Learn the Signs

An Interview with Mrs. Kurtz: PVI’s America Tea

by: Ava Martin '28

rican Sign Language ASL) is an organized visual language that is expressed by using both manual and nonmanual features. Mrs. Kurtz has been a part of the PVI community for four years, using her American Sign Language (ASL) talents to teach people how to communicate with the deaf. She has had many experiences and has met many well-known and inspirational people throughout the course of her ASL learning journey. In this interview, Mrs. Kurtz will reveal the beginning of her career and the interesting events that followed.

Serendipity: How a College Course, a Colleague, and a Community Led

to the Beginning of an Amazing Career

Every story has a beginning. Mrs. Kurtz’s story started in college at The University of Kansas in the Speech-LanguageHearing Program where she decided to take an ASL class; the course’s instructor was a sign language interpreter. Also, coincidentally, she lived near The Kansas School for the Deaf — a K-12 school, so there was a large deaf population in the community.

At the same time, she was working at a local nursing home where they hired a deaf gentleman, named Kevin, in her department. Mrs. Kurtz really clicked with him. “Kevin and I would spend our breaks signing with each other, which really helped improve my signing,” she said. As time went on, her natural signing skills were noticed by others at work as well, and even though she wasn’t formally qualified, “When we had staff meetings they should have hired an interpreter, but instead they relied on me!”

Inspired by Kevin and her ASL college teacher, Mrs. Kurtz decided to apply to an Interpreter Training Program at a nearby community college.

Interpreting for Presidents, Musicians, and Scientists

As an ASL professional interpreter for over 25 years and a nationally-certified interpreter for over 23 years, her ASL expertise has enabled her to experience and contribute to diverse events. “ASL has allowed me to have so many opportunities. I have interpreted for Heads of State, Presidents, concerts — I have been on stage with some amazing artists and have met many of my idols — plays, births, and so much more. I say I am a jack of all trades but a master of none because I have had the opportunity to interpret in so many fields. From scientists creating vaccines to rocket scientists and teachers, I've done everything but legal interpreting!” She has had the opportunity to meet so many people and learn so many things. Many of her clients that she has interpreted for lead such amazing lives. “I danced with actor John Stamos, and was also able to meet my childhood idol, Lynda Carter (the original Wonder Woman) during one of the most difficult periods of our country's history. I am very fortunate to have the job that I have; it changes daily and never gets boring,” she said.

Inspired by Professionals and Protestors

Once she became an interpreter, Mrs. Kurtz moved back to the DC metro area and became inspired by the people she worked with who were pivotal during the period of the Deaf President Now protest at Gallaudet University in DC. In March 1988, the 124-year-old Gallaudet University experienced a pivotal event that led to the appointment of the university’s first deaf president. “Students, faculty, and staff were protesting the appointment of another hearing president. The interpreters who were there were amazing, awe-inspiring, and essential to providing the communication between the deaf and hearing communities. The protest drew national attention. The first deaf president, Dr. I King Jordan, was appointed. This led to ADA which created many changes; for example, legislation requiring closed captioning. It created the legislation to establish the national relay system and so much more” shared Mrs. Kurtz. She has learned a lot from the interpreters who were a part of the protest. “These amazing interpreters established the first private interpreting agency, Sign Language Associates (SLA). They were the pioneers for interpreting in this area. I have learned so much from them and will always be inspired by what they have done for the interpreting profession!”

As an interpreter, I am a conduit between hearing and deaf individuals.

The Help that ASL Provides to Others

Being an ASL professional interpreter has a positive impact on the people in the deaf community. An ASL professional such as Mrs. Kurtz has helped many people while using her ASL skills. “I am providing equal access to information in their first language (English for the hearing and ASL for the deaf). In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed which prohibits discrimination based on your disability, but it also provides for reasonable accommodations. One of which is equal access. I am there to provide equal access to information. That means not only for someone who is deaf, but also providing the English interpretation of ASL to the hearing” she said.

Afterthoughts and Reflections

During this interview, I asked Mrs. Kurtz a series of questions and she gave such amazing and well-thought-out answers. It is clear to me that Mrs. Kurtz loves what she does and is very grateful for the experiences she has gone through. She really cares and appreciates the people she has met along the way on her ASL interpreter journey. She is very passionate about what she does for a living and will keep on doing what she loves.

At the end of the series of questions Mrs. Kurtz shared: “I guess the point is, I love my job, even during the most difficult assignments I still get up every day loving what I do and look forward to the next adventure. I could talk about what I do all day.”