Personally, I am a huge fan of hip-hop and serene-centric music. While appreciated by many, this combination is unlike many other people’s music tastes. Some enjoy jazz, classical, or country. Although I enjoy music, others express their artistic pleasure through drawing, literature, or dancing. Though we may differ in the way we each appreciate art , we recognize the unique ways to cherish this work; this is no different than how Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HoH) individuals can enjoy music through various methods.
This Super Bowl was monumental in many ways, such as Rihanna's halftime show performance with over 65,000 attendees, and of course, the Eagles losing! But, just as importantly, the performance and integration of three Deaf and HoH individuals were crucial for elevating Deaf and HoH culture on a national stage. These performers included Justina Miles, Troy Kostur, and Colin Denny.
Justina Miles was the first Black female Super Bowl halftime ASL performer, where she did an interpretation of Rihanna's halftime show. The Deaf 20-year-old is a former valedictorian, nursing student, cheerleader at Bowie State University in Maryland, and won silver as part of the 4x100m women's track relay team during the 2021-2022 Deaflympics. She was also the first Deaf person to perform the ASL rendition of "Lift Every Voice and Sing." which was originally made by James Weldon Johnson. Similarly, Colin Denny performed a North American Indian Sign Language performance. Colin was borned HoH and became Deaf at age 14. He graduated from Gallaudet University in 2019 and is currently working towards his masters. Troy Kosture, who won an Oscar for his role in Sian Heder’s CODA (2021), also presented an ASL performance of the US national anthem.
While promising and a step in the right direction, neither of the three made a prolonged appearance in the televised broadcast. Instead, the only way to see the three performed is through a single YouTube video showing them side by side in a glitchy video with a mislabeled link and an absence of captions. Deaf and HoH performers are equal to hearing performers and should not be used to showcase accessibility and equality without follow-through.
SuperBowl performance: Justina Miles (Deaf performer) performs Super Bowl LVII 2023 Halftime show by Rihanna in ASL (HD)
Another clear distinction that must be made is the difference between ASL interpreters and ASL performers. ASL interpreters are individuals who translate music into sign language and serve to make music accessible for Deaf and HoH individuals. This role requires a deep understanding of music, research, and memorization to convey the music appropriately. However, this is different from an ASL performer, which is a Deaf or HoH individual that presents their talent through ASL. These individuals utilize the vibration of music or hearing devices to assist in their music performances. Therefore, it's important to recognize the talent of ASL performers as they are not simply the interpretation of other musicians' work.
Opportunities to showcase ASL performances are essential to highlight another way of appreciating music and ensuring ASL musicians are lifted to the same level as appreciation as their hearing counterparts. However, these spaces must treat ASL performers the same, as there is no difference besides different methods for their particular arts. Similar to audiences for mainstream musicians, target audiences enjoy ASL performers, and their integration into events is not simply an accessibility measure. ASL musicians must be in future Super Bowls, however potential incidents of performative action must be addressed and eliminated. An excellent example of this was when Marlee Martin performed alongside the national anthem singer allowing both individuals to be in the same frame.
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