Discussing Deaf and Latina Identity
- Sarah Daponde
- Oct 10
- 3 min read
By Sarah Daponde
Asst. Arts & Features Editor In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Center for Inclusive Excellence, in partnership with the American Sign Language (ASL) Club, hosted Melissa Elmira Yingst for a discussion about Deaf and Latina identity on Oct. 7 in the McCarthy Forum. There were two ASL translators at the event. The members of the ASL Club were introduced onstage, as well as Angela Herbert, professor of ASL and English interpreting, and Bruce Bucci, professor of ASL, co-advisors of the ASL Club. Club members present included President Meriam Boutissant, Vice President Priscilla Bonilla, Secretary Eli Onyeabor, Treasurer Ava James, Events Coordinator Tara Brown, and Social Media Manager Emmy Johnson. Herbert said she was thrilled to have people in attendance from Framingham State and Northeastern University, as well as people from the Framingham community. Herbert introduced Yingst, a media advocate and host of The Melmira Show. Yingst said she was excited to share her story during Hispanic Heritage Month, but felt everyone “should be able to share our lived experiences year round.” She was raised in Southern California with a deaf brother by two deaf parents. She did not have any Hispanic friends growing up and was the only deaf person at her school. “My interpreter was my best friend,” Yingst said. “You would think my deaf identity would be really strong, but it wasn’t until I went to Gallaudet,” said Yingst. Gallaudet, a university in Washington D.C. for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, was where Yingst said she started to form her deaf identity. She said she originally wanted to attend a mainstream university, not Gallaudet, but when she visited she was amazed to see teachers and students communicating directly to each other. “I have the freedom of communication. … I could go order food in the cafeteria and sign instead of pointing,” she added. Yingst said her mother was not able to form a proud Latina identity because of her lack of communication. Yingst’s grandparents did not learn Sign Language for her mother, but learned it for Yingst. She said when she was born it “made them realize that deafness isn’t going anywhere … so maybe at that time there was more of a sense of acceptance.” Yingst became best friends with her grandmother and she is the person who taught her how to be a proud Latina, she said. Yingst said growing up in Santa Ana, California, the population was mostly white, and she did not have Hispanic friends. “I always felt that pressure to conform to be like them,” she added. Yingst said she remembered scratching at her skin as a little girl, seeing the white lines it created and thinking she was turning white. “And I told my mom, ‘I can become white. I want to be like my friends.’” When she was studying at Gallaudet, Yingst said she was asked to join the Hispanic Club and declined because she had other priorities to think about, which became one of her biggest regrets. “If I could go back, I would have definitely joined the Hispanic Club, as well. But again, my identity was so weak at that time,” she added. Yingst became involved with Deaf Women United (DWU). “I felt like I lost myself as a woman, so I joined this organization,” she added. DWU had a reputation of being an organization for white deaf women, Yingst said. “I spent so many hours thinking about, ‘How can I connect with deaf women of color?’ … I’m trying to understand why we haven’t come together yet. We’re nice, we don’t bite,” she added. “I realized, to be able to be fulfilled, fulfilled with our identities, we have to be able to contribute to the community,” Yingst said. She said both her deaf and Latina identities were oppressed growing up, and her identities always felt like they were being “slapped back and forth.” “Welcome to being a deaf woman. Welcome to being a proud Latina, but at the same time, I also realized that I’m Queer. … so it was the idea of, ‘Where do I fit into this world?’” she added. Yingst said she was grateful to have the support of so many different communities. Yingst began her own talk show, “MELMIRA,” on which she discusses identity, social justice, and Deaf experiences, she said. “Everyone just needs that space to be whoever they are,” Yingst added.
