Home competitions to feature "The
Star-Spangled Banner" in American Sign Language
SALT LAKE
CITY, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today,
Sorenson, the world's leading provider of communication tools for
Deaf, DeafBlind and hard-of-hearing people, and BYU Athletics, a
member of the Big 12 Conference, announced they are teaming up to
provide live American Sign Language (ASL) performances of the
national anthem preceding all BYU football home games, which will
begin with the August 31st
game against Southern Illinois. In
addition, the national anthem will be signed in ASL at all home
basketball and baseball games during the 2024-2025 season.
"We join with BYU to support one of America's
most beloved sports traditions – the presentation of 'The
Star-Spangled Banner' – in sign language," said Jorge Rodriguez, CEO of Sorenson, a company
which uses language intelligence to weave accessibility and
understanding across global communities. "Many sports events do not
incorporate accommodations into their games. We are here to
change that by creating a culture of inclusion on and off the
field."
This season, during BYU football pre-game
activities on the field, a Deaf performer will sign the anthem,
with video being displayed on the video board for fans in LaVell
Edwards Stadium to see.
"We are thrilled to include an ASL performance of
the national anthem as part of the BYU pre-game experience for our
fans," said Anna Metcalf, BYU
assistant athletic director for marketing and fan experience. "This
partnership provides us the opportunity to enhance the fan
experience through increased accessibility. We are proud to partner
with Utah-based Sorenson to
provide these communication solutions at our football, men's
basketball and baseball games."
The video ASL performance will show the ease of
integrating language interpretation into any setting. Including
communication access for all people fosters greater connection and
demonstrates commitment to real and meaningful diversity, equity,
inclusion and belonging initiatives which benefit everyone.
"We encourage all schools to incorporate similar
measures to create campuses that provide a sense of belonging,"
Rodriguez said. "Sorenson is here to support various options for
integrating accessible experiences."
One of the largest employers of Deaf people,
Sorenson connects more than 140 million conversations each year by
offering a full suite of inclusive language services – caption and
video relay services, over-video and in-person sign language and
spoken language interpreting, real-time event captioning services,
and post-production language services. To learn more about the
range of services Sorenson offers, visit sorenson.com
View in ASL. Read in Spanish.
Sorenson Press Contact
Denisse Tamez
Director of Public Relations
Sorenson | (801) 287-9400
Dtamez@sorenson.com
BYU Press Contact
Jon McBride
Associate Athletic Director for Communications and Media
Strategy
BYU Athletics | (801) 866-4932
jon_mcbride@byu.edu
About Sorenson
Sorenson is one of the
world's leading language services providers, combining patented
technology with human-centric solutions. We strive to increase
diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility for
underrepresented people through communication solutions for all:
call captioning and video relay services, video remote and
in-person sign language and spoken language interpreting,
translation, real-time captioning, and post-production language
services. Our company impact extends beyond the connections we
support. Under Sorenson's Impact and ESG Vision and Action Plan,
we're reviewing our carbon footprint, addressing accessibility and
advancement barriers for Deaf employees, and implementing a
supplier diversity program. Sorenson is a minority-owned company
committed to expanding opportunities for underserved communities
and championing a culture of belonging. For more information on how
we advance human connection, visit sorenson.com or
es.sorenson.com.
About BYU
Founded in 1875, Brigham Young University is located in Provo, Utah. The campus is home to 33,000+
undergraduate students, pursuing degrees in 186 majors.
Athletically, the Cougars compete in 21 sports. They have won 12
NCAA titles all-time, claimed 302 conference championships; and
have been home to 1,405 All-Americans, 1 Heisman Trophy winner and
84 Olympians.
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SOURCE Sorenson