By William Conboy
It all began one quiet night at the local Applebee’s. A group of students sat in silence, yet they were communicating just fine. In fact, with the use of some hand gestures and facial expressions they were having a lively conversation. It was not just a casual silent dinner though; it was a class project meant to give American Sign Language (ASL) students the experience of using their skills in public. This assignment would inspire club vice president Toni Rubbo and president Roshanali Dewji to start the new ASL and Deaf culture club at Adelphi.
“The goal of the assignment was to see the world from a different perspective and to not use verbal speech,” Rubbo said. She added that doing this as a class is what raised their awareness and “gave us all a greater appreciation for ASL and the Deaf culture.”
Rubbo said that Toni Sacchetti, a professor in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department, mentioned that there was an ASL club in the past. Working on this project together in senior adjunct professor Carol Lynn Kearney’s ASL II class, is what pushed Rubbo and Dewji to create a new ASL organization.
The new club held its first meeting this semester on September 11, kicking off their involvement on campus. It seeks to bring awareness to issues faced by the Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities while also discussing and learning ASL.
Rubbo said the club’s goal is to “increase awareness, advocate for the minor, and overall build a community of individuals who are excited to learn more.” Treasurer Michael Korotz said that you don’t need any experience in ASL to join.
“The club has a bunch of really fun events planned that anybody could look forward to,” he said. “I met a lot of people who said they always wanted to learn sign language but also don't have time to take classes, so I think this could be a really great opportunity for people who want to learn.”
Kearney not only helped to inspire the club but is also well-acquainted with Deaf culture herself. She became deaf at 18 while in college and relied on communicating with interpreters in ASL in order to complete her education. Once she graduated she became a teacher for deaf children and has been very involved in Deaf culture ever since.
She said she is happy to see this new club on campus. “Learning ASL improves one's social skills by building friendships, confidence and self-esteem,” she said. “I recommend everyone getting involved in learning ASL. Joining the ASL club opens the door to long lasting friendships as well as learning a new and unique language and culture.”
Rubbo said she has a wealth of ideas for activities going forward. These include volunteering with the nearby School for the Deaf and bringing in guest speakers. Some upcoming events include a paint night, Deaf awareness night and a silent movie night.
Korotz said, “My biggest hope is that the club is able to build a strong foundation of members, that way it lives on for a long time after myself, and all the other e-board members graduate.”
The club hosts general meetings every other Wednesday from 1:15 pm to 2:15 pm in the Hy Weinberg Center, Room 220. However, Rubbo emphasized that people can join even if they cannot make it to these meetings as they plan to hold various events at different places and times around campus. The best way to stay updated with upcoming events is to check out their MyAULife page or their Instagram.
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