🤟 EVERY DAY IS A HOLIDAY! 🤟
September 23 is International Day of Sign Languages!

Today’s holiday gives us something new to learn!

It’s International Day of Sign Languages, a United Nations observance celebrating sign languages and the Deaf communities who use them around the world. ❤️

🤟 FIRST — DID YOU KNOW?

There isn’t ONE universal sign language.

Different countries and communities have their own sign languages, just as people around the world speak different spoken languages.

Here in the United States, many Deaf and hard-of-hearing people use American Sign Language — ASL.

And ASL isn’t simply English communicated with your hands.

It’s a complete language with its own grammar, structure and ways of expressing ideas.

Pretty cool, right?

🤟 TODAY’S FAMILY CHALLENGE: LEARN 5 SIGNS!

Take a few minutes today and learn how to sign:

❤️ LOVE
👋 HELLO
🙏 PLEASE
❤️ THANK YOU
🤟 I LOVE YOU

Already know those?

Learn five NEW ones!

Try words your family actually uses every day:

🍕 Pizza
🐕 Dog
🏫 School
👩 Mom
👨 Dad
💧 Water
🍎 Apple

Or let every family member choose ONE word they’d like everyone else to learn.

Yes, teenagers. You may choose “Wi-Fi” if that’s where your priorities are. 😂

❤️ AND HERE’S SOMETHING WORTH THINKING ABOUT…

Communication isn’t one-size-fits-all.

Imagine walking into a school, business, event or community space where almost nobody communicates in the language you use every day.

Accessibility can start with something as simple as being willing to learn, listen and communicate differently.

👇 NOW WE’D LOVE SOME HELP FROM PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY KNOW ASL!

If you’re Deaf, hard of hearing, an ASL interpreter, teacher, student or someone who regularly uses ASL:

What are 5 signs you think EVERYONE should know?

Drop your suggestions or favorite reputable learning resources in the comments. ❤️

And everyone else…

👇 How many ASL signs do you already know?

0? 5? 20? Enough to have a conversation?

Maybe by the end of today, we’ll all know a few more than we did yesterday. 🤟

Happy International Day of Sign Languages!

Different languages. Different ways to communicate.

Every voice — including those expressed with our hands — deserves to be heard. ❤️

Something for my readers — do you want me to put ASL resources on the calendar, particularly FREE ASL virtual classes?