For most of her life, Shirley (21) hid the fact that she was hard of hearing, until she started national service at the "Audio Circles" organization • "I fell in love with a world that I suddenly realized belonged to me too"
"And here I am already sleeping alone and embroidering dreams for myself," sang Ran Danker in his single with Eli Butner, "I am fire."
Unsurprisingly, this is one of the most beloved songs of Shirley Panker (21), a hard-of-hearing from Yeruham, following his punch line - which is naturally associated with empowerment and personal identity.
The connection to the song made her shoot a special video, in which she accesses it in sign language.
"I'm Fire" in sign language - Shirley Panker
"I always hid my identity, I hid, I was ashamed," she recalls.
"My parents hear, my sisters hear, I went to a regular school with hearing children. So I was afraid of being exposed. I was afraid of what would happen if they discovered my true identity. I hid my hearing aids behind my hair and prayed that no one would see or ask."
But then came the age of military service, which, like all of us, brought with it changes and changes in Shirley's life, only to her was added an affirming and inspiring self-acceptance.
"All of that changed when I started my national service at the 'Audio Circles' organization, after I got an exemption from military service," she shares.
The association is home to 800,000 thousand deaf and hard of hearing children, youth and young people in Israel.
It operates nationwide, addressing the needs of the hearing-challenged population: integration into society from the age of six through adulthood, to integration into the world of employment as an independent and active person.
"Suddenly, at the age of 18, I first saw children and teenagers like me talking with their hands in sign language. It was a life-changing moment for me. I fell in love with a world that I suddenly realized belonged to me," she says of the enlightenment.
"Slowly I learned to recognize my true identity: I am Shirley and I am hard of hearing! And I should not hide, hide or conceal it! On the contrary, I am proud of who and what I am and my uniqueness, which for me has already become a gift."
The filming of the accessible video of "I'm Fire" is the culmination of her self-acceptance that Panker has been waiting for all her life.
"I filmed the video to create a connection between the two worlds - the world of the hearing and the world of the deaf and hard of hearing, the two worlds that belong to me, and both are part of my identity," she proudly declares.
"In this way I also make the music and songs accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing audience, and also raise awareness of the community and sign language."
Panker is currently working on a degree in sign language translation at Bar-Ilan University, coordinates employment promotion in the "Creators of the Future" program of "Audio Circles", and accompanies deaf and hard of hearing youth in the process of finding work and volunteering for the army / national service.
