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We hosted our first virtual workshop, “So You Want To Be An Influencer?” on February 24, 2023 with 50 people in attendance. We invited Arlene Ngalle, Leila Hanaumi, and Rikki Poynter to provide an informative, entertaining event that reached audiences of all ages and experiences. This workshop was structured to educate and illuminate about the experiences of Deaf individuals on social media and how to build your platform to attract followers and income as well as taking care of yourself in the process.
Arlene Ngalle grew up in the DC/MD/VA area. After graduating high school, she embarked upon a five-year journey of self-discovery around the globe that eventually led her to Gallaudet University. Arlene enjoys working and being involved with the Deaf Community to strive for continuous improvements in accessibility and human rights.
Before starting out as a Marketing Manager at TRUE+WAY ASL in Austin, TX, Arlene spent sevens years as a Community Curator and a Business Account Manager in the VRS industry and three years as a Program Specialist at National Deaf Center and Digital Marketing Specialist and Coordinator Assistant at ASL Connect. With a successful career supporting and working with the Deaf community, Arlene continues her passion for the community by promoting accessibility in her work at TRUE+WAY ASL.
Her many years of work with the Deaf community led Arlene to found a social media platform on Instagram and Tik Tok; @LifeThruLensofLeLe. She started the social media platform after the traumatic journey with the house fire in 2020 and she regained the joy in life with the support from the community. She wanted to give back to the community through her social media platform by sharing the inspiration with hope and joy.
Known for her sense of humor and colorful spirit, Ngalle is a true explorer. She is forever seeking her next adventure and is more than ready to experience all life has to offer.
Leila Hanaumi is the creator of @todayiawaken on Instagram where she grew to an audience of 27K over the course of four years. She uses her platform as a space to share her thoughts and tips on living an authentic and fulfilling life as a working mama, wife, and individual. She also does ASL song covers when inspiration strikes.
She has spent over a decade creating content for Deaf-owned businesses and giving presentations, hosting workshops, and providing consultation to the Deaf community. She believes that social media is an extension of who we are and can be utilized to connect you to what aligns with your purpose.
Rikki Poynter is a content creator, writer, accessibility consultant, and public speaker.
She started her YouTube career in July 2010 being a makeup vlogger until her shift to more educational and lifestyle content in late 2013. She is known for her video, “Shit Hearing People Say,” which now has over 530,000 views, as well as her efforts for proper closed captioning on YouTube.
In September 2016, she launched a closed captioning campaign called #NoMoreCRAPtions in hopes to get a large group of people promoting captions at the same time. The campaign is still ongoing today. On YouTube, in writing, and at public speaking, Rikki covers a variety of topics including disability (deafness, chronic pain, and fatigue), accessibility, mental health, child abuse, and more.
Connecticut Deaf Theatre provides theatrical experiences showcasing American Sign Language and Deaf Culture through performing arts and artistic efforts in the state of Connecticut and the region of New England.
Established in 2020, CDT is a 501C3 nonprofit tax-exempt professional theatre company that trains and employs Deaf, DeafBlind, Hard of Hearing, and hearing artists with a model for collaboration bringing harmony between diverse peoples and languages.