As an ASL interpreter a BYU grad has found inspiration working with the Deaf community.
One spring afternoon Jennifer Williams Wise (BA ’93), an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter, sat in a medical facility with a Deaf man about to receive an outpatient medical procedure. The nurse first knocked on the door to get the man’s attention—to no avail. Later the nurse asked the man, through Wise, if he would like to have music playing during the procedure. The two of them cracked up. “The question meant nothing to him,” Wise says.
It was a funny moment, but for Wise it underscored just how difficult it is for others to understand the experience of being Deaf.
Wise hadn’t always been attuned to the needs of the Deaf. However, after taking just one ASL class at BYU, she felt called. On top of courses for her major and required classes, Wise crammed her schedule with every ASL class BYU offered and loved participating in the Deaf community. Wise’s involvement in that community deepened when she was called to serve as an ASL missionary, spending time in California, Indiana, and Florida.
After her mission Wise continued to look for opportunities to be involved in the Deaf community while raising her family. Upon moving to Colorado she taught a community-education ASL class, which she loved. Despite roadblocks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Wise completed a master’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado and now teaches ASL in college settings.
Wise enjoys teaching about Deaf culture and correcting common misunderstandings. “On the first day of my classes, I teach ASL myth-busting,” she says. She explains that the Deaf community’s language is not simply English with hand signs—it is instead an entirely different language with its own structure and grammatical rules. And she explains that the US Deaf community has its own distinct culture apart from general American culture.
Wise also teaches about “Deaf gain.” “It’s a play on the term hearing loss,” she explains. “Instead of a hearing loss, it’s a ‘Deaf gain.’” Like being woken up by sirens in the middle of the night—it’s not a problem for members of the Deaf community. Another gain is the close-knit nature of the Deaf community, some of which is due to the nature of sign language—which requires complete focus and eye contact. Wise explains, “That eye contact means you matter to me more than anything else at this moment.”
Wise says the Deaf community’s blunt and straightforward style also fosters closeness. “They value directness in communication and look at it as a sign of loyalty and connection,” she says.
Her experiences with the Deaf community have inspired Wise to reflect on her own life and values and improve her relationships. Wise encourages everyone to become more educated: “Take an ASL class and learn how to meet a Deaf person,” she suggests. “You can benefit from them and their experience.”
