Trace the shape of a heart over your chest using the tips of your middle fingers. This is the sign for “valentine” in American Sign Language (ASL).

ASL Club held their first meeting of the semester last week, themed for Valentine’s Day. Though they teach a handful of new signs relating to a theme at each meeting, this club is about more than learning fun hand motions.

“I decided to set up ASL Club to […] provide different experiences and events on campus,” Instructor of American Sign Language Lisa Aikin-Allen signed. Aikin-Allen is Deaf (capital D for both being unable to hear and a member of the Deaf community) and a native signer of ASL.

“Our goal is to have the community know about ASL Club, to learn ASL, and to spread that ASL is a real language that’s used everywhere,” Aikin-Allen signed.

The club is open to all skill levels and was made to be a more laid-back place to learn the language and about the Deaf community than a classroom. It also welcomes students from the Fruita Monument and Grand Junction High Schools.

“Or, say someone wanted to learn a different language but also wants to still learn American Sign Language,” club president Janelle Marushack said. “That’s where ASL Club comes into play.”

The next meeting will be on Feb. 23. They’re held every other Monday at 7:30 p.m. in Escalante Hall 130 and will be announced on their Presence page as well as their Instagram, @aslmavs.

“One of my favorite times, I think it was last semester, was the Halloween costume contest. People actually showed up in costume and voted on who won,” Aikin-Allen signed.

Each meeting begins with learning about a person important to the history of ASL, including a quote and some information about them. They also practice expressing meaning through ASL and not the voice.

“We come together with a focus on Deaf culture,” Aikin-Allen signed. “Not many people know about Deaf culture because of language deprivation. So, my hope is they learn to accept our language. […] The community is open.”

There are all sorts of places to learn ASL.

“Lifeprint.com is one of the best online classes you can take for free,” Aikin-Allen explained. “It’s best to learn from a Deaf person who grew up with ASL and is from the Deaf community. Hearing people can teach ASL, but they won’t understand us because they are not Deaf.”

Marushack explained how learning ASL has impacted her life.

“I’m in choir, so sometimes I do have to be on vocal rest,” Marushack said. “When there’s people that know ASL, I can easily switch to using that language to communicate if I have to actually not talk. […] I have one coworker who is Deaf as well, so it’s easier for me to communicate with her.”

Marushack expressed the importance of respecting deaf people. Not being able to hear “doesn’t make them any different. They’re still human.”

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Note: the interview with Professor Aikin-Allen was conducted in American Sign Language and later translated into English by Teagan Meens with Aikin-Allen’s oversight and approval.