Jacqui signing for the theatre
The BSL interpreter and campaigner will discuss recognition of the needs of deaf people and the role of the Interpreters of Colour Network.
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.
Register for the Deaf/deaf Awareness Guest Lecture - 3pm, Mon 9th May
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. Jacqui is a founder member and on the Board of Directors for the Interpreters of Colour Network (IOCN) an organisation addressing the under-representation of people of colour in the sign language interpreting and translation (SLI) profession.
Jacqui’s 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.
The Deaf/deaf Awareness Raising project by CLCC's Fliss Starr-Egger, Nikiaisha Thompson and Dr Michael Weatherburn was funded by the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Seed fund. With support from Robert Sternberg and Alexandra Fitzsimmons, the project has created a video, information display screens and 2-meter tall 'totem' information stands which can be viewed around campus to raise awareness.
The project highlights an important aspect of equality, diversity and inclusion, particularly in light of new legislation regarding the status of British Sign Language, approved by parliament only weeks ago. British Sign Language (BSL) is available to Imperial College London students as part of the Horizons Languages programme.
Find out more about our British Sign Language (BSL) classes for Undergraduates.
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Reporter
Ms Cleo Bowen
Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication
