President Obama, I remember the night you became President.
I was thrilled. Since you became President, I have watched
your speeches, and notice you often talk about "Innovation."
I agree, it's important. History has often revealed
that innovation comes from those who experience
the world differently. For example, Thomas Edison.
Edison was a deaf man who recognized relationship between
light and communication. He invented something that is
in nearly every single home: lightbulbs.
How fitting, that this is the symbol for ideas.
Innovation happens when people have the ability
to think, create, imagine, and when there is a
means to express those ideas.
That ability is developed through language, and it is less
important which language and more important that
one can access information. Whether it is through speaking,
signing, a variety of languages-- does not matter.
We've become so focused on teaching a specific way, in
a specific language, that the learning space has become
so restrictive as to marginalize many who are denied the
opportunity to learn freely. And that is a crime.
President Obama, I implore you to take the lead in
creating space for American Sign Language in the classroom,
in offices, even in the White House. Thank you.