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>> Again, I just want to thank you for coming here today
for this interview.
>>It’s my pleasure.
>>So, first question: “What is your name?”
>> My name is C-R-A-I-G. My sign name is [demonstrates sign-name].
>>Oh, that’s you’re sign name? Now I know!
>>And how old are you?
>>I’m 29 years old.
>>And where did you grow up?
>>I grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
>>So, you grew up in Florida but now you’re here
in New York. Why is that?
>>Well, long story short, I lost my job two years ago.
I had been looking but I couldn’t find any work.
So, I decided to come to New York to try
my luck finding a job and a place to live.
>>Well, you’re still here. Where are you living now?
>>I live outside New York City in Tappan.
>>Do you like it there?
>>No, it’s really boring; too quiet.
I like being able to go out any time I want,
You know?
>>So you come into the city a lot then?
>>Yes
>>Do you have a favorite place in the city?
>>Hm, that’s hard to say but I really like
Brooklyn P-R-O-M-E-N-A-D-E.
It’s a nice walk down with a view of the city.
>>So, you’re favorite place outdoors is the Brooklyn Promenade
but what about bars or restaurants?
>>Well…I love this one restaurant on 112th street and Broadway
It’s called Toms restaurant. It’s cool cause it was on
that TV show S-E-I-N-F-E-L-D.
[Laughter]
>>Nice; eating in the same place as the famous people.
[Laughter]
>>Like you said, you moved here from Florida because you
were looking for work.
>>Yes
>>What kind of work?
>>I’m in the I.T. field.
So, anything to do with computers,
networking or systems administration.
>>How did you become interested in that field?
>>Well, I got interested in IT when I was in high school.
I had a class where students would go out and
help teachers with their computers.
We’d fix them or provide new ones.
I learned a lot and I really liked it.
I decided to go to college and major in IT and graduated in 2006
with a B.S.
>> Graduated from where exactly?
>>University of Central Florida. U.C.F.
>>Did you like it there?
>>It was ok but the parking there was worse than Manhattan.
Way worse.
[Laughter]
>>So good college over all but…
>>Bad parking, yes.
[Laughter]
>>Did you meet many nice people at your school?
>>I had a few friends but my school was huge. 35,000 students.
I went for my classes but when they finished I’d leave.
So, I didn’t have many friends but I had some.
>> Better to have a few friends than F-A-K-E ones.
>> [demonstrating the sign for fake] Fake, yes.
“Quality over quantity.”
>>U-C-F, right?
>>Yes.
>>Did U-C-F have many deaf students?
>>No; very few. I remember maybe four including me.
Not many.
>>So, you all knew each other?
>>Yes.
>>Was it nice to have a small community?
>>[correcting my sign for community] Community. Yes.
>>Was there the same amount of deaf individuals in your
hometown as well as school?
>>My hometown was very small. So, not many deaf people there.
>> So once again, you all knew each other.
>>[Laughs] Yes.
But it’s not a good thing.
[Laughs]
>> Why not?
>>Well, if something happens then everyone will talk and the
whole community knows in an hour.
[Laughter]
>>How would you say being part of the Deaf Community
has helped you, if at all?
>>To be honest, I never really was a part of the
deaf community.
Growing up I was alone but sometimes it’s good to
have a group where I can communicate.
But I always feel that I fit people with hearing people.