The Department of Linguistics proudly presents Gideon Firl, Fulbright Scholar at the US-India Educational Foundation. Gideon will present on "Deaf Perspective: Exploring the Essence of Indian Sign Language".

Gideon set out to explore the questions: Is sign language helpful to Deaf people's life quality in India? What is the essence of Indian sign language? He discovered that having sign language is key to Deaf success in their ability to contribute to the neighboring world. This presentation will be a narrative of Gideon's time in India. Key points in this presentation are: Deaf identity, artistic expression, and resigned discrimination. In the end, he learned that there are so much more to do in India in relation to advocating for Deaf rights, but his main focus is on theater arts and preserving Deaf stories.

Gideon comes from a multigenerational deaf family that uses ASL. He is a Gallaudet alumnus, with a bachelor's degree in Biology. Gideon and his wife has returned from their 9 months stay in India for Gideon's Fulbright study on the essence of Indian sign language. Before his Fulbright study, he worked as a translator, actor, writer, videographer, editor, and director for several organizations such as Pioneer Bible Translators, Deaf Documentary Center, and Deaf Health Equity. He also just completed a project with Deaf Missions, producing a groundbreaking film on Jesus. He currently resides in Albany, NY with his wife and dog.

ASL/English interpretation will be provided.