Accessibility by Design
When Ava Gilbert first began learning American Sign Language, it wasn’t for a class or a credit—it was for connection. Her journey started in high school, inspired by a friend who lost her hearing and another who was Deaf. Determined to communicate authentically without an interpreter, Gilbert began learning ASL on her own, one sentence at a time.
“I would Google things, and I would come back to church on Sundays with one new sentence,” she says. “And I would sign, ‘How was school?’ And she would respond, but I would have no clue what she said.”
That simple act of friendship sparked a passion that has grown into a powerful mission.
