Humans of LPHS: Mrs. Witulski

“Proud moments as a deaf person is unusual because not being able to hear is a part of me. I grew up with it and do not see it as a barrier to the world. Being deaf is like being a white, short woman; a part of my identity — the whole. Yet my proud moments are tied to what I do as an ASL teacher. Students sign with deaf people, and they overcome their fear and anxiety that others will not understand them. That they try and succeed is awesome.

    The idea of diversity planted its seed in me when I was about six or seven years old. My family, aunts, and uncles were talking about dating a black man. I didn’t understand the concept of a black person, so my mother referred to a friend of mine at school. A light went on and I told her — “I thought we were just deaf.” A lesson learned for both of us.

    Diversity is not just acknowledging that these are different cultures, languages, or traditions. It is accepting its presence, beginning to understand and respect the role it plays in our lives and learn from it, building your experience and interaction for a better sense of self as a human.”