Youth Luncheon

The Youth Luncheon will be held on July 3, 2012 - 12:15 PM to 1:30 PM, in the  Hyatt Regency Ballroom.

Joel Garcia Presenter Joel Garcia, a Chicano Deaf individual, is a full-time graduate student at Gallaudet University, studying in the Deaf Studies program with an emphasis on Cultural Studies. His goal focuses on becoming a Latino/Chicano Deaf advocate and a Chicano Deaf Studies professor at a university. Joel is the first person in his Spanish-speaking family to excel in higher education. Joel is proud of his identity as a Chicano Deaf individual. In addition, Joel is a former gang member in Southern California. Joel has decided to take a life-changing path, leaving his gang life behind.

Nathaniel Amann Emcee Nathaniel Amann was born and raised in Arizona, and attends the Arizona School for the Deaf and the Blind in Tucson. The hot weather and very friendly community is his favorite. He plays a lot of sports, including football, track and basketball and he has also participated in many other activities such as Jr. NAD and National Leadership and Literacy Camp (NLLC). He is the President of his school’s student government and he will attend NAD Youth Leadership Camp this summer. Nathaniel hopes to enter Gallaudet after graduation and pursue his dream of majoring in technology.

Amberlin Hines Emcee With her roots beginning in the Chesapeake Bay region of Maryland to the rural mountainous terrain of West Virginia, Amberlin is currently a senior at Model Secondary School for the Deaf in Washington, D.C. Amberlin is proud of her versatility and ability to adapt to her environment and befriend the people she meets from all walks of life. She has a deep love and respect for the outdoors and nature related activities. Amberlin is also involved in sports: Volleyball, Basketball and Track/field. She has served as the Student Body Government President and was selected to go to the Jr. NAD Conference at California School for the Deaf in Riverside where she was selected to serve as the delegate from Jr. NAD at the 2012 NAD Conference with Nathaniel Amann.