thank you.
Kirsten [00:14:16] I thought it was so phenomenal. You mention in the talk that one out of, what is it, three thousand, one and three thousand children will be born deaf or hard of hearing in the TED talk. I’m sure that the number might be a little different now. But you talk about some of the challenges, or the misconceptions that people have, of deaf people. And you’re like, hello, we are people! You know, the hearing is really the only sort of thing separating that experience.
Cheyenna [00:14:58] Exactly.
Kirsten [00:14:58] So I’m curious, just from your personal life, what would you say is one of the biggest misconceptions that people have about you and your brand and what you’re doing as a person from the deaf community?
Cheyenna [00:15:16] Often they don’t realize that I can do these things, these specific things. They don’t realize that I’m a smart person. They often have this misconception that I can’t hold intelligent conversations or I’m not smart, but I can prove these things, as I have done so. There’s a lot of misconceptions that hearing people have, and I have to emphasize that I’m like you. And just because I can’t hear that, just put all that aside. I grew up and was mainstreamed, meaning that I was a deaf with hearing people. So I thought that I was the same, but they always looked at me differently. It wasn’t until I grew up and realized that it was my deafness, that’s what caused them to look at me differently.
Kirsten [00:15:53] Mmmm mmm, people are crazy, girl. [laughs]
Cheyenna [00:15:57] Yes, tell me about it.
Kirsten [00:16:01] So I have to ask you. This is A Fashion Moment, so I always have to ask: what is your favorite fashion moment of all time? It can be personal, it could be professional, it could be something that you’ve seen or watched.
Cheyenna [00:16:21] I always love street style clothing, streetwear, because I follow a lot of influencers that are always wearing street style clothing. So I always [love], for example, Hailey Bieber.
Kirsten [00:16:34] Oh, yeah.
Kirsten [00:16:55] Justin Bieber’s wife. Hailey? Oh, she’s like, YES!
Cheyenna [00:17:03] Yes, exactly, yeah.
Kirsten [00:17:04] You know, whenever I hear, Bieber, I’m like “I’m a Belieber!” I’m a Belieber too, so… [laughs]. And Hailey is [makes high pitch “heavenly” sound].
Cheyenna [00:17:16] Yeah, and it’s funny, because I growing up, I always idolized Justin Bieber and had many posters of him in my room. It’s kind of funny looking back at that now.
Kirsten [00:17:27] You’re making me feel old because, you know, I’m like BSB! NSYNC!, and you know like Justin was like a little youngin’ for me. Always had swag, though…always had swag.
Cheyenna [00:17:41] So definitely, yeah, wearing those purple pants. Yes. That’s a very strong fashion moment when I was very colorful and exciting. Definitely.
Kirsten [00:17:50] You know, I have to I have to ask you, like, what was your name on the show? It was mentioned that in the deaf community, you have like a symbol for yourself, like you name yourself some some way, like what is your name?
Cheyenna [00:18:16] This is my name, Cheyenne, which is kind of the sign for shiny by the eyes, and that’s because my eyes are really blue and so that’s why my name sign is Cheyenne. All the people have their own name. Sign represents who they are or could be. Not all deaf people have something that represents the character characteristic trait. But some are kind of like this way, which means you have curly hair indicating a curly hair or some this way which laugh indicates laughing. So there’s different representations in the signs, which is pretty cool.
Kirsten [00:18:49] I love it, so what are you working on now? What’s coming up? I want to see more. I want to see friends. I want to see I want to see more videos. I want to see some street style. Like what’s going on, girl?
Cheyenna [00:19:07] I think I have a lot of projects which take time to develop and move forward with, and I definitely need more motivation to post more and show more fashion. I definitely have some insecurities about that as well. Internally, I kind of tell myself I can wear the X, Y, Z, but then I then challenge myself and ask, “What’s next?” Is actually posting.
Kirsten [00:19:30] No, I feel you on the content, I mean, it can be a lot to continually post, but what I will tell you, Cheyenna, is that you’ll look good. You’ll look great. Keep posting. I’m watching. Our listeners are watching. Like, I am so thrilled to have you on the show. And I really thank you for sharing your journey. It really does mean a lot. And there’s so many people out there who feel the way you feel and you’re just such a beautiful person. So you keep shining that light. OK, and and those elites out, back up off a Cheyenna [Laughs]. Back up. We have your back.
Cheyenna [00:20:14] I appreciate that, thank you.
Kirsten [00:20:16] Because you’re such a beautiful person. And that’s how we felt like I was on the phone with my friends. I now I DM’d you on Instagram like that night after I binged the whole season and I was just like you guys. And they were like, “Yes, Cheyenna, like, that’s my girl. That’s my girl!” So we’re all rooting for you and definitely can’t wait to see what you do next. And you keep posting, girl. You keep posting.
Cheyenna [00:20:41] Yes, definitely. Thank you for that motivation, I appreciate it.
Kirsten [00:20:47] All right. Well, thank you. That is all. That’s all we got. And we’ll post every all of your videos and amazing topics in the show notes. Thank you so much for coming on the show. And again, you are always welcome to come back. If you have another project, you come back on a fashion moment and we’ll talk about it.
Cheyenna [00:21:09] Of course we’ll do. Thank you for your time today and allowing me to be part of your journey as well. This is really great, it’s really nice.
Kirsten [00:21:18] Oh, thank you. I’m so happy. Alright, bye Cheyenna.
Cheyenna [00:21:29] Bye bye. Take care. Have a good day.
Kirsten [00:21:38] Thanks so much for joining me for this week of a fashion moment, if you like what you hear, we love for you to join our community of listeners and spread the word about the show. We also want to hear from you. Share your favorite fashion moments and dream guests with us by sending an audio clip or email to a fashion moment podcast at Gmail dot com. Or you can tag us on Instagram at a fashion moment and you could be featured on next week’s episode. And don’t forget to subscribe and latest review and let us know what you think. Until then, see you next time for another fashion moment.
Kirsten [00:22:26] Podcast production by Rebecca Rashid and John Taylor Williams, digital media production by Megan Porras.
Show Notes:
Watch and Subscribe to Cheyenna’s YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL4ZEsnRRng4iKT4va2JN2g
Follow Cheyenna on Instagram @cheyennaclearbrook
Buy her book! She Carries the Sword: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08SPQZM68/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_XRC.Fb43D96XZ
Check out “Deaf U” on Netflix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr3wwPh5uKs
Cheyenna’s Tedx Talk on “Bridging the Divide: One Sign at a Time”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUN90GLg9Qo
Connect with Us!
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Twitter: @A_FashionMoment
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