To coincide with the launch of the CLCC’s EDI-funded Deaf/deaf awareness raising project, the Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication will host a public lecture on the topic of deafness and hard-of-hearing in the twenty-first century on 9th May.
An issue of increasing importance across the Western world, deafness and hard-of-hearing affects 11 million people in the UK in all spheres of life, including in UK universities.
We are delighted to have as our speaker Jacqui Beckford, a British Sign Language interpreter with over 25 years’ experience interpreting, specialising in theatre and the arts. The talk is entitled “Galvanised – World Europe Day – is the Interpreters of Colour Network necessary?” Jacqui will address topics such as supporting greater recognition of the needs of deaf people, fighting for representation and equality, and challenging racism and colonial attitudes in the SLI profession and society more generally.
Guest Speaker Jacqui Beckford
Jacqui Beckford is a British Sign Language interpreter with over 25 years’ experience interpreting in theatre as well as extensive work in TV broadcast, film, medical, mental health and legal interpretation. Jacqui has toured nationally as both an interpreter and performer in theatre and can be seen interpreting on stage at events such as Extraordinary Bodies or broadcast interpreting for BBC News 24.
Jacqui’s credits are too many to mention but notably she has interpreted for international personalities including former First Lady Michelle Obama and political activist Angela Davis. Jacqui also works with a number of organisations and campaigns. She is a member of The National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind people and the Association of Sign Language Interpreters and Equity. Jacqui is on the Board of Directors for the Interpreters of Colour Network (IOCN) an organisation addressing the underrepresentation of people of colour in the sign language interpreting and translation (SLI) profession.
Jacqui is recipient of the ASLI Ben Steiner award 2021 “for outstanding, positive and consistent contributions and achievements towards the development of sign language interpreting over a number of years” and the Alfred Fagon Award for Black Champions of Theatre 2021.