Deaf Activist & Performer Visits Heights High
Nov. 19, 2018 -- What is it like to be deaf? Students in Heights High’s American Sign Language (ASL) courses have a much better idea about the challenges and joys of being deaf in a hearing world after seeing guest speaker John Maucere on November 5. Mr. Maucere is a deaf activist, entertainer and performer.
He talked about his experiences in school and life and the movie he directed and starred in - No Ordinary Hero: The SuperDeafy Movie.
“I made the movie to help more people understand Deaf Culture,” he said. “And, many of the people on the set, in front of the camera and behind the camera were deaf.”
The movie is about an eight year old boy who is having a hard time communicating with his hearing peers and family. A TV character, SuperDeafy, helps the student and the hearing people around him, learn and adjust to a better relationship.
In his presentation, Mr. Maucere also talked about his life experiences and told the students that he has learned to be persistent and to have people around him for support and encouragement.
The Heights Library hosted an evening event that featured Mr. Maucere performing a stand up comedy routine.
Nearly 300 students attended the daytime event, including ASL students from Heights High’s ASL 1,2,3 and 4 courses and ASL students from Warrensville Heights High School.
Heights High ASL teacher and certified interpreter Lori Harris and Moses McIntosh, Director of Purple Communications in Akron, provided professional interpretation from American Sign Language to Spoken English.
The other Heights High ASL teachers are David Stewart, Patrick Gleba and Laura Mendez.
See the trailer for the No Ordinary Hero: The SuperDeafy Movie.