4 minute read
Sign of the times
Q&A
MSU DENVER ALUMNA MANDY PIERCE-TURNER HAS A DIRECT
HAND IN GOV. JARED POLIS’ COVID-19 RESPONSE BY
INTERPRETING FOR DEAF AND HARD-OF-HEARING COLORADANS.
DOING MY PART
Sign of the times
If you’ve seen any of Gov. Jared Polis’ COVID-19 news conferences, you’re probably familiar with Mandy Pierce-Turner’s work: She translates the governor’s coronavirus-response updates into American Sign Language (ASL) to ensure that deaf Coloradans can navigate the pandemic.
An estimated 8.6% of the U.S. population, including nearly 470,000 Coloradans, is deaf or hard of hearing, according to the Colorado Commission for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing and DeafBlind.
Pierce-Turner in 2004 became the first deaf person to graduate from Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Criminal Justice and Criminology program and today serves as auxiliary services coordinator for the commission.
Can you describe the road that led to your role with the state?
I started school in 1997 but dropped out three classes short of graduation after my mother passed away. I knew I had to get that degree, though, and returned to finish my degree in winter of 2004.
I originally was planning to become a probation officer, but one of my colleagues urged me to become a courtroom ASL interpreter. I did end up volunteering as a probation officer with Arapahoe County for three years before beginning the role I’m in today.
When did you begin interpreting for the governor? How does it
work? After COVID-19 hit, the need for interpreters skyrocketed. That’s when my boss sent me to interpret for the governor.
Gov. Polis speaks in English, which is interpreted into coded or signed English by another interpreter who sits facing him; that’s signed to me, which I in turn sign in ASL. That’s important because people who are born deaf have never heard English, so they can’t understand it — everything for them is learned in ASL.
Why is it so important to provide interpretation services
during a pandemic? Imagine not knowing you need a mask to go into a store or, worse, if your spouse was admitted to an emergency room and not understanding why you couldn’t follow them back with the doctor. The reality is we rely upon access to critical information to make the best decisions; just think about if you didn’t have access to your phone. COVID-19 is a serious disease, and the citizens of Colorado have both a legal and a moral right to understand everything, regardless of their hearing ability.
Why is it important to not wear a face mask when interpreting?
In ASL, grammar is conveyed through facial expressions. Gov. Polis doesn’t speak in a monotone, so (my face is) also reflecting his points of emphasis. Masks create a barrier to that communication, so I don’t wear one when I’m interpreting. If my eyes, eyebrows, nose and mouth moving in relation to one another aren’t visible, deaf Coloradans might not understand what’s being said.
I also make sure to wear a contrasting wardrobe to assist lowvision individuals. Your entire body is needed for a complete interpretive process; you wouldn’t remove verbs from English.
What was your time like as a student? Fabulous! MSU Denver gave me access to everything I needed to succeed: interpreters and notetakers in classes, along with screen annotations. I know it’s a requirement, but it was remarkable.
I’m so impressed with today’s MSU Denver students. Not that long ago, I stopped by the Tivoli Starbucks and the student employee knew fingerspelling, so we were able to communicate. That’s the kind of impact this campus has on the community.
Front Range flyover
A parade of more than 30 planes took to the skies over metro Denver in May to salute front-line workers in the battle against COVID-19.
Organized by pilot Scott McMillan, a Metropolitan State University of Denver alumnus, the event also served as a fundraiser for the Colorado COVID Relief Fund, raising more than $860,000. The air parade drew more than 1,000 contributions, including a $500,000 donation from Lockheed Martin.
The squadron took off from Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomfield and looped the Front Range from Longmont to Castle Rock.
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