My Genius Project: Gaining perspective through ASL

   

The fact that no two people are alike absolutely blows my mind. Two people might be sitting next to one another, experiencing the exact same things but seeing them in entirely unique ways. This uniqueness is only emphasized in people with disabilities. They move through a world geared against them every single day and have to come up with different ways of dealing with everyday obstacles. My goal is to learn the basics of American Sign Language while simultaneously learning how to sign How Far I'll Go from Disney's Moana. On June 6th I will present a YouTube video (based on the one below) of my cover. This blog is designed to document my learning process for other people passionate about new languages and perspectives. 

     I chose to learn ASL because there are around 500,000 and 2,000,000 people in the US who speak American Sign Language as their mother tongue. I want to gain perspective into the lives of the people who use this alternative mode of communication. Every time I have been in a situation where there was an ASL interpreter in the room, I've been unable to keep my eyes off of them. I've always been fascinated at how much and how quickly the mind can comprehend, and sign language is an amazing example of what humans are able to understand. 
     My action plan is as follows:
- Weeks 1 & 2: Complete ASL Workbook 1 
- Weeks 3 & 4: Complete ASL Workbook 2
- Week 5: Complete ASL Workbook 3
- Week 6: Understand the signs associated with How Far I'll Go (Moana)
- Week 7: Practice song
- Week 8: Record Video

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