In school, we're all encouraged to take classes in a different language from our native tongues. The educators hope for us to broaden our cultural horizons by offering subjects like Spanish, French, Chinese, or German. Our globe is filled with hundreds of options — even ones that have gone to the wayside, like Latin, has a place in academia. Unfortunately, I was never given the opportunity to take a course in the vocabulary I really wanted to learn: American Sign Language.
Though I already speak English, I've never been able to master more than the alphabet when it comes to signing. Activists like Dancing with the Stars alum Nyle DiMarco have definitely got me considering finding some lessons now that I'm older. Along with his family and other members of the non-hearing community, they encourage everyone to learn the gestures so those without the ability to speak can have more fluid communication with the rest of the world.
That's why I'm so impressed by youngsters like Libbey from the clip below. While she isn't deaf herself, Libbey was still inspired to begin learning ASL at just 15 years old. Now a bit older, she shares what she's learned on her YouTube page by interpreting some of her favorite songs. It's amazing to see how much passion and emotion someone can put into a piece of music without ever uttering a single word. Not with her voice, at least.
Take a look below to see her rendition of "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten.
And don't forget to SHARE the beautiful cover with your friends!
