THIS YEAR’S PRESENTER: FRED E. GRAVATT
ASL Immersion Weekend 2003
April 25th, 26th, and 27th
Fred E. Gravatt was born hearing, one of 4 boys. He began to loose his hearing around the age of 6, and was fully deaf by the age of 8. Fred’s oldest brother James was born Deaf. James only went to Deaf school when he was 16 years old, and never graduated. James strongly encouraged Fred to go to Deaf school, so Fred attended Oregon School for the Deaf. In the spring of 1964, he moved south, and went to the California School for the Deaf – Riverside, . He Graduated in 1969 and went to The National Technical Institute for the Deaf in Rochester, New York. He next went to Golden West Jr. College in Huntington Beach, California, and later completed his Bachelor’s Degree at North Central Bible College, in Springfield, MO. He later completed the Master’s program at Bethel Theological Seminary. Currently, he is enrolled at California State University – San Bernardino, to complete another Masters in Deaf Studies/Linguistics.
Fred has been performing since the age of 12, starting from behind the stage, then working up to performances on stage for an audience! Performing mostly at colleges, he has actively participated in ASL storytelling, and is an ASL advisor for ASL performances. Related to this, Fred has been in video productions, has been a cameraman, production editor, producer, and Master of Ceremonies. He is currently teaching ASL, and Awareness of Deaf Culture, to a number of colleges in his home area.