DPN20: I Can, You Can, We Can!


In honor of DPN20 today, enjoy this ASL Poem/Rap by Bridgetta Bourne-Firl.

Upward we go!

58 comments

  • todoslavie 16 years ago

    Wow, what an inspirational ASL rap poem with the chants. She also provided some nice guidance on how to lead with students to copy. I just got back from Jeff Rosen’s presentation on Empowerment and Human Rights at NCOD (CSUN). He talked a lot about his involvement with DPN, and to close the night tonight with BBB-F’s powerful message sends me off barefooted in the park!

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  • Coach Creech 16 years ago

    I can, You can, and We CAN…..

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  • John Critser 16 years ago

    ~If we take the “I can, you can, we can” theme all the way, WE can do it~

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  • Leigh 16 years ago

    AWESOMELY!! YES, Me Can, You Can, We Can!!!

    That is so beautiful ASL Poetry!!

    Thank you for inspiring us!!

    BTW, I witnessed your first lovely ASL poetry at Gally via website last Friday nite…Awesome!y !!!…

    Looking forward to see you at DBC with your same ASL poetry in person this June !!

    Reply
  • Jean Boutcher 16 years ago

    So cool I could feel the vibration on the floor and the walls as you were signing rhythmtically. Beauté!

    Albeit DPN20 was ending today, we will keep an eagle’s eye at Gallaudet University!

    Vive l’Université Gallaudet!

    Jean Boutcher

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  • Wanda 16 years ago

    I can. You can. We can!!!!

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  • Bill 16 years ago

    Bravo!

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  • ASLguy 16 years ago

    wow you make me feel likely Poem in my heart and mind ” I can. You can. We can!!!!”

    ” I can. You can. We can!!!!”
    ” I can. You can. We can!!!!”
    ” I can. You can. We can!!!!”
    ” I can. You can. We can!!!!”

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  • BR 16 years ago

    Bravo, Bridgetta!

    I remember the moment of victory very well….

    Sunday evening, March 13, 1988 the protesters were just starting a rally in the gym and one of the protest leaders, maybe Greg, looked at his pager (a numerical pager). There was some commotion and he quickly left. We all realized that this could be something really important, so everyone in the gym leaped up out of their seats and swarmed out of the gym. Most of us were running to the Ole Jim to the protest headquarters. When we got there, it was too crowded to enter and people were pressing up near the entrance door, then word started trickling back and spread like wildfire: ALL FOUR WON!!! ALL FOUR WON!!!

    Wow.

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  • MikeS 16 years ago

    Good job, Colleen and I watched it.

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  • Jay Croft 16 years ago

    Absolutely great, and so clear!

    I re-live DPN over and over at this time of year.

    Not many people know that on Sunday, March 6, 1988 in many churches (Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian, etc.) the Gospel reading for that day was about Jesus throwing the money-changers out of the temple.

    It gave me goose-pimples to see that concept actually carried out during that historic week!

    –Rev. Jay L. Croft

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  • Jon Savage 16 years ago

    I’m good!
    You are Best!
    We are ROCK!

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  • Deafreckles 16 years ago

    Yes I can, you can, and we can!! Loved your poetry!

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  • Jaime 16 years ago

    Wow really so beautiful !!!!!!!!!!!! OF COURSE we can too !!!!!!!!!!!

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  • salliemae 16 years ago

    WOW, I can feel u and your vibrate and rythmtic when I watch and copy your “I can. You can. We can! You are a champ, and so all of us deafies are!

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  • ASCDEAF 16 years ago

    Bridgette

    Inspiring!

    Candace A McCullough

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  • Aidan Mack 16 years ago

    Bridgetta

    Beautiful job and THANK YOU!

    Aidan

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  • Nick Vera 16 years ago

    Very powerful message! My body feel like electricity to elevate the great momentum. VIVA GALLAUDET!!!

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  • LaRonda 16 years ago

    Go Bridgetta! That was very inspirational and creative! Love the rap rhythm! Well done!

    ~ LaRonda

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  • PANY Lighthouse 16 years ago

    WHOOOOOO…..I can! You can! We can!

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  • Sandra Goldstein 16 years ago

    Handswaving!!!!!!!!

    Sandra 🙂

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  • Billy 16 years ago

    I did copy from you I can, You can, We can your show is great.
    hey wait min I have old VHS tape about DPN that i dont order or buy anyone no take from tv program long time ago go to see World Deaf history. Tks : )
    Look URL.

    Reply
  • JeromeCain 16 years ago

    You made me want to dance with you for Unity for Gallaudet!!! Unity for Gallaudet made people that they can, they can they can we can you all can!!! yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

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  • deafkathy 16 years ago

    Lets shake the world and make them hear us when we sign “I can, you can and we can!”.

    BBF, you did it very beautifully!

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  • Mick 16 years ago

    Yea..I can, YOU can and WE can..What a Electicity HandsWave!!! I have a question for Todoslavie. Just wondering if you had video on Jeff Rosen’s presentation about Empowering and Human Right at CSUN? If so, it would be nice if u could edit and share with us and watch his presentation so we can learn something from him.

    ALL OF DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING IN DEAF NATIONWIDE can SIGN together ……I can YOU CAN and WE can……:)

    Reply
  • Misha 16 years ago

    I CAN…..

    YOU CAN…..

    WE CAN…..

    I CAN…..

    YOU CAN…..

    WE CAN……

    *hands wave*

    That’s great and moving poem!

    Misha 😀

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  • Patty Reaume 16 years ago

    It’s a great poem.. I can, you can, we can! I loved it!

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  • cuong aka buzz 16 years ago

    bridgetta,

    wow, i can felt your rhythm like it was music in our deaf heart.

    great positive vibe!

    buzz

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  • passingthru 16 years ago

    (zinser) Woman couldn’t sign except ……

    what was it? I couldn’t catch that sign? anyone help?

    Was it the alphabet letter “Z”?

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  • Terri Watts 16 years ago

    Of course….

    I can, you can, and we can too..

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  • Joey Baer 16 years ago

    Passingthru #29,

    BBF signed “ILY” when she was talking about Zinser.

    Reply
  • Bridget 16 years ago

    waving !!!!!
    i can
    you can
    we can
    thank you for sharing DPN 20 th

    Reply
  • Tawny Holmes 16 years ago

    *shivers goes up and down arms*

    Yes, we can! That’s why Deaf Youth USA is up and running beginning this July before the NAD conference in New Orleans!! Check us out on Facebook and join us in showing everyone that we indeed CAN. Website coming up soon!

    Reply
  • Tara (MO) 16 years ago

    Way to go! I can, you can and WE CAN!

    Reply
  • Szabolcs Weér 16 years ago

    I Can, You Can, We Can!
    I Can, You Can, We Can!
    I Can, You Can, We Can!
    I Can, You Can, We Can!
    I Can, You Can, We Can!
    I Can, You Can, We Can!
    I Can, You Can, We Can!
    I Can, You Can, We Can!
    I Can, You Can, We Can!
    I Can, You Can, We Can!
    I Can, You Can, We Can!

    Reply
  • David 16 years ago

    [riffly_video]D27C9114F1FE11DCBBFBD0A456B4F508[/riffly_video]

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  • Lisa Covell 16 years ago

    Of course we can. Good job.

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  • Mark Maki 16 years ago

    Hand Wave!!!!!!!!

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  • ASL analyzer 16 years ago

    Your ASL poem is beautiful, but you use your lps a lot. You lipspoke “NO” without signing it and that may not be qualified for ASL poem. Please do not give up because I know you can do it better in your next vlog. If I, as a Deaf person can, then you can. Therefore, we can! \mI / ; ) \ Im/

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  • Nancy Cummings 16 years ago

    Woowwww, Wonderful,

    That touches me enormously! Cheer!

    Nancy Cummings

    Reply
  • David K. 16 years ago

    [riffly_video]7E9F4122F22111DCAE8AD0A456B4F508[/riffly_video]

    Reply
  • Cousin Vinny 16 years ago

    Nice work! Loved the video. Thanks for continuing to inspire us.

    Reply
  • Cindy Murray 16 years ago

    It is so beautiful ASL poem..
    Hand waves !!!!!!!!!!!

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  • Jac 16 years ago

    I Can, You Can, We Can!

    an ASL powerful poem!

    **Waving Hands**

    You are doing so well.

    Thumb-Up!

    Reply
  • Anita 16 years ago

    Beautiful poem, we won’t forget, but a lot of remember those days! WAVE!

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  • John P. Dubsky 16 years ago

    WOW!! SO BEAUTIFUL! HEY, WHY NOT SHOW THIS TO AGB?
    HANDS WAVE……..

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  • SweetMind 16 years ago

    Whoo hoo! What the best medicine I got this am after I read this.

    YEEESS, I CAANNNN , you CAANNNN , and we CAAAAANNNN.

    That makes me having a big smile and enjoy the Deaf poem for a change.

    Thank you so much.

    \ml/

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  • Bill 16 years ago

    ASL analyzer . . .whoa – let’s just enjoy her signing poem without being so worrisome about her ASL faults, etc.
    i trust that she did it without a lot of practices or worry about styles. she just pours it on – this is where we are to enjoy her natural signing and out of her heart.
    perhaps she could smooth some edges out and sign a little fancier, etc. but it is for us all to watch and enjoy her poem, period. it is full of spirit and truth to the idea. no baloney, etc there.

    Reply
  • Davy 16 years ago

    Of course ………

    I CAN !
    YOU CAN !
    WE CAN !

    Right on BBBaaaaabbbyy !!!

    I can !
    You can !
    We Can!

    We all can do it BBBBaaaabby !!!!!!! 🙂

    Davy

    Reply
  • klm 16 years ago

    GO BISON! REMND ME OF THE CHANTING FROM GALLY DURING HALFTIME AND U DID IT WELL… YUP WE CAN DO ANYTHING AS MUCH AS WE ARE KEEP IT UP TRYIN

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  • Donna 16 years ago

    I CAN You CAN We CAN

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  • nomad 16 years ago

    i think lip movements are a huge part of asl–many deaf performance artists use them. lips are very expressive and just because it looks like an english word doesn’t make it not asl.
    i thought the poem was beautiful.

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  • Diane 16 years ago

    EYE can YOU can WE can!

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  • emily 16 years ago

    your poetry is just like the little story about the blue train. There are big trains that can pull big things. They didnt think blue train fits in with them. One day, Big Trains all can’t go up the hill because of weights. Blue train is so little and fast, it carrys the heavy. It said ” I think I can, I think I can” with positive reinforcement and attitude. Having positive attitude is what encourages the blue train to go over the hill with weights on it.. As Firl says ” I can, you can, we can” because she believes in us, she have very encourage positive reinforcement. she encourages us to do it. Here comes I gonna say in return, Firl and people, I can, you can, we can!!!! ~wink~

    Reply
  • terry dockter 16 years ago

    Bridgette,

    WOW, You ROCK!

    I, YES, You, YES, We, YES!

    Reply
  • marybeth Aquila 16 years ago

    I love it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  • Ashley Bevins 15 years ago

    I like this ASL Poem. I thought that it was very inspiring and the chants really helped make it interesting. I think that it was helpful because it got me into ASL more and to learn about the deaf culture more. I also really enjoy ASL now because not only to I get to meet other hearing and deaf people I also get to learn more about Sign Language and I get to learn a lot lot lot more about the deaf culture. Thanks very much for the peom and the chant. It helped alot and I want to thank my teacher for inspiring me to take ASL 2 next year and I did I am in ASL 2 my sohpmore year. Thanks alot.
    I CAN, YOU CAN, WE CAN
    REMEMBER THIS IT WILL HELP YOU INT EH FUTURE!!!:):)

    Reply
  • Morgan 15 years ago

    I watched this video with my ASL 1 class and ABSOLUTLY LOVED IT!!! It is a great way to get the message across! GREAT JOB!!! 🙂

    Reply

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