Last semester, President Tally Pyles and Club Advisory Board representative Megan Clark created the American Sign Language (ASL) Club to bring awareness of the Deaf Community to the Colorado Mesa University (CMU) campus and the local Grand Junction area.
Pyles wants to study to be an interpreter and Clark comes from a home with an older deaf sister, so this is a cause near and dear to both of their hearts.
In the Grand Junction and Montrose area, the Deaf community is highly underrepresented. With only a few non-educational translators in the area, if a community event or even a presidential candidate coming to town to give a speech needs an interpreter, it can be tough to find a local who is available to attend the event.
Often times, when an interpreter is needed, they have to be booked in advance and come all the way from Denver. Pyles and Clark are looking to change that.
Currently, CMU does not offer an Interpreting or Deaf studies program. Due to this, the current sign language teacher, Professor Brittany Metz, is leaving for other opportunities.
On March 30, the CMU and Fruita Monument High ASL clubs came together and held an ASL social in the Mesa Mall food court. The social was a nonspeaking event that the goal was to not only bring the Deaf community together but to also raise awareness in the community as to the size of the community itself.
They also have the intent of bringing knowledge for everyone as to how to act appropriately and kindly so as to how to not ostracize individuals of the Deaf community.
“I recently was in a coffee shop and signing with a friend and the manager followed us around to make sure we weren’t stealing anything, not realizing we were hearing and could understand what he was saying,” Clark said.
They are hoping through the events of the club they can help bring about that mindfulness.
“Our purpose to raise awareness is more [sic] that Deaf people usually can’t speak English, and we want to provide the community with ways to communicate better,” Pyles said.
“The ASL group is open to everyone,” Pyles said. You neither need previous knowledge nor know how to sign in order to join the club.
They often play games and practice signing, as well as occasionally show movies in American Sign Language, and as all college students are excited about, the shows and some of the meetings have snacks as well!
The ASL club currently has around 10 regular members and is always looking to expand. They presently hold meetings every Tuesday at 4 p.m. in Escalante Hall room 201 through the end of the semester.
