Ohio School for the Deaf Alumni Association
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Current Deaf News
The Deaf Community in the Media
Deaf representation, while important, rarely occurs in modern day media. From 1967 when the NAD started to bring deaf actors onto the television screen, to 1986 where Marlee Matlin’s Oscar-winning role in Child of a Lesser God, to the start of the show in 2011, Switched at Birth representing a deaf character, are some of the very few representations in modern media. It wasn't until the booming start of social media where Instagram, Tiktok, YouTube, and so many more platforms where more deaf influencers started to show more representation to the world.
Superbowl Interpreters
February 8th, 2026, during the Superbowl LX, history was made as the first Deaf Puerto Rican interpreter for the Bad Bunny halftime show, Celimar Rivera Cosme, made a fantastic performance. Along side Julian Ortiz, who interpreted America the beautiful and Fred Beam, who interpreted the National Anthem.
Fred Beam, Julian Ortiz, and Celimar Rivera Cosme seen at a press conference talking about interpreting at the Superbowl and their connection to their work.