Why We Learned ASL ❤ Rikki Poynter & Jessica Flores ❤ 

I am a hearing person and I taught all my kids the abc's (because that is all I know) in sign language. I wanted all of them to at least be able to speak to a deaf or HoH person. I am also very happy to see some high schools adding ASL to their curriculum. I think everyone should take it. It should be mandatory.

I learned ASL to communicate with deaf people in the hospital. I work as a nurse and I noticed that when deaf people came in the had zero communication (doctors rarely write down what they want to say) until an interpreter arrived and sometimes that’s a long time. I know that since I’m not certified I can’t interpret for doctors but as a nurse I can communicate with the patient to tell them what’s going on.

I'm hearing but i started learning asl after watching rikki poynter's videos and i watched switched at birth now try to learn new sign every day i'm so happy you two made a video together i love both of you so much keep making videos 😍😘😙

Please tell me there will be more collab with you two! I love it 👏

All I know I was born deaf but as soon as I got hearing aids I was able to hear. I’m moderate to severe in my hearing I’m never around deaf or hard of hearing people to keep signing so I do know sign but I’m not fluent enough like I was growing up. Love both of you and I can relate to not being able to hear when ur teacher was talking to you especially if they are at the back of the class. Keep up the good work!

You two collabing is my new favorite thing!!! I learned ASL because my cousin is Deaf and I wanted to be able to communicate with her easier. And then I fell completely in love with the language and the culture. I've been signing for 7 years now. Still learning lots of new things and I practice mostly every day!

Having limited skills in a sign language and interpreters is way better than not being able to express oneself and miss a lot of a conversation. Even with a limited and flawed sign language, it's such a relief to be able to speak in real time and understand most of what is said. Like, you can focus on showing who you can be when your attention isn't focused on writing, reading and helplessly lagging, falling behind...

I am learning sign language for I have been having a harder time as time passes hearing people. I have really bad tinnitus and it just keeps getting worse everyday. I feel that one day I will just wake up and can't hear. And so I'm learning now while it's easier to learn while I can still hear.

I'm halfway through my first year of college, doing sign language. It's so awesome to have language! I loved watching you sign about your experiences. I started going deaf 10 years ago and am now profoundly deaf. I have Cochlear's, but it is not enough. Everyone who goes deaf needs sign language, especially young children.

I learned ASL for a variety of reasons. I went to a high school that was in the same building as my provinces school for the deaf so it got me thinking about learning ASL. When I started working, I noticed people coming into my workplace who were Deaf and I couldn't communicate or help so I decided to do to finally do what I had been interested in for so long (Deaf West's Spring Awakening had also just come out which sparked my interest). When I was signing I realised that it is was much easier to communicate in this manner for me as someone w ADHD because it was so visual. I wasn't zoning out as much because I didn't have the visual stimulation. I have issues with language receiving and I am so happy to be learning ASL. I feel so happy when I am signing and I am so grateful for the immersive classes at my university and the ASL club we have.

I love this video! I am in an ASL interpreter program in Ohio and I really can't wait to provide a service for Deaf people. I think bridging the gap between Hearing and Deaf is so important. Hearing do not know enough about Deaf culture!

This was a great collab! I’m finding my Deaf identify and learning ASL and it is making a world of difference for me. You guys both have great channels, and make such an impact on the Deaf community!

I can empathize with Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing people when they say that Sign Language helps them understand what's going on because even though I myself am hearing, I have Non-Verbal Learning Disability. I'm surrounded by non-signers mostly, so when I don't understand, I ask them to say whatever they were saying in a different way, but knowing ASL is just another way someone can help me :-). It's also been helpful knowing ASL (though I'm not fluent, I'm conversational and have been told by my HoH friend before that I'm "pretty good for a hearing girl") because when I've worked retail, all the Deaf customers would come find me and ask me to help them out.

I am hearing and work in Ems and firefighting. About 7 years ago we had an emergency with a couple who was Deaf, and at first it was difficult to get their information and also give them information. Luckily its wasn't as bad of a situation and we were able to write back and forth. So it really got me thinking about communicating with people HH or Deaf in the future so I started learning ASL. Its been about three years since Ive started and I'm so happy I started learning, I've learned so much also that there is an entire culture surrounding those who are Deaf, but Ive gained some insight into how much better I can do as someone who is not Deaf to not make Deaf people feel excluded. Great video, looking forward to more collaborations.

Loved the ASL only video! My daughter and I learned ASL together years ago (we are both hearing) from our church. For years after that we attended an ASL only congregation. We made many deaf friends over the years and love the community. We have gone back to an English congregation after moving to another state. My skills are a little rusty, which was why I loved your video. Made me use it and pull it out of my brain. I do have the occasional patient that comes to my lab that is deaf, and it always warms my heart how appreciative the community is when I use ASL to communicate (even if it's not perfect, they appreciate the effort). Keep up the good work!

I am completely hearing but a few years ago I stumbled upon ASL on the internet and it just amazed me. I began researching and fell in love with signing and fell in love with deaf culture. Especially since my roommate at the time was also learning it because she worked with special needs kids. I took 5 years of Spanish and I don’t know a word of it now. But I pick up asl so quickly and it’s even come in handy when I’ve ran Into a few deaf people in my city. I’m a huge advocate for deaf culture. I am a kindergarten teacher now and once a week my lesson is completely on sign language. The kids love it and pick it up so quickly. I hope I can make a difference on people being aware of deaf culture.

You guys are such good souls, you have no idea how much you glow. I get what you have been going through and are going through. Spent most of my life as an oral deaf person but now very comfortable with ASL but still feel like I am in a different 'club'. You two have so much to offer and do go for whatever is in your hearts, you have what it takes to reach out to the stars! BTW, I was born in the late 50's;-)

yay video! My mom taught me signed english when I was a baby because she wanted me to have language. I can talk as well, I learned both at the same time. I wouldn't miss hearing fire alarms, lawnmowers, motor cycles, vaccums, other really loud noises. I would miss hearing my cats meow.

I am a hearing person, and about a year and a half ago, moved next door to a family with a deaf child. My local community center recently offered a basic ASL class, and I was so excited to start learning ASL. Now the class is over and I constantly find myself looking up new signs and teaching my husband and son so that we can communicate more easily with our neighbor. He's only 5 and attends a deaf school, but I don't want him to grow up feeling disconnected from his local community. :) And, in general, it's always great to expand your knowledge bank and learn a new language. Yours and Rikki's videos have been so helpful to me as I learn about Deaf culture and give me the opportunity to be exposed to more ASL.

I am hoh and just started learning! I don't need it because my hearing aids pick up the rest but I HATE wearing them. I enjoy that identity that comes with it and being able to enlighten more people to what it really is. I desperately wish there were more Deaf in my area so I had someone face to face or a friend who could help. Immersion is always the best language tool so it's hard to only learn online. I hope to take a cc class one day for ASL ! Id love to eventually work with the Deaf in some way, like at an audiology clinic or anywhere there is a large community. That's my dream now.

I have 2 vlogs about why I'm learning ASL :D But I'm learning ASL because "what if I meet Mx. Right and they're Deaf?" and because I'm Autistic and speaking often hurts me and communicating in ASL doesn't. And because my word is so tiny and Deaf people could be my friends. And because it makes me and my mind feel good to learn ASL. and probably more reasons that aren't coming to me now.

This video is great. A couple of my favorite You Tuber's creating a video together. It's great to see how ASL has helped you both! Many years ago when I first went to college, I tried to meet a girl I saw at the college. I tried talking to her, but at first I thought she was being rude, until I went my separate way and then noticed later she was Deaf, and signing. This was my first interaction with a Deaf person. My school at the time had ASL classes. I told my friends I was going to take ASL. They had told me that Deaf people don't want hearing people to learn ASL, if you have no connection to the community. I believed this for many years. Always maintained interest with future interactions. A few years ago I moved to Frederick, MD. Frederick has a large Deaf community, and I saw Deaf people everywhere. I did my research, and regret the many years before wasted not learning ASL. I really enjoy it, and always enjoy my interactions. As I progress it's becoming easier. Deaf people really seem excited. The culture is awesome. This video was great, and I caught over 90% of it, without captions. Deaf people and the culture is definitely why I decided to keep moving forward. A whole new set of friends to make, who have a different perspective of the world to learn from. Please, make more videos like these. It made me smile. You both ROCK!

i am a hearing ASL student and im so happy to find more ASL content! i felt like i wasnt good at signing bc i didnt have people to sign with but now being able to use youtube to expand my knowledge its great! im able to turn the subtitles off as of the last 1-2 months!!!

So glad you could do this video together! I am slowly losing my hearing (audiologist says I’m not yet “qualified” as HoH) and feel (especially after watching both of your videos!) that ASL would benefit me in the long run. But at 45, I seem to be...well...”rejected” is the only way I can explain it. Like I’m too old for the HoH and Deaf communities to be accepting of me. I would appreciate any suggestions on self practicing/learning. Some day I am confident I’ll find someone who’s accepting of my situation, but in the meantime, I think learning is paramount! Thank you both for inspiring me to try learning ASL again!

I love seeing all ASL videos become more common on this platform! Thank you guys so much for sharing your stories... I started learning ASL (I'm hearing) ages ago through osmosis in my church when I was in middle school. I happened to be friends with the interpreter, and quickly became friends with the HoH/d/Deaf attendees in our Sunday service. I learned to sign hymns and songs pretty quickly (there's pretty limited vocabulary in a lot of them). I even bought a couple of CD-ROM lessons in order to communicate better. I didn't really use it much, or think anything of it, until I worked retail during and after college. Being able to communicate (even with my primitive ASL skills) with customers without them having to write everything down, seems like common courtesy, so I was shocked to find out that my coworkers didn't do the same. Communication is sooooo important!

I'm learning asl right now and have been doing it for about 2 years and im not deaf nor hard of hearing but I live in America and just feel its so important to be able to communicate with everyone and that there should be no language barriers, plus asl is so fun and amazing 😄 Im watching this video without the subtitles and it makes me so happy im able to understand you guys😄

I am hearing and I’ve been learning sign language off and one for 5 yeas I am happy to say that I was able to keep up with the conversation. Sign language is like a lost language and I can see how frustrating it can be when you are in a place full of hearing people and everyone is talking back and forth and a deaf person will feel left out. That’s the main reason I wanted to learn to sign no one should ever feel left out.

I grew up oral just like you guys and learned ASL at the age of 16. I went to a deaf high school when I first learned. Just lik you guys, it opened up my world.

I took an intro course to ASL this past semester and loved it (I'm hearing). Our professor is Deaf and shared some info on Deaf culture with us and some of her personal experiences. I've always been interested in learning ASL 1. Because it's a beautiful language. 2. I want to be a teacher and would like to be able to communicate with Deaf or hard of hearing students if I ever were to work with them. I really enjoy watching both of your channels. You provide great perspectives, experiences, and opinions. Thanks!

I started getting into ASL and really loving it because when Switched At Birth first aired I loved learning about the Deaf Community and Culture. Prior to that show, I knew that at age 2 or so I had used sign language to communicate because I could not speak. At that age and since birth, I had respiratory issues and a trachea. But now since last year, I picked it up because my voice is very raspy, I don't speak with vocal chords because they were cut I have scar tissue that vibrates to be able to speak. I've learned in the last two years how limiting my voice is if I talk for long length of time and unable to speak for the next day or so. I'm not able to project my voice very far, it can be difficult to hear me if there are loud noises around or if I'm at a distance. With ASL, sign language overall I feel strangely at home. I feel I can have a conversation without limits so to speak. I really have loved learning about the Deaf Community and Deaf Culture what that means, varying ways of having hearing loss. I hope in the future to make many Deaf friends myself.

This was amazing! I hope to learn ASL since I have always wanted to! Thank you for sharing with us!

I learned ASL (or I guess I am learning ASL) because it's always been an interest of mine. I was taught basic signs before I could talk, and I am also a Sunday School teacher so I like to teach the kids some basic signs. They get really into it, so I am learning sign language so I can teach them and myself. For whatever reason, there seem to be a lot of deaf people in Arizona compared to other places. It's always nice to be a hearing person that knows ASL.

I just wish there were more resources for people in communities to practice ASL! Like the both of you, I'm planning ASL in my 20s after having been mainstreamed in school and simply know no one to hone my ASL with!

when i was younger my church had an ASL Ministry and I started learning some ASL when i was around 5 or 6. it was so much fun to me, knowing that i could speak to other people that were d/Deaf or HOH. i want to start back again since i’m no longer apart of the ministry, though!

This is great. Thank you. So many of us deaf feel too “little d” to bother like you say who are we going to use ASL with. Akin to hearing aid stigma. All the annoying stigma. Thanks for inspiring me.

I started a job as a music teacher at an elementary school that has deaf and hard of hearing program and I’m trying to be able to sign for myself instead of having to rely on an interpreter. Some of the kids are mainstreamed and there are also separate classes. Anyway, it’s a process just like learning any new language. I also want to make sure I stay respectful of the deaf community. I know I have a lot to learn!

I know the alphabet and just knowing that has proved helpful for me (hearing). My mother had a stroke in 2012 and she was on a ventilator and couldn’t communicate with us, when she woke up but was still on the machine she started to spell things in asl to us. It made it easier to communicate how her pain was and everything.

I'm not deaf, but I'm learning ASL. I want to become an interpreter. I love watching videos with ASL. They help me pick up on new words and I hope improve my fluency.

I am a hearing person and I have always been fascinated by deaf culture and ASL so when I was ten or eleven I learned the alphabet and a few words like apple, girl, more, stuff like that but i never got farther then that. But I started taking ASL at my local community college in September and i love it so much! I have learned so much, I all most didn't need the subtitles. I am thinking I want to be an interrupter so I am hopefully going to start taking class to became that.

You two together = 💥💥💥💥awesome!!

I'm happy to see you with a friend who also are learning the same sign language as you. It should be a given, free thing for families who have deaf or hard of hearing family members, to learn the local sign language. Like, the first thing they inform you about when you discover that you or someone in your closest family have trouble with hearing or is deaf. This is not the case in Sweden. Many doctors and health professionals are pitifully ignorant of the importance of acquiring sign language asap and where to find information, courses, deaf communities etc. They are telling parents that they should focus on spoken language and CI or other hearing aids. They know nothing about the cost for the individual, when they deny them a visual, spatial language. Nobody has ever regretted learning a sign language, but many have regrets about not being given that opportunity and missing out on that until they are adults.

I am a special education teacher, and this year I have a student who is hard of hearing. She does not communicate through Sign, but I am still learning to sign for her and any future students I may have who would benefit from me knowing it. I have been working on Spanish for about 2 years for the same reason. In my efforts to learn ASL (while in-person classes are difficult to come by in the age of a pandemic) and learn more about the DHH culture, I am using various apps and video series, and following as many folks on social media as I can. I really appreciate all of the content I have seen from you guys! Thank you for sharing, and I look forward to continued learning :)

I started learning sign language because I watched a television show about a deaf woman who worked for the F.B.I. I just love the language! It's so interesting...and...handy. ;)

I’m hard of hearing and am learning Finnish Sign Language (I’m from Finland) and also ASL because I travel in the States a lot. I love learning how to sign and learning about the deaf and hoh communities

Great video ladies. I'm in the process of learning ASL as I've always been interested in it. One comment about being able to communicate in an emergency for hospital or something to that effect, though most people think of people with "critical" issues do this. It's good to carry an "emergency card" to keep on your person and one in your car that has a list of medications you're on and any allergies and also let other people know that you are carrying it or have that so if they are with you if something happens they can let responders know :)

I love this video! When you were talking about, if I learned ASL who would I even talk to? Myself? I have thought that exactly! But look at you guys now. Hanging out. Using your hands to communicate with each other. 🙂So awesome! It is clear that I need to keep trying to learn and not give up. If nothing else, I could enjoy watching all the deaf youtubers sign. I'm hard-of-hearing and wear hearing aids in both ears. SLOWLY learning ASL. Thanks for sharing!

Ever since I was little I've always though sign language was beautiful. The first time I saw two people chatting at a theme park I couldn't stop watching. My parents had walked on without me not realizing I had fallen behind completely enamored by these people talking with their hands. My sister ,friends,and I learned the alphabet (...somewhere... I can't remember how or where we learned) and would spell things to each other when we were bored in class or at "work" (we volunteered at a local hospital.) Eventually, I came across Bill vicars -- Lifeprint.com in college but it wasn't until this past year that I really started studying the full ASL lessons. Coincidentally, my college had a deaf provost at the time. I happen to attend a lecture that was being given by a man who became deaf in his 20's after a car accident. In a nutshell: He was trying to bring light to Sign Language and explain that it should be treated like French or Spanish. Another Language. Not some form of handicap tool but a language. "I'm not disabled. I just can't understand you. But if I have an interpreter I get can get on fine" I'm half Mexican and half Hungarian. So as a child my grandfather used to always tell me how good and important it was to learn more languages. "The more you know the more people you can meet and stories you can hear". So after that lecture in school, I finally/officially/ adamantly decided I was going to learn ASL. I'm almost finished with level one and do feel like I could have a small conversation with someone :) I've struggled to find any groups I could practice with or get involved within my area (the more active communities seem to be several hours away) but I'm hoping to start working with a tutour on ITALKI.com along with the next levels so I can have more interactive practice. Love it!

I impulsively started learning ASL one summer when I was bored and never looked back lol. I don't know why it feels so natural for me to sign, but it does and even though I didn't know I was disabled at the time, I think I connected with similar experiences of being marginalized. Admittedly, I don't get to practice now as much as I used to because I don't know many Deaf people, but I still practice interpreting and try to watch videos in asl (even though my understanding/receptive skills can be pretty crap).

Hey! Okay, so I learned super basic ASL because my friends' parents are deaf, but the thing is that I can't be around them all the time, so there is no way of bettering my ASL skills. When I look for videos online of people signing, they either sign TOO fast or they are doing the super basic ASL like 'family' and such. However, this video is the perfect speed that I could understand almost everything! Anyways, thanks for the great video! I can't wait to watch more!

I love this video and all of the ones I've watched so far. I got addicted to watching Marlee Marlin in reasonable doubts and switched at birth, which was the reason why I became interested in ASL. I just learned of you yesterday and I'm hooked. So educational, I love the humor, and the facial expressions. I'm hoping by watching these I'll learns some sign language. Would like to one day be fluent in ASL . Thank you for making these videos. Love them!!!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

There are 7 million deaf in America. There are 48 million Americans and 330 million worldwide with hearing loss. The point is, there are fewer deaf people and many hoh people AND HOH people are harder to find because of invisible disability. I want to learn signs so I can communicate with deaf people and advocate for common goals, like captioning and make new friends in the deaf community. Lipreading provides 25% of the spoken word. If I know more signs, I could get total communication of 100%. HOH people can have problems understanding the person sitting next to them. I like to see signs and understand in dark theater or understand signs from across the street. I can even understand signs from others in different car sitting at a stop light without using a phone and the windows are rolled up.

I’m deaf and when I was 3rd grade I was alone I have no friends before now I have friend for my deaf friends

Also proud of myself that I understood most of the video without captions.

Oh my God you guys are awesome Together!(And not just because Jessica is my daughter and Ricky is my new adopted daughter!💕) PS the reason I I am learning sign language is so that Jessica and I can talk about the other people in our family at Thanksgiving dinners! And by the way it’s a beautiful language everyone should learn!

I love you both. :) I'm so glad you guys are able to learn ASL and feel that it works for you.

I enjoyed your video and learning about why you two took up ASL. I must be doing something right because I was able to understand some of what was signed without captions (I did have to turn it on eventually. lol). I have been learning ASL for about 4-5 months, mainly because I love the language and wanted to learn something new. I took a class in college and wish I would have kept it up. I also want to be able to teach my son be bilingual and help those who are deaf/hoh in whatever way I can. I want to learn more about the Deaf community. Thank you both.

I’m currently taking ASL because I do plan on going into the medical field and I want to be there for Deaf and HOH individuals to communicate with first hand rather than waiting for an interpreter to come on site or through VRS before having any medical information relayed and/or explained to them.

I finished watch your videos here, it really so enjoyed video!! I had an different experience with same situation with yours. I know its challenge to be deaf individuals. Lonely is very tough for me sometime....but endurance keep me successful in some time.

I am hearing and am taking an ASL course at my college. I love ASL and find it so easy to learn! It is amazing how simple yet complex the language is and that one can communicate so much through expressions. I am learning it because I do not know which people will come in my life and I want to be prepared in all circumstances. I also want to adopt children and if I adopt a Deaf or hard of hearing child I want to be able to give them communication.

Thankyou both for doing this video,,, it’s much appreciated,,,

I'm oral deaf myself grew up as same concepts many yrs with speech therapy n picking up first was ESL .. I've still have some old friends (still communicating with them) until graduated from HS everything was lost as depending with my hearing loss n lip-reading ( not happy about it) until 6 yrs (from 1991, moved to Texas from good old Cape Cod Massachusetts ) I've been trying to find friends and communicating just alike us for yrs until walk into some crowds downtown in San Antonio Texas, they communicating with me as asked me go to San Antonio College.. ( in 1996) I've started get involved into our deaf cultures including pick up n re-learn ASL cause ESL n ASL is completely different ESL is longer in grammar in sentences as ASL is short n faster versions as more clearly than ESL.. plus made alot of deaf/hoh ones as friends and family members that's my own parents didn't tell me about them but blocked from them.. It's still hard to be in relationship with the hearing men.. ( even the one I'm in relationship with think he understands I'm going though, but can't always understand how, why, what n when..) it's a major headache 😫 😩 😪 for lip-reading.. even not taken himself time to learn or re-learn ASL or ESL.. ( I've taught him n his siblings ESL since senior yrs in high school 1986 to 1989... as we separated ways as I've gone to community College in Essex Massachusetts as returned back he gone as 😥💔.. I've met someone else that he never learn or real communicating with me for 14 yrs.. as divorced as met up wrong other deaf ones, until in 2014 hs sweetheart end up in Fb as we been trying to get back together again but we still working on it but it not easy.... he think I don't understand everything.. but it's the opposite way as the truth if he needs to understand what I'm suffering though with myself...

You two totally need to do more collabs.

This video was really cool, and you guys look like you really fit together as friends.

I started learning ASL because I want to be a interpreter for hen I grow up.

I had all same experience growing up

I learned some (emphasize on SOME) ASL for better communication with my husband whenever we’re in a noisy environment and lip reading can be a hit or miss since he has a cleft lip and palate. It doesn’t help that he likes to swallow some of the letters when speaking 😂

No one in my family signs. They won't learn a single sign. My mom can recongize a few signs maybe but i get the whole "i'm too old to learn a language" speech. I learned the ASL alphabet when I was 12 from reading Helen Keller. I had bought myself an asl dictonary at the bookstore but didn't use it until I started taking ASL in college which wasn't til I was about 21-22 in 2013. Now that i don't really sign with people I don't know much of it. I was also mainstreamed my entire life; from grade school to college because i did just fine with a hearing aid from 16 and on.

Dude I relate so much to this video. I only barely started learning Sign maybe about like a year or so ago. And I reached moments of just being mad and dfrustrated and angry ALL of the time because I have NO deaf HOH family members. And I was diagnosed with hearing loss very late in life so I was like starting over pretty much as like a baby. And have NO identity whatsoever and feels exactly the phrase u said "too deaf for hearing world and too hearing for deaf world." And I would get so frustrated! Even now still because I'm not fully ASL fluent but now I'm at the point where I don't even remember how to say words in English half the time or how to say things in English if that makes sense. And then I don't know how to sign it, so I'm like 😱😱😱. And I'd be like that too like in class I'd look down to write something down and then the teacher would say something and then you have to look from there to the board and up and down and like.. it's incredibly confusing and frustrating! I would say I'm somewhat better but still at the point where I'm quite stuck in the middle and most of the time don't speak to anyone or talk even tho I have SOMEWHAT means of communication life is till quite frustrating as I start leaning more toward deaf than HOH as my hearing deteriorates. And the area I live is no deaf community whatsoever and I've met maybe 3 deaf ppl just like in passing. Any ppl I who have met here that Sign are hearing. Which is I mean nice, but not the same thing...so 🤷🏽‍♀️. Idk!! Anywho I need to stop rambling lol . It's nice to see ppl who understand my situation even that are not in my area!! Lol u both rock ! 🌸💕💖🤘🏽✌🏽

My daughter is Deaf (actually qualifies as DeafBlind) and emergency situations (and police situations when she’s older) are some of my biggest fears for her. I’m going to buy a belt cover for her car seat that has information like her dx & that she understands ASL ONLY in it in hopes that if something happens at least that part will be known. ASL is connection for her-I’m still learning but it wasn’t a question whether or not we would give it to her-it would be cruel & isolating not to.

Hey there Jessica. Thanks for setting up another awesome video. After watching your video today, I feel that I've finally made some progress on my receptive skills. And with ASL I feel that I'm finally reaching a point with communication will be fully accessible for me.

SO great to see you together! love it!! I just started my first ASL class a few weeks ago and I'm so happy with it. I wished I'd started learning a long time ago, but I too thought it was pointless because I'd have no one to sign with. But I'm tired of struggling to hear and lipread all the time and ASL is a great alternative. Did both of you take ASL classes or are you mostly self taught? I tried lifeprint and it's great but I don't seem to have the discipline to practice regularly on my own.

Loved you on dog vlog

Well, for me, it was because I was tired of dealing with cued speech "translators"? interpreters? I don't know what you'd call them. Lipreading all day long is mentally and physically EXHAUSTING, and sign language is just so much easier. Of course, I had to pick up sign language quickly since I had a signing interpreter the following school year. I think I was around 12 at that time...

I know this is an old video, but I’m going to comment anyway.🤷🏻‍♀️ I am hearing (mostly) I do have some hearing loss that makes it hard for me to understand what people are saying. Especially if they aren’t facing me, there’s background noise, etc. The reason I’m learning ASL is two-fold. First and foremost, I have a daughter that is deaf. I had her as a teenager and she was adopted, but now we are in touch. She has a cochlear implant, but when we are in public, we probably miss about 30-40% of what we are saying to each other. And second, as I age and lose my hearing, it will be nice to be able to communicate.

Almost 3years ago I had my first menièrè's attack which took over a year to diagnose because I have vestibular migraines along with menièrè's. Anyways that means in a number of years, I will probably end up Deaf. So I need a way to communicate. So I started to learn. Also my Starbucks where I work has deaf night and in the past I had a girlfriend who was very hoh. And she knew some asl. And taught me some. Which I have forgotten a lot. But I have always had an interest in ASL and deaf community. Anyway, now I am the one who is on my way to being hearingless. And I actually now have a number of deaf friends. A few who I met recently because I know some asl.

Love this! Thank you SO much for your videos! I was diagnosed with a brain tumor (not cancer thankfully!) that is slowly causing me to lose hearing. Have just started learning ASL. My wife is learning alongside me too and my hope is that ASL will help me be able to stay connected with other people, have relationships and a good life, even with everything else that’s going on. It’s exciting to be able to follow along and understand your ASL!! :) I’ve been reading and watching everything I can find about the Deaf world - question... from what I’m reading- it seems like many in deaf community are not welcoming of LDAs. Is there any way to get past that? I don’t feel like I know enough sign to be able to attend events and be able to communicate but...also...know I have to start somewhere. Is there anything I can do to integrate better into deaf culture?

Beautiful

Is there an international sign language or can bsl and asl understand each other or any other foreign sign languages like german french or russian etc??

PUT YOUR hand Down FLIPPED so your palm is toward you, if you know the sign for THINGS, just change that hand to and R that become RESOURCE!

But where did you buy the shirt?! I love it! I want it!

Can Rikki hear at all now or did it progress to total hearing loss? Maybe you could do a video showing some basic signs.

The only reason this video was hard to follow for me, was because I'm distracted by ASL. It''s such a visually beautiful language. It's like a dance with your hands. I keep trying to learn, but I haven't found a good resource yet. Any recommendations? Also, I have chronic asthma and when I'm having an attack I can't speak. So I wear a thing called a RoadID on my wrist. It tells them at least who I am, what my disorder is, and what meds I'm allergic to. EMTs are trained to look for medical bracelets, so it works really well.

Are there any good resources for learning asl for free?

how did you guys get in to Put deaf community and Learn so much asl I have been trying but it's so hard I only know 1 person that Signs and most of our conversation is in signs but a better half is in finger Spelling and I am not very good at spelling and half the time I can't keep up with the conversation and it gets so annoying so she trys to help me but with mostly finger spelling we tend to get vary behind on the spelling

What does your short mean?

What if you can’t read?