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Hi, I’m your Instructor, Jamie. I’m a Nationally Certified American Sign Language Interpreter, Educator and mother of 2 amazing daughters. I’ve been interpreting and teaching Sign Language as well as hosting Sign Language lessons and Workshops for over 25 years.
It all started when…
I was about 8 years old. My brother had a deaf boy on his softball team and I noticed him using sign language with his mother. I went to the library and checked out books about ASL and started to learn how to fingerspell and use basic signs. I couldn’t wait to practice with that little boy and his mother. I was able to use my skills and practice which made all the difference. They encouraged me to keep at it and years later I made it my major in college. After graduation, I worked as an Educational Interpreter for many years while also taking jobs in the community as a Freelance Interpreter. I have been fortunate enough to work in some amazing places with some amazing people over the years.
About 6 years ago I began to notice that my own hearing was beginning to decline. After consulting with a doctor, I was fitted with hearing aids and decided to retire from Interpreting. Many Deaf and hard-of-hearing people work as interpreters, so it was not the hearing loss itself that became the deciding factor. For me, the change in my hearing combined with the loss of word recognition was difficult for me. So, after over 20 years working as an Interpreter, I decided to retire. But my story is not even close to being over! I now teach Sign Language to kids, parents and educators so other curious kiddos can learn Sign Language like I did! But, this time they don’t have to rely on only books from the library. Now there are so many resources online and I have many of them listed on the Resources page of this site for you to enjoy.
My experience in The Deaf Community combined with my experience as a hard-of-hearing person has given me a unique perspective on hearing loss. Sign Language has been a part of my life since I was that curious young girl in the reference section of my local library and it has woven its way into who I am as a person in so many ways ever since.
Here is a signed version of Three Little Birds By Bob Marley, music from That Baby CD, Oy Baby, LLC. Signing songs is a nice way to begin to flow your signs together in a comfortable and familiar way. Try signing along with me!
This is a performance from The Deaf Illinois Awards in 2009 with me performing on stage at Park West with The Hubbard Street Dancers. I had a blast doing this! The music is Brand New Day from the Broadway musical The Whiz.