2008 Keynote Speakers
We are thrilled to have a series of top-flight keynote speakers at the 2008 conference. The keynote speakers are Dr. Paddy Ladd, Dr. M.J. Bienvenu, Ella Mae Lentz, and Samuel Kwesi Asare. The keynote speaker for the Film Festival is Anthony Natale.
Dr. Paddy Ladd,
Chair
The
Centre for Deaf Studies
University of Bristol
Paddy Ladd is Senior Lecturer in Deaf Studies at the University of Bristol, and began his research process in 1992 as holder of the Powrie V. Doctor Chair in Deaf Studies at Gallaudet University. His seminal text on Deaf culture and Deafhood was published in 2003, has been translated into Japanese and German editions, and has since become a required text on many Deaf Studies- related courses around the world. He is in the process of establishing the International Centre for Deafhood Studies, and within that framework has already supervised or co-written texts covering the application of the Deafhood concept to disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, education, geography, arts, politics, post-colonial studies, minority language media and medical ethics. The influence of this text and of his teaching on the world's first Masters degree in Deaf Studies has led to the establishment of Deafhood community activists in several countries, notably the USA and Germany.
Prior to this work he was heavily involved in Deaf TV and film-making, Deaf activism (as a co-founder of the National Union of the Deaf in 1976 and the Federation of Deaf People in 1998), and Deaf-centred sign-songwriting.
Dr. M.J.
Bienvenu
Associate Professor
Department Chair
ASL and Deaf Studies
Gallaudet University
A native ASL signer, originally from Baton Rouge, LA, MJ received her BA in English and MA in Linguistics from Gallaudet in 1974 and 1983, respectively. She worked at Gallaudet in various departments; including Linguistics Research Lab and English, for a total of 11 years. She then moved to be a co-director of The Bicultural Center for 7 years. She later became a director of Language and Culture Center for 3 years before she came back to Gallaudet.
MJ has published several ASL teaching materials (Faces of ASL and ASL Numerical Systems) and several American Deaf Culture videos and workbooks. She was also a sign model for the first ASL instruction books, also known as the Green Books.. She also presented to schools, colleges and universities and centers around the country, Canada, Europe, Japan, Israel, and Cyprus on topics of Sign Language Instruction, Culture, Oppression and Empowerment, Cross-cultural Interactions and Interpretation.
MJ is presently the Chair of the Department of ASL and Deaf Studies since 2003. She also serves as co-chair of the Sorenson Language and Communication Center building project. She also served as president of the Deaf Women United, Inc. from 1997 to 1999 and a co-chair of Deaf Lesbians Festival from 2000 to 2004. She is currently president of the National Organization of the Phi Kappa Zeta Sorority since 2004.
On a personal level, MJ enjoys reading, traveling, and pets at home with her partner.
Ella Mae
Lentz
Poet,
Educator, Advocate
Born in Berkeley, California, to wonderful Deaf parents and a vibrant Deaf community in the mid-1950’s, she grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area during the 1960’s, and witnessed not only protests against war and racism but the beginning of Deaf Resurgence. Upon graduating from the California School for the Deaf, Berkeley, in 1971, she went on to Gallaudet University where she had her epiphany about American Sign Language launching her into a career of teaching, training instructors and interpreters, performing poetry and helping with linguistic research.
Recently retired from 16 years of full-time teaching ASL and Deaf Culture at Berkeley City College (formerly Vista Community College), Ella’s immediate goal is to complete the major updating of Signing Naturally curriculum series of which she is a co-author. Her long-term goals include promoting academic excellence in American Sign Language and healthy Deafhood discourse among all Deaf people as well as in the public.
Ella has been blessed to raise five kids with her partner, Judy Gough, and being a proud grandmother of seven kids (one is Deaf) with an eighth on the way. She especially enjoys her many pets: four dogs (two are deaf), six cats (one is deaf), and two llamas (none is deaf).
Samuel Kwesi
Asare
President of Ghana’s National
Association of the Deaf
Samuel Kwesi Asare studied at the University of Ghana where he received certificates in Education for ordinary and advanced levels, Social Work, Librarianship. He is currently pursuing a bachelor in Arts. Using his education and background Samuel has worked for the Ghana Education Service, Ghana Federation of the Disabled and Ghana National Association of the Deaf.
Samuel is currently serving as President of the Ghana Federation of the Disabled, President of the Ghana National Association of the Deaf and Librarian for Ghana Educational Services. He has served on many committees ranging from the Teachers and Educational Workers Union, Ghana Library Association and assisting Signs of Hope International in the Ghana mission. He has attended various leadership conferences from Japan to Nigeria. He has also published an array of articles in the Daily Graphic; some titles include “Come to the Aid of the Deaf”, “People with Disabilities have rights”, and “Facilitate Deaf Education.”
Samuel has received the following awards for his continual services to society: Best Teacher Award in 2003 for non-teaching personnel by the Akwapim North District, Outstanding leadership and Vision Award in 2005 by Gallaudet University at the International Deaf Leadership workshop in Nigeria, Academic Excellence in 2005 by the Church of Christ’s Deaf Ministry, and most recently he received the Certificate of Honor Award by the Special Education Division of Ghana Education Services.
Film Festival Keynote
Anthony Natale
Actor
Anthony Natale has appeared in several feature films including a starring role as the son of Richard Dreyfuss’ character in Mr. Holland’s Opus. He appeared also appeared in Jerry Maguire, Children Of A Lesser God, City of Angels, Date Movie, Sorority Boys and the suspense thriller Two Shades of Blue starring with Rachel Hunter, Eric Roberts, Gary Busey and Marlee Matlin. Natale played a lead role in the USA Network movie His Bodyguard where he is protected by the stunning Mitzi Kapture (Silk Stalkings and Baywatch). Natale’s latest film, Universal Signs, has him playing a starring role with Lupe Ontiveras. Universal Signs is currently in postproduction.
On Television, Natale has appeared in such series as Any Day Now, Once and Again, Seventh Heaven, Ellen, Beauty and The Beast, Pacific Blue, and Rude Awakening. His credits also include numerous theatrical productions: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, West Side Story, The Red Shoes, The Greatest Show on Earth, Godspell, Fiddler on the Roof, Oliver and Alice in Wonderland. He also appears in the delightful Pizza Hut commercial in which two deaf people connect over the internet, and don’t know until they meet in person that the other is also deaf.
Anthony is also the star of How To Talk To A Person Who Can’t Hear, the first video made to teach sign language to the general public. That production has garnered awards from the U.S. International film & Videl Festival as well as a young Artist Award.
Natale was born in Toronto, Ontario, along with his older brother and younger sister. His is one of many large Italian families in White Plains, New York. He grew up in his parent’s Italian restaurant in Toronto where he was born and raised. Ironically, Natale is not a fan of Italian food; he loves sushi!
Natale attended school for deaf Ernest C. Drury School, Milton, Ontario, which was about 15 miles from Toronto. He was transferred to mainstreaming high school and moved to New York before he enrolled California State University, Northridge where he studied film production and theater arts. Anthony’s first memory of wanting to be an actor was in a residential high school of the deaf, when Grease first came out. Being hearing impaired and at somewhat of a disadvantage before the advent of closed captions. Anthony came across a pop up book about the movie, and took it with him to watch. Right away, he knew he wanted “to be an actor like John Travolta.” Handsome and funny, Natale says, he was the class clown in school and would have become an actor whether he was deaf or hearing.
Among his hobbies Natale counts foreign film, rollerblading, real estate renovation, and kickboxing. He also works as a personal trainer and teaches sign language classes. He wants to thank his family for their tremendous support who were migrating to New York from Italy. He is currently residing in Los Angeles and enjoying the sun.√