National
Deaf History Month is now celebrated from April 1-April 30th to
celebrate all aspects of Deaf Culture, and still honors its academic
beginning in 1996 when two Deaf employees at Martin Luther King Library
in DC began teaching their colleagues American Sign Language. (
UMBC has American Sign Language courses throughout the year, and
Sign of Life is the student organization for people who are learning/know ASL)
April 8, 1864 was when Gallaudet University-the world's first
institution of higher education for the Deaf and hard of hearing, April
15th, 1817 is when the American School for the Deaf - the first public
school of its kind - opened.
Recent history includes the
2021 movie CODA winning
Best Picture and Deaf actor Troy Kotsur, winning Best Actor at the
Oscars, among other Oscars that night and SAG awards for best cast. Troy
Kotsur was a presenter at the 2023 Oscars. Marlee Matlin, who made
history when she won her first Oscar in 1987, played a pivotal role in
advocating for CODA's predominantly Deaf cast. Perhaps some of UMBC's
students and alumni will be influenced by this history-making,
if-you-can-see-it-you-can-be-it moment?
While UMBC has a solid cadre and network of ASL interpreters, there is an
ASL interpreter shortage (more information linked here),
which underscores the need for event planners to know what
accommodations their attendees may need. This can be as simple as
including: "If you have access needs, please email (event contact
email). UMBC event planners would then immediately fill out the form in
the link below based on planned use,