Destination Toronto: Promoting Sign Language Policies

  • US$410.00
    raised of $826.00 goal goal
49% Funded
12 Donors

No more donations are being accepted at this time. Please contact the campaign owner if you would like to discuss further funding opportunities

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Who am I and what are my goals?

Hello everyone! I am a PhD student in the University of Puerto Rico that is very interested in sign language linguistics and Deaf education. My research focuses on sign language linguistics and Deaf studies. I am very passionate about this subject, and take any opportunity I have to present my research. It is very important for me to break down myths about deafness, Deaf communities and sign languages.

Why am I crodfunding?

I've been accepted to present in the 2017 Multidisciplinary Approaches in Language Policy and Planning conference to be held in Toronto, CA in late August. I will present my paper titled "Language Planning: The Curious Case of Sign Language in the United States." This is a major opportunity because presenting my work is important (a) in order to make others aware of the issues in Deaf education and (b) to present the research I undergo as part of my life as an academic.

How much money do I need?

  • Accommodations: The conference rate for the hotel is $762.12 CAD (approximately $571.82 USD) for three nights. Screenshot of the invoice included in the images of the campaign.
  • Registration: The full-time student registration rate is $100 CAD (approximately $75). Screenshot of the invoice included in the images of the campaign.
  • Food: The hotel does not include breakfast. I have allotted an estimated $180 for food expenses (approximately forty-five dollars per day for the total of four days).
  • Air travel: TBA (not yet reserved nor included in the total).
  • Total: 826.82

What will I be presenting? Here is the abstract:

The status of sign languages and their usage in d/Deaf education have been a cause of great debate across the world. It is evident that the United States in no exception. When d/Deaf education began in the early 19th century, sign language usage was embraced. This changed in the second half of the 19th century, when the Oralist method became prominent in part because of the influx of immigrants in the country, the newfound sense of nationalism and Darwin’s Theory of evolution. Thanks corpus, status, and acquisition planning as well as linguistic research on sign languages, these views have shifted and ASL has found its place once more in d/Deaf education. The proposed paper presentation will outline this interesting shift on language policy in the United States and its socio-historical context. The importance of discussing sign language planning efforts is that the right to a sign language for d/Deaf individuals goes beyond the right to a minority language. Many studies proven that d/Deaf students with a strong foundation of sign language achieve better in school, among many other cognitive and emotional benefits. Furthermore, as cited in Murray (2015), sign language rights fall in the epicenter of disability rights, minority rights, language rights, human rights, and linguistic human rights (p. 385). In other words, the right to sign language in the Deaf community is far more complex than it perhaps is in the case of other minorities.

NOTE: If you choose to donate (thanks!), don't forget to choose your reward! I am offering everything from postcards, prints of the photographic journal I plan to take during the trip, special shoutouts in the acknowledgements section of my presentation and digital copies of the audiovisual material used for the presentation.

Rewards

I will send a personalized postcard from Toronto.

0 Backers

I will send prints of my photographic journal along with a postcard of Toronto.

2 Backers

You will be provided with multiple prints of the best images that are taken. You will also receive a letter in which I will express many thanks as well as provide details of how the trip helped me.

0 Backers

I will provide digital copies of all audiovisual material used in my presentation.

0 Backers

I will add a special thanks for the donation in the presentation I will provide digital copies of all audiovisual material used in my presentation.

1 Backers

You will be provided all rewards: a postcard, prints of the photographic journal I plan to take during the trip, a special shoutout in the acknowledgements section of my presentation and digital copies of the audiovisual material used for the presentation.

2 Backers

Organizer

  • Melissa Angus
  •  
  • Campaign Owner
  •  
  • PR

I am a PhD student in the University of Puerto Rico. I do research on sign language linguistics as well as Deaf studies in general.

I am a PhD student in the University of Puerto Rico. I do research on sign language linguistics as well as Deaf studies in general.

Donors

  • Ben Braithwaite
  • Donated on Apr 24, 2017
  • Good luck raising what you need, have a great presentation, and keep up the good work!

$25.00
  • Jorel Reyes
  • Donated on Apr 22, 2017
  • I'm proud of my friend taking the initiative to promote early ASL. Her kind heart, passion and determination will surely make a difference in the deaf community; which is as important as any other community. Wish you the best!

Amount Hidden
  • Anita Chan
  • Donated on Apr 21, 2017
$25.00
Apr 24

49% Funded

Update posted by Melissa Angus at 06:57 pm

Thank you to all my 12 backers, thanks to the kindness extended by all of you I am now 49% funded and can finally book my airline tickets (I will add the pricing when I do and give an update of the total amount needed). So far, two people will

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0
Apr 21

41% Funded - YAY

Update posted by Melissa Angus at 10:49 am

Hello everyone! I wanted to say a few things:I wanna thank all of those who have already backed me. Thanks to you all, my trip is 41% funded!Today I hope to buy my tickets, which will allow me to update the amount needed to its total price (added flight cost

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0
Apr 19

Many Thanks

Update posted by Melissa Angus at 12:24 pm

I wanted to express my immense gratitude for my seven backers that have helped me reach 23% of my goal. I sincerely appreciate it! 2 of my backers have chosen the $10 reward while 1 backer has chosen the $50 reward. I will soon have enough funds collected to be

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0
Apr 17

The Campaign goes Live!

Update posted by Melissa Angus at 11:59 am

After the successful run that my other campaign has gone through (I have received 80%+ to be able to present my MA thesis in Indiana, click here to see), I have decided to see if there are more gracious people willing to donate to this PhD student and her travels.. . . . .

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0

Donors & Comments

12 donors
  • Ben Braithwaite
  • Donated on Apr 24, 2017
  • Good luck raising what you need, have a great presentation, and keep up the good work!

$25.00
  • Jorel Reyes
  • Donated on Apr 22, 2017
  • I'm proud of my friend taking the initiative to promote early ASL. Her kind heart, passion and determination will surely make a difference in the deaf community; which is as important as any other community. Wish you the best!

Amount Hidden
  • Anita Chan
  • Donated on Apr 21, 2017
$25.00
  • Bryan Angus
  • Donated on Apr 20, 2017
$100.00
  • Billy y Candy Cordero
  • Donated on Apr 20, 2017
  • Break a leg! 😃

$50.00
  • Anonymous
  • Donated on Apr 19, 2017
$40.00
Amount Hidden
  • Norma
  • Donated on Apr 17, 2017
  • Mucho éxito!!!

$20.00
$10.00
  • Alejandro Vega
  • Donated on Apr 17, 2017
  • You got this!

$50.00
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Followers

2 followers
Danilo Giordano
Nicole Malavé
US$410.00
raised of $826.00 goal
49% Funded
12 Donors

No more donations are being accepted at this time. Please contact the campaign owner if you would like to discuss further funding opportunities