In this episode of Languaging in Hampton Roads, co-hosts Jill Winkowski and Prue Salasky look into communication in the deaf community. They explore sign language, its history and variations. In particular they focus on the development of BASL, Black American Sign Language and American Sign Language in the southern U.S.
Through an interview with a nationally certified interpreter for the deaf, his interview of a deaf woman in Virginia Beach, and conversations with local and national experts, including NC State Prof. Walt Wolfram, on signing, they reveal the complexities of the language and pressures within the deaf community.
--Jubal Metzger-Smith’s full interview, its audio recording and transcript is available at
https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/tidewatervoices/ or find it by searching Tidewater Voices in your browser
--The Chesapeake campus of Tidewater Community College offers a 2-year associate’s degree in ASL and interpretation for the deaf. 757-822-1111
--The Hearing Loss Association of America, Virginia Beach chapter, includes all the cities in Hampton Roads. It conducts monthly hybrid meetings on the second Saturday of the month at Fortis College, 6300 Center Drive, Norfolk, Va. Find it at www.hearingloss.org
--The Virginia Hearing Loss Support Network meets in Virginia Beach on the fourth Saturday of each month. On Facebook or vahlsn.info@gmail.com.
--The Wells Theatre, 108 E. Tazewell St, Norfolk, Va. 23510 includes a signing interpreter for at least one show per production. (757) 627-1234.
--Find the videos and vignettes for the Language and Life Project at North Carolina State University on YouTube.
Send feedback, questions, topic suggestions, etc. to languaginghr@gmail.com
CREDITS: Original music by Skye Zentz; Languaging logo by Patty McDonald; technical help by Michael Lusby at the Sound Studio at Slover Library in Norfolk, Va.
Languaging Hampton Roads is written and produced by Jill Winkowski and Prue Salasky
