President Cordano interviewed on PBS’s “Otherwords”, appears on Pharrell Williams’ Mighty Dream Forum

President Cordano was interviewed on the PBS series “Otherwords”, in an episode titled “Why Sign Language Was Banned in America.” “Otherwords”, now in its second season, is described as a program that “digs deep into this quintessential human trait of language and finds the fascinating, thought-provoking, and funny stories behind the words and sounds we take for granted. Incorporating the fields of biology, history, cultural studies, literature and more, linguistics has something for everyone and offers a unique perspective into what it means to be human.” 

“Otherwords” is written and hosted by Dr. Erica Brozovsky, a sociolinguist at the University of Texas at Austin. On her UT biography page, she writes that her research centers on language variation and change in Asian Americans in Texas, specifically focusing on Taiwanese Texan identities as indexed through language use.

President Cordano also attended Pharrell Williams’ Mighty Dream Forum, held November 1-3 in Norfolk, Virginia. This annual multi-day event is described on its website as a “forum of thought leadership, idea exchange, networking, progressive conversation and amazing food and entertainment experiences designed to broker honest, direct dialogue on how we can create positive economic outcomes for all; where important, engaging conversations about matters of equity and opportunity are also charged with an energy unlike any other.”