BEAUMONT, Texas — A recent Lamar University graduate has a lot to celebrate. Shay Abigail has become a published author and her children’s book is breaking barriers.
She graduated in May with a Bachelor of Science in American Sign Language.
The 22-year old Lamar graduate found her passion in ASL. She wanted there to be a book where a deaf child could relate to the main character, so she wrote one.
“A child's perspective on disability on deafness, it's not a how to, it's not an instructional manual. It's really just about a child," Abigail said.
With her book "My Name is Maya," Abigail hopes that deaf children see they are represented, and they aren't alone in their aspirations.
"Just because I use ASL or I'm deaf doesn't mean that I can't have a career as an astronaut or an artist or whatever I want to be," Abigail said.
Each page in the book has ASL as the page numbers and ASL signs in the illustrations.
"[In] the back of the book, there are some vocabulary that is used in the book that are used in ASL and also the ASL alphabet," Abigail said.
Being a hearing person, Abigail was nervous about writing a book about the deaf community but knew this book would be a great opportunity.
"[It's] for deaf children and also just people, anyone, to learn more about ASL in the deaf community and hopefully reach out to, you know, a deaf person or hard of hearing person," Abigail said.
"My Name is Maya" is a book about a deaf child who is the star in her own world.
"It's a sneak peek into how she communicates with her family, with her siblings with her dog. How she's able to go to school, and just all about what makes her super, including her super language, which is American Sign Language," Abigail said.
Abigail said you can support deaf authors and their content by checking them out online. You can find "My Name is Maya" at www.AndOnThisFarmbooks.com.
