I Was So Inspired By Apple’s Deaf President Now! Documentary, And I Want To Talk About It

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Looking ahead to 2026, movie fans have a lot to look forward to, including powerful true stories. Last year saw some excellent documentaries, and one that particularly stood out was Deaf President Now!. This film features four Gallaudet University alumni recounting a week-long student protest in 1988 that led to the appointment of the school’s first deaf president, and significantly advanced the rights of disabled Americans.

The documentary Deaf President Now!, directed by Nyle DiMarco and Davis Guggenheim, is now available to stream with an Apple TV subscription. It sheds light on what the filmmakers call a largely unknown but incredibly important civil rights movement.

What Is Deaf President Now! About?

Gallaudet University, founded in 1864 and the only university of its kind dedicated to the deaf, was preparing for a new leader in 1988. The university’s board, comprised entirely of hearing members, chose Elisabeth Zinser as president, overlooking two qualified deaf candidates. Zinser herself was not deaf and didn’t use sign language.

The film Deaf President Now! tells the story of the 1988 protest at Gallaudet University, when students – Jerry Covell, Tim Rarus, Greg Hlibok, and Bridgetta Bourne-Firl – blocked off the campus and demanded a deaf president. It uses photos and video from the event, as well as interviews with these four key student leaders.

It Was Powerful To See The Movement’s Leaders Recall The Events In Their Own Words

Beyond the story itself, the way the Apple TV documentary was filmed really struck me. The filmmakers interviewed four former students individually, and their honest, personal stories were powerful. While an interpreter translated their sign language, the expressiveness of their gestures added a dynamic, almost performative quality to what could have been standard interview footage.

I especially loved it when the four individuals shared the same memory, and we saw their reactions one after another. A great example was when they remembered receiving the flyers announcing the selection of a hearing president instead of deaf candidates – the photo shows those flyers.

Throughout the film, certain scenes are shown without any audio. We see visuals like leaves blowing in the wind, fire alarms, and students protesting, but the lack of sound powerfully puts the audience in the students’ shoes. A particularly impactful moment happens at the film’s conclusion when students celebrate I. King Jordan becoming the first deaf president of Gallaudet University. As Jerry Covell signs to the excited crowd, the sound cuts out completely.

We will be heard.

The silence only amplified the sound of my celebratory sobs.

I Was Inspired By How They Were Able To Organize The Protest And Communicate Their Needs

It was incredible to see this diverse group of students—who weren’t friends outside the protest and had very different personalities and ways of leading—unite to organize their fellow students. They had to work together despite not having cellphones or other modern technology, and they faced a significant language barrier with the people they were protesting against.

In the film, Jerry Covell is shown quickly stepping in to de-escalate a potentially violent crowd. Those involved also recognized that as the Deaf President Now protest grew, they were representing not only their university, but the entire deaf and disabled community. Maintaining composure, strength, and organization was crucial, and considering the challenges they faced, it couldn’t have been easy.

The Board’s Infuriating Treatment Of The Students Proved Why Representation Is So Important

It was incredibly frustrating that the Board of Trustees didn’t listen to students’ requests for a deaf president. It’s hard to effectively represent a community if you don’t understand their experiences or challenges.

The slogan “Deaf President Now!” highlights a frustrating moment when students questioned board member Jane Spilman about the decision to appoint a hearing president. She reportedly responded with:

Deaf people are not ready to function in a hearing world.

The interpreter told the angry crowd that the message was delivered correctly, but Spilman later said she didn’t remember saying that, and blamed the confusion on the chaotic environment. This incident, and the documentary as a whole, clearly demonstrate the importance of having representation and show that speaking up for yourself can lead to real change.

The Way The Students Advocated For Themselves Gives Me Hope For The Future

What I found most striking about the Deaf President Now! protests was how differently the students responded to being dismissed compared to previous generations. Gallaudet University, founded 124 years prior, had never been led by a deaf president. The people interviewed described how their parents and grandparents had silently accepted similar disrespect, but they were determined not to suffer the same fate.

The outcome was truly groundbreaking, something previous generations hadn’t considered or believed achievable. I. King Jordan, featured in the documentary Deaf President Now!, led the university until 2006, and the three presidents who followed him have also been deaf. The governing board was also changed to include a majority of deaf representatives.

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It was amazing to see how far the impact of the protest reached. Just two years later, the Americans with Disabilities Act became law, and other important civil rights were granted to deaf and disabled people like me. It felt like a real turning point.

I’ve seen a lot of powerful documentaries about people with disabilities, and this one truly touched me. I hope it helps raise awareness about this important movement, as it shows how we can make a real difference in the world.

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2026-01-17 21:12