The chairman of the University of Liberal Arts Council noted that, back in the late 1980s, students staged protests that closed the campus. Bassett Spielman hasn’t signed any relevant documents and seems unaware of deaf culture.
Co-directed by actor and deaf rights advocate Nile DiMarco and Davis Guggenheim, the film highlights an eight-day student protest at Gallaudet University in 1988. The focus is on four students—Bridgetta Bourne-Firl, Jerry Covell, Greg Hlibok, and Tim Rarus—who were pivotal in the movement. Their interviews provide a unique perspective. By blending archival footage with re-enactments, the filmmakers manage to capture the urgency and passion of the protests effectively.
Ultimately, the students succeeded, resulting in the appointment of the first deaf president in the university’s history, I. King Jordan. It’s intriguing to see how attitudes have evolved. Spielman and her colleagues seemed to maintain the outdated notion that hearing loss needed fixing and that the deaf community must conform. Many of the students grew up rejecting that mindset. One former student recalls being criticized for using sign language at school, while another mentions that his deaf grandfather encouraged him to sign freely. However, this generation was ready to change things. Their resilience and spirit are truly remarkable.
