Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin had a few lessons left for Marquette University undergraduates before they received their diplomas on Saturday morning.
The actress, who is deaf, was the featured commencement speaker for Marquette’s Class of 2023 — which included her son Brandon Grandalski.
Matlin gave her entire speech in American Sign Language with interpreter Jack Jason translating to English: “The life waiting for you after you leave Marquette is still a classroom. What you began here continues out there.”
As someone who faced discouragement and rejection in her adolescent years as an aspiring actress, Matlin spoke enthusiastically of Marquette’s motto: “Be The Difference.”
“Far from the stereotypical image of someone who is deaf and lives in a world of silence, my world is not much different from yours,” said Matlin. “My kids will tell you I’m loud, and silence is probably the last thing you’ll ever hear from me.”
By loudness, Matlin was referring to her thoughts and opinions on injustices and all the “isms” in the world — how she condemns agism, racism, ableism and audism; and promotes idealism, individualism and optimism.
“I am a proud member of a vibrant deaf culture,” said Matlin. “The language we use, American Sign Language, is more wonderous than any spoken language. It is a means of communication that goes beyond the spoken word to convey time, place and emotion; oftentimes simultaneously.”
Towards the end of her speech, Matlin asked the audience to put pause the recordings on their phones and join her in some sign language: Audience members and graduates filled the Fiserv Forum with the hand signs for “courage,” “dreams” and “success.”
Matlin expressed immense pride for the deaf community, but her greatest sense of pride? For her son: “I am most proud to be honored here as a mom. I’m proud of my son Brandon who is graduating today.”
