Join our LIVE Beacon Cafe Chat!

April 29th - 5pm PST / 7pm CST / 8pm EST

Visual Description: Blue to orange ombre background. Title text reads the same as the title below. Dr. Joseph Hill is pictured on the left wearing glasses and a blue collared shirt and maroon v-neck sweater over. The book cover is in the middle with a sphere of colorful lines. Dr. Emily Shaw is pictured on the right with mid length wavy hair and wearing a grey turtleneck sweater. Text on the bottom reads "Join us live on Zoom! April 29th 7-8pm CST, 0.1 RID PPO PS CEUs Free for BEACON Academy Members, $30 for the public"

"Bridging Diverse Worlds: Exploring Language, Culture, and Identity - Discussing the newest edition of the book Sociolinguistic Pathways in Sign Language."

BEACON Café Chat with Dr. Joseph Hill and Dr. Emily Shaw

0.1 PPO PS CEUS

View the ASL Translation of this ad here!

2026 Apr BEACON Chat.mov

This BEACON live chat interview aims to foster in-depth discussions about the intersection of sociolinguistics, culture, and the authors’ personal experiences, ultimately highlighting the importance of diversity in the field.

This live one-hour BEACON Chat interview with authors Dr. Joseph Hill and Dr. Emily Shaw will delve into the multifaceted themes presented in their book "Sociolinguistic Pathways in Sign Languages." Set in an engaging and interactive format, the authors will share how their diverse backgrounds influence their research in sociolinguistics, particularly within diverse Deaf communities. Participants will have opportunities to hear firsthand accounts of the authors' experiences, including challenges faced, community engagement strategies, and the significance of representation in language studies. The interview discussions will facilitate a deeper understanding of the evolving nature of sign languages and the socio-cultural factors that shape them, emphasizing the role that identity and intersectionality play in the future of research and working within diverse communities.

Come join us for this BEACON Cafe Chat on April 29th. You won't want to miss this!

Target Audience: Working Interpreters

Educational Objectives:

1. Participants will gain insights into how sign languages evolve within diverse social contexts, learning about key factors that contribute to variation and change in these languages.

2. Participants will identify the importance of BIPOC perspectives in sociolinguistic research, encouraging participants to recognize and value diverse voices in academic discourse and the implications for inclusivity in language studies.

3. Participants will learn how to recognize the significance of engaging with diverse Deaf communities in research, understanding how collaborative efforts can enrich sociolinguistic findings and empower marginalized voices within the field.

4. Participants will develop a broader understanding of the intricate relationships between language, culture, and identity, particularly as they pertain to sign languages and the communities.

About Your Interviewees

Dr. Joseph C. Hill (Full Professor) is the director of the Center for Black Deaf Studies at Gallaudet University. In Cincinnati, OH, he was raised in a family of deaf and hard-of-hearing siblings, a hard-of-hearing mother, and a hearing father. After graduating from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, with a BS in Systems Analysis in 2001, he enrolled in Gallaudet University's linguistic program and earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in 2004 and 2011, respectively. At Gallaudet, he was awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship to support his graduate education and a Fulbright Scholar Fellowship for a 6-month research study in Italy. His research interests are the socio-historical and -linguistic aspects of Black American Sign Language and the American Deaf community’s attitudes and ideologies about existing signing varieties. His contributions include The Hidden Treasure of Black ASL: Its History and Structure (2011) which he co-authored with Carolyn McCaskill, Ceil Lucas, and Robert Bayley and Language Attitudes in the American Deaf Community (2012). He is also one of the associate producers for the documentary Signing Black in America (2020) produced by the Language & Life Project at North Carolina State University. Link: www.josephchill.com

Dr. Emily Shaw is a professor in the Department of Interpretation and Translation at Gallaudet University. Her research interests are rooted in interactional sociolinguistics and include the historical connection between ASL and French Sign Language, regional variation and language documentation, and the use of gesture in multiparty interactions. Her first book was published in 2015 with Yves Delaporte, Historical and Etymological Dictionary of American Sign Language, which details the historical origins of over 500 ASL signs. In 2019, she published her second book Gesture in Multiparty Interaction based on her research on embodied discourses in ASL and spoken English. She continues to examine the intersection of interactional linguistics and Peircean semiotics, most recently examining cross-linguistic and cross-modal instances of the palm-up gesture. Current research projects include ASL-English corpus development for applied settings and multisemiotics in signed and spoken discourses.

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This chat is free for BEACON Academy members and $30 for non-members

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BEACON Interpreter Academy is an Approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.1 CEUs at the Little/None Content Knowledge Level.

BEACON Interpreter Academy promotes and supports policies of non-discrimination and an environment that is mutually respectful and free from bias.

Requests for accommodations must be submitted to support@beaconinterpreteracademy.com.

Cancellation Policy:

In the event that this course has to be canceled, we will notify you within 48 hours. We will provide an alternative presentation date.

This chat will be recorded and available to watch up to one month after the original presentation date.

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