ds_0049_christiewilkins_cap_01.mp4

ds_0049_christiewilkins_cap_01.mp4

Opening eyes literature and literacy studies

Christie, Karen, 1954-

American Sign Language literature

Literacy

Deaf, Writings of the, American

ASL poetry

Two Deaf presenters, Karen Christie, and Dorothy Wilkins, discuss American Sign Language (ASL) Literature, its history, ASL artists, what literacy means, and the connection between literacy and literature.

National Technical Institute for the Deaf

Rochester Institute of Technology - RIT Libraries - RIT Archive Collections

Wilkins, Dorothy M

1998

2018

moving image

mp4

VHS

58 minutes

American Sign Language

English

RITDSA.0049

Sculptures in the Air: An Accessible Online Video Repository of the American Sign Language (ASL) Poetry and Literature Collections

ASL Lecture Series DVDs

2018-2019 CLIR Grant-ASL Poetry and Literature

https://albert.rit.…

https://archivesspa…

New York - Rochester

Henrietta Campus

RIT Libraries makes materials from its collections available for educational and research purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. It is your responsibility to obtain permission from the copyright holder to publish or reproduce images in print or electronic form.

CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4.0 International

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

OK, WELCOME TO
THE ASL LECTURE SERIES.

THIS IS THE 13TH PRESENTATION.

THIS IS KAREN CHRISTIE

AND THIS IS DOROTHY WILKINS.

PETE, THE SPEAKER'S ON.

THE TITLE OF THIS IS...

OPENING EYES,
IF YOU'RE CURIOUS

AS TO WHAT IS--
THE LECTURE IS ABOUT...

OPENING EYES CAN BE THAT,
LIKE, YOU JUST--

FULL OF AMAZEMENT AND JUST--
YOUR EYES HAVE BEEN

THOROUGHLY JUST OPENED
WITH FULL UNDERSTANDING

OF WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE.

THAT YOU JUST SORT OF,
OH, COME TO

AN UNDERSTANDING
AND AN ACCEPTANCE.

SO, REALLY,
OPENING EYES CAN MEAN

MANY VARIOUS THINGS
TO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

WHAT IS ASL LITERATURE?

WHAT ARE THE ASL
LITERARY ARTISTS,

YOU KNOW, WHO THEY ARE?

[INDISTINCT] EXAMPLES
OF ASL LITERATURE,

WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE
IF YOU SAW IT?

WHAT IS LITERACY?

WHAT IS THE DEFINITION
OF LITERACY?

AND WHAT IS THE CONNECTION
BETWEEN LITERATURE AND LITERACY?

AND THE FINAL QUESTION...

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE
LITERATE IN ASL, SO,

OF ALL THESE QUESTIONS,
WE WILL PROVIDE SOME ANSWERS.

I WILL...

[INDISTINCT] THESE QUESTIONS

AND THEN KAREN CHRISTIE AND I
WILL BOTH TAKE TURNS.

SHE WILL NOW SPEAK ABOUT
THE HISTORY OF ASL LITERATURE.

A CONDENSED TIMELINE
AS TO WHERE

ASL LITERATURE CAME FROM.

SHE GAVE US SOME
BRIEF QUESTIONS, BUT

THERE ARE MANY
DIFFERENT QUESTIONS.

YOU KNOW, WHERE DID
ASL LITERATURE COME FROM?

WHAT IS ITS HISTORY?
WHAT IS ITS ORIGIN?

WHAT WAS IT LIKE PRE-VIDEO
AND PRE-FILM ERA?

SO, HOW IS ASL LITERATURE
PASSED ON, AND WHEN?

SO, AGAIN, WE WILL LOOK BACK
UPON A TIMELINE HERE.

EARLY ASL LITERATURE, YOU KNOW,

PRE-VIDEO, PRE-FILM ERA,

FOR EXAMPLE,
WHEN THE FIRST DEAF SCHOOL

WAS FOUNDED HERE IN AMERICA,

IT WAS IN 1817, CORRECT?

WHEN THEY SET UP THE AMERICAN
SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF

AND WHEN THERE WAS A GATHERING
OF MANY DEAF CHILDREN.

SO, THERE WAS A LOT
OF MINGLING AND LEARNING

AND CAMARADERIE THAT
WENT ON IN THE DEAF--

IN THE DORMITORIES AT

THE AMERICAN SCHOOL
FOR THE DEAF.

UP TO THAT POINT, THE LARGEST
GATHERING OF DEAF PEOPLE

OR WHERE PEOPLE RESIDED
IN LARGE NUMBERS

WAS IN MARTHA'S VINEYARD,

AND THERE WERE
MANY DIFFERENT STORIES

THAT WERE TOLD [INDISTINCT]...

AND AS WITH ANY CULTURE,
THERE WERE SKILLED STORYTELLERS

WITHIN THAT CULTURE,

AND THEN WHEN THEY
CAME TO THE DEAF SCHOOL,

THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT
CAME FROM FAMILIES

WHO HAD GENERATIONAL DEAFNESS,

AND THEY
PASSED ON THOSE STORIES

AND THEN PASSED THEM
ON HORIZONTALLY

TO THE OTHER CHILDREN
AT THE SCHOOL.

AND AS WITH ANY OTHER
CULTURAL GROUP,

THE DEAF COMMUNITY,
WITHIN THEIR CULTURE,

HAS PASSED ON THE TRADITION
OF STORYTELLING.

WITH DEAF LITERATURE, ONE OF
THE ORIGINS IS THAT IT WAS

PASSED ON FROM
GENERATIONALLY DEAF FAMILIES

WHERE THE PARENTS PASSED
THE STORIES ON TO THE CHILDREN

AND THE CHILDREN, WHEN THEY
WENT TO THE RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS,

PASSED IT ON TO OTHER
DEAF CHILDREN.

SO, IT WAS SORT OF,
INSTEAD OF A VERTICAL

PASSING ON OR HANDING DOWN,

IT WAS PASSED ON HORIZONTALLY.

AND THROUGH TIME,
THINGS WOULD CHANGE,

AS ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN THINGS
ARE DONE BY WORD OF MOUTH...

AND AS THE STORY WAS PASSED ON,
OTHER PEOPLE WOULD ADD ON

AND IT CREATES A TRADITION
WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

AND IT'S ONE OF THE CHARACTERS
OF ASL THAT HAS CONTINUED

AND PERSISTED ON THROUGH TODAY.

AND WITH THE ONSET OF FILMS
IN 1913, AT THAT TIME,

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
FOR THE DEAF WAS FOUNDED.

AND WE HAVE THE OLD NAD FILMS
THAT WE WANT TO PRESERVE.

THEY CAN--THEY GIVE US
EXAMPLES OF

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE
AT THE TIME.

AND THEY HAVE EXAMPLES
OF POLITICAL SPEECHES

AND JUST PRESENTATIONS,

FORMAL PRESENTATIONS
AT THE TIME.

AND THERE WAS SOMEONE
AT THE TIME THAT TRIED TO MAKE

EXAMPLES OF THAT.

THESE WERE PASSED ON
AS TIME WENT ON.

AND FINALLY, WE JUMP AHEAD
TO THE 1960S.

AND, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW
THAT STOKOE HAS BECOME

AN IMPORTANT PERSON
IN OUR LITERATURE.

HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON
WHO WORKED AS A LINGUIST

TO DISCOVER GRAMMATICAL FEATURES
OF ASL

AND TO REALLY DEFINE IT.

HE FOUND THAT ASL
WAS TRULY A LANGUAGE,

AND THAT BROUGHT THE ATTENTION
OF MANY OTHER PEOPLE

INTO THE FIELD.

IT IMPACTED MANY PEOPLE
WHO ARE VERY CREATIVE

IN A VERY SERIOUS WAY.

ELLA MAE LENTZ,
THIS IS HER SIGN NAME,

SHE'S AN IMPORTANT FIGURE TODAY
FOR ASL POETRY.

CLAYTON VALLI IS ALSO
AN IMPORTANT ASL POET.

AND THEY HAVE DESCRIBED THEIR
DESIRE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES

WITHIN A TYPE OF POETRY.

SO, THEIR PROCESS WAS TO BEGIN
WITH THE WRITTEN WORD

AND KEEP MODIFYING IT UNTIL THEY
FELT SOME SENSE OF SATISFACTION,

BUT THEY NEVER FELT COMPLETELY
SATISFIED WITH THEIR WORK.

WHEN STOKOE'S REALIZATION
HIT THE WORLD

THAT ASL WAS TRULY
A LANGUAGE OF ITS OWN

THAT HAD INTEGRITY,

DEAF POETS STARTED
TO LET GO OF ENGLISH

AS THE LANGUAGE OF ORIGIN
FOR THEIR CREATIVITY

AND START TO CREATE DIRECTLY
IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE OF ASL,

WHERE THEY WERE ABLE
TO MORE COMFORTABLY MODIFY

AND USE THEIR LANGUAGE SKILLS.

THIS IS WHERE ASL LINGUISTIC
STUDIES REALLY GOT ROLLING.

AS DISCOVERIES RELATED TO
ASL LANGUAGE AND STRUCTURE

BECAME MORE WIDESPREAD,

WE STARTED TO SEE
MORE OF A TENDENCY

TO STUDY THE CULTURE
OF A PEOPLE.

IN THE 1980S, MORE AND MORE
CULTURAL RESEARCH WAS DONE

RELATED TO THE DEAF PEOPLE
AS A CULTURE IN AMERICA.

EVERY GROUP OF PEOPLE HAS
THEIR OWN CULTURAL ABILITIES

AND PREFERENCES AND TENDENCIES.

ONE OF THEM IS THAT THEY SHARE
A TRADITIONAL LANGUAGE,

AND THEY SHARE A LANGUAGE
IN WHICH THEY PASS ON

THE STORIES OF THEIR CULTURE.

THAT GAVE RISE
TO ASL LITERATURE STUDIES.

THAT'S REALLY JUST
BEEN A PHENOMENON

OF THE PAST 10 YEARS.

IT'S A VERY NEW THING,
BUT WE'RE PROUD TO SAY

THAT THE AWARENESS MOSTLY
STARTED HERE IN ROCHESTER.

IMAGINE THAT.

THE PRIDE THAT WE FEEL
IN OUR LITERATURE

AND THE PRIDE THAT CAME OUT
HAPPENED IN 19...

IN 1990, THERE WAS THE FIRST
ASL LITERATURE CONFERENCE HERE,

AND THEN IN--AFTER THAT
LITERATURE CONFERENCE HAPPENED,

1991, WE HAD AN ASL
LIT CONFERENCE HERE

THAT FOCUSED ONLY ON
THE EXPRESSION OF

POETRY AND STORIES,

AND THAT WAS A WONDERFULLY
UNIQUE EXPERIENCE.

THEN, AGAIN, IN 1996,

THERE WAS A NATIONAL
LITERATURE CONFERENCE

THAT DOROTHY...
DEIRDRE SCHLEHOFER AND I

ALL PRESENTED AT.

DEIRDRE WORKS AT THE U OF R,

AND SHE WORKED WITH
DOROTHY AND I.

WE HAD KIND OF DETERMINED
THAT WE WANTED TO DESCRIBE WHAT

ASL LITERATURE REALLY WAS,

AND SO, THAT LED
TO A NUMBER OF DISCUSSIONS

THAT WE'RE STILL
ENGAGED IN TO THIS DAY.

SO, WE'RE BOTH--
WE'RE ALL FASCINATED IN

DISCOVERING THE ISSUES
PERTINENT TO ASL LITERATURE.

BUT YOU KNOW, LITERATURE
IS A VERY BROAD CATEGORY,

AND CAN BE SUBDIVIDED
INTO VARIOUS GENRES.

AND I'D LIKE TO TURN IT
OVER TO DOROTHY NOW

TO GIVE YOU SOME EXAMPLES.

OK. ASL LITERATURE GENRES

WERE FIRST ESTABLISHED
BY NANCY FRISHBERG

BACK IN 1980.

SHE FOUND 3
VERY SPECIFIC GENRES,

AND WE LATER ADDED A FOURTH

IN THE 1996 CONFERENCE.

SO, I'D LIKE TO START
WITH THE FIRST 3 GENRES.

THE FIRST IS ASL ORATORY;

THE SECOND IS
ASL FOLKLORE OR SIGNLORE;

AND THE THIRD IS
ASL PERFORMANCE ARTS.

THE FOURTH WE ADDED
WAS ASL VISUAL ARTS.

NOW I'D LIKE TO EXPAND
ON EACH OF THESE TOPICS.

ASL ORATORY INDICATES
THE FORMAL AND STAGE TYPE OF

PRESENTATIONAL STYLE,

PERHAPS A GRADUATION CEREMONY,

PERHAPS A KEYNOTE ADDRESS
FOR A CONFERENCE.

AND THESE ARE
FORMAL SPEECHES THAT--

WE HAVE A VIDEOTAPE
OF GEORGE VEDITZ

AND MJ BIENVENU,

AND SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS
OF ORATORY

IS THAT THERE'S
VERY FORMAL ASL USAGE

AS WELL AS A VERY LARGE
SIGNING STYLE

THAT COVERS A VERY LARGE SPACE
IN FRONT OF THE SPEAKER.

GEORGE VEDITZ
IS AN OLDER EXAMPLE,

BUT MJ BIENVENU HAS GIVEN
A NUMBER OF KEYNOTE ADDRESSES

WHERE YOU CAN SEE VERY SPECIFIC
ORATORY STYLE,

AND SOME OF THE EVIDENCES THAT
WE HAVE OF THIS TYPE OF STYLE

ARE REALLY INSPIRING
AND VERY BEAUTIFUL.

WE ALSO HAVE CHANTS
AND DEAF SONG,

AND ONE EXAMPLE IS
"VOICES OF THE ANIMALS."

IT WAS DONE AT DEAF WAY,
WHERE THERE WAS USE OF RHYTHM,

CREATIVITY, AND A LOT
OF MOVEMENTS

THAT ARE SIMILAR IN WHAT
YOU'D FIND IN A CHANT

OR AN ART TYPE OF...

AND WE WILL BE SHOWING
[INDISTINCT]'S VIDEOTAPE

TO SHOW YOU AN EXAMPLE
OF HIS WORK.

YET THEY'RE USING
THE [INDISTINCT]
IN REPETITIVE STYLE

AND THEN THE SIGN FOR
"ENJOYMENT" AND THEN "BOAT."

DRINK, DRINK,
DRINK, DRINK, DRINK.

FUN, FUN, FUN, FUN, FUN.

JOY, JOY, JOY, JOY, JOY.

[LAUGHTER]

[INDISTINCT]

SO, THAT WAS DONE IN
AN OLD-FASHIONED CHANT FORUM,

AND TODAY, WE STILL
HAVE THAT FORUM.

MANY OF THE DEAF
FRATERNITIES AND SORORITIES

STILL PARTICIPATE IN THEIR OWN
TYPES OF CHANTS THAT THEY LEAD.

GALLAUDET, FOR MANY YEARS, HAD
THIS SIGN FOR THE BUFF AND BLUE,

AND THAT INDICATED THE NUMBER
OF VARIETIES OF THE CHANT STYLE.

NOW, ELOQUENT SPEECH
AND FORMAL ORATORY

IS WHAT YOU USUALLY FIND
IN THE ORATORY GENRE.

NOW WE WILL MOVE TO THE ASL
FOLKLORE AND SIGNLORE GENRE,

WHICH HAS 6 SUBCATEGORIES.

I WANT TO SHOW YOU DIFFERENT
TYPES OF STORYTELLING,

FIRST AS PERSONIFIED
BY BEN BAHAN,

WHO'S QUITE WELL KNOWN

FOR HIS WORK CALLED
"BIRD OF A DIFFERENT FEATHER."

NEXT, STEPHEN RYAN...

WHO HAS A WORK
CALLED "[INDISTINCT]."

SAM SUPALLA, FOR
"A DECENT THING,"

OR "THE BEST WHISKEY
IN THE WEST."

BONNIE KRAMER HAS A FAMOUS STORY
THAT SHE TELLS CALLED

"THE UGLY DUCKLING."

THAT'S A STORY THAT'S INTENDED
FOR DEAF CHILDREN AUDIENCES

IN THOSE SCHOOLS.

PATRICK GRAYBILL,
AS YOU ALL KNOW,

IS QUITE A FAMOUS MAN
AND A TEACHER HERE

IN THE PERFORMING ARTS,

AND HE HAS A QUOTE--
OR A FAMOUS WORK THAT HE DOES--

"ACCORDING TO PATRICK,"
WHERE HE TALKS ABOUT

HIS EXPERIENCES GROWING UP
IN A SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF.

FINALLY, WE HAVE
YVONNE BLACK ROBINSON,

WHO'S A BLACK WOMAN,
AN AMERICAN DEAF WOMAN,

WHO COMES FORM A DEAF FAMILY,

AND SHE HAS A WORK THAT
SHE CALLS "MY MOTHER LOVES ME."

NOW, AS YOU KNOW, ALPHABET--
NUMBER STORIES

ARE A VERY COMMON TYPE OF WORK

IN DEAF CULTURE,

USING EITHER THE ABCS
OR THE NUMBER LINE

IN ORDER TO PERSONIFY A STORY.

WILLIAM BAM COLEMAN
USED TO BE AN NTID STUDENT...

BUT NOW HE'S WORKING ON HIS
B.S. DEGREE ELSEWHERE...

AND HE DOES THIS
REALLY WONDERFUL STORY...

AND IT'S
ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING.

AND BAHAN DOES
A REALLY GREAT STORY

ABOUT THE HAUNTED HOUSE USING
"A" TO KNOCK ON THE DOOR,

"B" TO OPEN THE DOOR, AND "C"
TO LOOK AROUND SUSPICIOUSLY.

NOW THERE'S AN EXAMPLE
I WANT TO SHOW YOU

FOR--OF SOME CURRENT FOLKS WHO

USE THE NUMBERS ONE THROUGH 15

IN A STORY CALLED

"THE CARELESS INDIAN."

AND THEY'RE INVOLVED
WITH A GROUP CALLED

EYEFUL FOR THE SOUL,

AND WE'D LIKE
TO SHOW YOU THIS EXAMPLE.

4, 5, 6, 7, 8,

9, 10, 11,

12, 13, 14, 15,

THESE ARE TWO STUDENTS HERE--
DON KLEPPER AND RYAN PALMER--

AND THEY HAVE
A ONE THROUGH 15 STORY.

ANOTHER TYPE OF FOLKLORE
IS HUMOR,

OR TALL TALES,
AND THIS IS DIVIDED

INTO 4 SUBCATEGORIES AS WELL.

WE HAVE HUMOR ABOUT OPPRESSION,

ABOUT PLAY, FINDING PLAY,

ABOUT EXPERIENCES,

AND THERE'S ONE WORD
THAT I FORGOT.

VISUAL...VISUAL IMAGERY.

AND GOSH, IT WAS DARK
OVER THERE.

I COULDN'T SEE
WHAT I WAS DOING.

MEL CARTER IS ONE OF
THE PIONEERS OF TEACHING,

AND HE'S IN CALIFORNIA,

AND HE'S WORKED WITH
OLDER DEAF PEOPLE.

C.J. JONES IS
AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAN

WHO, A LONG TIME AGO,
WAS ALSO AN NTID STUDENT,

AND HE DOES A LOT WITH HUMOR.

ELVIN ZOLA IS
AN OLDER DEAF WOMAN

WHO TENDS TO DO A LOT WITH
THE WORK OF SENIOR CITIZENS.

E. LYNN JACOBOWITZ
IS A DEAF WOMAN

WHO TELLS STORIES
RELATED TO A LOT OF HUMOR.

AND MARY BETH MILLER
IS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS

OF THE NATIONAL THEATER
FOR THE DEAF.

AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SHOW YOU
SOME OF HER WORK ENTITLED

"HANDTALK."

AND YOU KNOW THAT THESE
VIDEOTAPES ARE VERY BRIEF.

I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU
ALL OF THE PEOPLE

THAT WE HAVE HERE
AS EXAMPLES TODAY,

AND I WOULD HAVE
TO RENT YOUR EYES

FOR THE WHOLE ENTIRE DAY,
BECAUSE WE HAVE

MANY GREAT EXAMPLES.

[LAUGHTER]

[LAUGHTER]

[LAUGHTER]

SEE HOW SHE'S PLAYING
WITH HANDSHAPES,

AND THE TWO HANDS ARE
TALKING WITH EACH OTHER.

THE HANDS HAVE BECOME
TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

THAT'S ONE GOOD EXAMPLE
OF HUMOR.

ANOTHER STORY RELATED TO HUMOR,

WE HAD A CLASS A FEW YEARS AGO

AND KAREN IS GONNA
TELL YOU ABOUT

HOW SOME HUMOR CAME UP
IN ONE OF HER CLASSES.

MAYBE I SHOULD STAND OVER HERE.

IN TENNESSEE, WE WENT OUT
TO A TOWN CALLED KNOXVILLE.

LOTS OF PEOPLE WERE THERE
FOR A CONVENTION

BECAUSE A MIRACLE OCCURRED.

THEY SAID THAT PEOPLE
COULD LEARN HOW TO HEAR,

AND IT'S TRUE THAT
3 DEAF PEOPLE,

THE 3 OF THEM WERE
ONE MAN WITH A WHEELCHAIR,

A WOMAN WHO WAS BLIND,
AND A DEAF WOMAN.

AND THEY ALL WANTED THE CURE.

THEY ALL WANTED TO BECOME
HEALTHY AND WHOLE.

AND SO, THEY WENT
TO THIS MIRACLE PLACE,

AND THE MAN WITH THE WHEELCHAIR
WAS SO EXCITED.

HE WENT FLYING AROUND, AND
THE PREACHER SAW HIM AND SAID,

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

HE SAID, "I WANT
TO WALK AGAIN."

SO, THE PREACHER SAID, "YOU NEED
TO CONSIDER VERY CLOSELY

AND YOU NEED TO PRAY
REALLY HARD,"

AND SO, A LOT OF THINKING
AND A LOT OF PRAYING WENT ON.

AND THEN SUDDENLY,
THE MAN GOT UP

OUT OF HIS WHEELCHAIR
AND WALKED,

AND HE SAID,
"I CAN WALK AGAIN."

AND HE HAPPILY LEFT.

THE WOMAN WHO WAS BLIND
WAS BROUGHT UP TO THE STAGE,

AND THE MINISTER ASKED HER
WHAT SHE DESIRED.

SHE SAID, "I REALLY WANT
TO SEE AGAIN."

AND HE SAID, "WELL,
YOU THINK ABOUT IT

AND WE'LL PRAY OVER YOU."

AND SO, THEY PRAYED AND THEY
PRAYED AND THEY PRAYED.

AND THE WOMAN OPENED HER EYES

AND SHE SAID, "I CAN SEE FACES.

I CAN SEE COLORS."

SHE WAS THRILLED.

AND SHE WAS USHERED
OFF TO THE SIDE.

AND THEN A DEAF WOMAN
SHOWED UP ON THE STAGE,

AND THE MINISTER SAID,
"OH, I SEE WHAT YOU NEED,

AND THEY PRAYED AND THEY PRAYED
AND THEY PRAYED,

AND THEN SUDDENLY,
EVERYBODY WAS DEAF.

IT WORKED.
[LAUGHTER]

KAREN'S GONNA TELL YOU
ANOTHER STORY.

I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD
A LOT OF THINGS,

A LOT OF JOKES
OF THE SAME NATURE,

AND I'M SURE THAT
YOU'VE HEARD OTHER THINGS

IN THE NATURE OF THAT JOKE.

AND SO...

I'M SURE YOU'VE
SEEN THIS JOKE MODIFIED

SO THAT WHEN A PERSON
DIES AND GOES TO HEAVEN,

THE MAN IN THE WHEELCHAIR
WILL BE ABLE TO WALK

AND THE PERSON WHO'S BLIND
WILL BE ABLE TO SEE,

BUT A LOT OF US
WHO ARE DEAF SAY

THAT THE HEARING WORLD
ISN'T ALL THAT PERFECT,

SO, WHY SHOULD WE WANT
TO BECOME PERFECT?

SO...IT'S KIND OF AN FFI JOKE,

AND SO...SO, PEOPLE CAME UP
WITH THE IDEA

TO HAVE THAT SORT OF CLASS
A COUPLE YEARS AGO,

WHERE WE WOULD SHARE
THOSE SORT OF STORIES,

AND IT WAS A REALLY
GREAT EXPERIENCE.

OK, SO, NOW WE'VE FINISHED
WITH THE HUMOR SUBCATEGORY,

AND NOW I'D LIKE
TO TURN TO POETRY.

POETRY IS REALLY, TRULY
A WONDERFUL ART,

AND THERE ARE
TWO DIFFERENT THEORIES

THAT ONE USES TO APPROACH IT.

ONE CAN LOOK AT THE SPACE
AND THE HANDSHAPE USED

AND THE WAY ONE USES
ONE'S HANDS IN THE PHONEMES,

OR YOU CAN THINK OF IT AS JUST

SORT OF OVERALL BEAUTIFUL ART,

AND I'LL SHOW YOU EXAMPLES
OF BOTH OF THESE APPROACHES.

PETER COOK, WHO ALSO USED
TO BE AN NTID STUDENT,

HE ESTABLISHED SOMETHING CALLED
THE FLYING WORDS PROJECT

WITH KENNY LERNER,
WHO'S STILL CURRENTLY HERE.

ELLA MAE LENTZ DOES
A LOT OF EXPRESSIVE WORK

THAT'S PRETTY WELL KNOWN.

SHE DOES A WORK CALLED
"THE TREASURE," "THE DOORS,"

A POEM CALLED
"TO A HEARING MOTHER,"

AND HER LIST OF POETRY
IS ENDLESS.

DEBBIE REMINI.
AGAIN, A FORMER GRADUATE

OF NTID,

WHO MAJORED IN ART EVENTUALLY.

SHE DOES ONE CALLED "THE SWAN,"

"THE VEAL BOYCOTT,"
AND "THE BLACK HOLE."

AGAIN, PAT GRAYBILL,
WHO'S A FAMOUS STORYTELLER,

HE DOES POETRY WORK,

AND ONE OF THEM
IS CALLED "LIBERATION,"

"THE PARADOX,"
AND "THE SURPRISE."

THOSE ARE NAMES OF HIS
FAMOUS POET--POEMS.

NOW, CLAYTON VALLI, WE'LL
GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF HIS WORK.

THE FIRST ONE IS CALLED
"THE COW AND THE ROOSTER."

NOW, I REMEMBER
I TOLD YOU ABOUT

ONE OF THE THEORIES
OF APPROACHES

IS TO LOOK AT
HANDSHAPES AND RHYTHMS

AND MEANINGS TOGETHER,

AND HOW THE PALM IS SITUATED.

AND WE'LL SEE HOW THAT
PLAYS OUT IN POETRY.

CLAYTON CAME UP
WITH THIS POEM...

AND THE GIRL WHO WILL
PERFORM HIS POEM

IS ANNA LEE BARRETT,
WHOSE PARENTS ARE DEAF.

DID YOU RECOGNIZE
THE USE OF HANDSHAPE?

WE USE THE "Y" FOR THE COW

AND THE "5" AND THE "3."

SOME OF THE SIGNS ARE NOT SOME

THAT YOU'D SEE
ON A REGULAR BASIS,

LIKE THIS ONE, OR THESE.

BUT IT'S A LOT OF PLAY
IN POETRY,

AND IT'S NOT TYPICALLY USED
IN NORMAL CONVERSATION.

THE NEXT EXAMPLE WE'LL SEE

WAS ALSO PRODUCED
BY CLAYTON VALLI,

BUT THE HANDSHAPES ARE MORE

SORT OF BEAUTIFUL AND OPEN.

WELL, THIS ONE'S VERY SHORT,
I WARN YOU.

DO YOU WANT TO SHOW
THE OTHER PART?

OK. CLAYTON USED
A VERY ARTISTIC WAY OF

PRODUCING THIS POEM,

BUT WE'LL SHOW YOU THIS--
THE SAME THING

BUT PRODUCED
IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

YOU CAN SEE THE FLOWERS
AND THE LEAVES.

THAT'S INTENDED TO BE
EXACTLY THE SAME POEM,

BUT YOU SEE IT PRODUCED
IN A DIFFERENT WAY,

WITH THE USE OF ART.

THAT'S REALLY AMAZING.

SO, NOW WE FINISH
DISCUSSING POETRY.

THE FIFTH IS DRAMA.

GIL EASTMAN IS FAMOUS FOR HIS
CREATIVE PERFORMANCE CALLED

"SIGN ME ALICE"
AND "DEAF PRESIDENT NOW."

TERRI LEAN IS A DEAF WOMAN

WHO PRODUCES A ONE-WOMAN SHOW

BASED ON HER LIFE EXPERIENCES

AS A DEAF WOMAN
HERE IN AMERICA, AND...

SHE PERFORMED AT
THE DEAF WOMEN UNITED

IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
NOT LONG AGO

AND WAS INCREDIBLE.

NOW, ALAN BARWIOLEK
AND CHARLIE McKINNEY

HAVE PUT TOGETHER A TWO-PERSON
SHOW CALLED "CHALB."

WE HAVE LIGHTS ON!
DEAF THEATER AGAIN

HERE FROM ROCHESTER.

WHOA. WE'RE DOING WELL.

AND THEY HAVE COLLECTED
A NUMBER OF PLAYS

WRITTEN BY DEAF PEOPLE,
ACTED BY DEAF PEOPLE,

FOR AN AUDIENCE OF DEAF PEOPLE.

AND COUNTS AS ONE OF
OUR TYPES OF LITERATURE.

OUR SIXTH CATEGORY
IS CALLED PERFORMANCE ART,

WHICH INCORPORATES A NUMBER OF

DIFFERENT TYPES
OF PERFORMING STYLES.

WERNER ZORN WAS
A STUDENT AT RIT

WHO WAS CROSS-REGISTERED,

AND ACTUALLY,
HE'S STILL HERE NOW.

AND AT AN ASL
LITERATURE CONFERENCE,

WE TAPED HIM DOING WORK
RELATED TO SOUTH AFRICA

AND THE CHARACTERS OF
THE ANIMALS THAT ARE THERE.

IT WAS REALLY BEAUTIFUL.

AGAIN, PETER COOK

WAS WORKING WITH
THE LEXINGTON SCHOOL

AND ALSO WITH
THE FANWOOD STUDENTS

TO CREATE
THEIR OWN PERFORMANCES,

AND THE TWO OF US
WOULD LIKE TO SHOW YOU

SOME OF HIS WORK
WITH SOME OF THE DEAF STUDENTS

ENTITLED..."NOVEMBER 22, 1963."

THAT WAS VERY
HEART-TOUCHING WORK.

SO, WE'VE TALKED
ABOUT ASL ORATORY

AND DIFFERENT TYPES
OF FOLK STORIES...

AND WE'VE TALKED
ABOUT PERFORMANCE ART, DRAMA,

AND NOW WE WANT TO SWITCH OVER
TO KAREN CHRISTIE,

AND SHE'S GONNA BE TALKING
ABOUT VISUAL ART.

NOW, THIS ISN'T RELATED
TO THE FIRST 3 CATEGORIES

THAT NANCY FRISHBERG
DISCOVERED.

INSTEAD, THIS IS A STORY
ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE.

1996...

AS WELL AS BACK IN '91,

DURING THE LITERATURE
CONFERENCE,

WE ALL AGREED THAT FRISHBERG'S
IDEAS WERE VERY, VERY GOOD,

BUT WE FELT THAT
THERE WAS ONE MORE AREA

THAT HADN'T BEEN IDENTIFIED,

AND WE FELT THAT
INFORMATION WAS MISSING

THAT NEEDED TO BECOME PART
OF THE LITERATURE CONCEPT.

SO, WE DEVELOPED A TERM CALLED
VISUAL ART IN ASL,

AND THAT INCLUDED WORK
IN ANIMATION AND FILM.

THERE ARE A LOT OF FEATURES
OF LITERATURE

THAT WE SEE IN THIS
PARTICULAR AREA.

NOW, VISUAL ART DOESN'T INCLUDE

PAINTING AND PHOTOGRAPHY,

ANYTHING IN A FROZEN FORM.

IT INCLUDES MOSTLY
WORK IN FILM.

NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF
MANY OF YOU REMEMBER

SUSAN VITO DUPOR.

SHE WORKED HERE AT NTID
A FEW YEARS AGO.

SHE WAS A STUDENT AND THEN
SHE BECAME A FACULTY MEMBER,

AND SHE TAUGHT ENGLISH HERE.

SHE WAS REALLY OUTSTANDING
IN PRODUCING ANIMATED IMAGES

THAT SHE WOULD RENDER BY HAND
AND THEN FILM

AND THEN PUT IT TOGETHER.

AND SHE HAS A STORY CALLED
"TO HAVE, TO FIND,"

AND WE CALL THIS A FILM,

AND IT'S ABOUT HER
DEAF EXPERIENCE GROWING UP

AS A GIRL DRAWING PICTURES,

AND SHE DREW PICTURES
THAT LOOKED LIKE HERSELF.

AND AS--SHE WOULD BRING
THESE PICTURES TO HER MOTHER,

AND HER MOTHER WOULD
PUT ENGLISH TO THEM.

LATER ON,
WHEN SHE WENT TO SCHOOL,

SHE OFTEN TENDED TO DAYDREAM
ABOUT HER BEST FRIEND,

WHO WAS HER DOG,

AND SHE THOUGHT THAT
IT WOULD BE A GREAT THING

IF HE COULD COMMUNICATE
WITH HER IN ASL.

SO, WE FEEL THAT THIS IS A VERY
ESSENTIAL PART OF LITERATURE

TO BE INCLUDED.

OUR NEXT EXAMPLE
IS FROM TRACEY SALAWAY.

AGAIN, A GRADUATE FROM RIT.

AND HER ANIMATION
IS QUITE DIFFERENT.

IT'S NOT BASED ON DRAWINGS,

IT'S BASED ON COMPUTER GRAPHICS

AND USES A GREAT DEAL OF COLOR,

YOU KNOW, VERY RICH,
SATURATED TONES,

AND SHE PRODUCED A WORK
CALLED "FLYING FINGERS."

AND WE CAN SEE A NUMBER
OF SYMBOLISM WORK

IN THIS PARTICULAR THING,

INCLUDING USING HANDS AS A CAGE

AND A NUMBER OF SYMBOLS REOCCUR
AGAIN AND AGAIN

TO GIVE A FEELING OF
WHAT THE DEAF EXPERIENCE

IS REALLY ALL ABOUT.

THE COLORS REALLY ADDS
A DEPTH AND BEAUTY TO IT

THAT--IT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE.

HER WORK IS VERY ABSTRACT.

AND THEN WE COME
TO 3 FILMMAKERS.

YOU KNOW CHARLES KRALL.

YOU ALREADY SAW
SOME OF HIS WORK

BASED ON THE "DRINK, DRINK,
DRINK" EXAMPLE OF THE CHANT.

NOW, HE STARTED PRODUCING FILMS
AROUND THE 1920S,

AND REALLY,
THEY COULD FIT UNDER

THE CATEGORY OF A DOCUMENTARY,

AND HE WOULD GO TO
REAL, LIVE DEAF EVENTS

AND THEN FILM, AND THEN REALLY
CAPTURE THE DEAF EXPERIENCE

THROUGH LIVE
DOCUMENTARY-TYPE FILM.

ERNEST MARSHALL ALSO RECENTLY
MADE A VIDEOTAPE

THAT INCLUDED SOME OF
KRALL'S WORK.

AND THAT WORK WAS VERY DIFFERENT
FROM THE 1930S.

HE DID SOME ACTING
AND FILMING BOTH,

AND IT STARTED OUT AS IF
HE WERE MAKING A MOVIE.

THAT A DEAF MAN
WAS FALLING IN LOVE

WITH ANOTHER WOMAN,

BUT HE ALREADY HAD A WOMAN.

AND THAT WAS ENTIRELY
A FEATURE FILM.

DAWN SKORSKI...

LIVES AROUND THE BOSTON AREA

AND CURRENTLY,
SHE WORKS ON FILMS

THAT HAVE A VERY STRONG
DRAMA COMPONENT

ABOUT REAL-LIFE, SERIOUS ISSUES

THAT WOULD OCCUR IN DRAMA.

AND WE HAVE
3 DIFFERENT EXAMPLES OF

THESE TYPES OF FILMMAKERS
WHO REALLY

VALUE THEIR DEAF EXPERIENCE

AND INCORPORATE THAT
INTO THEIR WORK.

NOW, A LOT OF YOU GUYS
KNOW OF [INDISTINCT].

HE'S SUCH A COOL GUY,
AND AT THE CONFERENCE

WE'VE ALLUDED TO
A NUMBER OF TIMES,

HE PRODUCED A LOT OF WORK
THAT HE DID ON STAGE

AND THEN INCLUDED STORYTELLING,

AND THEN ALSO SHOWED SOME OF
THE FILMS HE PRODUCED.

AND HE MOVED
BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN

THE 3 DIFFERENT TYPES
OF PERFORMANCE WORK.

HE PUT THE STORY
AND THE FILM TOGETHER

IN A WAY THAT OVERLAPPED
AND MADE A TOTAL PICTURE.

LASTLY, WE HAVE SAM SUPALLA...

WHO IS SOMEONE,
AS MOST OF YOU KNOW

FROM HEARING ABOUT HIM,

BUT HE'S MADE A VIDEOTAPE

WITH A VARIETY OF
HANDSHAPE CLASSIFIERS

AND FILM TECHNIQUES,

WHICH IS CALLED "THE FLIGHT,"

AND WE'D LIKE
TO SHOW YOU THAT ONE.

[LAUGHTER]

SO, THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS
THAT WE FELT

THAT WE NEEDED TO ADD
ANIMATION IN FILM

AS A SEPARATE GENRE.

NOW, THESE GENRES ARE
NOT VERY STRICTLY DEFINED

SO THAT THEY CAN'T BE COMBINED.

ENGLISH HAS A NUMBER
OF BASIC GENRES

THAT OFTEN ARE USED
IN COMBINATION WITH EACH OTHER

TO PRODUCE A NEW EFFECT.

THERE'S A WOMAN NAMED ROE,

WHOSE LAST NAME
I DON'T REMEMBER,

BUT SHE HAS PERFORMED IN
A DIFFERENT NUMBER OF STYLES.

AND SO, NOW THAT WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT LITERATURE,

AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
FAMOUS IN THE FIELD,

SOME OF THEM YOU ALREADY KNOW,

WE'RE GOING TO PUT THAT ASIDE,

NOT FORGET IT,
BUT PUT IT ASIDE,

AND TALK ABOUT LITERACY

AND TALK ABOUT HOW
THOSE ARE CONNECTED,

AND WE CAN DESCRIBE
WHAT LITERACY MEANS HERE.

PEOPLE OFTEN ASSUME
THAT LITERACY

IMPLIES READING, PERIOD,

AND STILL, IF YOU SEE
THE WORD "LITERACY,"

YOU ASSUME THAT SOMEONE
CAN READ AND WRITE

THE PRINTED ENGLISH WORD.

BUT MORE AND MORE, PEOPLE TODAY

ARE STUDYING ENGLISH,
ASL, AND OTHER LANGUAGES,

AND THEY SAY THAT LITERACY

IS NOT BASED ONLY
ON READING AND WRITING,

BECAUSE JUST
READING AND WRITING

ISN'T ENOUGH TO GET BY
IN THE EVERYDAY WORLD NOW.

THERE NEEDS TO BE
A DEEP UNDERSTANDING

OF HOW LANGUAGE WORKS

AND HOW IT'S PUT TOGETHER.

SO, WE'VE OPENED THE DEFINITION
FOR LITERACY TODAY

AND NOW WE HAVE MORE OF
A CONTEMPORARY VIEW,

AND THE PERSON WHO ORIGINATED
THAT IDEA WAS

FREIRE, PAULO FREIRE,

WHO WROTE A BOOK ENTITLED
"THE PEDAGOGY OF THE OPPRESSED."

IT'S A FAIRLY FAMOUS BOOK

WHERE HE WORKED WITH PEOPLE
OF OPPRESSED CULTURES

TO DEVELOP THEIR
LITERACY SKILLS,

AND HE NOTICED THAT WHEN HE WAS
TEACHING THEM TO READ AND WRITE,

EVEN IF THEY
ACCOMPLISHED THAT SKILL,

THAT WAS NEVER ENOUGH.

THEY NEEDED TO USE LANGUAGE
IN A CREATIVE WAY

TO BECOME A MORE POWERFUL PERSON
IN THE WORLD

AND TO BE ABLE
TO TRANSFORM THEIR LIVES.

MAYBE IT'D BE BETTER
IF WE DIVIDED LITERACY

INTO 3 DIFFERENT PARTS
TO EXPLAIN EACH PART.

THE FIRST ASPECT OF LITERACY
IS FUNCTIONAL LITERACY,

WHICH MEANS ALMOST
EXACTLY THE SAME

AS THE TRADITIONAL
POINT OF VIEW

OF SIMPLY READING AND WRITING.

IF ONE HAS BASIC SKILLS
IN THOSE, THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH.

OR BEING ABLE
TO PRODUCE SIGN LANGUAGE

AND UNDERSTAND WHAT
OTHER PEOPLE ARE SAYING

IN A COHERENT WAY.

BUT IT DOESN'T REQUIRE A LOT OF

SERIOUS, IN-DEPTH
ANALYTICAL SKILLS,

BUT JUST THE TYPE
OF VERNACULAR SPEECH

YOU'D SEE IN EVERYDAY LIFE.

SOMETHING THAT ONE COULD USE
WITH ONE'S FRIENDS

OR OUT IN
THE SHOPPING ENVIRONMENT,

AND THAT'S A VERY BASIC TYPE
OF LITERACY SKILL.

THE NEXT LEVEL IN DEPTH IS WHAT
WE MIGHT CALL CULTURAL LITERACY.

THIS MEANS AN UNDERSTANDING
OF THE PAST BACKGROUND

OF THE LANGUAGE AND THE PEOPLE
WHO USE IT.

CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE THAT APPLIES
TO THE COMMON EXPERIENCE

OF THE PEOPLE
WHO USE THE LANGUAGE.

AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT,
NOT ONLY FOR READING

BUT ALSO FOR BEING ABLE
TO UNDERSTAND ASL.

IT MEANS THAT
YOU DON'T JUST HAVE

A BASIC UNDERSTANDING
OF WHAT'S HAPPENING,

BUT THAT YOU CAN MAKE
A CONNECTION BETWEEN

THE LANGUAGE THAT
YOU'RE RECEIVING AS AN INPUT

AND FEEL THE CONNECTION WITHIN
YOUR OWN LIFE EXPERIENCE.

SO, THERE'S SOME LEVEL
OF ANALYSIS INVOLVED.

LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

SOMEONE WHO HAS A VERY STRONG

CULTURAL ORIENTATION IN JAPAN
WHO'S DEAF

AND THEN COMES
TO THE UNITED STATES

VERY OFTEN CAN PICK UP
AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE

THROUGH EVERYDAY USE
AND EXPOSURE,

AND IF THAT SORT OF PERSON

WERE TO SIT AND WATCH
THE FILM THAT WE SHOWED TODAY,

"NOVEMBER 22, 1963,"

THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE
THE CULTURAL BACKGROUND

AND REAL UNDERSTANDING
AND KNOWLEDGE

OF THE HISTORY
OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

TO UNDERSTAND THAT
NOVEMBER 22 IN 1963

WAS A VERY IMPORTANT
DATE FOR US.

AND SO, THEY HAVE MAYBE
BASIC FUNCTIONAL LITERACY

BUT NOT THE CULTURAL LITERACY.

AND THEY WILL HAVE TO MAKE
GUESSES AND ASSUMPTIONS

ABOUT THINGS THAT PEOPLE
WHO ARE WITHIN THE CULTURE

HAVE A POSITIVE AND CLEAR
UNDERSTANDING OF.

THE THIRD LEVEL IS CALLED
CRITICAL LITERACY,

WHICH REQUIRES MORE OF
AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS.

ONE FINDS THE REAL
IN-DEPTH MEANING ABOUT

THE GOAL OF A LANGUAGE.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE STORY
THAT SHOWED YOU

ABOUT THE PREACHER [INDISTINCT]

AND THE MIRACLE OF THE PEOPLE
BECOMING HEALED...

IS...IT REQUIRED--OK.

THIS REQUIRES A LOT OF
UNDERSTANDING AND PHILOSOPHY

TO ANALYZE THE LANGUAGE
TO REALLY GET

ALL OF THE PIECES
AND PUT THEM TOGETHER

TO MAKE THE POINT
VERY STRONGLY,

TO SHOW THAT DEAF PEOPLE
ARE NOT HANDICAPPED.

IT MAKES A MORE
PHILOSOPHICAL POINT

IF YOU HAVE
THE IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS.

SECONDLY, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT

YOU CAN SEE ASL LITERATURE

AND BE ABLE TO APPRECIATE IT,

BUT THEN WHEN YOU GO HOME,

YOU MIGHT HAVE A SENSE THAT

YOU CAN LEARN THINGS
THAT YOU SAW

AND BE ABLE TO
PRODUCE IT YOURSELF,

AND THAT WILL GIVE YOU
AN OPPORTUNITY

TO REALLY FEEL
THE PRIDE OF CREATIVITY

OF USING YOUR OWN LANGUAGE
TO PRODUCE IN.

NOW, IF WE WANT TO TIE
ALL OF THIS BACK,

LITERATURE AND LITERACY
AND HOW THEY WORK TOGETHER,

WE NEED TO ENVISION A PERSON

WHO IS QUITE LITERATE IN ASL.

WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE?

WHAT KIND OF CHARACTERISTICS
DO THEY HAVE?

THEY'RE A PERSON WHO
CAN EXPRESS THE LANGUAGE,

WHICH BASICALLY MEANS
FUNCTIONAL LITERACY.

THEY CAN EXPRESS ASL CLEARLY

AND RECEIVE IT
WITH UNDERSTANDING

THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE
MORE IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE.

NOW, THE SECOND POINT ADDS

A COMPONENT OF EDUCATION
TO FUNCTIONAL LITERACY

SO THAT THEY MIGHT
BE ABLE TO APPLY

THEIR KNOWLEDGE TO THE LANGUAGE

AND BE ABLE TO SPEAK ABOUT IT

FROM A MORE EDUCATED
POINT OF VIEW.

AND SOME OF THE ARTISTS
USE THIS TYPE OF KNOWLEDGE

TO PRODUCE SOME OF
THEIR CREATIVE WORKS.

THIS THIRD POINT...
LIKE THE POEM

THAT'S ENTITLED "1880."

YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S
AN IMPORTANT--"1980."

IT'S AN IMPORTANT DAY IN
THE LIFE OF THE PEOPLE THERE.

OR MARCH OF 1988,

WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT
TO KNOW,

BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN
THE "DEAF PRESIDENT NOW"

EVENT OCCURRED.

AND SO...

OUR--WHEN A STORY IS RELATED

USING THINGS AS SYMBOLS,

LIKE THE BIRD OR THE EAGLE,

THESE CAN BE USED
TO DRAW PARALLELS

TO THE CULTURE THAT
A PERSON IS COMING FROM.

A LOT OF THE THEMES
BEHIND DEAF LITERATURE

SHOWS PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT
HOW THEY CAN SUCCEED

AND HOW THEY CAN DO IT.

LIKE, THEY TALK ABOUT
WHAT LIFE WOULD LOOK LIKE

IF THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE

SITTING IN AN [INDISTINCT]
AUDIENCE WERE DEAF

AND A VERY SMALL MINORITY
IN THE AUDIENCE WERE HEARING.

SO, THEY'LL USE A LOT OF

THE LITERATURE TYPES
OF COMPONENTS

THAT ARE USED
IN OTHER LANGUAGES

IN ORDER TO CREATE
SOME AWARENESS.

LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE,
SOME OF THE PEOPLE

WHO ARE CATCHING HANDSHAPES
THAT WERE SIMILAR

OR RHYTHMS THAT ARE REPRODUCED
A FEW TIMES.

AND PERHAPS WE'LL SEE
NEW FORMS DEVELOP AS WELL.

NOW, ONE OF THE REASONS
WE GAVE YOU

SEVERAL NAMES OF PEOPLE

IS BECAUSE NOW YOU KNOW

THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE

WHO ARE WELL-KNOWN
IN THE DEAF COMMUNITY

AND WELL-KNOWN FOR THEIR WORK.

ASL LITERATURE MEANS
THAT A PERSON

HAS DONE A LOT OF HARD WORK

TO DEVELOP WHAT THEY DO,

BUT THEY DON'T
DO IT FOR CAMERA,

THEY DO IT FOR A LIVE AUDIENCE.

ASL POETRY IS SOMETHING
THAT NEEDS TO BE SEEN, NOT--

THE ARTIST CAN'T
DO IT IN ISOLATION.

THEY NEED TO HAVE
A SENSE OF SHARING

WITH THE AUDIENCE
AND WITH THE COMMUNITY.

THEN WE CAN SIT BACK
AND TALK ABOUT

WHAT WE THINK THAT THEY MEAN,

NOT ONLY ON THE SURFACE,

BUT ALSO ON A MORE DEEP LEVEL.

SOMEONE WHO WORKS
IN ASL CREATIVE WORK

CAN BE SOMEONE WHO CAN
REALLY INSPIRE AWE,

SOMEONE WHO CAN INTERPRET
THEIR WORLD IN A MAGICAL WAY

AND PRODUCE ART THAT PROVIDES
ENJOYMENT TO THE AUDIENCE.

SOMETIMES, IT'S A SPINE-TINGLING
TYPE OF REACTION

THAT THE AUDIENCE MIGHT HAVE,

OR A SENSE OF CONNECTION
THAT'S SO STRONG

IT ALMOST MAKES ONE FEEL
LIKE ONE WANTS TO CRY.

OK. I'LL BRING IT BACK
TO DOROTHY TO CONCLUDE.

OK. IF WE GO BACK
TO THE OPENING,

WE ASKED YOU MANY QUESTIONS.

DID WE ANSWER THEM ALL?

PERHAPS SOME OF YOU
ARE MORE AWAKE

OR HAVE YOUR EYES OPENED
TO SOME OF THESE.

MAYBE YOUR EYES ARE
ONLY OPEN A GLIMMER.

MAYBE WE'VE CAUSED YOU
TO GO TO SLEEP.

BUT HOPEFULLY,
WE'VE CAUSED AN AWAKENING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE'RE GONNA GO OVER
INTO ROOM 1215

AND THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE
A DISCUSSION WITH

OUR TWO PRESENTERS TODAY.

THE NEXT PRESENTATION
IS ON MARCH 13

BY DOUG BAYNTON

AT 12 NOON

IN INGLE AUDITORIUM,

WHICH IS NOT HERE; IT'S OVER
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF CAMPUS.

AND THANK--I'D LIKE TO THANK
THE TWO INTERPRETERS TODAY--

SOPHIA JOHNSTON
AND MARIA BERNARD.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

"This project is supported by a Digitizing Hidden Collections grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR). The grant program is made possible by funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation."

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