Christina Derhammer has been selected as the recipient of the Hamilton Relay 2020 Deaf Community Leader Award. She was nominated because of her leadership, advocacy, community engagement, spiritual advisory and organizational management within her community.
Christina is a pillar in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community in Bethlehem, PA. She is committed to issues surrounding the Deaf Community and American Sign Language.
- Deaf Connection of the Lehigh Valley – Co-founder of Facebook group that supports children, parents and professionals who work with individuals with any level of hearing loss.
- Deaf Mentor – Volunteers to attend ASL clubs at three local high schools to ensure that proper language is taught along with appreciation for Deaf culture. Mentors new ASL interpreters to prepare them for upcoming national tests.
- Deafblind Living Well Services – Support Service Provider. Supports people who are deaf-blind and initiatives to ensure that sustainable funding is secured.
- Summer Academy for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing – Volunteered for the past three years for the Summer Academy for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing supported by the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation.
- Deaf and Hard of Hearing Task Force– Teaches a cooking class to students of all ages who are deaf or hard of hearing.
We commend Christina for her volunteerism and are proud to present her with the 2020 Deaf Community Leader Award for the state of Pennsylvania.