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Rebecca (Becca) Berman and was born in Minneapolis, MN. She has been deaf since birth and (thankfully) started to learn Sign Language when she was 5 years old. Rebecca was mainstreamed and attended NTID/RIT for two years, eventually graduating from Smith College with a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in Public Policy. Rebecca has been a college House Community Adviser, in which she has planned programs and educational events for students (she enjoys event planning and programming!). She has also worked for Get-Out-The-Vote organizations (The League of Women Voters and America Votes) in order to increase civic participation. Rebecca supports those who organize (peaceful) protests and who have a desire to create change around them. And she is a fan of those who actually vote! Rebecca currently works for an environmental non-profit (so yes, she's "one of those people" who is always reminding people to turn off the lights!) in Arlington, VA. In 2007 she went to Ghana for a month with a hearing friend, where they taught a hybrid class in bead making and religious education to groups of deaf and hearing students. This experience has heightened her desire to work on an international scope, and to travel with understanding -- rather than being a passive "ugly tourist." The best part of Rebecca's time in Ghana was when she and her friend went to a Deaf school conference, where students and teachers from all 13 schools for the deaf were in attendance! Rebecca was certainly in heaven that day. On a more "fun" note: things Rebecca likes to do (besides traveling): She's a huge movie fan (warning: she's picky), a big food and chocolate fan, a sucker for "independent coffeehouses," and she loves to be out and about in the city of Washington, D.C. |