Emily Cortez
Student of Deaf Education
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Hello! My name is Emily Cortez. I am a Graduate student at Fresno State and will be graduating with my MA in Deaf Education May 2017. . After I graduate with my MA, I will also continue working on obtaining my Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. Before moving to Fresno, I had never been exposed to ASL or Deaf Culture. However, my freshman year, I took an ASL class and fell in love with it instantly. Since then, I have done as much as I can to become involved with the Deaf Community and hope to strengthen that tie even greater in the future as I put my degree to use.
About Me
I have a twin sister!
I would like to mention that I have a twin sister who is also a student at Fresno State! We are identical and people have mixed us up on occasion, but please don't let that stop you from saying hello. Both of us love meeting new people, so please feel free to say hi! One thing, my sister does not know sign language. So if you are signing to "me" and I don't respond, I'm not being disrespectful, it is my sister. If you sign to me I will sign in response.
My family inspires me!
My family is not a conventional one. My parents divorced when I was young and each found someone who truly makes them happy. They have always put my sister and me first, put aside their differences, and are now able to call themselves friends. We will do birthdays, Thanksgiving, and even Christmas Eve together! It is their love that inspires me and motivates me to succeed. All of my parents have told me to find something that I'm passionate about and I've found it! So with their love and support, as well as wonderful teachers and a welcoming community, I am pursuing my passion.
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It is a dream of mine to use my degree in some way to work at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA! I have grown up knowing the magic of Disney and the way they make dreams come true. It would be an honor to work there and make the magic and dreams come alive in American Sign Language.
The Happiest Place on Earth!
