-Who I Am- Heather Badger

Let’s look deeper into what makes me, me! Where am I from? – I was born into a family with loving parents and five siblings – I was born into a family that valued education – I was born into the faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints – I was born into a white, middle-class, English speaking, American home.

Well, that was then. What about now? Where am I now? – I am in a loving home with parents and five siblings – I am a member of a white, middle-class, American family – I am a strong member of the LDS church – I am an English and ASL speaking person – I am a college student – I am a full time employee

What about my future? Where do I want to go in life? – I want to be a living mother and wife – I want to continue as a strong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints – I want to be a member of a multicultural family – I want to have the opportunity to surround myself with those that speak English and ASL – I want to be a full time employee – I want to be a college graduate

What are some of the pivotal events that shaped (and continue to shape) my life? THE BIG THREE: 1.Graduating from high school and going onto higher education 2.Serving an LDS mission for 18 months 3.Losing my hearing at a young age

So, how do “THE BIG THREE” play into my culture? I am grateful to have a personal culture that is a mix between the average American culture and that of the Deaf culture. My culture mainly comes from my ancestry that has been passed down to me. For many generations my family has been here in America, which passed the American culture on to me. I believe a big part of American culture involves education. Graduating high school and going on to higher education makes me feel a part of my culture. Another part of the American culture is religion. For generations, my family has been strong members of the LDS faith. Because of that I was instilled with morals and values that I couldn’t have received from anywhere else. I served for eighteen months in another state solely teaching others of Christ’s church here on the earth. Early on in life I lost a big part of my hearing (but got it returned after five surgeries) thus becoming involved in and adopting the Deaf culture and everything that plays into that.

What about my community? Because I am highly involved in and a part of two cultures that leads to me being involved in two very different communities. Because I grew up in the American culture and my family is also involved in that culture, one of my communities is based on that culture. My education started out being based in this culture until it took a drastic shift and is now, today, based in my second community that revolves around the deaf culture. My mission and service in the LDS church also had the same change of events. I started out based in teaching and surrounding myself with people of the American community but then suddenly changed direction and surrounded myself with those in the Deaf community. Some may look at the event of my losing my hearing as a bad thing but one of the many positive things that came from it is I can now be involved in two amazing and drastically different communities.

And my society? Society in general looks at different aspects of an individual and deems those aspects as either positive or negative. Education is seen as a very positive aspect in society. Because of my educational background and future, society looks on my in a positive manner. Society as a whole sees service as a good thing and deems my religious service as a positive thing. Another part of society however does see it as a negative thing. Unfortunately it seems that society as a whole sees differences or things that are unknown to them as a very negative aspect of an individual. My hearing loss put me in that grouping in societies eyes. Although I now hear the same as the average person, I see how some people in society still look down on me as I engage in the Deaf community. Because many of the aspects that define me are seen by society as positive and many are seen as negative, it makes me an average person.

From where I started, to where I am now, and my hopes for the future. That is why I am who I am