As millions tune in to watch the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Kansas City Chiefs at the Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, this Sunday, Justina Miles will be making history.
Miles, 20, is a deaf American Sign Language performer and will be signing the pre-show’s “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” to be sung by Emmy-award-winning actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, as well as the highly anticipated Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show helmed by mega-star Rihanna.
Miles wrote in an email to CNBC Make It that it’s an “honor” to make history as the first deaf person to perform the ASL rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” known as the Black national anthem, at the Super Bowl.
At a press conference Thursday, Miles called the song inspiring, empowering and representative of resilience.
It’s an important moment “not only for me to share this experience with the whole world,” she said, “but to really bring that empowerment to millions and millions of Black deaf people all over the country who’ve never really seen that before. I feel that is truly lifting every voice, even my voice.”
She will also be the first female deaf performer for the Super Bowl’s halftime show. “I value the opportunity to make it possible for all deaf people to enjoy these songs, and not have them miss out on the full Super Bowl experience,” Miles tells Make It.
You may have seen Miles before: She went viral in 2020 after her version of the TikTok #crushonyouchallenge was shared widely across social media. In the video, Miles signs a verse and pays homage to rapper Lil’ Kim’s colorful 1997 “Crush on You” music video.
Miles, a Philadelphia native and current nursing student at HBCU Bowie State University, is hard of hearing, according to reporting from Billy Penn. Her mom is deaf, and her family is mixed with hearing people.
Miles was also part of the USA team that went to the 2021-22 Deaflympics in Brazil and won a silver medal as part of the 4×100 women’s track relay team. She was the valedictorian at the Model…
Read the full article here
