Apply

ASL Festival 2025 Workshop

Languaging: Exploring diverse language use in our Deaf communities 

See Registration Form Below!

When: Saturday, March 29, 2025 from 9:00am – 4:00pm

Workshop Description: 

Our Deaf Communities – ASL natives, migrants, senior citizens, L2 signers, multilingual deaf people – show incredible diversity in the resources people use to communicate, rich skills of ‘languaging’. This workshop will explore concepts and ideologies about conventional sign languages, ‘atypical’ language, international signing, language diversity, and language deprivation. With learning and hands-on practice activities, participants will gain tools and knowledge for communicating with a variety of signers in our communities.

Meet Our Presenters!

Su Kyong Isakson, MA, NIC, Ed:K-12, EIPA 5.0, is Associate Professor of Interpreting at the Community College of Baltimore County in Maryland. A Coda and heritage signer, Ms. Isakson was born to Deaf Korean parents and has lived in the USA and abroad. She is a nationally certified interpreter, knows multiple signed and spoken languages, and has professionally worked into Korean Sign Language, American Sign Language, and International Sign. Ms. Isakson’s aim as an educator is for her students to lean into who they are and what they know as integral components of their interpreting work by recognizing their identities, cultures, and community affiliations as sources of wealth.

Dr. Anna Lim (siya/she series) is a Filipino-Chinese multilingual deaf-of-deaf queer femme immigrant linguist and cantadora researcher engaging in work on abolitionist and culturally competent pedagogy in Deaf Education. She moved to the US from Manila, Philippines about 11 years ago. Her dissertation research focus is on the manifestations and ramifications of raciolinguistic ideologies on the experiences of immigrant deaf students of color in the Deaf Education system. Her research interests now encompass the framework of deaf liminality, multilingualism of deaf people of color, cognitive linguistics in heritage Tagalog learning, and Filipino history & culture education for deaf Filipino diaspora.

Joe Toledo has been approved by MCDHH for screening and legal work, with 11 years of experience as a Deaf Interpreter. He has worked in a variety of scenarios and faced different challenges while providing services to Deaf communities. Additionally, Joe has worked outside of Massachusetts as a Protactile interpreter with DeafBlind individuals, as well as a contractor for cruises and other projects. Joe loves to share his experiences and perspectives to help develop your skills and unlock your full potential.

Lori A. Whynot, PhD is a Professor of Interpreting and Director of the ASL & Interpreting Education Program at Northeastern University. M.A. Intercultural Relations; Lesley University ; PhD in Linguistics from Macquarie University. She has published on interpreting mentorship, linguistic features of international signing (IS), and collaborative works on sign language translation and multilingual interpreting. She is a qualified community, legal, conference interpreter (RID, NAATI, WASLI) with three decades of interpreting and translation practice. Her working languages are English, ASL, Auslan, French, and International Signing strategies. Lori is committed to promoting professional development to shape interpreting as social justice alongside deaf individuals through teaching, interpreting practice, and research.

Registration is Required

Student Pricing

  • Full Weekend Ticket Friday Performance and Saturday Workshop – $35
  • Attending only the show Friday – $15

Community Member and Interpreter Pricing

  • Friday Evening Show Only – $15
  • Saturday Workshop Only – $60
  • Full Weekend Ticket Friday Performance and Saturday Workshop – $70
  • Additional $10 for CEUs (.55 CEUs in PS)

Refund Policy:

  • Full refunds will be processed prior to March 13, 2025
  • 50% refund will be processed March 13– March 20, 2025
  • No refunds will be processed after March 20, 2025.

RID CEU Information:

Northeastern University ASL & Interpreter Education Program is an Approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. This professional studies program is offered for 0.55 CEUs at some content knowledge level.

This workshop is presented in ASL. Requests for accommodations will be considered and must be received no later than 3/13/25. Northeastern University does not discriminate in any way and actively promotes an environment of mutual respect, safety and equity.