Today, the White House announced that it will have American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters at all daily press briefings. In September 2020, NAD with Arnold & Porter won a court order that set the stage for this. The NAD challenged the Trump White House’s refusal to provide ASL interpreters for any COVID-19 related press briefings. In August, we argued the case. In September, we won, with the court ordering the White House to provide ASL interpreters at all COVID-19 related press briefings. In November, the first ASL interpreters appeared – a historic moment.
Press Secretary Jen Psaki announced that The White House will be providing ASL interpreters for all daily press briefings (not just related to COVID-19). The ASL interpreters are in-frame (as opposed to in-person) and they can be seen on the official White House website and White House social media accounts (Facebook, YouTube, Periscope).
There is more work to be done, but this is a great day for inclusion and access for the deaf and hard of hearing community.
TRANSCRIPT: Hi, everyone. Good afternoon. Happy Monday to everyone. A couple of announcements at the top. First, as a part of this administration’s accessibility and inclusion efforts, starting today we will have an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter for our daily press briefings. Today’s interpreter, Heather, is joining us virtually. The president is committed to building an America that is more inclusive, more just, and more accessible for every American including Americans with disabilities and their families.