American Sign Language Department Invites Community Role Models to Fullerton College
The American Sign Language (ASL) Program at Fullerton College recently invited Hollywood actor Ryan Lane and High School Counselor Kimberly Coronado for a “Deaf Perspectives” panel to share inspiring stories about challenging stereotypes and finding success as proud members of the Deaf community.
The first ASL event in the history of the Humanities Division, the panel was open to all students, faculty and staff and community members. A mixer and panel discussion were held, giving attendees the opportunity to meet the panelists and celebrate the Deaf community. The discussion included voice interpretation in English by Sophia Aguirre, Pam Contreras, Stacey Dascezo and Daniel Durazo, with support from the college’s Interpreter Coordinator, Allison Rodgers-Griffin.
In a team effort to connect our campus with the Deaf community, this event was planned and coordinated by all five ASL faculty members: Brian Cole, Kristine Crable, Jaspreet Ghotra, Eddie Gutierrez and and Xiali Wu, with assistance from the Humanities Division, Disability Support Services (DSS) Office and the ASL Club. In particular, Humanities Interim Dean Jeanette Rodriguez, ASL Co-coordinator Arthur Hui, Administrative Assistant Amy Shrack, DSS Interpreter Coordinator Allison Rodgers-Griffin and ASL Club Vice President Rebecca Yingling were instrumental in making this panel event a great success.
“The panel discussion kindly emphasized the importance of understanding and supporting the Deaf community. The speakers shared heartfelt personal stories, illustrating how embracing their identity and advocating for their needs led to both academic and personal achievements.” said Ghotra. “They encouraged hearing students to actively listen, learn, and engage with Deaf peers, fostering an inclusive environment. The central message was one of empathy and empowerment: by supporting self-advocacy and community engagement, hearing students can help create a more inclusive and successful journey for everyone.”
The ASL Program has recently generated interest at Fullerton College with its rapidly growing course offerings. The ASL course sequence leads to an Associate in Arts degree in American Sign Language and Deaf Culture, and students enrolled in the program quickly develop essential conversational skills in ASL. Beginning in ASL 101, required attendance at Deaf cultural events such as this panel invites students to connect and engage with the unique ASL culture and Deaf community in Southern California.
Last fall, the Mata Expo partnered with Fullerton College to bring the majority of our ASL students to their regional expo in Pomona, California, where they were immersed in a large-scale event bringing together the Deaf community with ASL students–an experience acquired beyond the classroom.
About the panelists:
Ryan Lane was born in Fullerton, California and began his career acting as the lead in a documentary about a Deaf baseball player. He has then been seen in many television and film roles, most notably in the 2011 hit series “Switched at Birth.”
Kimberly Coronado is a counselor at her high school alma mater. Her experiences are both in mainstream and Deaf educational settings. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Deaf Studies at California State University, Northridge and her master’s in counseling from San Diego State University.
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