W!NK

The ASL Club at Sac State worked our butts off to put on this awesome show and fundraiser, of course not without the priceless guidance and dedication of the club's advisor Dr. Lisalee Egbert and our awesome president Lindsey Gederos.  The show was a HUGE success, not just in raising funds but also in raising awareness.  All who didn't see it truly missed out!

This is a two-minute news story on the event.  Caution: Some parts of the video are solely presented spoken English, no captioning.

I Don't Need Your Cure

The message in this video is so well stated.  Please watch and consider!

New Semester, New Inspiration!

Welcome back to my blog!  It's been a long time since I've posted, but I feel newly motivated with the semester starting up to blog at least once a week.  I'll give my best effort!

Yesterday (my 22nd birthday!) my Experiences in the Deaf Community class took a field trip to the office of NorCal Services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing.  We were given a tour of the building and an overview of each program and service the center offers.  It was SO cool!

One of the positions there, a client advocate, is a person who assists a Deaf person with anything from understanding a phone bill to studying a driver's handbook to helping them obtain an interpreter (which is their legal right) when the doctor's office is refusing to comply with the law and provide one.  I think I would LOVE this position.  I enjoy working one-on-one with people, and this job would be more personal and relational than interpreting.  I would enjoy helping people with these every day life situations, and would be able to combine using ASL with advocacy for Deaf rights in this position - both of which I have a heart and passion for.  I would really like to learn more about this kind of job and the necessary education to do it.

Deaf Culture Tip of the Day

QUIT EXCUSING YOURSELF!

Today in class we talked about some norms of Deaf culture versus hearing culture, and how some things are opposites...

Hearing people, when passing in between two or more Deaf people having a conversation, tend to sign EXCUSE ME or try to crouch down so as not to block the signers' view.  This is more distracting than just passing through at a normal pace.  It takes such a short time to pass between the signers that they don't miss anything in their conversation.

Signing EXCUSE ME  is even more distracting because Deaf people's eyes are trained to go wherever there is movement.  Their eyes will divert to your hands, which WILL disrupt the conversation.  Simply passing through is best.

Happy Halloween!

I carved the sign for "I love you" - the ILY hand - on my halloween pumpkin!  Here it is all lit up!

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU MOVING THE TABLES.

At the end of class today, the teacher for the next class (not Deaf Studies) in that room was already at the door.  As we packed up, she stood and announced to us, "I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU MOVING THE TABLES!" which we had not done.

Every week we have to move the tables and chairs out of rows and parallel to the walls.  Since we use ASL in class, we need to sit an a semi-circle or "U" shape so that we can see each other signing.  Another student remarked that for that teacher to expect us to move the tables was audism.

Audism is having a superior attitude based on one's ability to hear or having a negative attitude toward the Deaf.  It's like a prejudice and results in oppression.  Tom Humphries, who made the term popular, said that audism is to Deaf people as racism is to black people (lifeprint.com).  Closed-captioned movies serve as an example of audism.  There are so few showings of movies with closed captions, and they are often held at inconvenient hours like a weekday in the afternoon.  So only Deaf people without jobs can see the movie, then?  Most people go to the movies on Friday or Saturday nights.  But this is like saying that black people can't go to the movies on Friday nights because that night is reserved for whites to go to the movies.  Deaf people do not have full access to enjoy the movie theater as hearing do.

Do you think it was it audism for the teacher to expect us to move the tables back into rows? 

It would be kind for us to move the tables back, to leave the room as we found it.  But is it fair, just because the majority of the world likes to sit in rows in the classroom?

I don't want the Deaf community to have a bad reputation.  But I feel like we have a point to make.  We use the able bodies that make up our class to arrange the room how it suits us best, because it isn't that way when we get there.  Just because hearing people like to hold class in rows doesn't mean it's the only RIGHT way.

International Day of Sign Language

Thursday, September 30th, was the International Day of Sign Language.  To celebrate American Sign Language, there was a big gathering at the Capitol Building in Sacramento!

On Thursday morning we found out that the governor decided to VETO AB2072!!  Great news!

The "Spirit People" got everyone excited for ASL, the natural language and right of Deaf people!

This piece of art is so cool.  The top hand is making the handshape used to represent a person standing, and the bottom hand is making the handshape to represent a surfboard.  The paint further illustrates the story told by the hands.

People from different counties in Northern California held signs to show their support of ASL.

The head pastor from Sacramento Bible Church for the Deaf in Carmichael came to pray for the event!

In the middle is Lisalee Egbert, the faculty advisor for Sac State's ASL Club!

"Sign language is a human right, not just an option!"

This was really interesting, and something I had not gotten to witness before.  The woman on the right is both Deaf and blind.  The woman on the left interprets for her by watching the presenter and signing everything they sign.  The Deaf/blind woman receives the message by placing her hand over one of the interpreter's hands.  That must take a LOT of skill!

Melissa, ASL Club photographer, celebrated ASL by getting her leg painted at the Sierra College ASL Club's booth : D

I had an awesome day at the ASL Celebration, even though the temperature was HOT!  It was so great to see everyone come out, excited to support ASL!

My Son Is Deaf, Finally!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YN5Fdz1En0

This is link to to a You Tube video entitled "My Son Is Deaf, Finally!"  EVERYONE should watch this video.  I think it is presented in a way that hearing people will really be able to understand and FEEL.  People who don't understand what's so scary about the cochlear implant will experience the emotions that the implant stirs up in Deaf people through the story on this video.

I would love to hear what you think about the video, so comment!

DISCLAIMER:  You must watch the entire video.  It is incomplete without the information at the end.

Check out this painting.  I would totally hang it in my house.  I love the colors and the message!

http://issuu.com/kissfist/docs/eighth/68

DHHSWU

This is a video posted by one of my teachers on Facebook.  It's very informative about Deaf and Hard of Hearing State Workers United, a foundation that helps Deaf state employees achieve equal access and reasonable accommodations in their workplaces.  It is so common for Deaf people to be discriminated against, and we need to take steps to help people understand about Deafness and eliminate audism.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=31679471665&v=app_2373072738&ref=ts#!/video/video.php?v=1335993680725

Deaf Church

Yesterday I had a pretty good time at Sacramento Bible Church for the Deaf in Carmichael, CA.  It was my second visit, and I had sheepishly put off going for a few weeks.  Waking up before my alarm clock went off, I couldn't find an excuse to keep me from going this time!  As I parked my car and walked toward the church, I felt butterflies in my stomach that accompanied the realization that I really hadn't signed since school got out (shame on me!).  I walked in, was handed a program (with two word search puzzles inside, YES!), greeted kindly by everyone I passed, and sat down in the second row on the right side of the room. 

Quickly I remembered how welcoming everyone is at the church and that the Deaf people there are so patient with us ASL students.  Also, I was relieved to find that my signing skills were still intact!  Receptive skills, however, needed a little brushing up on...

One of the pastors, Wormy, introduced himself to me as another man sat down in my row...who I recognized!  I reminded Jesse that I had met him a few months ago at Deaf Bingo/Friday Night Live and he remembered me too.  We chatted before the service started, and for a few minutes after before I left to meet a friend.

This link is to a video from the church's page, and it gives a little taste of what Deaf church is like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljaP1g195DM&feature=player_embedded

I like attending Deaf church because it is a great opportunity to interact with Deaf people, especially ones who are happy you showed up and willing to converse with you.  It's an educational experience in two ways: 1) I get to experience Deaf culture first-hand (duh) and 2) I am exposed to new signs, like vocabulary about the Bible and spiritual things.  They don't teach us those things in ASL class, but I'll likely be talking about them now and again so I'd like to know how.  There's a third one, which is that I get to practice my ASL conversational skills and receptive skills - HUGE!

I plan to visit Sacramento Bible Church for the Deaf again in a few weeks.  The service is at 10:45am, and anyone interested in joining me is welcome!

Interpreter Preparation Programs

With only a year to go in my Bachelor of Arts degree in Deaf Studies/American Sign Language, I have just begun researching interpreter training programs.  I am most interested in the top three programs in California - American River College, Ohlone College, and Pierce College.  I have also heard good things about Santa Rosa Junior College.

American River College (ARC) is here in Sacramento.  It is the closest program to my parents and my boyfriend.  Their Interpreter Preparation Program (IPP) is an A.A. degree program and consists of fifty units.  Students who are accepted begin the program each August, and applications are due the second Friday of April that same year.  Acceptance into the program is based on an interview/screening program after the application is submitted.  The tuition fees for the Fall 2010 semester are twenty six dollars per unit.

Ohlone College in Fremont, CA is about three hours and twenty minutes away from my parents and an hour and forty five minutes from my boyfriend.  Students in the IPP program work with Deaf mentors as well as RID-certified interpreters to gain skills and experience.  Ohlone College has a large Deaf student population and is in close proximity with the California School for the Deaf.  The application for the IPP is due sometime in the spring, and the screening process takes place in June.  The A.A. degree and the Certificate of Achievement programs require fifty one to fifty five units for completion and include two courses on developing small businesses.  Fall 2010 tuition for Ohlone College is the same as ARC, twenty six dollars per unit.

Pierce College has a forty-nine-unit American Sign Language/Interpreting Program that is an A.A. degree.  It is located in Woodland Hills, CA, only about six miles from the National Center on Deafness at CSUN.  Pierce College is the farthest of these schools from my hometown and where I am now, at seven hours and forty five minutes from my parents and about six hours from Sacramento.  It is, however, very close to my sister, brother-in-law, and little niece on the way!

The ASL/English Interpreter Education Program at Santa Rosa Junior College is an A.A. degree and requires the completion of fifty two units.  Tuition for Fall 2010 is, again, twenty six dollars per unit.  Santa Rosa is a three and a half hour drive to Paradise, CA and just under two hours to Sacramento.

Besides this basic information, I know that I wouldn't mind living in the areas of ARC and Pierce.  I have never been to Fremont or Santa Rosa.  Living expenses would be more costly near Ohlone and Pierce.

A trusted and respected professor at Sac State gave me the following list of questions to answer in deciding which interpreting program to attend:
1. After students graduate from that program, how many go straight to work?
2. How many pass the National Interpreter Certification (NIC) written and the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) right after graduation?
3. What type of post support will the college give you?
4. How much business planning is built into their programs? (You will most likely free lance at some point so you need to know how to run your own company.)
5. What type of mentoring program do they have during and after?

So...it looks like my next step is to find some contact people from these programs, ask them questions, and decide which ones I want to visit.

Now what?

So, last week the Senate Health Committee voted in favor of the bill AB2072.  What happens next?

http://test.opposeab2072.com/

I am here because...

I guess I'll start this blog with some information about my background, how I got into ASL/Deaf Studies.

I started learning some signs (not real ASL) in 2nd grade through a program called "Sign Song Singers" at my public elementary school.  I got to leave my classroom a couple times a week and go with other kids to learn signs to children's songs, and periodically we would perform these songs for our parents.  I absolutely loved it, but I stopped participating in the program when I switched schools.

In my second year of college I was working on campus at California State University, Chico, and received an email about a beginning ASL class offered for faculty, staff, and student staff only.  The class was free and met once a week.  Remembering how much I liked signing as a kid, I decided to join the small class of about five or six other participants, taught by Chico State's two full-time interpreters.  We learned mainly vocabulary, numbers, and fingerspelling in the class; and I loved it even more than I had in elementary school. 

I have always loved languages.  I find the meanings of words and how they are pieced together to form proper grammar and complete thoughts very interesting.  Writing has always been easier for me than speaking, be it English, Spanish, or Italian. I have a passion for sign language.

I decided to pursue sign language as a career and transferred to Sac State in the summer of 2009 to begin the Deaf Studies program.  My ultimate goal is to become a sign language interpreter, and after graduating from Sac State in the spring of 2011 I plan to go through an interpreter training program. 

So far I have completed ASL 4.  My weakness is hesitancy to put myself out there and meet new people, and I need to push myself to do just that to improve my language skills and practice, practice, PRACTICE!