ASL Week 6

Unpack my groceries with me!

It feels so fun and rewarding to learn words that I can see in my day-to-day life! Even though I am still working on putting everything together into full sentences, I can feel my vocabulary continue to grow. I find myself wandering around my house naming objects in ASL, and some signs are becoming second nature. A fun activity for me now is naming the fruits and veggies I bought at the store!

This week, I dedicated to catching up on new vocabulary and reviewing my finger spelling from the beginning of the course. Taking some time to revisit the foundational skills helped me feel back on track. I’m feeling excited and motivated as we head into the final couple weeks of my ASL class.

Deaf Culture and Community

This week, we learned about Gallaudet University and the movement for the school to have a Deaf president. In 1987, Gallaudet’s sixth president (all presidents up to this date had been hearing people) announced they would be stepping down, and students, faculty and alumni all felt strongly that it was time for a Deaf president to lead the world’s only Deaf university. Of the three candidates, two were Deaf and one was hearing. The hearing candidate, Elizabeth Zinser, was selected.

This decision was met with shock and anger. Many believed that the university needed a leader who shared the lived experience and language of its students. This began the Deaf President Now (DPN) protests, where students, staff, and community members organized demonstrations demanding change. Their efforts continued until Zinser stepped down and the board greed to reforms. Ultimately, I. King Jordan became the first Deaf president of Gallaudet University, marking a historical moment and showing the power of standing up for change.

I found story incredibly powerful. It highlights how important representation and communication are within a community. It also shows us an example of how people can make a difference when standing up for their rights. Standing up for change can sometimes feel discouraging, meaningful change is possible, the Deaf President Now movement is a powerful example of this.