Today we’d like to introduce you to Cameron Symansky.
Hi Cameron, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in South Korea but adopted at age of 3 by a family who lived in Olathe, KS where I was raised for the majority of my life. I graduated from the Kansas School for the Deaf (KSD) in 2017 then moved to Washington D.C. to attend Gallaudet University (the only Deaf university in the world) for three years, which is the same place my adopted parents met. Now, I have come back full circle and am working at KSD as an ASL teacher and Deaf Interpreter. I am also in my second year of a three year term serving as the president of the Olathe Club of the Deaf, and I help organize community events in the Kansas City area. A personal interesting fact about me, I have an addiction to shopping for shoes, and I own more than 60 pairs.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
In general, the biggest struggle for members of the Deaf community at large is language accessibility. According to the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), when a hearing child reaches 6 months of age, they are able to recognize sounds from their native language. If a deaf child is not given access to a language, they are not able to meet that language milestone like their hearing peers. They are already considered “behind”. And these developmental setbacks compound as the child grows up. It is important to recognize that these delays are not caused by the natural capabilities of the deaf or hard of hearing child but rather the limited language opportunities given to them by their environments.
Kansas is home to an influential and well-respected Deaf community. Nationally, the largest Deaf community is in California due to its population, however percentage-wise, Olathe is the second largest Deaf community in the United States. Because of that, people who live in Olathe and Kansas City have a unique opportunity to learn about ASL and Deaf culture from native signers and members from our Deaf community. It is my belief that if more people took advantage of learning about ASL and Deaf culture, they could see the many struggles we experience for themselves and learn how to advocate for the Deaf community in positive ways.
On a personal level, when I was appointed President of Olathe Club of the Deaf (OCD), I was told that I would be the youngest President in the organization’s history. I believe this has helped our community events reach a wider and more diverse demographic. As I am currently 27 years old, this makes me the youngest serving President of OCD.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am currently employed at KSD as an ASL teacher and Deaf interpreter, which means I teach the faculty, instructional staff, etc. in ASL to ensure their ability to use ASL and to communicate with specifically Deaf employees on campus. I also overlook the ASL assessments which were created by our own school’s bilingual department. This means I assess their proficiency in ASL and place them in rightful level of ASL classes. I am proud of the people in that program and how much they have learned this far because it helps them communicate more fluently with our employees which creates a more community-centered work environment. As a native signer fluent in ASL, I am forever indebted to my parents for their deep background in ASL and Deaf Education, which shaped who I am today and allows me to share and contribute my language skills to others. My father is currently a professor of ASL and Deaf Studies at JCCC and is in his 32nd year of teaching. My mother was a Deaf Early Childhood Center teacher and retired last year after more than 20 years of dedicated service.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
I must give full credit to my parents, especially because of the hard work it took to raise me and help me become the person I am today. I must also give credit to the people who are involved in the community organizations and work I am involved in today. They are a large part of the reason I am successful today because they believed in me and supported me to go beyond what I thought I was capable of. Because of them, I also want to play a role in helping other become involved in community work. I am also deeply grateful to those who helped me develop many skills I never thought I could use. These individuals brought a wealth of experience, wisdom, and meaningful contributions, and I sincerely thank them for investing in our community organizations.
Pricing:
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Contact Info:
- Website: https://olathedeafclub.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OlatheDeafClub
