ASL Slam: All the Positive Signs
Attendees watch as performers dance and sign along to "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction. Photo by Zada L. Cardinal
The night of Tuesday, April 15 marked an important event for the ASL Club as they hosted their annual ASL Slam event from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Attendees could be found at every table in the Kirby Ballroom as they sat conversing in American Sign Language (ASL) and were kept refreshed by a meal of pizza, an assortment of vegetables, chips and cookies.
This exhibit of posters from the "Save the Deaf Studies Minor" protest was present at the ASL Slam on April 15. Photo by Zada L. Cardinal
As a backdrop to the celebration, an exhibit of posters from the “Save the Deaf Studies Minor” protest could be seen stage-right in addition to a fabric display decorated with a spray paint logo for the ASL Slam. Both art pieces brought life into the room and highlighted the perseverance and resilience of the Deaf community.
Hosted by Crista Joseph, the event itself had a full program beginning with a social hour, followed by performances, an open mic session and a graduation ceremony for UMD seniors who will complete their ASL journey at UMD next month. The performances were easily a highlight of the evening as UMD students and community members made appearances on stage to tell stories, share advice and sing along to songs in their own unique interpretations.
One example of a signing “sing-along” and dance was the group who introduced themselves as Divya S., Kayley J., Hannah L. and Lily W. They performed “What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction and smiles quickly appeared around the room and contagious laughter spread like wildfire.
The final performance of the night was led by Monica Marciniak and featured “Imagine” by John Lennon. As the song progressed, Marciniak was gradually joined by her students on stage to finish the song as one group. As a visual representation of Lennon’s dreams of a united world, the performance made the message of the lyrics clear as a statement against division and discrimination.
Staff, students and community members engaged in conversation, both vocally and in ASL, during the social hour at the beginning of the event. Photo by Zada L. Cardinal
Following the performances, an open mic session was introduced and participants were invited to take the stage to share what was on their hearts and minds. A few people had the courage to make the walk to the stage and were able to add personal touches that made the event all the more memorable.
The importance of the Deaf community and the ASL Club was emphasized by the large number of supporters at the event. Amidst the smiles, happy tears and laughter, there was no sorrow to be felt in the Kirby Ballroom. The ASL Slam event was truly a celebration of Deaf culture, life and love.