This week, Gallaudet University celebrated a new University President. Congratulations to Bobbi Cordano for this wonderful achievement! Thinking back, it made me remember my own experience at Gallaudet back in the 1970’s. Can you imagine learning Sign Language at Gallaudet University? I compare it to taking Catholicism classes at the Vatican. I spent […]
Author Archives | Evelyn
So You Want To Open Your Own Sign Language Interpreting Agency
December 3, 2015

Just think…..you could go to the mall and drink coffee and meet friends for lunch and take naps in the afternoon ALL while other people are working for you! So how hard could it be? Ahhhhh……sit back and relax while we reminisce over the past 4 hours….. The following names have been changed to protect…….well…….us. […]
Working as a Sign Language Interpreter
October 22, 2015

U.S. News and World Report recently asked this question. What is it really like to work as a Sign Language Interpreter? What does it take to succeed? What are the work prospects for the future? Sign-language interpreters rely on a set of quick hands to relay a speaker’s words to a hearing-impaired audience. “To be […]
Spring Awakening
September 14, 2015

Wow…..really? A Deaf Musical on Broadway? Who would have thought this possible not too long ago? Marlee Matlin was approached to become a part of this production and she had to consider her choices carefully. Marlee has established herself as an actor at the top of her game in movies and television. But Broadway? And […]
Closed Captioning and Equal Access for the Deaf
August 10, 2015

Just kidding. The “equal access” part anyway. As a deaf viewer, if you tuned in to watch the much publicized GOP presidential debate, you probably gained very little from the ‘voice to text’ captions that were flashed across the screen. Unfortunately, this has become the norm and deaf viewers are left guessing and confused. Since […]
Do You Hear What I Hear?
June 18, 2015

Two Photographs: Happy families watching their infants “hear” for the first time. The Media loves these stories. So wonderful that these children can now lead ‘normal’ lives and dodge the deafness bullet. A recent personal experience caused me to contemplate Cochlear Implant surgery and the effect it may have on the babies who do not […]
Deaf Friendly Applause!
June 1, 2015

Who is credited with introducing American Deaf culture to the practice of “hand waving” for applause? a. Laurent Clerc b. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet c. Gerald “Bummy” Burstein d. Frederick Schreiber Not sure? Answer: “c” – Gerald “Bummy” Burstein The modern American Deaf culture practice of twisting the hands in the air evidently came […]
The Miracle Worker
March 31, 2015

Remember the movie “The Miracle Worker”? I always thought it was about Helen Keller. But guess what? It’s really about her teacher Anne Sullivan. Over the years, we’ve learned a lot about Helen Keller and her incredible story. But what about Anne? April 14, 1866…….almost 150 years ago, Anne was born in Feeding Hills, […]
The Deaf and Hard of Hearing are Everywhere
February 24, 2015

Las Vegas…….1980 something…..walking down the strip with my sister. It’s late of course and the sound of slot machines and the smell of cigarette smoke waft out of every casino doorway. People everywhere. So many flashing lights and so many sounds. As we’re walking, I hear a man behind us. He begins making comments about […]
Common Myths About Deaf People
January 14, 2015

This list was actually compiled by an up and coming Sign Language Interpreter. “Caseykins” took sign language as a foreign language class and was amazed to learn so much about Deaf Culture and her own misconceptions. As she is hearing, she acknowledges that she has no idea what it is actually like to be […]
January 25, 2016
0 Comments