My older brother is on the autism spectrum, and early in his life, he was nonverbal. Since autism was a relatively new term then, my parents had not considered him autistic. They thought he was Deaf since he did not respond to his name being called. My mom bought a book, "The Joy of Signing," and we began to learn as a family. I was too young to understand this was a language; I saw it as a game making words with my hands. Once I began talking, my parents were overjoyed that I was verbal. My brother, observing their ecstatic state, decided he too could verbalize. Echolalia is common in autism, so at first, he was copying what he heard me babble. "Mama, Dada, ousside" and other words were repeated. Eventually, he did find his own voice to express himself. My parents decided that since we live in a hearing-centric world, they would toss out the idea of learning sign language and encourage my brother to speak English. I remembered how much fun I had, and I asked my mom if I could look at the book again. She let me teach myself, but I did not have anyone to practice with or teach beyond the skills of the pages. Over the years, I was continually exposed to sign language. In one music class in elementary school, we learned how to sign the "Happy Birthday" song. We learned a song at church in sign language. Since I lived near the state school for the Deaf and Blind, I would run into Deaf people at the mall or grocery store from time to time. I dated someone who was Deaf, and we used relay calls to connect to each other. I went to weekly "silent suppers" and took community sign language classes for fun. One day, our church held a conference. In one of the email announcements leading up to the conference, the event planning team asked if there were any sign language interpreters available. Now, I was far from fluent but could communicate on a basic level. I responded offering my skills to transcribe the workshops, since I type 80+ words per minute. They accepted. I met my Deaf consumer and asked which seminars they wanted to go to. They were a college student, so they opted for the campus ministry tract. I followed along and sat beside them in the front row for each session, typing away furiously. Then it hit me! Deaf people cannot learn to hear, but I can learn to sign. I decided to go back to school and learn sign language to become an interpreter, ally, and friend to the Deaf community.

Unfortunately, my world has been completely wrecked by domestic violence. Both my grandfather and father have sexually and physically abused their daughters and sons. They have both been stripped of their high military rankings, served time behind bars, and other implications. They have been unable to secure employment because of their criminal background. I have had trust issues for decades due to poor paternal figures and broken family systems. Over the years, I have spent countless hours and dollars on therapy. I struggle to make friends and find employment as it is difficult for me to trust others and report to male authority figures. The statistics and stigma surrounding mental health in the Black community in the US are negative. Black people do not see mental health as something that is a "Black" issue. Healthcare is not accessible for Black persons as requires taking time from work and an added expense since our health coverage is not universal. It is even less accessible for Black Deaf people as they either need to find a counselor who is fluent in their signed language or find a provider who will arrange for an interpreter, which is a challenging process in and of itself. Pursuing a degree in American Sign Language (ASL) Interpretation will allow me to serve as a conduit for Deaf and Hard of Hearing persons in the US. I can help provide access to healthcare and employment opportunities by interpreting doctors' appointments and job interviews. I am uniquely qualified as a Black individual to learn Black ASL, which was birthed out of segregation in the US. When schools were segregated, sprinkled throughout the nation were "colored" schools for the Deaf. Black Deaf children used sign language at school and at home and were understood. However, when schools were integrated, the white Deaf children told the Black Deaf children that they did not sign "right." Does this sound reminiscent of white people telling Black people that they do not speak "right?" Black Deaf children had to code-switch; they used their native language at home and with family and Black friends while at school using "true" ASL. Because of the history of oppression, only Black people can learn and use Black ASL. There are many opportunities where Black Deaf people would prefer a Black interpreter. The interpretation would be more culturally appropriate. Sadly, most Interpreter Training Programs (ITPs) in the US do not offer Black ASL courses, not even at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. I have identified a few Black Deaf mentors to assist me in learning Black ASL. I also plan to rally and petition ITPs to hire qualified Black Deaf teachers to teach Black ASL. I dream of keeping this language and culture alive for many generations! Upon completing my degree, I will be certified to interpret at community events, such as job interviews and church services, and in educational settings. I plan to continue my education and advocacy outside the classroom to uplift Black Deaf women. My interpretation services will give them access to employment and education, thereby improving the outcomes of their lives.