Awti is a Birth Defect?!?

[@michellesmith5327]

Hey there... I know that this was done over a year ago... but what can I say, I am watching it now. Want to say i've chatted with you before and have appreciated the fact that you are so personable and actually answer people. If I had to say someone that I admire in the ASL community I would say it's you... and that's the truth... not just a way to get your attention. I've worked so many years on the periphery of the ASL community and I watch your videos and yearn for your story-telling skills and the ease with which you move through visual communication. Because I've worked cross-culturally and in the Hungarian Deaf Community I'd say there are quite a few of my friends in Hungary that would be in that category too, but they of course use a different sign... but the awesome thing about European Deaf is that they often have several signed and spoken languages and a few of my friends also use ASL ...bonus for me! Now that I am back in NA (Canada) I am refocusing on my ASL and going back to school... whoohoo! You are part of my educational upgrading so that I can face the two year program for ASL Interpreting that I will start in September... so thank you for making studying so enjoyable!

[@awti]

Michelle Smith Hi Michelle, thank you so much for commenting - I'm so glad whenever this vlog has a positive impact, it means the world to me *** :-D *** Your post comes at a perfect time; I'm about to upload a video that methinks you'll enjoy quite a bit! (watch for it, I think I'll title it "Awti in Paris: Cutting Edge Museum!")

[@MsTexanDJ]

I am late to the discussion, but I very much want to share a name. I received my undergraduate degree at UT Austin, and we had two fabulous ASL teachers. Bob Alcorn was my teacher for three of the four semester of ASL. He died during my final semester, and it was a huge loss to the school and to all of our hearts! He was an amazing teacher of true ASL. I knew signed exact English because I taught myself from a book and visited a local deaf church growing up. However, he really made ASL come alive for me. He had a fantastic sense of humor, and we all grieved terribly when we lost him. Carol Seevers was the other ASL teacher at the time, and she was also an amazing teacher. I owe a lot to both of them. (Though I must also say as a Trekkie, I love Howie Seago, the instructive ASL video series he did with his brother, and the theater he worked with in Oregon. I never visited his theater, but I followed him in the news as much as I could.)

[@awti]

YES, Bob Alcorn! I never had the pleasure of meeting him in person but I've enjoyed his work with Deaf Missions and couldn't agree more with you about his ability to make ASL come alive. And Howie and Billy Seago, beautiful! So many great ASL inspirations - thanks so much for commenting :-D

[@hamolina]

Thanks for sharing the details of your life before joining the ASL community. I was reflecting on the Deaf individuals whose signing was that pure ASL that I've learned to love. Most hearing people assume that just being Deaf makes you an expert in ASL. Of course a Deaf individual whose lived within the community for years is very skilled, but there are Deaf individuals who have been isolated and lacked schooling in ASL. In my experience those individuals are the ones who will most benefit from being invited into the ASL/Deaf community.

[@benjswindle9525]

I'd like to recognize Julie Hochgesang for being the first person who emphasized and explained A.S.L. is a language. Before then, I was just another "hard-of-hearing" from mainstreamed public education settings with no understanding or appreciation for the linguistic aspects of language and the beauty of forming complex/abstract concepts/ideas with only my facial expressions/bare hands. I thought I knew "sign language" then because I could communicate with anyone using sign language. Two decades later; I am still uncovering layers I've never scratched and constantly learning albeit the fact that I've been "signing" all of my life. If you're reading this Julie: thank you. I now fear for the future of ASL with the advances of genetic manipulations. Should parents (like my own: hearing with no knowledge or exposure to ASL/Deaf Community prior to my arrival) discover that their developing fetus will not be able hear... Doctors will jump at the chance to "restore" or "save" babies before they're born. A repeat of Martha's Vineyard to extinction lest documented.

[@MicheleWDeaf]

There are so many Deaf people and organizations that I admire. I'll do my best to list as many of them as I can (I apologize if I've left anybody out...so sorry sorry, xoxoxo etc). In no particular order: -Ryan Commerson & Alison Aubrecht (founders of Facundo Element; plus their Butterfly Effect series were brilliant works!) -Matthew Moore (founder/publisher/editor of Deaf Life magazine/Deaf Life Press/MSM Productions -John Lee Clark and Adrean Clark (writers/advocates; Adrean is also an artist; they also have been in publishing biz as well) -Ella Mae Lentz -Betty Miller, Ann Silver, Susan Dupor, Nancy Rourke, Chuck Baird, Tony McGregor (all De'VIA artists) -Marilyn Jean Smith (founder/1st executive director of ADWAS) -Eric Malzkuhn (the ultimate Sign Master of 'em all)

[@Carol-Bell]

Love these videos you make! There are tons of people in the ASL community I admire: my mentor, Mary Joseph Bacheller, a CODA who taught me the grammar and structure of ASL so I understood what I was seeing and improved my fluency, Ben Bahan, Sam Supalla and Ella Mae Lentz for their stories and poems, Wink, for making educational videos, Peter Cook for his wild sense of humor in his stories, Erik Witteborg (ewitty) for his brilliant mind and crazy-intense ASL, Jason Zinza, a CODA who speaks 3 languages and wrote the textbook I use for teaching, my friends Jeff Lubman and his wife Marie, Sharon Gough, an amazing DHH teacher at my school, and one of my former students who never knew ASL before taking ASL 1, and jumped from ASL 3 in high school right into ASL 3 in college and is now taking level 5 there. There are tons more that keep coming to mind, but I'll stop there. Thank you for making these. I can't wait till school starts -- my ASL 3 kids are gonna have homework -- watching Awti!!!!

[@jcroth2644]

Thank you so much for your contribution to the ASL community. I love your vids!

[@EVIESECOND]

I, too, was surprised to learn that you're hearing Awti. That's incredible! Very encouraging, too, as far as my becoming proficient in ASL. A group of people in the ASL Community whom I admire are the staff of the Interpreter's Prep Program at CCBC Catonsville (the ones I've met so far) Rick Perry, Colleen Shaw, Renuka Purimetla, the patient people in the ASL club.

[@EVIESECOND]

Right! I think he goes by Ricky. :) Thank you for the vlog. I'm enjoying it muchly.

[@ASLTheatre]

My ASL Community was largely thanks to the LDS ASL Deaf Ward (or Congregation) in Phoenix Arizona.

[@shawnah5466]

***** ......*intrigued by this comment* *makes a mental note* :D

[@rawmark]

Austin, it's always a pleasure to watch your videos. They bring a smile to my face. Cheers.

[@richstewart8633]

As an aspiring interpreter, I have 2 hearing signers who have inspired me a great deal. 1 is Awti (duh!). Not only having watched his vlogs and videos but having seen him interpret and having met him in person, Awti is the epitome of a professional sign language interpreter; not just in regards to skill but also personally and ethically. Brilliant entertainer too! Another is Erik (kzbin.info). Erik's signing ability, his absolutely mastery and ownership of ASL challenges me to test the boundaries that seem to contain and restrict my everyday signing. His interpretations of songs are unmatched (as far as I can tell) and he signs as "Deaf" as anyone I've ever seen. Both of these men break the mold and stand out from the rest. Both CODAs, both embracing the ASL Community. Both pioneers and leaders. Thanks to you both for being an example to me and many others!!

[@angelicaacevedo988]

Hey! So I recently started learning ASL, but am stuck with PSE because I do not yet understand ASL grammer. How did you learn and what would you recommend I do to learn the grammer?

[@stephanieblas2292]

I study at The University Of Rochester and am currently learning ASL! I love your Videos! Thank you so much!.

[@elizabethbrasel4313]

I love this!!! Keep them coming.

[@awti]

Will do, Elizabeth :-) Thanks so much for clicking "like" and sharing this video, it helps out "That!Vlog" a lot! (Note to viewers: To see more episodes, check out the entire "That!Vlog" playlist: bit.ly/ThatVlog_PL) Hope to see more comments from you in future episodes!

[@stevoph7]

Wow, very interesting about your family and life. I glad you explain it. I first learned ASL when I was 14 at ISD Indianpolis, IN. I picked it up in no time since it was my visual language. Now about your question on who is most influencial person. I dont think I can pick a single person but a collective of ASL community.

[@amandafudge9285]

Hi this is gabby I luv your movies keep doing it!!!!!!

[@robyndolan4166]

I have few people. Wink, Keith Wann, and Awti!!! Because there are lot of youtubes that they post always make me interesting to it and want to watch more.

[@robyndolan4166]

Yes you are!! Keep going, don't stop!!!!!

[@marysteensma471]

Deaf man who now goes by the name "deaf red bear" . When he was still Mikey Krajnak he helped open my mind and understand the conceptual ideas behind ASL. Sandra Bradley is an amazing teacher and gave me such positive support and feedback that allowed me to grow in the language

[@bethcoughlan4962]

Hello!!! Coming to the Rochester Asl Community any time soon?? Pls!!!

[@toniannradesi2192]

Wow I live in Perry ny in Wyoming county. have you noticed regional differences in different areas of the country?

[@WLiteAngel]

Awesome. My friend said he will hook up people to aye up an event and pay for what you will create for them. Is there an inbox on KZbin for a private message?

[@Erszabet]

I'm new in the ASL community. I was taking classes in Toronto Ontario at George Brown, and that was a great experience. But an organization that I found and think is amazing would be ORAD (Ontario Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf)

[@RaymontAnderson]

Namaste my brother, I cannot really think of organizations,... hmmm but people!! Manny Hernandez, Nathie Marbury, Gil Eastman, Bernard Brag, AWTI, WINK, Dr. Brian Cerney, Dianne Gallagher and her sister Libby, the amazing teachers I had at the Julliard Theatre development program in NYC (Alan Champion, Stephanie Feyne, Candace Broecker Penn, and Lynnette Taylor). And if I may back peddle a bit... before ASL community: I was very introverted, quiet, shy, low self esteem... after, more expressive and confident (especially after becoming an ASL performance artist and interpreter).

[@EVIESECOND]

Having experienced one of your presentations at CCBC Catonsville, Dr. Anderson, it's hard to imagine your being introverted!! You're awesome. I just got my copy of your book "Visual Music".

[@RaymontAnderson]

LOL Pat Able... Key is that I USED to be introverted... LOL I mean I still have some tendencies of being introverted like I love my solitude and time to just be alone and rejuvenate. But I definitely LOVE teaching and performing!! I appreciate your compliment!! I will be teaching an ASL 4 class at PGCC and prayerfully the ASL music soon as well. Do you know I am doing a Master class ar CCBC on select Saturdays??

[@EVIESECOND]

Raymont Anderson Right. Key term: used to be. :) No, I didn't know you were teaching at CCBC. I'm looking forward to starting your book. Thank you for sharing your gifts by writing it!

[@TobyOHara]

Aw man! that's a tough question, there are lots of Deaf, deaf, hard-of-deaf (like me), hardly hearing, hard-of-hearing, and hearing people I can think of that have so much awesomeness. Just to name one or two would leave out a lot. At any rate, I just wanna say I'm in the same boat, some signing growing up but not really 'fluent' till after my teens.

[@marcosaguilar7063]

I have several but I will go with Roz Rosen :D

[@bethcoughlan4962]

I certainly will give it a go !!!! Thank you for replying ... B

[@bluescorpion72]

Enjoying watching ur fascinating vlogs soo Farr :-)))

[@LamaWalk]

Hello Awti! i never miss your new update videos in daily days, whole your videos i have been watched, no one video i have missed, :) That's why i love your skill ASL! one thing, i would like to improve and improve ASL, but i don't have enough money to join in Gallaudet university, can you give me some advices that i can improve ASL and English too, because some hard words i struggle them and hard to understand in native language america! Thanks in advance. Milad

[@michellesmith5327]

Milad Vafaeifard Hey Milad! So cool to see your note here... I love Awti too! :D

[@LamaWalk]

Michelle Smith :D yeah, he is champ!!!

[@WLiteAngel]

Hello Awti, I have a several friends who lives in Japan. They are so intrigued with Americans as well as other countries. They love receiving different people who come in to their country to meet Deaf Japanese people. Are you interested? Perhaps one day I can connect you to those Japanese people. I myself am an American ( from Florida). Keep up with inspiring people with many different type of ideas or agenda to move forth to educate and to inspire in so many ways! You rocks!

[@WLiteAngel]

Thanks for the link. I just overlooked the link until I re-read your comment. My friend will take a look at the link and I will be helping him to set it up on the internet since he doesnt read english well. Many thanks again!!

[@andrewprice7871]

That example kind of looks like my signing (I'm just a bit better only a little)

[@stevoph7]

Wish you had a wig on ur head while demo of old signs

[@TheSandiRae]

There is an organization in our community called Deaf Unity. They help counsel Deaf people who have been abused. I kind of want to get involved with them because I think it's a good cause. They are a non-profit organization, meaning they do not charge for their services.

[@awti]

Deaf Unity, YES! I know Abdi Gas, the CEO and founder; he's an extraordinary person with whom I've thoroughly enjoyed chatting. You should get involved, absolutely - we need every one of us in order to make a difference!

[@thatgirlwhodidthething5836]

2:38-2:40? can someone help me out here? im not fluent yet, just started learning a few months again. thank you in advanced!!!

[@awti]

+Lilia Garcia No problem at all; the voiceover dropped off at that point but the captions show that the sentence is, "It is obvious that you feel that the ASL Community is home. Just to let you know, I feel the same way."

[@thatgirlwhodidthething5836]

+awti thank you! (im learning asl) i want to be an interpreter when i am older. i know that sign, so i have no clue why i couldnt figure that one out!! 😂😂😂

[@awti]

+Lilia Garcia Hahh, no worries - hey, if that represents what you're struggling with, you're doing quite well! Keep it up :-D

[@marysteensma471]

Then there is Atwi....

[@amandafudge9285]

And the person that I look up to is you and Wink

[@averiemorgaine7619]

i see... im sorry about your family. hard sign for your parents was when kid. i think your parents went deaf school, right?

[@deafturtle19]

So basically you are a CODA. Have you been bullied at young age?

[@ryanmonroe6914]

I AM Ryan Monroe and I will like to lorn Asl