Please turn on the closed caption "CC" to read what Emily is sharing in this video. There is no sound in this video.

TRANSCRIPT: 

Hello! My name is Emily Smith-Lundberg. I am the co-director of Camp UBU with Jen. First, I want to show you a photo. *points at photo to her left* What do you see? Do you see a happy young child that is full of life? Guess what? That child in this photo is me! Did your perspective change? If so, is it because I am Deaf and use American Sign Language? When you look at a photo and you see a child as a person first, do you look at me as a person first? I hope so.
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That is how we want you to look at our deaf and hard of hearing campers, as people first. I would like to share with you why camps for deaf and hard of hearing children are so important.

It has been shown that approximately three percent of hearing parents sign well with their children who are deaf and hard of hearing. Only three percent! It also has been found. That more than seventy-five percent of deaf and hard of hearing children are mainstreamed in school. Often times, they are the only deaf and hard of hearing child in their entire school, community, and family. They feel like they are the only person in the world that are deaf or hard of hearing.

It is only until they arrive to camp and see other peers just like them for the first time! They are in awe and in shock. They see another person who is also wearing hearing aids for the first time in their life. They also see role models who are deaf and hard of hearing themselves. They are able to envision themselves as adults for the first time as well. They are sitting around at a table enjoying a meal and communicating with others who share the same language for the first time, ever. There is no need to ask to repeat what was said. No missed conversations. Nobody is saying “never mind” for the first time in their life!

They are having their first experiences seeing visual communication such as light flickering or tapping on shoulders to get attention of each other, without having to explain why. There is absolutely no judgement. There are no barriers in communication.

They are feeling accepted for the first time in their lives as they are surrounded by others who are just like them. They are being viewed as a person first, for the first time ever. That is the importance of camp for deaf and hard of hearing children!

Please come and support us with Camp UBU for our campers! Thank you!

Camp Directors - Jenni Bailey, Lance Sigdestad, & Emily Smith-Lundberg

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