Milwaukee City Wire

An Eyeth Day celebration is set to take place at the UWM campus on Saturday, April 6, as part of American Sign Language Awareness Month. The event will feature various activities to honor and showcase the Deaf community and their unique talents.

Sunny Brysch, the program director of the School of Education’s American Sign Language Studies program, described Eyeth Day as "an imaginative concept representing a planet tailored for those who communicate through visual and manual means." This celebration aims to create a space where signing is the primary mode of communication, fostering a world different from Earth.

One of the highlights of the event will be a Deaf business showcase scheduled from 3-5 p.m. in the Wisconsin Room of the UWM Student Union. This will be followed by a "sign and dine" gathering in the Union Gasthaus from 5-6:30 p.m., providing an opportunity for attendees to engage and connect.

The celebration will culminate in a free concert at 7 p.m. featuring Wawa Snipe, a deaf hip hop musician, in the Wisconsin Room. Snipe, known for his unique music style termed "dip hop," aims to educate the audience about Deaf musicians in the hearing world. His 2016 album, “Deaf, So What?” emphasized the idea that perceived disadvantages can serve as inspiration to pursue music without the sense of hearing.

Notably, Snipe's talent has been recognized on a grand stage as he performed the national anthem at Super Bowl 55 in 2021, showcasing the power of music and its ability to transcend barriers.