Hello to all my readers – I see that you are growing in size… Thanks for taking the time to read my posts and see what we are up to and how the project is progressing, along with bearing with my comments and observations as I make my way around this strange land!
Today David and I met with someone who has been involved in using the digital platforms now available to get his message, his art and his wackiness out into the public domain for a number of years now – Austin Andrews, aka Atwi. Atwi is a coda, originally from Rochester, NY but is now based in Texas (yeeha). He has a deaf mother, father and brother, but grew up without a strong background in ‘formal’ ASL. Despite this, he later immersed himself in the community, the language and has quickly become a benchmark or exemplar for conceptual signing and elaborate and intricate storytelling that really exploits the visuality of ASL, and sign language, as a device to the full. For his youtube channel, have a look at: https://www.youtube.com/user/awti. He is also best known for his piece, which was the real ground-breaker that shot him onto the digital ‘scene’: Deaf Ninja – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L91KVUXRBq8&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PL850F21CA847F9CC7 – his channel showcases some of the new stuff he is doing and reflects the direction he has consciously chosen – that of an educator within the community on the constraints and freedoms of ASL and how it can be applied in various venues. He is also producing some amazing work for the Texas School of the Deaf – learn how peanut butter (or your grandmother) can be turned into a diamond!
It was fascinating to chat with someone who is so knowledgeable about the ASL community and its history and the background and antecedents to many of the ‘hot topics’ now prevalent in the public consciousness – we were able to discuss interpreting, blogging and vlogging, education, VRS provisions, language… the list goes on. David and I just sat back and immersed ourselves in this amazing fount of knowledge and experience. Awesome.
We recently highlighted the lack of BSL or UK deaf bloggers and vloggers on our Deaf Unity site – have a look at it: http://deafunity.org/article-interview/deaf-blogging-and-vlogging/
We will be following this up with a piece on ASL blogs/vlogs and drawing some comparisons as well as some tips and encouragement for potential or budding BSL blog/vloggers.
To reward ourselves for our very productive day we then went to a very ‘trendy’ area called Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It is a very cool area with lots of graffiti and bars – a bit of a Camden type area. David and I enjoyed a nice walk around and a Moroccan meal, ended with a healthy smoothie for me and a ‘healthy’ glass of wine for David!
Tomorrow we are off to the Statue of Liberty – stay tuned!
View from Williamsburg
No hoddies, ASBOs and spray cans – paintbrushes people, this is art!
Williamsburg is full of graffiti!
Take me to your leader!
I used to love these things! Street Fighter 😉
I am so healthy!
Deaf Unity In The USA 
Hi! Great to read about your journey! As a fellow myself I shall be spending time in Brooklyn next week to if you’re still around we could meet up?
What’s the weather like?
Lucy
Lucy – sorry for the delay in responding – this research is extremely time consuming! But great fun. I am in Washington DC at the moment until the 18th and then on to upstate New York. I return to NYC around the 25th – are you still in New York then?
What area are you staying in? How long are you there for? Nice to know other Fellows are in the US. – Abdi