Ana Kristina Arce

Deaf since she was born, Ana's hearing disability didn't stop her from unstoppable yearning to
learn. She was awarded class valedictorian at the Philippine School for the Deaf and her success
in the academe went on from there.

In 2009, she graduated magna cum laude from the De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde (CSB)
with a degree in Applied Deaf studies. Her focus was on the multimedia arts and she went on
to become a graphic artist at her alma mater, CSB.

Blazing the trail, she continued on to study abroad to pursue a Master's Degree. She earned her
MA in Deaf Studies from the Gallaudet University, Washington D.C., one of the world's most
prominent universities in the field of deaf studies. She is the first Filipino to be sent to Gallaudet
University with a World Deaf Leadership Scholarship.

Why all the studying? Ana says she wants to give back. On the New Internationalist Blog she
said:

"I hope to not only help them (the deaf) go through college, but also make them good
researchers, and active advocates in their respective communities. In my advocacy, I’m looking
at opportunities to bring the needs of the Deaf into the consciousness of society, especially the
hearing people. I aim to help integrate the Deaf and the hearing together in unity, bridge the
communication gap, increase awareness of the Deaf culture, and raise the respect for the natural
sign language of the Filipino Deaf – the Filipino Sign Language."