I grew up around American Sign Language (ASL) and Deaf culture through my great-grandfather. He introduced me to Deaf culture because of his active engagement within the community, even into his old age. After losing him, the only Deaf member of our family, my family and I still sign with one another because of him and his impact. But, with this heritage and language still living on with us, we lack the full understanding of the experiences of those who left us with their culture to live on. In an effort to learn more about Deaf culture and better understand the language I still love, I researched those before me.

Louise, my great-grandmother, was a detailed personal journalist and collector of all her and John’s lives. I will explore their lives and their relations through stories, pictures, and memorabilia to ensure that their stories live on. I will detail how their lives reflect the Deaf experiences of many around the world still to this day.