NAD & PepsiCo Join Forces to Bring ASL to the Big Game

ASL Artist John Maucere to Perform National Anthem Pre-Game at Super Bowl XLVII

NEW ORLEANS, February 1, 2013 – The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and PepsiCo are partnering up to expand the inclusivity of Super Bowl XLVII.  PepsiCo has teamed up with NAD to bring John Maucere, an internationally renowned actor and performer, to New Orleans for a Super Bowl experience.  John’s experience from his arrival in New Orleans to his signing of the National Anthem will be documented by NAD and PepsiCo through a short digital film that will be made available on www.nad.org [2] and www.pepsico.com [3].  Sneak peeks of John’s journey will be shared by NAD and PepsiCo through social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter.

Additionally, for those viewers wanting to watch the signing of the National Anthem and America the Beautiful prior to the kick-off, CBSSports.com [4] will offer a camera angle titled “Fan Choice” whereby actor John Maucere will perform these iconic songs in American Sign Language.   

PepsiCo’s sponsorship of John Maucere as the ASL artist at Super Bowl XLVII is the latest effort in an on-going partnership with the NAD that started with the broadcast of “Bob’s House,” a :30-second “silent ad” filmed entirely in ASL that debuted during the pre-game show of Super Bowl XLIII in 2008. The ad was created by PepsiCo EnAble, an employee-resource group that is dedicated to cultivating inclusion and success for people with different abilities both within PepsiCo and in the community at large.

The NAD applauds PepsiCo and its EnAble group for their extraordinary support of the deaf and hard of hearing community.  PepsiCo has broken barriers in how society perceives the community with its innovative portrayals of the beauty of American Sign Language through various mediums, including this Super Bowl weekend experience.

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About the National Association of the Deaf

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) is the nation's premier civil rights organization of, by and for deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the United States of America. Established in 1880, the NAD was shaped by deaf leaders who believed in the right of the American deaf community to use sign language, to congregate on issues important to them, and to have its interests represented at the national level. These beliefs remain true to this day, with American Sign Language as a core value. The advocacy scope of the NAD is broad, covering a lifetime and impacting future generations in the areas of early intervention, education, employment, health care, technology, telecommunications, youth leadership, and more – improving the lives of millions of deaf and hard of hearing Americans. The NAD also carries out its federal advocacy work through coalition efforts with specialized national deaf and hard of hearing organizations, as well as coalitions representing national cross-disability organizations. Individual and organizational membership makes it possible for the NAD to ensure that the collective interests of the American deaf and hard of hearing community are seen and represented among our nation’s policy makers and opinion leaders at the federal level. The NAD is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supported by the generosity of individual and organizational donors, including corporations and foundations. Follow the NAD on Twitter at @NADtweets and on Facebook at http://facebook.com/NAD1880 [5].

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 22 different product lines that generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales each. Our main businesses -- Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay, and Pepsi Cola -- also make hundreds of other enjoyable foods and beverages that are respected household names throughout the world. With net revenues of approximately $60 billion, PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo's promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages for local tastes; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment, including by conserving energy and water usage, and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support, and invest in the local communities where we operate. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com [3].

About John Maucere

John Maucere, a seasoned international performer, graduated from California School for the Deaf, Riverside and attended Gallaudet where he was one of the rally leaders who led Gallaudet through the 1988 Deaf President Now (DPN) movement. 

John broke through Hollywood stereotypes and became the first deaf actor in ABC’s Talent Development Program, attended by the likes of Tom Hanks and Arsenio Hall.  From there, John appeared on several television series, such as NBC’s “Law and Order” and “Brand New Life,” USA Network’s “Pacific Blue,” ABC’s “Parker Kane,” “10-8,” ABC Family's “Switched at Birth,” and TNT's “Southland.”

In addition to John’s theatric portfolio is some of his published ASL works; a series of Signing Naturally, the latest 7-12 unit to be released in 2013; Number Signs for Everyone: Numbering in American Sign Language; Fingerspelled Word Recognition Through Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP), all of which are published by DawnSignPress. Directing is another forte of John’s. He has directed several original productions such as Deafhood, written by Ella Mae Lentz, and his own creation, The Gift. 

In 2008, John was recognized by the City of Los Angeles for his exemplary service to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. John is renowned for his hilarious character, Superdeafy, now playing in a series of webisodes, through www.superdeafy.com [6] and www.johnmaucere.com [7].