The University of South Florida hosted Nyle DiMarco, a Deaf advocate, model, and rising celebrity, to speak at its annual University Lecture Series inspiring attendees to get involved with the Deaf community.
Popular Deaf Advocate DiMarco Brings Awareness to Tampa Bay
According to the Florida Association of the Deaf, the Tampa Bay area is among the top ten largest Deaf communities in our nation. USF has a club on campus, the ASL Bulls, who share a passion for deaf culture and the language that it shares. Through the club’s passion for its community and desire to raise awareness, the members successfully petitioned to bring Nyle DiMarco to USF as part of its lecture series.
DiMarco is a 27-year-old model, actor, and advocate for the Deaf community. He is the first deaf person to win “America’s Next Top Model” and “Dancing with the Stars,” both in the span of one year. In addition, DiMarco has been picked up for Freeform’s popular television series, Switched at Birth as he continues to model.
At the university lecture, DiMarco shared his personal journey. After graduating from Gallaudet University in Washington DC – currently the only liberal arts college for the deaf in the U.S. – he wanted to go into public relations for the university. His intention was always to bring awareness to Deaf culture, to teach deaf children how to sign ASL and about the importance of embracing who they are as people. “I wanted to inspire Deaf kids. I wanted to teach them,” DiMarco said at his lecture. “My deafness is my gain.”
In 2015, DiMarco was asked to send an audition tape to “America’s Next Top Model” for their series finale. He decided to put the potentiality of a P.R. job on hold; taking the opportunity to share his message on a reality TV show he eventually ended up winning. DiMarco was then invited to join “Dancing with the Stars”. He embraced the chance and was blown away at how well known he became in such a short span of time.
In the midst of his new celebrity status, DiMarco stayed grounded, focusing on his true passion: bridging the gap between the hearing and deaf worlds. While it is an honor for him to be known for a wide array of talents, DiMarco finds fulfillment in the advocacy aspects of his career, especially as it pertains to teaching deaf youth. His time on “Dancing with the Stars” revealed to him the opportunities he now had to make a difference on a national level.
Through this discovery, DiMarco started the Nyle DiMarco Foundation to bring equal opportunities to deaf children. The foundation proposed a bill requiring states to give Deaf children and their families ready access to learning English and ASL. The legislation passed in three states and is currently pending in 22.
“The key to unlocking a Deaf child’s future is acquiring language at an early age,” (From the Foundation).
In a few short months, the Nyle DiMarco Foundation has inspired thousands and opened the door for families struggling to achieve access to language for their children. DiMarco urges each of us to follow his lead bridging the gap between the deaf and hearing worlds.
One of the many ways you can help achieve equality is by getting involved with your local Deaf community. Various organizations in Tampa Bay host events each month to bring deaf and hearing people together. By learning even the most basic signs, you can take the first step in support of our deaf community members while establishing mutually beneficial relationships and opportunities. “You should always be inclusive, being Deaf is a beautiful thing,” say DiMarco.
