Knowledge Base

It started as a novelty. A robot hand signing the alphabet. An avatar slowly producing finger-spelling on a screen. Early versions of AI-powered ASL tools were more curiosity than communication. But fast forward to 2025, and the field looks very different. Now we’re seeing tools that can mimic facial expressions, modify hand-shape dynamics, and even […]

As we head into another back-to-school season, many families are focusing on routines: school supply lists, physicals, vision checks—and yes, routine hearing screenings for kids. But here’s a question we don’t ask enough: When’s the last time your team got their hearing checked? We’re conditioned to think of hearing care as something for children—or for […]

We’ve all seen the signs of “inclusion” that barely scratch the surface. A small note on an event flyer saying “ASL interpreter available upon request.” A wheelchair ramp that leads to a locked side entrance, separate from where everyone else enters. A video that boasts captions—only for viewers to discover they’re automated, riddled with errors, […]

If you had asked me a year ago how I felt about networking, my answer would have come with a hesitant smile and a slight cringe. As an introvert, networking has always felt like a task I should do rather than something I wanted to do. The word itself conjured images of awkward small talk, […]

The night of June 25th, 2025, something extraordinary happened. Our Ultimate Speakeasy wasn’t just an event—it was a culmination. A beautiful collision of business and non-profit, corporate strategy and community heart, all coming together to solve real-world problems around communication access. At Gateway, we talk a lot about connection. We talk about breaking down barriers. […]

At some point in my leadership journey, I realized the word I had been searching for all along was transformational. Not “traditional.” Not “managerial.” Transformational. It clicked because it describes not only how I lead — but what I believe in. It puts a name to the kind of leadership I’ve been cultivating at Gateway […]

As the Language Access and Inclusion Director at Gateway Maryland (a Baltimore City Non Profit approaching 100 years of service in 2026; 30+ years of providing interpreting services), as a certified interpreter and interpreter educator for over 25 years, and with a doctorate in Urban Education Leadership focused on sign language interpreting practices, I commend […]

Let’s ask the hard question: What happens to language access when we, as a society, step back from prioritizing equity and inclusion? What happens when we shrink our commitment to human rights, to access, to connection? The answer isn’t abstract. It’s being lived. It’s painful. And for many in the Deaf and hard of hearing […]

Expanding Communication for Non-Verbal and Minimally Verbal Autistic Individuals For many autistic individuals, communication is not just about words—it’s about connection. Autism is a spectrum, and so is the way autistic individuals communicate. Some use spoken language fluently, while others may be non-verbal or minimally verbal. For those who experience difficulty with traditional speech, alternative […]