[MUSIC]
COLIN LUALDI '17, Founder of Princeton University ASL
Club (PUASL), voiced by BRYON ROWE, Interpreter:
Honestly, when I was growing up, I had no idea about Princeton.
I remember, when I was a junior in high school,
I was making different trips.
And we stopped to see Princeton University for a visit.
I really didn't know anything about it.
I looked around at Princeton, and I said,
I really love it here.
It's really nice.
BRIANA FREEMAN '16, PUASL Member:
I became interested in sign language
when I was like a little kid.
My dad was a police officer, and he had an ASL dictionary.
Me and my sister found it, and we were like, oh, we
should totally learn.
This would be so cool.
RAE PEREZ '19, PUASL Social Chair: My mom is actually Deaf.
And so I grew up with a hearing dad and a Deaf mom.
And that is somewhat unusual in Deaf culture.
DANIEL GIFT '17, PUASL President:
So I think one of the things that I didn't realize when
I first came here and first started learning about sign
language was that it is a distinct and unique language
with its own separate syntax and grammar and all of that.
EILEEN FORESTAL, Lecturer in Linguistics
voiced by CRAIG RIDGWAY, Interpreter:
I'm looking at the students as ambassadors
for the Deaf community.
ASL is a language, and they can help to promote that concept.
SARAH JANE LESLIE, Professor and Director in Linguistics:
About a year ago, I was approached,
as the director of linguistics, to consider putting together
a course on the linguistics of ASL.
The request came through the Office
of the Dean of the College.
But the impetus behind it was, of course, Colin,
who's been such a terrific advocate for the Deaf community on campus.
COLIN LUALDI, voiced by BRYON ROWE, Interpreter: Deaf people tend to go to a new place --
the first thing that they do is they look for a Deaf community
to get involved in the Deaf community.
They can develop friends, and they
can socialize and communicate.
That's how Deaf people do it.
So if you went to another country,
you would meet Deaf people, and you'd
begin communicating with them as best you can.
When I arrived here at Princeton, there
was no Deaf community, so I thought, what was I able to do?
So I would develop my own community here.
So I had think about how I could actually do that.
So I taught people sign, established
an ASL club and different activities and a social life.
And this is my roommate.
I remember how the first day of school,
when I actually met Daniel, I looked at him
and I was like, wow, OK.
He's a physics major as well.
Cool. I'm a physics major.
So that's great.
And we didn't think anymore about it after that.
And then as things went on, freshman year,
he was learning to sign -- a little bit -- honestly,
not so great.
But then the second year and the third year,
living in the same room -- oh, he has improved dramatically.
His signing now is very fluent.
It's very impressive.
DANIEL GIFT: So in the "Linguistics of ASL" class,
we talked a bunch about in some circles
today, sign languages are not considered full languages,
and that they have all the aspects of a language.
And so we've been learning the details
of that, why that is, how that is,
in the "Linguistics of ASL" class.
And it's been really fascinating.
EILEEN FORESTAL, voiced by CRAIG RIDGWAY, Interpreter:
I was thrilled to teach this course.
It's really fascinating.
It's a nice dynamic.
And they're not regular ASL users.
Some know basic signs.
So I had to figure out how to teach American Sign
Language and linguistics to those
that aren't familiar with ASL.
It is a challenge, yet still fun.
It's a great group.
COLIN LUALDI voiced by BRYON ROWE, Interpreter:
We have four or five interpreters
that are very dedicated in making sure
that I have full access here.
And many of my classes, plus also for other outside of class
activities, sometimes, they're academically related.
We have problem solving meetings.
Plus, there's also social events.
And they will interpret for me.
Sometimes, interpreters are there all day, sometimes
into the night.
I have things that happen later in the night.
Even though the interpreters are tired, they persevere.
And I am very thankful for the wonderful team of interpreters.
ELIZABETH ERICKSON, Associate Director, Disability Services:
We actually created a SharePoint site on which Colin
is able to log in information about the assignments,
when the dates are, how many interpreters he needs,
and everything pertaining to that particular assignment.
This then generates an email that
goes out to select interpreters, who
receive that invitation for an assignment.
And then they let me know of their availability.
RAE PEREZ: I met him during Princeton Preview.
And I remember being so excited that there was a Deaf
person here and that I'd be able to continue exploring the Deaf
identity through him and through other students on campus.
And going to the ASL tables every Wednesday
and interacting with people learning sign language, who
already know sign language -- there's
a connection there, because it's almost a part of back home
for me to talk to people about Deaf culture
and in sign language.
It's really interesting.
BRIANA FREEMAN: So I think learning ASL at Princeton
is completely independent of how many Deaf students there
are at Princeton or if there are any Deaf students at Princeton.
I know I personally am not learning
Japanese and Korean to talk to fellow students
here necessarily, though that is fun
and that's a great way to learn more.
COLIN LUALDI voiced by BRYON ROWE, Interpreter:
Sometimes, people may approach me and ask,
you're the only Deaf student here at Princeton University,
does that make you feel isolated or a lack of language access
to communicate with your friends?
And I tell them, yes and no.
Obviously, there is a language barrier,
because no one is able to communicate in ASL fluently.
So there's a little bit of loneliness and isolation
with that, because it isn't complete language access.
I must admit that it's not perfect.
But at the same time, I really feel satisfied
with my social life here, because I've
met so many friends who are really great people.
And we've developed very close friendships with them,
and a really good connection.
And that's very satisfying.
[MUSIC]