"Signs" of the Times

     "Don't talk with your hands!" my Mother would always admonish.  For her, and others who were first generation Americans, people who talked with their hands were like the immigrants:  the Jewish, the Italians, the Greeks whose hands accompanied their conversation. To them, that was an element of 'old country' shame.  Little did they know that 'talking with hands' was energetic, expressive and make conversation (and most presentations) come alive.  And it was also the basis of a language spoken by millions: Sign language.

      When I taught in San Francisco, our school housed the classes for what was then called, the Hearing Impaired Program.  And the students who could be, were mainstreamed. Fortunately, one of the teachers, Lois Keenan, taught an introductory class to the teachers of the hearing. Because she became one of my best friends, I have been privy to her commitment to teach sign language.

      As the informative and brilliantly done, "must see" PBS special, Through Deaf Eyes , based on a book of the same name, teaching sign language was frowned upon at that time. But Lois Keenan knew that her students needed a way to communicate with their families. So she held a class in her home for the parents---far from the unapproving eyes of the program officials. She moved to Sonoma county and did the same. That class has mushroomed - over the years - into district sponsored and countywide classes for family, friends, and the community who either need or just want to learn sign language. Because she followed her heart and guts, bucking the tides and the officials, her "you never know" story is in How To Create Your Own Luck.

     Thanks to Lois, I have a few signs that I have used over the years. When I guest lectured at NYU last year, there was a deaf student and his interpreters in the class. When I introduced myself in sign language, he was so pleasantly surprised that I felt wonderful.  I have always thought that sign language was something with which hearing people should have some familiarity. That class cemented my thought.

     The advances in technology have given us closed captioning, advanced TTY systems, email, instant messaging, blogging and texting. And these technologies have helped to begin to level the playing and working fields for the hearing impaired.

     Can you 'talk with your hands'?  When you are working any room can you communicate by signing "hello"?  "Happy to meet you"?  "What's your name"?   And what are your thoughts? 

     Let me know susan@susanroane.com