On National American Sign Language Day, ASL Club hosted its first-ever guest speaker, Rikki Poynter, an online advocate for the Deaf community, April 15. Interpreted by club president Kiana Lee (11), Poynter’s speech detailed the challenges presented by hearing loss and how she overcame them through perseverance and community.
Poynter’s path to finding the Deaf community began when she was young; growing up, she said she felt a sense of isolation. In her early 20s, she began seeking connection.
“Living in limbo of not being ‘deaf enough’ and not being ‘hearing enough’ really takes a toll on us,” Poynter said. “I was doing makeup videos on YouTube at the time before I switched to the advocacy [and] lifestyle content, and with that, I decided to look up if Deaf makeup artists existed because from all the isolation I was experiencing, I was convinced Deaf people didn’t have careers. I found one makeup artist, and then a Deaf research rabbithole happened. I followed the Deaf tag on Tumblr, looked up Deaf YouTubers, and from there, I ended up making friends online and eventually in real life.”
ASL Club member Maisy Cuaresma (9) said that Poynter’s story resonated with her personally.
“I joined [ASL Club] because I’m hard of hearing, [so] it was really cool to learn about her experience,” Cuaresma said. “She didn’t start off deaf, she grew up hearing, like me, and then had to learn sign language. It was just really interesting hearing her story.”
Along Poynter’s journey, she found the path to advocacy.
“I don’t think I really ever ‘wanted’ to [become an advocate],” she said. “It was more that I had to. I didn’t want to keep living without resources I needed, and I didn’t want the further generations to live without them either.”
Now, Poynter works to promote accessibility and acceptance, speaking on social media, in schools, and on the news, as well as leading workshops and participating in panels.
“In 2026, we’re still waiting to be heard, ironically enough,” Poynter said. “We’re still dealing with Deaf schools and programs closing or losing funding, being denied access to ASL interpreters in schools, work, medical. We are still fighting for basic rights. Aside from that, society at large still doesn’t understand that Deaf culture is a thing, and that Deaf people are generally happy to be Deaf and to be part of such a great community and have a great language.”
Cuaresma said that Poynter’s advocacy inspired her to keep speaking up in her own life.
“I learned a lot about having to push through and advocate for yourself,” Cuaresma said. “I’ve been trying to do that, asking for closed-captioning and whatnot. I can make it through the day without having to have interpreters or anything, but it definitely does make it easier, and it was really cool seeing how her situation was different from mine and how it was similar and what I can do if I ever need more help.”
For ASL Club PR Manager Yoonah Bae (10), stories like Poynter’s help reframe worldviews.
“[ASL Club] taught me to look at things from a different perspective,” Bae said. “I was more aware of the disabled community. I wanted to connect more with others that were going through these challenges, [so] you can kind of hear outside of the environment you’re in. I personally have never met someone who only communicates through signs, so I think [Poynter’sherPoynter’s story was] a new way to see different perspectives.”
Poynter said that it is important to embrace this broadened view in order to help build an inclusive community.
“Learning ASL is a good start,” Poynter said. “Of course, not all Deaf people know or use ASL, but it’s good to have that knowledge to communicate with those who do. I would say if a Deaf classmate has trouble advocating for themselves or is coming across some defiance from schools, being an ally and keeping schools accountable is good too. Offer notes if you have them. Ask your Deaf peers if they need any help, and listen if they ask for help.”
Cuaresma said that recognizing different perspectives is the first step to creating a friendlier campus.
“We’re in a mainstream hearing school, so it’s really important to know what other people are going through when there’s not really a specific place for them to learn,” Cuaresma said. “It’s important to hear other people’s stories to know what we can do to make Westview a more inclusive place.”
