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| Happy International Week of Deaf People and Deaf Awareness Month! |
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We are thrilled to celebrate Deaf Awareness Month and International Week of Deaf People with our Deaf community, highlighting the richness of Deaf culture and the power of communication through sign language. As part of the celebration, we’re bringing you exciting updates. From innovative projects like our new community-curated GIF Library to 32 new eBooks to upcoming events, this newsletter is filled with ways to engage, learn, and connect. | |
Celebrate Deaf Awareness with These eBooks! | |
Our OverDrive collection is constantly growing, and in honor of International Week of Deaf People and Deaf Awareness Month, we’ve curated a few must-read eBooks! From personal memoirs to enchanting stories and cultural guides, these books celebrate Deaf identity and the richness of sign language. Explore these incredible reads and more, available now in our digital library! | |
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The Deaf Girl
by Abigail Heringer
Fresh off the shelf! Abigail Heringer, known as the first deaf contestant on The Bachelor, shares her inspiring life story in The Deaf Girl. Born profoundly deaf and fitted with a cochlear implant at age two, Abigail grew up feeling caught between two worlds—never fully fitting in with her hearing peers, nor feeling at home in the Deaf community. With vulnerability and honesty, she opens up about her journey to embrace her identity as a deaf woman. Supported by her family, especially her older deaf sister, Abigail’s story is one of hope, resilience, and personal growth. She reclaims the label “the deaf girl” as a symbol of her strength and empowerment, offering a message of encouragement to anyone who has ever felt like an outsider. This memoir is a powerful testament to the importance of self-acceptance and owning one’s unique voice.
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Butterfly on the Wind
by Adam Pottle and illustrated by Ziyue Chen
In this enchanting picture book, Butterfly on the Wind, a young Deaf girl named Aurora faces nerves before a talent show, struggling to sign. Just as she is about to give up, she sees a butterfly and signs the ASL word for “butterfly,” creating a magical one that embarks on a journey around the world. Along the way, it inspires Deaf individuals to add their own butterflies, symbolizing unity and strength. The butterflies return to Aurora, bringing the love and support of the global Deaf community, helping her regain confidence. With beautiful illustrations and a touching message, this story celebrates resilience, self-belief, and the power of connection.
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Talking with Hands
by Mike Pahsetopah
Talking with Hands is an engaging guide to Plains Indian Sign Language, also known as Hand Talk, used by Native American tribes of the Great Plains. Authored by Mike Pahsetopah, a professional Native American dancer, storyteller, and educator, this book introduces readers to a language once essential for trade, storytelling, and communication within the Deaf community. With detailed diagrams, photos, and descriptions, readers can learn to sign over 200 common words like “hungry,” “camp,” “brave,” and more. This beautifully designed guide honors the rich culture of the Plains peoples, helping preserve a language that few still speak today.
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Our Calendar of Can't-Miss Events | |
Stay in the loop with all the exciting events happening in the local Deaf community! From ASL classes to fun-filled trivia nights, there’s something for everyone. Be sure to subscribe to our community calendar and never miss out on the latest opportunities to connect, learn, and engage. | |
6-Week ASL Classes
When: Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Oct 01, 2024 - Nov 06, 2024
Where: Common Market, 927 West 7th Street, Frederick, MD 21701
Learn ASL from a Deaf instructor! Choose from ASL 1a or ASL 1b. Each ASL class takes place over 6 weeks. Visit deafmdcc.org to register.
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ASL Interpretation at MD Renaissance Festival
When: October 6, 2024
Where: 1821 Crownsville Road,
Annapolis, MD 21401
ASL Interpretation is provided at Maryland Renaissance Festival for many shows on Sunday October 6th. The shows include thrills, feasting, handmade crafts, entertainment and merriment in Crownsville, near Annapolis, Maryland.
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Busboys&Poet ASL 70's Poetry Night
When: Friday October 11, 2024
Where: Busboys and Poets - Columbia
6251 Mango Tree Road Columbia, MD 21044
On October 11th, from 9 PM to 11 PM, Busboys & Poets will host a lively ASL performance event. Attendees are encouraged to dress in 70’s attire or fun costumes and take the stage for performances. Marcus returns as the host, following a two-month break, with recognition to Wade Green for keeping the energy alive in his absence. Tickets are $5 online and $10 at the door. This event promises a night of engaging ASL performances and community fun.
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ASL Trivia: DC
When: Third last Thursday of every month
Where: Red Bear Brewing Company, 209 M St NE, Washington, DC 20002
ASL Trivia is designed to celebrate Deaf culture and American Sign Language, offering a unique space for both Deaf and hearing participants to interact, learn, and grow. Engage in entertaining trivia that educates about Deaf history, notable figures, and cultural insights, while also enhancing your ASL skills in an inclusive, community-building environment. Whether you're fluent in ASL or just beginning, this event promises an enriching experience for all.
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Maryland Deaf Community Center Benefit Gala
When: February 14, 2025
Where: TBD
Save the date! More information coming Fall 2024.
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Got an event of your own? Want to partner with the DCDL for future programs? Fantastic! Click below and tell us all about it. Help the DCDL show off the vibrant diversity of our Deaf community. | |
The DCDL Announces GIF Library at MDCC's Fun Fest | |
We launched our community-curated GIF library during Maryland Deaf Community Center's Fun Fest. Our community GIF library is designed to highlight and celebrate Deaf culture in dynamic and visual ways and bring Deaf expressions, emotions, and moments to life. Stay tuned as we evolve this project by transforming community contributions into interactive arcade-style games that help spread awareness and appreciation of ASL through a fresh and creative approach! |
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Why create a GIF library?
We believe in the power of visual communication! GIFs are a lively, interactive, and contemporary way to convey emotions, ideas, and moments. For the Deaf community, GIFs offer a creative medium that reflects Deaf culture and enable deaf individuals to communicate in a visual medium. Whether you’re learning ASL or just want to connect with others in a more dynamic way, our growing community GIF library makes it easier to share and express in sign language!
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Who can contribute?
YOU!
You can share video clips with us and be part of our growing community GIF library, which already has nearly 100,000 views across the internet. Your contributions will help spread awareness on our thriving Deaf culture. Video contributions can involve expressions, words in sign language, classifiers, and anything shorter than 5 seconds. The shorter, the better!
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How do I find and use the GIFs from the DCDL?
After we create your GIFs and add it to our library, they will be accessible on platforms like Facebook, iMessage, TikTok, and more. Just type @deafculturelibrary in the search bar wherever GIPHY powers search.
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We have exciting plans for the future of our community GIF library! After expanding our library with your contributions, we would love to transform the GIFs into interactive arcade-style games through GIPHY Arcade that use parameters of ASL. Even better, these games will be remixable, allowing you to personalize and create your own versions. Stay tuned as we build this fun platform!
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Join the MCPL Accessibility Advisory Committee | |
The Montgomery County Public Libraries AAC (Accessibility Advisory Committee) offers an opportunity to advise the MCPL Director and Library Board on enhancing library services and programs for people with disabilities. Members must be Montgomery County residents with disabilities and/or representatives from County organizations who are familiar with library services. Meetings are accessible with interpreters and captioning provided as requested. If interested, please visit the AAC webpage, where more detailed information is available. | |
Did you know that International Day of Sign Languages is celebrated on September 23rd to coincide with the establishment of the World Federation of the Deaf in 1951? It’s a global celebration of the importance of sign languages in upholding Deaf people’s cultural and linguistic identity. | | | | |
