American Sign Language resources in honor of Deaf History Month
This April, the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council is joining other agencies across the country in celebrating Deaf History Month. In addition to educating the public about the accomplishments of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community, it’s an important moment to stress the importance of equitable spaces, providing them access to the same opportunities as the hearing community.
Art is for everyone. That’s why we’ve taken a leading role in the Increasing Accessibility to Pittsburgh Arts and Culture initiative, a national model for increasing access to the arts for audience members, volunteers, employees, and artists with disabilities. We’re proud to join other local arts organizations in offering access to shared equipment that can be used for audio, captioning, and more. In need of an ASL interpreter for your event? We’d be happy to connect you to a local business providing that service.
We also recently had the privilege of hosting a four-session course on American Sign Language for the Arts, which was led by Certified Deaf Interpreter Megan Wetzel. Throughout the classes, Megan taught arts administrators ASL basics, including arts-specific phrases, etiquette, and customer service information. Below, she shares resources for learning ASL for those who were unable to attend.
Instagram Accounts to follow
ASL Connect - @aslconnect
What The Deaf?! - @whatthedeaf
Sign with Joma - @signwithjoma
(This person teaches ASL vocabulary and Japanese Sign Language)
The ASL Lab - @theasllab
ASL for the People - @theaslapp
The ASL Shop - @theaslshop
The ASL Signbank - @aslsignbank
Influencers:
Shaylee Mansfield - @shayleemansfield
Nakia Smith - @itscharmay
Renca Dunn - @reallyrenca
Hannah Fishr - @deaf.that
Arlene ‘Lele’ Ngalle-Paryani - @arlenevibesss
Venesse Guy - @astro_woke
Dre Hollingsworth - @burgundre
Parenthood
Janet Moreno - @deafmotherhood
Bridget Nitsch - @deaffamilymatters
LGBTQ
Derrick & Josh - @deafgaydads
C3 & Maya - @thearielseries
(This account has “Deaf Guides” highlights that lists many different Deaf professionals you can follow on social media.)
YouTube Accounts to subscribe
Tiffany Hill - @tiffanythill
Garrett Bose - @garrettbose4759
Bill Vicars - @sign-language
Jeremy Lee Stone - @jeremyleestone
Savvy - @SavvyASL
Rocky Mountain School for the Deaf - @rmdsco