Her hands glided swiftly through the air, sharing all the great thinking of mankind without a sound. Her face displayed the array of human emotion. Gazing at her from nearby, another deaf student heard the professors’ lecture.

SWC students have proven that a disability does not prevent success. Disability Support Services (DSS) provides Sign Language Interpreters to translate spoken word English for a student who is deaf or hard of hearing.

One of the many people behind the hands is Brenda Jimenez, 27, who grew up in Chula Vista with Mexican-Deaf parents. She said it had its advantages and disadvantages. She learned four different languages and cultures as a young girl. With four brothers and a sister, Jimenez learned Lenguaje de Senas Mexicano (Mexican Sign Language), American Sign Language (ASL), spoken Spanish and English at the same time.

As a child Jimenez said she had to interpret for her parents wherever they went since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was not understood or effectively enforced yet.

“I was dragged everywhere to interpret for my parents,” she said. “Parent-teacher conferences, appointments, meetings and everything else you can think of.”

After graduating high school Jimenez said she did not know what path to take in life. She knew, however, was that she did not want to become an interpreter because she had dreaded it when she was younger.

“After talking with some of my mom’s interpreters,” she said. “They encouraged me to get into the field and told me the steps I needed to take. That fall I enrolled at Mesa College and fell in love with everything about the deaf culture.”

Interpreters come from many different backgrounds. Kendra Workman, 28, said her uncle lost his hearing when she was six years old. He gave her a small ASL handbook where she learned and practiced with a small group from her church. Her freshman year at Helix High School, Workman met a deaf girl on the swim team.

“We became friends and she introduced me to other deaf students,” said Workman. “I knew some sign at the time, but it didn’t take me long to jump into the deaf community.”

Workman took ASL 220 at Grossmont College during her junior year of high school. As part of her senior project she took Interpreting at Madison High School in Clairemont.

“After graduating high school in 2002, I went straight into the interpreting program at Mesa College,” said Workman. “Then I graduated in 2006 with an associate’s degree in interpreting.”

One of the many words interpreted to students is the word “homework.” Interpreters begin by bringing all of their fingertips of one hand together, touching their fingertips to the side of their mouth then swiftly lifting their hand and touching their cheek again near the ear. This is the combined sign for “home” where one “eats” and “sleeps.” Then “work” is made by shaping both hands into fist shapes with the dominant palm facing down, using their dominant closed hand to rest upon the vertical wrist of their other hand.

“Interpreters probably face different challenges,” said Student Services Specialist Darlene Poisson, 47. “I can only imagine how complicated it may be. I envy them for what they can do. It is truly an honorable occupation.”

Poisson said last year 53 hearing-impaired students received services, 11 requested interpreters. There are usually 10-15 interpreters working on campus, she said.

Jimenez and Workman are freelance interpreters who work with the Western Interpreting Network agency. Workman said she loves to work at SWC.

“All the faculty, staff and students are very friendly,” said Workman. “We spend a great deal of time with students so we get to know them well.”

Jimenez said that in class she sometimes gets curious students asking questions or staring at them.

“Sexual terminology may come up during lectures,” said Jimenez. “We feel like all eyes are on us and suddenly we’re in the spotlight, so it can get a little embarrassing.”

Workman said that one important thing to remember when conversing through an interpreter is to speak directly to the student.

“We are not related to the student,” she said. “We are not their babysitter. We are not tutors. This is not a ‘hobby.’ This is my job. And remember, deaf people can do anything hearing people can.”

Workman said she is living her dream.

“As an interpreter you get to be a small part of people’s lives and you experience all kinds of things,” she said. “From kindergarten to college, birth to death, the possibilities of my days are endless. Anything you would experience in your life, so would a deaf person, and in turn so would the interpreter.”