Presented in collaboration with Penn's ASL Program

The collective identity of the Deaf community in the United States has undergone some changes in recent years. Those changes mirror other identities and their development in society, resulting in overlapping of identity and how we understand it. This has caused some controversy in Deaf Studies and related fields. Professor Saunders' presentation will explore some of the history behind those changes and how we now look at Deaf identity in the U.S.

Crom Saunders is currently an Associate Professor at the American Sign Language Department of Columbia College, Chicago. Crom works extensively in translation, including PSA videos and children's stories, with organizations such as Fun4TheDisabled and Sally Is Sarah, LLC. Crom has interpreted dozens of plays, from children's theatre to musicals, including at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Steppenwolf Theater, and has taught dozens of ASL linguistics, educational, and theatrical workshops across the nation, in addition to working as a Director of ASL for several theatre companies across the nation. He also has a one-man show, "Cromania!", which he performs worldwide.