Leah Katz-Hernandez is one of the most influential and well-known receptionist working at the White House today. Ms. Hernandez’s story is inspiring as she has not only witness history working for President Obama, she has likewise made history as a pioneer. Throughout her years, Leah Katz-Hernandez has devoted herself to the study of American government and ways Congress can help youths with disabilities. Ms. Hernandez is 28 years old and was born deaf; despite how society perceives what she could accomplish, she has surpassed all expectations and has become an astonishing voice for the deaf community. In spite of the fact that, being the first deaf receptionist in the White House has given her a media spotlight, Leah Hernandez has made considerable progress in the realm of governmental issues and has helped numerous of people with disabilities register to vote, access their rights, and transition into a world that connects the hearing and deaf community through the workforce. …show more content…
They married, moved to Connecticut, and had two children, Daniel and Leah. Both Lizabeth and Ricardo have received advanced degrees, a graduate degree in social work for Lizabeth and a PhD in an adult literacy for Ricardo. Ricardo Hernandez can hear and is a former ASL translator, while Leah, Lizabeth, and Daniel are all deaf. Daniel and Leah are second generation deaf. Leah embraces her Jewish and Mexican-American roots and does not see her deafness as a as a constraint to what she can accomplish. Daniel has developed himself as a well-known artist and many galleries have displayed his work. Leah Katz-Hernandez was born on June 20-july26, 1988 and was introduced to American Sign Language at an early age and furthermore has developed her own hand sign for her name. Currently, Leah lives on the east side of Washington, D.C. where ASL is utilized frequently and says she loves her
State and local governments, which include a long list of agencies and services, need to provide qualified interpreters when requested by the deaf, along with assistive listening devices when applicable. Deaf persons should be able to participate in these services. While the consumer is
The documentary, Through Deaf Eyes, is a two hour film that focuses on all things related to Deaf life over the span of 200 years. The documentary includes interviews of people who have made a significant impact on the Deaf community, including actress Marlee Matlin and various people who work or either have worked at deaf schools such as Gallaudet University. Before watching this documentary or even before signing up for this ASL course I knew a little bit about Deaf culture through my own personal experience. After watching this documentary I have learned so many different interesting facts and now I have a whole new perspective on the Deaf culture.
the future for all deaf students. After years of the university having a hearing president, the
Shepard is the President of the District of Columbia Area Black Deaf Advocates, Inc. (DCABDA). As a member of this organization I have witnessed her ability to organize her time wisely, set goals for the organization, work diligently to help us to achieve these goals, seek more community outreach endeavors for the organization and perform her duties as President with excellence. Due to her many attributes, I am confident that Mrs. Washington will perform with distinction if accepted into the the Master’s in Sign Language Education Program (hybrid) at Gallaudet University. Therefore, I strongly recommend her for this
deaf: working for the rights of all deaf people in this country, including education of deaf children.
accept the diagnosis that their child is Deaf. They are in denial that may last
First, this book allowed me to see the negative way in which deaf people were perceived. This book is not old by any means, and I was taken aback by the way deaf children were perceived by not only others in the community, but often times by their own parents as well. The term
Diane Guerrero is a Boston native and has, from an early age, had an affinity for the arts. She attended the Boston Arts Academy where she studied vocal music. After graduating high school, she received a degree in political science and communication, however she quickly realized her passion lay in performance art, at which point she moved to New York to pursue her dreams. Guerrero has subsequently appeared on numerous television series and is best known for her roles as “Maritza Ramos” on the award-winning,
All throughout the entire "Deaf President Now" movement, the message was clear that deaf people have the self-determination and capability as any other hearing person. To watch hundreds of deaf students and supports protest from Gallaudet University to our nation's capital, using American Sign Language as their only medium of communication. Only shows the effect of the "power and intelligence" (Van Cleve p. 173) behind sign language. "With similar unity in the future, they may move into a
Black Deaf Students: A Model for Educational Success Williamson explores the types of environments that would be best for deaf black students. She is able to do this by taking all of the intersectionality’s that are variables in the success of deaf black individuals. She took the
This documentary does an excellent job of advocating for the acknowledgment of people who are deaf within society. This is shown through not only the brilliantly written and performed poems of the students but also in the basic, everyday struggles each of them face, such as the desire to fit in or be valued by those around them. Deafness is not a specific to any gender, race, culture, or religion. The struggles many people who are deaf go through are relatable to all and
American Annals of the Deaf is an educational journal that is committed to providing educational experiences of high quality as well as related services for the deaf. This journal has been around for over 150 years, and over time they have been dedicated to making sure that children and adults who are deaf or hard of hearing are receiving quality assistance for their disability (NEED CITATION). In July 1996, they published a scholarly article in response to a survey Catherine Gillespie and Sandra Twardosz conducted about the literacy environment and different practices that children are receiving in a residential school for the deaf.
The deaf community does not see their hearing impairment as a disability but as a culture which includes a history of discrimination, racial prejudice, and segregation. According to an online transcript,“Through Deaf Eyes” (Weta and Florentine films/Hott productions Inc., 2007) there are thirty-five million Americans that are hard of hearing. Out of the thirty-five million an estimated 300,000 people are completely deaf. There are ninety percent of deaf people who have hearing parents (Halpern, C., 1996). Also, most deaf parents have hearing children. With this being the exemplification, deaf people communicate on a more intimate and significant level with hearing people all their lives. “Deaf people can be found in every ethnic group,
As a closing thought, please keep in mind the respect for “difference” that we all MUST have in this country. Deaf or hearing-impaired individuals are not necessarily “disabled”, but rather “different”. Although this difference may seem extremely complicated to the hearing world, it is one that is often embraced in the deaf world. Let us respect all people and their right to knowledge! Hopefully,
Now, the authors have stated three main points in this article regarding improvements to the education of ethnic-minority Deaf college students. First, the authors emphasize the importance of diversity in the work force so that students can make their own decisions in choosing their own role models. This article states that “role models are both essential and critical. They serve several purposes: (1) We talk about the importance of cultural diversity, but having that kind of representation on campus demonstrates a real commitment on