Deaf Vibes Workshops

Workshops

One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Navigating Diverse Deaf Identities in Interpreting
9am - 11am CT
0.2 PS CEUs

Workshop Description:
Join Carly Weyers and Sarah Tubert, two Deaf professionals with contrasting lived experiences, as they unpack the complexity of Deaf identity and its impact on interpreting. Carly, a business woman from a multigenerational Deaf family and Deaf school background, and Sarah, a tripod program-educated actor from a hearing family, bring unique perspectives to this interactive workshop.
Despite sharing a community and a language, their access needs, cultural cues, and interpreter expectations are entirely different. This session will challenge the assumption that there is a “standard” Deaf client—and instead, highlight the need for adaptable, culturally responsive interpreting.

Educational Objectives:
- Recognize the diversity within the Deaf community by comparing and contrasting Deaf experiences based on education, family dynamics, hearing levels, and cultural exposure.
- Understand how personal identity impacts interpreting needs, preferences, and expectations—especially in professional and artistic settings.
- Identify and address assumptions that may affect interpreting dynamics, especially when working with Deaf clients who have vastly different backgrounds.
- Apply adaptive interpreting strategies that respect and respond to individualized communication needs in live, high-pressure, or public-facing events.
- Build awareness around the intersectionality of Deaf identity with other identities (e.g., profession, class, language fluency) and how these affect access needs.
- Foster more culturally responsive interpreting through real-world examples, discussions, and self-reflection.
-Enhance collaboration skills with Deaf professionals, recognizing the importance of trust, flexibility, and shared cultural knowledge.

Presenter Bios:
Carly Weyers – Workshop Co-Presenter

Carly Weyers is a dynamic Deaf professional with over a decade of experience in advocacy, accessibility training, and community engagement. She began her career at the Nebraska Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing as the Outreach and Behavioral Health Coordinator, where she led statewide training initiatives for emergency management, law enforcement, hospitals, and mental health providers on how to effectively serve Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals.
She went on to work with interpreting-focused organizations including Convo and Hands Up Communications, where she deepened her understanding of interpreter dynamics and access systems. Today, Carly serves as an Ambassador for Lingvano, a leading ASL learning platform, where she continues to bridge the gap between the Deaf and hearing communities through education and empowerment.
Carly brings a rich perspective as someone raised in a multigenerational Deaf family and educated in Deaf schools. She is passionate about challenging assumptions, advocating for inclusive access, and creating space for authentic representation within interpreting and beyond.

Sarah Tubert – Workshop Co-Presenter

Sarah Tubert is a passionate Deaf advocate, athlete, and actor whose work spans entertainment, education, and empowerment. She stars as a series regular on Disney’s Primos, making history as the first Deaf Latina voiceover actress in an animated series. In addition to her groundbreaking work in television, Sarah serves as the captain of the USA Deaf Women’s National Volleyball Team and travels nationally as a motivational speaker, sharing her journey with audiences of all ages.
As co-host of the podcast What the Deaf?! With her best friend, Sarah creates space for honest, intersectional conversations about Deaf life, language, and connection. She is deeply committed to inspiring others to embrace who they are and believes in the power of storytelling to drive meaningful change.

Classifiers in Action: Show, Don’t Tell
12:30pm - 2:30pm CT
0.2 PS CEUs

Workshop Description:
This hands-on workshop is designed to get interpreters moving, thinking, and signing with clarity and confidence. Participants will explore the power of classifiers through high-energy, collaborative activities that encourage visual storytelling, spatial awareness, and quick decision-making.
Rather than relying on signs or fingerspelling, participants will be challenged to use classifiers to communicate clearly in a variety of scenarios. This interactive experience emphasizes creativity, precision, and the importance of nonverbal cues in interpretation.
Come ready to move, think on your feet, and expand your classifier toolbox in ways that are both fun and practical.

Educational Objectives:
- Identify and apply a variety of classifiers to clearly depict people, objects, actions, and spatial relationships
- Strengthen their ability to visually describe without relying on signs or fingerspelling
- Improve team communication and interpretation skills using classifiers in real-time, high-pressure scenarios
- Recognize how classifiers enhance clarity, engagement, and access in interpreted content

Presenter Bios:
JoJo Savea brings a dynamic blend of lived experience, creativity, and global perspective to the interpreting field. She grew up across five states and Samoa, navigating nearly every type of Deaf educational setting—from mainstream programs to oral and Deaf schools. These experiences shaped her understanding of language access, identity, and the power of visual communication.
As a Deaf professional working in both corporate and creative spaces, JoJo offers firsthand insight into what true access looks like. She currently works as a social media and influencer partnership manager at Sorenson, while also running her own wedding photography business and social media agency. Whether she is behind the camera or in front of it, her work constantly reinforces the importance of clarity, visual storytelling, and cultural awareness—skills that directly connect to strong interpreting.
JoJo lives in Utah with her husband, Austin and their lively household of four mini Aussies, three cats, and one very chill chameleon. Whether she is leading workshops or hiking through national parks, her goal is always the same—to foster connection, break barriers, and show that Deaf lives and language are rich, layered, and deeply visual.

LIVE PODCAST:
Join us for an unforgettable evening as Carly Weyers and Sarah Tubert, the dynamic Deaf duo behind the acclaimed podcast What the Deaf?!, bring their raw, hilarious, and deeply honest conversations to the stage live.

For years, listeners have tuned in to hear Carly and Sarah navigate dating, college, careers—and all the awkward, empowering, and everyday moments—while thriving in a hearing world through American Sign Language, captions, and voice interpretation (whatthedeaf.com). Now they’re breaking the fourth wall and coming to Nashville to share that journey with you live.

What to Expect:

• Authentic stories about dating, friendship, and career challenges

• A vulnerable look at their Deaf identities and evolving life journeys

• Hilarious behind-the-scenes anecdotes—no topic is off-limits!

• Interactive Q&A—bring your questions: “Ask Away!”

• Live ASL interpreting and voice accessibility throughout the event

Hosts You Know & Love:

• Carly Weyers – Communication Studies & Sociology graduate, raised in a multigenerational Deaf family

• Sarah Tubert – Actress, motivational speaker, and former captain of the USA Deaf Women’s Volleyball team

Expect an evening that’s equal parts laughter, insight, and heartfelt connection—celebrating Deaf culture, challenging assumptions, and embracing authenticity.

This 90-minute live show begins at 6:00 PM. Doors open at 5:30 PM. Seating is limited—grab your tickets now!