Local Advocates Connect The Hearing And Deaf Community In Lake Havasu City

Local Advocates Connect The Hearing And Deaf Community In Lake Havasu City
Janet Cruz / 17 Jan 2024 / No Comments » Comments

By Janet Cruz

The ability to hear and speak is something many take for granted. For others, being deaf is their everyday reality however, two Lake Havasu City residents volunteer to support the deaf  to ensure their voices are heard.

Lake Havasu Residents Angelina Ortiz and Destiny Younger volunteer as a pair of interpreters to connect the hearing and the non-hearing.

“We have a few deaf individuals here in Lake Havasu City, however we still do meet ups to create a support system,” said deaf advocate Angelina Ortiz. “We will meet up at a coffee shop or go out to lunch,” Ortiz said.

Ortiz has lived in Lake Havasu City for more than 30 years, and is fully deaf. She taught American Sign Language at Mohave Community College and previously served on the Board of Commissioners for the Arizona For The Deaf and Hard Of Hearing Commission in Phoenix for five years. Today, Ortiz volunteers solely in Lake Havasu City. Ortiz has a degree in Politics from Arizona State University and her sign language skills have taken her as far as Washington, D.C., to assist the Hispanic deaf community and was also invited to a New York City function to assist the Native American Deaf community.

Ortiz and Younger work together, since Ortiz is fully deaf, and Young is a fully hearing, the collaboration is helpful to connect all communities.

Deaf community ASL Lake Havasu

Destiny Young and Angelina Ortiz pose for a photo at Buses by the Bridge. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

“I think working together is beneficial because she is very knowledgeable. Ortiz can relate with a deaf individual and they know she knows what it’s like, and I, in turn, can help connect the hearing with the deaf.  It really works well,” said volunteer interpreter, Destiny Younger.

Younger was always fascinated with deaf culture and the deaf community as a child when she saw two children communicating in sign language. Young spent some time in Iowa as an interpreter for the Iowa deaf community before moving back to Lake Havasu City. Young also earned her EIPA certification. The EIPA or Educational Performance Assessment, is designed to test an interpreter’s ability to communicate with the deaf in an educational setting.

“There aren’t many opportunities to use this in a professional setting in Lake Havasu City, however I always love volunteering here. I  have always been so passionate about deaf culture since a very young age, and love to volunteer when I can,” Young said.

“There is definitely a deaf culture many don’t know about. We really want to be able to help create opportunities for socialization and a support network in our community,” Ortiz said.

For anyone who would like to meet up with the group or knows someone who is deaf and needs a support network, contact Ortiz at 928-846-3869 the contact is an interpreter line to reach Ortiz. You may also visit the Mohave Deaf Community Facebook page.

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