My name is Federico Quintana, and I was born Deaf in the lively city of Miami, Florida. From an early age, I embraced my Deaf identity and culture through art mediums. Growing up as a Deaf person, I encountered various challenges. However, my unwavering determination to pursue a career in education led me to Gallaudet University, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in American Sign Language. For over a decade, I have taught A.S.L. and Deaf Culture courses at the high school and college levels. This experience has allowed me to share my knowledge and experiences with eager learners and exposed me to the scarcity of comprehensive and up-to-date A.S.L. curricula. Recognizing the importance of engaging resources, I took it upon myself to fill this void by creating teaching materials tailored to meet the needs of my students. Motivated by my passions for art and pedagogy, I embarked on an ambitious endeavor to develop the ASL Yes! Curriculum textbooks. I wanted to ensure my students could immerse themselves in engaging, relevant, and culturally authentic learning materials. I took on the roles of an author and artist to create textbooks from scratch. I’m a proud artist and author of “ASL Yes!” textbooks with over thousands of hand-drawn sign illustrations. P.S. I am a retired magician known as Deaf Sorcerer.
Artist is the most honest profession because drawing is their lie detector. – F.Q.
