On Friday, September 27^th, 2019, Victor Valley College students gathered at a Starbucks coffee shop on Apple Valley Road in Apple Valley, California to attend a “Deaf Coffee Chat Meeting.”

The meeting had at least a dozen people that attended or were involved with the event. Coffee and socialization go good together with Deaf people, as there were conversations and meetings. Deaf culture involves not only deaf but also hearing and hard of hearing.

Victor Valley College students, both deaf and hearing, attended the meeting. They took American Sign Language (ASL) courses at the event and conversed using sign language with other students.

The event was also known as the “Deaf Chat Night,” where many deaf people participated in conversation and were signing to one another. It was actually an event where current and former Victor Valley ASL students could get together and sign with one another.

There were at least four to five Victor Valley College students in attendance, and the majority at the event were taking ASL 4, which is the fourth or fifth class taken in ASL. ASL is taught on the Victor Valley College campus.

“I’ve taken classes since 2017,” said Madison, a student at Victor Valley College. She is hearing but is also taking ASL at Victor Valley College.

“I know two deaf people that attend Victor Valley College,” said Madison when asked if she knew any other deaf students that attended Victor Valley College.

Maxwell, another attendee who is also a student Victor Valley College, commented on the event. “I’m taking ASL 3 and 4,” said Maxwell. “I’ve been taking courses for three years.” Maxwell is currently a deaf student taking courses at Victor Valley College.

When asking the deaf students if they knew about the Victor Valley College newspaper they were a bit ecstatic. “I’ve actually never seen anything about the Rams Newspaper before,” said Maxell.

It was said that there was going to be a deaf club on campus in the makes and also being planned. The majority of the Victor Valley College students that attended the event have been to a “Deaf Coffee Chat Meeting,” before. Social media, Facebook, and Instagram is actually quite popular among deaf as they like to connect and socialize also.

The “Deaf Coffee Chat Meeting” was a place to sign and have a conversation. Not only was it a place to have a coffee or a Frappuccino, but it was for deaf and also former Victor Valley College students to attend also.