Solouota

Solouota is a dedicated single mother and advocate for the deaf community, who raises her three hearing children using New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) as their first language. Growing up deaf, she initially communicated with her family through improvised home signs before discovering NZSL at a local school, which profoundly changed her life. Now in her mid-30s and working as a NZSL tutor, she emphasizes the importance of sign language in her family's life and aims to raise awareness about its significance in New Zealand. This week, during NZ Sign Language Week, she was recognized as a sign language hero for her efforts in promoting NZSL and advocating for the deaf community.